Tiger Talk
September Edition
Important Dates
Monday, September 5 - Labor Day
Tuesday, September 6 - First Day of Elementary Classes
Tuesday, September 20 - Picture Day
Wednesday, October 26 - Picture Retakes
Thursday & Friday October 27-28 - No School
See You 9/1 or 9/2 for Ready, Set, Go! Conferences
We are so excited to be starting off the year again with Ready, Set, Go! Conferences on September 1st & 2nd! We look forward to seeing you and your student(s) during your child's 45-minute conference time in which parents/guardians and students will be able to meet your child's teacher, learn classroom routines and expectations, bring in school supplies, discuss individual strengths and areas for growth, connect with parent communication tools, take school tours, and more!
Please call Mrs. Dittmann in the Schurz office with any questions.
All students will report to school on Tuesday, September 6th!
Have You Registered Your Student(s) Yet?
Everyone is required to go through online registration. Online registration requires the full web-based version of Skyward Family Access. It is not possible to register online through the Skyward mobile app. More information regarding online registration can be found on https://www.watertown.k12.wi.us/page/2022-23-registration the which in step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the registration process.
Registration is not finalized until fees are paid. If you do not pay registration fees online, payment of cash or check can be mailed or dropped off at Schurz school. Please make checks out to "Watertown Unified School District" or "WUSD".
If you need assistance with your login credentials, click the “Forgot Password” link on the Skyward login page or contact your child(ren)’s the Schurz school office at 920-262-1485.
UPDATED: Arrival & Dismissal
Arrival:
*7:35 – Breakfast – Students eating breakfast should be dropped off at 7:35 AM and enter through the cafeteria door via the playground and head in to eat.
*7:45-7:50 – Arrival – Students who are NOT eating breakfast may be dropped off at school starting at 7:45 AM. Students should proceed to their designated entry door for supervision. Please note, aside from breakfast, student supervision is not provided prior to 7:45.
*7:50 – Doors Open – Students enter through their designated entry door.
*7:55 – School Begins – Any students arriving after 7:55 AM will be marked tardy.
Dismissal:
The elementary school day will end at 3:00 pm. Afternoon pick up will be on the playground. Students in grades K-2 will be dismissed through the playground doors closest to the Kindergarten wing. Students in grades 3-5 will be dismissed out the recess doors closest to the cafeteria. Parents may enter the playground through the gate near the front office on Neenah Street. We encourage you to set up a routine "meeting spot" that works best for you and your child(ren). Students will no longer be dismissed out of the River Drive exit, unless they are riding the bus. Students that are taking the taxi will continue to check in at the office.
Adult supervision will end at 3:15 pm, with the playground supervision closing for the day at 3:15 pm. There is Y Care available at Schurz if extended hours are needed after school.
*The WUSD will continue with an early dismissal time of 2:00 pm each Wednesday. Riteway busing will pick up students at that time. All remaining students should be picked up no later than 2:15 pm.
School fees and Lunch Payments
Please note, a 3% credit card fee will be applied to school fee payments. NO credit card fee will be applied toward lunch account payments.
Meal Prices:
Breakfast ~ $1.80/daily, $9.00/weekly, $36.00/monthly
Lunch ~ $3.00/daily, $15.00/weekly, $60.00/monthly
2022-23 Free/Reduced applications are available on the Nutrition Services website. Paper copies of the applications will be available in the school office.
School Fees:
Pre-Kindergarten ~ $25.00
Watertown 4 Kids 1/2 Day ~ $25.00
Watertown 4 Kids Full Day ~ $35.00
Kindergarten - Grade 5 ~ $50.00
Nutrition Services Meal Account/Charge Guidance
Students are permitted to make food and beverage purchases through the utilization of a pre-paid student meal account or cash. Student meal account payments may be made through a variety of methods, including cash, check or on-line credit/debit card payments.
Student meal account low and negative balance notifications are generated through daily automated phone and e-mail messages for any student meal account balance greater than zero but less than $5.00 and any balance of less than zero. A parent/guardian may opt out of these notifications by contacting Nutrition Services.
