Dear Sheldon Families,

One of my favorite weeks of the year has arrived - this is the week we get to welcome back our Sheldon Sharks! As a reminder, the first day of school is August 18th. We open the doors at 9:15 and will begin our dismissal at 3:20 for the first week or so, working up to our normal dismissal time of 3:45. Every Friday, beginning this Friday, August 19th, is Late Start. This is a time our teachers use to collaborate weekly. School will start an hour later so our doors will open at 10:15. You can expect your child's bus time to be about 1 hour later in the morning, as well. This does not change dismissal times in any way.

This is the second of our weekly parent newsletters for this year. I try to have these sent out each Monday (sorry for the delay this week!). I make this very comprehensive and include school and district information that you need, as well as community resources. Please read carefully each week as this is the major form of communication you will receive. I send this out via email and text, and post it on our website and Facebook page. If you missed the first newsletter this year, or if you ever just want to go back and reference something, you can find each week's on Facebook and our school website.

Click the link to access the 2022-2023 Family Handbook.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me!

Thank you for the privilege of serving you ~

Mrs. Gabrielle Tanner, Principal

August 17: Meet the Teacher Night @ 4:30-5:30

August 18: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!! Doors open @ 9:15

September 5: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

September 14: Picture Day

September 27: Outdoor Health & Math Night @ 5:30-6:30

You can find all school events listed on our school calendar which you can access on our webpage. Additionally, all families will receive a Sheldon calendar and a one-pager of events for the year at Meet the Teacher Night.

We will be hosting a Meet the Teacher Night on Wednesday, August 17th from 4:30-5:30. While you will have already met your teacher through home visits, this is an opportunity to see your child's school and classroom, ask any last minute questions you may have, and receive additional school information.

The first day of school for students is Thursday, August 18th. Arrival is 9:15 and we will begin dismissal at 3:20. We will be serving breakfast and lunch. The car line and bus transportation will run as usual. We will share updated bus routing information for this school year as those routes are finalized. We expect delays with busing the first week or two as kinks in the routes are worked out. If you are able to transport your child, please do so.

Parents will be allowed to walk their child to class for the first day of school only. It is important with children this age that we very quickly establish school routines. If you are walking your child to class, we ask that you enter and exit from the same door, walk your child into the room, say a quick good-bye, and then exit the building so we can get the day started smoothly. We know there will be tears! We promise they don't last long after you leave!

Please be sure you send an extra set of clothes (bottom, top, underwear, socks) with your student on the first day of school, in case of accidents. Make sure they are appropriate for the current weather.

At Sheldon we refer to students who do not ride the school bus as "OT" - Other Transportation. All Sheldon students who are OT will receive a car tag to place on the rearview mirror of their vehicle. This will have the student's name and room number on it. This makes it SO MUCH easier for us to transition students in and out during arrival and dismissal each day, especially as we get to know our new students. Thank you in advance for making sure you have this tag up each day!

As part of our Head Start programming, we have a Policy Council at Sheldon. This group is made up of parents and community members. The Policy Council meets monthly and receives updates on the status of program areas, provided feedback to building coordinators and administration, and is involved in the decision making process at Sheldon. We will vote on new members in September. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you are interested in joining!

If your child takes medication at school, you will need to have your child's physician complete and sign a Request to Administer Medication form, which will need to be returned to Ms. Andrea in the clinic. Medication must be sent in the original packaging with the original label. If your child needs meal modifications due to religious or medical restrictions, please complete and return the attached forms.

***If your child will be dismissing in a way that is different than normal, please contact your child's classroom teacher.

Sheldon will be using a car line for arrival/dismissal again this year. It will take us a few days to get it down, but if you give us grace during that time, I ensure that we will be a well-oiled machine by the end of the second week of school! Our highest priority is student safety so we will take our time to ensure the safety of all. The number one thing I have learned over the years is that when everyone follows the rules, the system works, and works quickly!

The maps below highlight the traffic flow for the car line and for families who walk up. Please remember that we are located in a fairly compact neighborhood. We want to ensure we are respectful of all Sheldon's neighbors by following speed limit and other traffic signs and by not blocking driveways.

The car line will begin at 9:15 (10:15 on Fridays). Any student arriving after 9:30 will need to check in at the main office as the car line will have ended. The dismissal car line will begin at 3:45. Any adult arriving to pick up a child after 4:00 will need to check them out at the main office as the car line will have ended.

Current construction on Gage may require you to adjust your route. It would be easiest to approach going Southbound on Gage so that you can turn right onto Sena St. and avoid the construction. Please note the car line is a right turn in, right turn out ONLY and this will be strictly enforced.

The picture above shows the proper way to enter the neighborhood to join the car line. If headed northbound on Gage, please turn left onto Sena St., continue toward Sheldon, and turn right into the parking lot on Sena St., just past Seabrook. If headed southbound on Gage, please turn right onto Munson Ave., continue toward Sheldon, turn left onto Seabrook, wait for a break in traffic to turn right onto Sena, and then turn right into the parking lot. All traffic must turn right out of the parking lot onto Sena St. and then proceed on the most convenient path.

