PICKERINGTON ELEMENTARY NEWS
August/September 2018
Principal's Message
Dear Families,
Welcome Back to another year at Pickerington Elementary. We are all excited to have students back in our classrooms and hallways filling them with energy and enthusiasm for learning.
If you are new to our school or the community, we truly hope you’ll like it here. Our school and district have a positive reputation, and we presume that is one of the reasons you chose to move here. During the 2013-2014 school year, our school received the “Hall of Fame” Award, only one of six schools in the State of Ohio to do so. We will continue to work hard for our students and families to show that we are indeed, an exemplary school.
It was a pleasure greeting familiar faces and meeting new ones at our “Meet the Teacher” night on August 14, 2018. We hope you found the information shared in the classrooms and at the Title I Meeting helpful and informative. Please remember to mark your calendars for our PTO’s Welcome Back Party on Thursday, August 30 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
As always, if you ever need to speak to me, your child’s teacher, our school counselor, or any other staff member, please call the school office at (614) 548-1400.
We’re looking forward to another great year!
Melissa Moriarty, Principal
Plan For Progress
Dear Pickerington Elementary Families,
Pickerington Schools is developing The Pickerington Plan for Progress, a roadmap for the future that ensures we are attaining greater levels of efficiency, reaching a higher level of community trust, and graduating students that are prepared for today’s world.
The Plan for Progress will focus on three key goals:
· Academic Excellence – What must we do to engage all our students in relevant and rich learning experiences that will prepare them for a career, college, and life?
· Efficient Operations – What can we do to maximize resources and ensure the district is operating efficiently?
· Modern Facilities – Do our facilities reflect the environment needed to be successful in today’s world?
Our hope is to have our Plan for Progress completed this school year and for it to serve as a connection between schools and community that reflects resident and staff input, values, priorities.
We need your input to ensure our priorities match the priorities of our community!
Melissa Moriarty, your principal, will share more information about the Plan for Progress on September 19, 2018, at 7 pm in the Media Center during our PTO meeting. Parents and staff members are invited to hear about the Plan for Progress and discuss their ideas for the district’s future.
We also encourage you to visit our website at www.pickerington.k12.oh.us/p4p/ to learn about the Plan for Progress. While there, click on the link that will allow you to take a brief survey in which you may share your priorities in the areas of academic excellence, efficient operations, and modern facilities.
Pickerington Schools also will hold two informal public events in September. At these events, the community is invited to hear about the Plan for Progress and discuss their ideas for the district’s future with our superintendent, Dr. Chris Briggs. The events will be:
· 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, at the Sycamore Plaza Branch of the Pickerington Library (across from Pickerington High School North.)
· 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, at the main branch of the Pickerington Library (off
Opportunity Way near Pickerington High School Central.)
We look forward to hearing from you and hearing your thoughts as we develop the Plan for Progress, which will pave the way into the future for Pickerington Schools.
Thank you!
Save the Date!
Aug. 29 - School Pictures
Aug. 30 - PTO Welcome Back Party - 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Aug. 31 - NO SCHOOL - Grades K-12 - Professional Development Day
Sept. 3 - NO SCHOOL - Grades K_12 - LABOR DAY
Sept. 5 - Two-Hour Delay - Professional Development
Sept. 19 - PTO Meeting - 7:00 pm
*Note: Please refer to the PLSD Website and Pickerington Elementary Website for any updates to the calendar.
Welcome New Staff Members!
It is a pleasure to introduce and welcome our new staff members. They are all excited to be a part of the Pickerington Elementary family.
- Kendra Stewart - School Counselor
- Aimee Weber - School Psychologist
- Theresa Dutch - Intervention Specialist
- Jennifer Mallory - Health Assistant
- Melissa Held - Paraprofessional
Building Time Schedule
OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
STUDENT DAY: 9:15 a.m. – 4:05 p.m.
Students may arrive at school at 9:05 a.m. Please do not drop off students before this time, as there will be no adult to supervise students. Dismissal time for students is 4:05 p.m.
Absentees/Student Sign-In/Sign-Out Procedures
Please call the school office if your child is absent or late. State Law requires a daily check of students who are absent. A 24-hour answering machine is available to receive absence or tardy calls. Please use this machine for all calls after 4:30 p.m. and before 8:30 a.m. The phone number is 614-548-1401. Thank you for helping us comply with the state requirements.