If you are unable to pay for school meals due to your economic situation, please contact the Nutrition Services Office at 920-262-7536. Assistance may be available, and eligible students will receive both breakfast and lunch for free or at reduced cost. Free/Reduced Price Meal Applications can be found on our WUSD Nutrition Services website www.watertown.k12.wi.us or can be picked up at any WUSD school office.
The following policies shall apply when a student meal account falls below zero:
STUDENT POLICY #3621.2
Elementary (Grades K-5) ~ A student will be allowed to charge up to $10.00. Once the student balance reaches negative (-) $10.00, the student will receive a mini meal consisting of a sandwich and a milk for up to five (5) days at no charge. A courtesy contact to the parent/guardian will be made on the first day that the student receives a mini meal to remind them that a deposit is needed.
Secondary Schools ~ The student will be allowed to charge up to $10.00. Once the student balance reaches negative (-) $10.00, the student will receive a mini meal consisting of a bread item, a vegetable, and a milk for up to five (5) days at no charge. The student will be given a verbal reminder that a deposit is needed.
The above policies for elementary and secondary students apply only to reimbursable lunch purchases. Students who do not have adequate funds in their meal account will not be permitted to charge for breakfast, a la carte milk or other a la carte items. Students with negative meal balances may continue to make purchases using cash at any time. This policy only applies to students.
END OF YEAR Returning students’ meal account balances (both positive and negative) will follow them to the next school year.
For students that will not be returning (withdrawn/graduated) and have positive meal account balances, the following steps will apply:
1. The student’s meal account balance will be applied toward any outstanding school fees.
2. If there are no outstanding school fees, the meal account balance will be transferred to a student meal account within the same family.
3. If the family has no other students enrolled in the district, the parent may request a refund by check or choose to donate the remaining funds to a Nutrition Services account designated to assist families in need.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Picture Day
Picture Day is Tuesday, September 20, 2022. Please use the link below to order and pre-pay online for your student's pictures.
Retake day will be October 26.
Please review the note from Network Photography below:
Dear Parents,
Some important updates for you and how to order School Pictures this year.
You will receive through your school:
• A Brand-New all-in-one school picture pdf
• This pdf includes your school's online pre-pay link, a printable pdf order form, and the date and time of your initial photo shoot dates
The #1 goal of Network Photography this year was to NOT raise prices, especially when it seems everyone else in the world is, and the cost of life and doing business keeps going up.
We found ways to do this, and best part is it improved the photo experience and made our photo days more streamlined and efficient!!
How? Online Ordering through our PrePay Store
• You can order online before photo day, utilizing the all-in-one school picture pdf emailed to you. For August registration shoots, you can scan the big QR Code we have on a large banner at the school which takes you directly to the PrePay portal right on your phone.
• You can order online later using the private password you’ll receive after pictures are delivered, late orders are shipped directly to your home and a shipping charge is added.
• This new streamlined process also means NO MORE SIGN IN TABLE!
• Students can go directly to the first available camera and be photographed by simply providing their name whether they are ordering pictures or not.
• Because all the orders are being placed online, there is no need to process any kind of paperwork onsite, which eliminates the need to wait in 2 lines - a check in line and a second photography line. The reviews from all the shoots so far have been overwhelmingly positive!
We are very pleased to be able to keep our prices the same this year in a tough economy and provide a smoother, faster, hassle free photography process.
Of course, we understand that a few people may need to order with a traditional paper envelope, which is why we have provided all our schools with a small batch to have on hand in the office.
We are excited to bring the new process to your school this year! Let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
The Network Photography Team
262-677-8662
O.I.I. (Other Important Information)
Truancy Abatement Program - The Watertown Unified School District, in partnership with the City Attorney and the Watertown Police Department, participates in the Truancy Abatement Program. School principals will notify the Truancy Abatement Program if a child develops a truancy record. The Truancy Officer works with elementary and middle school students and their families to effectively deal with truancy issues in an effort to help them avoid entering the legal system. Unexcused late arrivals to school may be treated as truancy when a pattern becomes habitual or excessive. Regular school attendance is a key to school success!
