Dear Beck Families:

Tomorrow is the first day of school for the 2021-2022 school year! It's finally here! I just wanted to take a minute and remind you of a few details.

School times have changed. Start time is now 8:40 a.m. We will start letting students in beginning at 8:35. Our day ends at 3:30 now. Students should plan to be picked up (or met) on the front walkway in the yellow PICK UP ZONE. A parking lot map is shown below.

Tomorrow morning students should report to the door assigned to their teachers. The map of the school and the door assignment for each teacher is listed on there. They are color coded by grade level.

Please pay attention to the newly designed parking lot. The flow has changed! If you plan to drive your child, please park in the FRONT LOT only. The side lot to the north is for buses and staff only.

Last, please remember that due to health and safety precautions, parents will not be escorting their child into their classroom as we've done in the past. Good-byes will have to be said at the door. Prepare your child for this if you know they may have a hard time. Setting the expectation up front helps minimize disappointment!

Breakfast and lunch will begin on Wednesday, September 1. If your child would like to participate in breakfast they will enter through the outside cafeteria door (we always have it propped open and a sign is put outside to help students see where to go). We open the door for breakfast at 8:15 a.m. Students must be in class by 8:40 a.m.

The first day of school is always an exciting day! The Beck staff and I are looking forward to welcoming your child to Beck to begin the 2021-2022 school year! See you tomorrow morning!

Christine Wilson

Principal

The procedure for our parking lot drop off and pick up have changed slightly (for those veteran parking lot folks - you'll see a different flow!). Cars will ENTER and EXIT the lot now through the south driveway. Only buses will use the north driveway and teachers' parking lot area. Students will load into cars in the yellow 'loading zone' that runs north from the crosswalk to the end of the parking area.

We ask everyone's patience and attention to the new signs as you navigate through the parking lot. It will be slow at first until everyone becomes familiar with the procedure, then it will speed up and become safe and efficient for students, parents and families.

Also, if you are looking to participate in the BFV, the bottom of the survey has a spot for you to give them your contact information (otherwise the survey is annonymous). The survey site can be access here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFV2021-2022

The link to BFV website is always on the top banner of these newsletters

https://beckfamilyvolunteer.weebly.com/

Student Device Responsibility & Optional Insurance - For all Assigned 1:1 UCS Students

Utica Community Schools is proud to deliver 1:1 technology to our students. Depending upon the grade level, your child has been issued either an iPad or a Dell laptop including charging cords and any applicable accessories. Your child is responsible for the device at all times.

Additionally, a separate Technology Device Use Agreement that includes an electronic sign-off must be provided to the district prior to device distribution. This agreement includes the procedures for Board Policy 6600 - Acceptable Use of the District Technology Resources, acknowledgement that the Student Device Agreement has been discussed with your child, and you have read Board Policy 5160 – Information & Communication Technology.

The Technology Device Use Agreement can be found by logging in to your Unified Classroom/PowerSchool parent account using a web-browser (see link below), selecting “Forms” from the Quick Links menu, and then selecting “Forms” again from the navigation bar. Please note that the PowerSchool app does not contain a link to district forms. Forms are only accessible through a web-browser.

Device Insurance Plan for Accidental Damage – Annual OPTIONAL COVERAGE

An annual insurance plan has been designed to help families if there is an accident that causes damage to the school issued device. When participating in the district’s insurance plan for $15 per year, any accidental damage reported will be covered as described below.

Insurance coverage will repair/replace the device for accidental damage with no cost incurred by the student for the first incident (claim). Subsequent damage repairs during the covered year will have a deductible assessed per instance. Insurance will cover a maximum of 3 damage occurrences during the covered year. The deductible fee schedule for each damage occurrence is outlined below. Please note, if insurance is not purchased, actual repair costs (not to exceed the cost of the device) will apply.

How to Purchase Device Insurance -- ONLINE:

The initial fee to purchase device insurance ($15 per device) can be paid online using your checking account, debit card or credit card through PaySchools. The link to PaySchools is unique to each individual school within the district. The link can be found on the homepage of the school your student attends, under “Parents” - “My *school name*” I have included the link for you below.

FINAL DATE TO ENROLL FOR TECHNOLOGY INSURANCE (2021-2022)

In order to be considered enrolled in the optional Technology Insurance Program, payments for 2021- 2022 school year must be received no later than Friday, September 10, 2021.