- If your child is going to be late, please call the school office. When you do bring your child to school, please come to the office and sign your child in. He/she will need a written pass to class.
- If you need to pick up your child early, please send a note to your child’s teacher, and then come to the office at the designated time and office staff will call your child from the classroom.
- It is important to make arrangements with your child before school each morning so they will know what to do at dismissal. In emergencies, please contact the school office and we will inform your child of any changes in arrangements.
We ask your patience and understanding in this matter. We have a tremendous responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for all your children. Thank you for your assistance.
School Fees
The school fees for the 2018-2019 school year are listed below. You may pay online in Infinite Campus, or in person with check, cash, or credit card.
Kindergarten – $19.00
Grade 1: $17.00
Grade 2: $17.50
Grade 3: $22.00
Grade 4: $22.00
School Arrival and Dismissal
We would like to thank everyone in advance for your cooperation in following our procedures for arrival and dismissal of students. With an enrollment of 435 students, being accountable for safety, as well as the academic program, takes much effort from the school, parents, and students. Together we can make it work.
MORNING ARRIVAL
In all of our elementary buildings, the buses will be unloading at 9:05 a.m. While we encourage parents to send children to school on the bus if assigned, if you are dropping off your child in the morning, please adhere as closely as possible to the 9:05 a.m. time. Walkers should also wait until 9:05 to arrive as explained in the letter families of walkers received. Since school does not begin until 9:15 a.m., we believe this provides plenty of time for our children to get to their rooms. Students will not be permitted to go to their classrooms until 9:05 a.m.
AFTERNOON DISMISSAL
Each day as school ends, we dismiss the same 435 students. We have buses, cars and daycare vans picking up children.
We will use the following procedures for dismissal:
- Children who are being picked up will wait on the West, Diley Road side of the building with an adult on duty.
- If you are picking up your child, please remain in your car, following the arrows on the parking lot blacktop. Your child will be released to your vehicle.
- Walkers will be dismissed to the front of the building as explained in the letter families of walkers received.
- Bus riders are dismissed to board the buses that are parked in the bus lane in front of the building.
The teacher and the office need to be notified of any changes that will occur at dismissal.
Thank you again for your help in allowing our arrival and dismissal procedures to operate smoothly.
Lunch
Students may pay for meals in advance. Money can be deposited into the student’s account with cash, check or money order as the child is going through the line. No change will be given for check or money order deposit. The money will be deducted from the student’s account when the student enters his/her special ID number when going through the lunch line. Checks should be made payable to “Pickerington Local Food Service”. You may also make deposits and check account balances for your student online. Visit www.mealpayplus.com and have your student’s account number ready for reference.
LUNCH PRICES: $2.50
MILK – $.50
EXTRA – $1.75
School Pictures
School Pictures are scheduled for Wednesday, August 29, 2018. Reminders will be sent home with your child on Tuesday.
Newbery Club
Once again this year, third and fourth graders will be able to participate in the Newbery Book Club. This club encourages great reading! Students just need to read a Newbery Medal-winning book or a Newbery Honor book (both on display in our library). After reading a Newbery selection, an AR test must be passed for the book to count. We will gather for lunch once a month and celebrate at the end of the year. Happy Reading!
KISS Luncheons
Our KISS Luncheons, Kids Invite Someone Special, are planned for families to enjoy a school lunch together. Our next newsletter will include a schedule of homerooms, grades 1-4.
Community Fair
Pickerington Schools will celebrate its third annual CommUNITY Fair from 11 am to 2 pm Saturday, September 29, at Pickerington High School Central. The event spotlights and celebrates the diversity that is Pickerington!
Organizers are looking for families who would like to participate in the event and help share their cultures with the rest of the community. Families can participate in various ways.
If your family is interested in participating, just fill out this quick form ( https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScaD3XKcY1AiQE2U_bqEb6740jwyiYe06m_ZMpZHrsMWXzl4Q/viewform?c=0&w=1) by Thursday, August 30. CommUNITY Fair coordinators will contact you closer to the event to arrange the details.
Please contact joni_scipione@plsd.us or beth_klamo@plsd.us with questions.
About Us
Website: www.pickerington.k12.oh.us
Location: 775 Long Road, Pickerington, OH, USA
Phone: (614) 548-1400