Visitors - We encourage parents/guardians to visit school. Appointments MUST be made with the teacher prior to any classroom visit.
Between the hours of 7:55 AM and 3:00 PM, all visitors, including parents, are required to sign in through the main office and have their driver's license or another form of identification run through Raptor Technologies system as a safeguard for all students. Thank you for your support of our secure entrance protocols.
Cell Phones - Cell phones are permitted at school provided the phone is powered off during the school day and in a safe location. Students may not use cell phones during the school day. If you need to contact your child during the school day, please call the office. If the cell phone becomes a distraction or is used in an unauthorized manner, the cell phone may be taken away from the student. the family will be contacted on how the cell phone can be returned. The WUSD is not responsible for lost or damaged electronics. For further information, please refer to the Watertown Unified School District policy on the WUSD website.
Telephone - The office phone is for emergency and school-related business only. Students should plan their after-school activities by making arrangements at home (e.g., pick-up from a club, visiting a friend, etc.). Messages from parents to students will be conveyed before dismissal at the end of the school day. Class time will only be interrupted for emergency messages.
Lost and Found - There is a lost and found area in the school. Please encourage your student to check this area for anything you may be missing. Items not claimed will be given to a local charity.
Bicycles - Students who ride their bike to school must walk their bikes while on school property. Bicycle racks are provided. We suggest all bikes be licensed and locked. The school is not responsible for lost or damaged property.
Special Programs - Instructional support services in our elementary school include reading specialists, talent development staff. speech/language therapists, social worker, hearing/visually impaired specialists, social worker, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and learning strategists.
The purpose of these instructional services is to provide support to classroom teachers in identifying unique learning needs and developing methods to provide an appropriate educational program for the students identified.
The elementary pupil services program also offers activities for all students. These include information which will help students understand themselves better, make good decisions, and solve problems.
Any parent/guardian suspecting their child may have a disability requiring special education, talent development, or other support services may make a referral to the classroom teacher or principal.
School Supplies - If your student is in need of school supplies, please reach out to Mrs. Eisenberg or the Schurz office.
Seal-A-Smile for Students in 2nd & 3rd Grade
The Watertown Seal-A-Smile Program is collaborating with your child's school principal and staff by offering a preventative dental sealant program at your child's school for students in second and third grade. Dental staff will come to your child's school building to provide this program twice this year. This program is not meant to be a substitution for regular dental visits.
What exactly does this program offer for my child? Sealants, fluoride varnish, tooth brushing instructions and oral health education, toothbrush and toothpaste, and a letter sent home explaining what services were done and suggestions for further treatment. Here is a video about the Seal A Smile program: https://vimeo.com/625425862
Seal a Smile website: https://www.chawisconsin.org/initiatives/oral-health/wisconsin-seal-a-smile/
The Watertown Seal-A-Smile dental sealant program is available at no charge whether your child is covered by dental insurance. The Seal-A-Smile program will bill Medical Assistance or BadgerCare if your child is covered by those programs. Parents can review and sign students up at https://sealasmile.wisconsin.gov/Consent/Home/About This is a completely secure website.
Please fill out a form at Ready, Set, Go! Conferences or complete and sign the on-line consent form even if your student will not be participating in the program. This assists in the funding for this great program.
Taxi Information
Updates include:
-All morning taxi rides must be called in the day of the ride, starting at 7:00am.
-AM pick ups will go in the order of how calls were received.
-The taxi will only wait 3 minutes for the rider(s) to come to the taxi once it arrives be departing.
-Time calls will still be allowed for afternoon, end-of-school pick-ups.
Please call Watertown Passenger Transit, 920-261-7433, with any questions or concerns.
Schurz Elementary Dual Language School
Email: liescha@watertown.k12.wi.us
Website: https://watertownwi.sites.thrillshare.com/o/schurz
Location: 1508 Neenah Street, Watertown, WI, USA
Phone: (920) 262-1485
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchurzSchool