The Whitney Reporter
Mr. Stacho's Newsletter - December 21, 2016
A Message From Mr. Stacho:
It is hard to believe that nearly half the school year has gone by already! But here we are getting ready for Winter Break. It has been a fantastic year so far.
This season marks not only the “nearly half way” mark for the school year, but also a time of joy, renewal, and reflection of some kind for us all. No matter what “The Season” means to you—whether it starts with Ramadan, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, or the gathering of friends and family, or just a time to sit and reflect—on behalf of the staff of Whitney Elementary School, I wish you all the happiest of times and the brightest of futures.
Here’s to good health, happiness, and prosperity in the New Year!
Sincerely,
Glen L. Stacho
“New Year Resolutions!”
This is a great time of year where many people make New Year’s Resolutions. Many times, we make resolutions to “stop” doing something that’s bad for us (i.e. drinking coffee, eating candy, playing video games instead of exercising). But resolutions can be an effort to make ourselves better through positive action. I encourage you to sit down with your children and discuss this definition:
res·o·lu·tion (rz-lshn) n.
1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.
2. A resolving to do something.
3. A course of action determined or decided on.It’s a great time of year for students to “resolve” to show Whitney "PRIDE!”
Be Prepared: We are ready and willing to participate in school activities.
Be Respectful: We show regard for the worth of someone or something.
Be Inclusive: We display a friendly, good natured attitude toward others and accept people's differences.
Be Determined: We approach each task in a positive manner as we give our best effort.
Be Engaged: We participate fully in our learning to achieve success.
Please Review The Following Procedures Regarding Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival & Dismissal Procedure
In order to provide for a safe and orderly arrival to and dismissal from school, please review the following guidelines and procedures.
· Students in grades Kindergarten through five will be bused to and from school.
· Should you have any specific questions regarding school transportation, please contact Lori Sinick,Transportation Supervisor at 440-572-7060.
· To minimize traffic around Whitney and provide as safe an environment as possible, we encourage all families to take advantage of carpools, arrange drop off/pick up locations off-site, or have students walk to and from school.
· Students being dropped off/picked up “off-site” will be considered WALKERS in our arrival/dismissal plan. This will greatly cut down on traffic on Whitney Road and in the school parking lots/driveways.
· Students who are driven to and from school by parents may only be dropped off and picked up in the parking lot/playground loop.
* To keep traffic moving, please do NOT park your car in this designated location. Rather, stay in your car and allow your child to make their way into and out of the building independently.
ARRIVAL:
· Students may arrive at school between 8:50 and 9:05 a.m.
· Students may not arrive any earlier than 8:50 a.m., as there is no adult supervision at that time.
· Students are expected to be in their classrooms at 9:05 a.m.
Regardless of how students are transported to school, students may enter the building at 8:50 a.m. and will be dismissed from the hall waiting area to their classrooms at 9:00 a.m.
DISMISSAL:
· Dismissal of pick-ups and walkers will occur at 3:30 p.m.
· All remaining students will report to their designated hallway at 3:30 p.m. Staff members will dismiss students to the buses as they arrive.
*Students not picked up by 3:45 p.m. will be returned to the school office. In the event that you will be late due to an emergency, please contact the school office at 440-572-7180. It is essential that you reinforce with your child that if you are not there to pick them up at the appointed time that they report to the school office.
PLEASE REMEMBER … our goal is to keep our students safe! We ask that you observe the following rules when dropping off/picking up your child at school:
1. Students should enter and exit cars only when they are in the curb lane.
2. Do not double park in loading zones.
3. Do not block the bus loading zones.
4. Do not allow your child to walk between cars or buses to get to your vehicle.
5. Do not park in the front parking lot during arrival dismissal times.
Student Pick-Up Procedures
End of the Day Pick-Up (Day-to-Day): PLEASE be sure that if you are calling to change your child's pick up for the day that you do so PRIOR to 3:20 p.m. as we begin our dismissal process at 3:25. Thanks for your attention to this matter.
- Parents/guardians are asked to send notes to school ahead of time or call the office to state that they will be picking a child up. All pick-ups are called for dismissal with walkers. The main entrance lobby becomes crowded very quickly, creating a safety and security concern, if parents wait inside the building at the end of the day. Children will be directed to meet parents outside of the building.
End of the Day Pick-Up (Everyday):
- If you will be picking up your child every day from school, please send a note regarding this to the office. You will only need to do this once. Please make sure that your child knows to meet you in the pick up area. You must notify the office if this arrangement changes.
Early Pick-Ups (Appointments):
- If you are picking up your child(ren) from school early (prior to 3:25 p.m.), there is a log for you to sign your child out. This log is located in the main office. If your child will be returning to school, please sign your child(ren) back in by utilizing the same log. When possible, please send a note to your child(ren)’s teacher and the office, in the morning on the day that you will be picking-up your child early, citing the time and reason for the early pick-up.
Cold Weather
As the cooler temperatures arrive, here are the guidelines for outdoor recess. Students will go outside for recess when the temperature is 20°F or above and the wind-chill is 10°F or above. Children should always come to school prepared to go outside for recess. So, remember to get out your mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, and heavier coats.
Parent Presentation
Susan Fee Parent Presentation invite.
The SCS School Counselors are hosting a Parent Presentation with Susan Fee on January 12, 2017 at Strongsville Middle School from 7-8 p.m. Click on the flyer link for more details.
School Counselor - Mr. Schibley's Newsletter
Full Day Kindergarten Parent Meeting
For parents of students who will be attending kindergarten beginning in the Fall of 2017, please plan to attend an informational session on Thursday, January 26th at 7:00pm at Muraski Elementary School (20270 Royalton Rd.). That same evening, deposits ($300) will be accepted by cash or check beginning at 5:00pm for families interested in securing a space for full day kindergarten. According to State Law and District policy, any child who becomes five years old on or before August 1, 2017 is eligible for admission into the Strongsville School District's Kindergarten program in August. Click here to see the flyer!
Kindergarten Registration Dates
Do you know anyone who will be starting Kindergarten next year (2017-2018 school year)? Here are the registration dates:
Whitney - Friday, March 17, 2017
Registration will be held from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm at the administration building. If a parent can't make their scheduled day, they can come on any other day that week. They can also schedule an appointment for registration after that week.
Parents need to complete the online registration before their registration date. Registration form for the 2017/2018 school year will be online sometime in February.
Please note the updated Board Policy for Kindergarten Entrance Requirements which states that students must be five no later than August 1 to attend kindergarten.
From the Strongsville Public Library
***Please note the following December 2016 events at the Strongsville Branch Library. Registration is required for most events. Please call (440) 238-5530 to register or for more information. All events sponsored by our Friends of Strongsville Branch Library. Customers may also visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org to register and to see more library event information.
***The Library and all branches will be CLOSED Saturday, December 24 through Sunday, December 25 for the Christmas holiday. We resume normal hours on Monday, December 26 at 9:00 a.m.
***The Library and all branches will be CLOSED Saturday, December 31 through Sunday, January 1st for the New Year Holiday. We resume normal hours on Monday, January 2 at 9:00 a.m.
Year-Round Story Times! Cuyahoga County Public Library offers story time sessions year-round for children Birth to Age 5. Our current story time sessions are on hiatus for the month of December. Please call the library for more information about our upcoming winter story time sessions which will resume in January.
Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. New Members Welcome! Our next discussion will be on Wednesday, December 21st. This month we will be discussing The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. Copies of the book will be available at the check-out desk. Registration for this program is not needed. Join us for an evening of great discussion!
School Fees
As a reminder all student fee payments are due by December 21. Fees not paid by December 21 will result in interruption of the student's PASS account, unless the student is currently on a payment plan. The Treasurer's Office mailed out reminder letters and fee statements.