On the first day of school, however, all little bodies must be in their seats ready to roll at 8:45 a.m. and the doors open at 8:30 a.m. Bringing parents into the building all at once during those 15 minutes is frantic and overwhelming for many of our students....and some of the team working to kick off our new daily routines as solidly as possible right from the beginning. Therefore, whether you use one of our handy-dandy car loops, send your child on the school bus, or drive slowly into a parking space and walk them to the front door for a hug; parents will stay on the outside while students officially begin their 2022-2023 adventure. Trust me! We've got this! More importantly, your children are ready to be in the routine of school amongst friends...even if they are already complaining about the end of summer and having to get up early.

Speaking of early....STUDENTS NEED TO ARRIVE TO SCHOOL AT THE CORRECT TIME! That's between 8:30 and 8:40 a.m. The only exception could be students entering at 8:25 to go directly to breakfast, or for before-school activities such as choir or PAWS Leadership Team later in the year. Arriving too early isn't safe or fair to either your child or school staff. I'm quite confident that you have already worked out the logistics for your children, and thank you for your attention to expectations.

In a similar light, students need to be exiting their vehicle and walking toward their classroom by 8:40 a.m. if they'll have a chance at getting their things put away in their lockers and getting into their classroom on time by 8:45 a.m. Students who are late to school, especially consistently late to school, are not only at a personal disadvantage after rushing and coming in late and flustered; but they disrupt the important flow of the morning classroom routine that is already underway for everyone else. It is not only helpful for your own child to have a stable, on-time routine; but your time management skills can also have a positive effect on the rest of the class and each child's day. Thank you for helping us to take care of each other, by first taking good care of ourselves.

First student is still in need of a few more bus drivers and/or bus aides. If you, or someone you know might be interested...you know what to do! Click on the links!

https://workatfirst.com/detail-39771-part-time-school-bus-driver/#

https://workatfirst.com/detail-40688-monitor/

• When riding in a car...buckle up, buttercup! Even young children can learn to quickly buckle and unbuckle themselves. Stay buckled ALL THE WAY TO THE CURB in the morning! Buckle up AS SOON AS YOU SIT in the afternoon! Children pin-balling around cars in the parking lot are just not a good look for parents who love their children as much as you do.
• When riding a bicycle...wear a helmet, and either ride on the sidewalk or beside the curb on the right going the same direction as traffic.
• When walking to school...stay on the sidewalk or walk beside the curb on the left facing traffic.
• When YOU are driving in near our school or in the parking lot...put down that phone. You cannot get this time back with your children. Use every minute to pump them up and help them learn how to BE present and make people feel valued.
• If you have time, take your children on a bus or streetcar and practice staying seated, even without a seatbelt. Every child should get to ride a school bus at least for a field trip this year and practice on a bus helps our driver to concentrate on the road.

Practice makes permanent. Let's do this together!

• Teach your child how to open packages that you might be sending in their lunches. You know...build your own pizza lunchables, for example. Or those little packages of fruit that explode when you touch them. And...well, any of it really. OF COURSE we will help them at school, but you should know that there are usually 2-3 adults serving 120-150 students each lunch period. It's hard to be everywhere at once. Anything your Bulldog can do to help themselves helps all of us!
• While you're at it, start thinking about helping your child to be ready to follow a school lunch timeline. We have 27 minutes to get the grade level through the line, seated, fed, cleaned up, lined up and back to class. Whew! If your kiddo is a piddler or a talker, try setting a timer for about 15 minutes and practice eating at a steady rate. I'm NOT saying to teach them how to shove it all in, just how to focus on the business of eating so their bellies feel satisfied and their brains don't starve all afternoon.
• During your family meals, whether at home or at a restaurant, work with your child to build their own self-regulation skills. Start simple with staying in one seat. Add in keeping their food on or near their plate. Extra points for knowing how to take care of little spills and use a napkin. Bonus mega millions when they pile all of their trash on their plate (or tray) and make it all the way to the trash can or counter without leaving a trail. Now that's a life skill that'll take them places!
• Buttons, snaps, zippers and shoe laces are powerful toys to master before school. Oh, and maybe practice the mittens before winter.
• Give your child opportunities to carry more than one thing at a time, or to begin to follow multi-step directions.
• How about balancing something without tilting...you know...like a lunch tray! That takes incredible brain and body strength.
• Play family games and don't let them win unless they really do win! Play by the rules. Take the turns. Celebrate winning fairly and that losing doesn't make you a loser.
• Oh, and please, remind them to shut the restroom door before they go...in the toilet (not on the floor), then pull up their pants, flush the toilet and wash their hands before hustling back to work!

Not every child is going to be at the very same developmental place at the very same time, and that's absolutely okay. But. Sometimes our students just aren't there yet because we forget to teach them and let them try it on their own. Because sometimes, let's be honest.....that can seem like it's taking F O R E V E R and ain't nobody got time for that. But....when our kiddos can do something for themselves, we gain back our time, and they gain precious confidence. Have fun growing together!

School meals for the 2022-2023 school year will revert back to standard pricing. Meals for all students will no longer be free of charge because Congress did not extend federal waivers.

Free/Reduced Meals
Only students/families who qualify financially will be eligible to receive free or reduced price meals for the 2022-2023 school year.

Families may complete an Application for Free or Reduced Price School Meals online at skyward.usd232.org or by completing a paper copy.

If a family has already received communication that their child(ren) qualify for free or reduced price meals, a Consent for Disclosure/Waiver must be completed in order to receive a reduction in school fees or transportation.

School Meals Pricing
For all other students, meals will be charged at the following rates.

· Breakfast = $1.55 elementary; $1.65 middle and high school;

· Lunch = $2.85 elementary; $2.90 middle school; $3.00 high school;

· Reduced price = $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will school meals be free of charge for ALL students in school year (SY) 2022-23?

A: No. Congress did not extend school meal waivers. Students who do not qualify for free meals will be charged for each meal they take during the school year.

Q: How can families apply for free or reduced price meal benefits for SY 2022-23?

A: Households can qualify for free and reduced price meals by completing an Application for Free or Reduced Price Meals. Applications can be found online, at your child’s school, or at the USD 232 Administrative Offices. Please visit our website for more details about completing the free or reduced price application.

Q: Is there a way for households to apply online for free and reduced price meal benefits?

A: Yes. An online application is available at skyward.usd232.org. Please visit our website for more details about completing the application online.

Q: When can my household complete an application for free and reduced price meals?

A: Applications for free and reduced-price meals will be available beginning July 6, 2022.

Q: When will households start being charged for meals?

A: Beginning SY 2022-2023, students who do not qualify for free meals will be charged for each meal they take.

If you have any questions and/or concerns, please reach out to the Student Nutrition Department at 913-667-6200 or nutrition@usd232.org.