When approaching the parking lot on Sena, just past Seabrook, vehicles will turn RIGHT into the parking lot and follow the painted arrows to loop through the parking lot. Adults will not exit their vehicle. Staff will greet students at the vehicle and then escort them into the building where additional staff members will escort them to their classrooms. Once the student exits, the vehicle may continue to follow the painted arrows to complete the loop through the parking lot. Vehicles will make a RIGHT turn out of the parking lot onto Sena St. If you have a situation that requires you stop to exit the vehicle or you need to have a conversation with a staff member, please pull to the right out of the car line so that it can continue to flow smoothly.

Families who are walking up will not walk up to the front entrance. Instead, please enter school grounds through the small gate located in front of the school, on the south end of Seabrook. Proceed up the ramp, down the stairs and through the small gate into the parking lot. Follow along the perimeter of the building (stay out of car traffic!) until you reach the door. Staff will sign in the student. Students will then be escorted to their classrooms. Adults are asked to follow the same path to exit school grounds.

At home visits, teachers provided families with a labeled bus harness if they are a bus rider OR a labeled lanyard for students who are OT (Other Transportation - car line/walker). Please make sure your student is ready for the bus with their harness on under any jacket they may be wearing. OT students need to have their lanyard around their neck as they exit the vehicle in the car line. This will help us transition students to their classrooms quickly and more importantly, safely!

We have seen in the news recently about many children and caregivers not surviving car accidents because they were not properly restrained. Unintentional accidents are the leading cause of death among children. If you need a car seat, we have a great resource to obtain one. Also, please remember that the car seat needs to be properly restrained within the car as well and you must have the proper number of seatbelts per person in the car. Please move seats between cars as needed when changing vehicles with the children.

Each week the Sheldon staff reviews one of our Head Start Policies & Procedures and felt it was

important that families stay up to date on these as well. This quarter our focus is on Health & Safety, and Nutrition. If you ever have any questions regarding our policies and procedures, please reach out!

Hand Washing

POLICY:

In accordance with School Readiness Goals, Head Start staff and volunteers working in Head Start classrooms will teach and model hygiene practices to maintain a healthier environment and to lower the risk of spreading communicable diseases. On a daily basis, every Head Start classroom will align hand washing procedures with Performance Standards. This policy relates to Head Start Performance Standards 45 CFR Part 1302.47

PROCEDURE:

1. Liquid soap will be used in all classrooms and bathrooms.

2. Staff, volunteers, and children in the Head Start classrooms will perform hand washing with soap at the following times:

STAFF:

• Employees shall wash hands upon arrival at the child care center.
• Immediately before handling food.
• After handling food.
• Before handling clean utensils or equipment.
• After using the toilet, assisting a child in using the toilet, or changing a child.
• After handling of body fluids (e.g., saliva, nasal secretions, vomit, feces, urine, blood, secretions from sores, pustulant discharge).
• After handling soiled items such as garbage, mops, cloths, and clothing.
• Whenever hands are visibly soiled.
• After smoking.
• After removing disposable gloves.

CHILDREN:

• Children shall wash hands upon arrival at the child care center.
• After using the toilet.
• After wiping nose, putting fingers in mouth, or coughing into hands.
• Immediately before handling any food, utensils or equipment.
• Before and after eating meals or snacks.
• Before and after sand and water activity.
• After playing on the playground.
• After handling animals or animal cages.
• Whenever hands are visibly soiled.

3. The sink must be sanitized throughout the day.

4. A staff person should turn on the faucet when doing large group hand washing, allowing the water to run until the last child or staff member washes their hands. The last person will turn off the faucet with a paper towel.

5. To avoid recontamination, trash cans used to dispose of paper towels after hand washing must be hands-free (i.e., have a foot pedal) or not have a lid.

6. Hand washing will be conducted using the following best practices:

• Wet hands with warm water.
• Apply soap. Soap must be available and within children’s reach.
• Lather hands from the front to back of hands and between fingers rubbing vigorously or
• approximately 20 seconds.
• Dry hands with a paper towel.

7. Staff /volunteer will supervise the use of hand sanitizer.

• Staff/adult volunteer will use a hand sanitizer that contains 60-95% alcohol.
• The manufacturer’s instructions are followed. Staff will apply sanitizer to the child’s hands; the child rubs hands from the front to the back and between fingers.

• Staff/volunteer will observe the child rubbing hands together until sanitizer is completely dry to avoid ingestion or contact with the eyes.

• Hand Sanitizer must be locked away or kept on staff/volunteers at all times.

8. Hand Sanitizer can be used under the following circumstances:

• Upon arrival in classroom and re-entry from outdoors (if hands are not soiled).
• After meals.
• Before and after water play and play with wet, sensory materials.
• If no water is available.

See the attached document for the latest information on testing, quarantine, and close contacts. Please be sure to review both the COVID Update and the information on the Parent Resources page for the latest information from the CDC. Masks are encouraged, but not required. We will maintain strict sanitation protocols.

Late Start is on FRIDAYS for this school year and the arival time will be at 10:15. The first late start of the year will be our second day of school, August 19th.

You can find the 2022-2023 Academic Calendar HERE.

The Sheldon Food & Clothing Bank is up and running! If your family has any needs, reach out to your Family Advocate or call 785-438-4530.

You can find the link to the 2021 Community Resources Council Resource Directory here. This directory provides contact information for a variety of community resources.

If in need of resources, you can also contact the United Way by dialing 211.

See the following links for Food Pantry resources available to families.

English and Spanish