Sheldon Update
August 22, 2022
Welcome from Mrs. Tanner
Dear Sheldon Families,
This will be our first full week of school and we are excited to get started! Students are doing a great job of settling in to routines and procedures, making new friends, and practicing new skills! Please note, we will begin the car line dismissal at 3:30 for at least today and tomorrow. I will let you know by first thing Monday morning what the dismissal time will be for the rest of the week. We are working our way up to our regular dismissal time of 3:45.
This is the third of our weekly parent newsletters for this year. I try to have these sent out each Monday. 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
Upcoming Events
August & September Events
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.
Items That Need Your Attention
Clarifying Arrival & Dismissal
At dismissal, the car line will normally begin at 3:45. For the first couple of weeks we are starting early to get everyone familiar with the procedure. All students who do not take the bus are expected to leave in the car line. Again, if you literally walked to the school to pick up your child or took city transportation, you may pick your child up at the OT door. The car line will end at 4:00. Children picked up at 4:00 or after are late pick-up and will need to be signed out at the front entrance. Please be sure you are on time as staff are off duty and we are unable to continue to supervise children.
If you are wanting to walk your child to class, you need to come to the front entrance, sign in, and put on a visitor's badge. Please exit the building the way you came in.
ASQ Parent Reports
If you have not yet completed the ASQ screeners, please do so as soon as possible! This is a requirement for our program. You may access the screeners to complete digitally with the links below.
English: https://www.asqonline.com/family/58ce82
Extra Clothes
OT Tags
Policy Council
Time to Eat!
Medications & Meal Modification
Transportation
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures
***If your child will be dismissing in a way that is different than normal, please contact your child's classroom teacher.
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.
Traffic Flow From Gage
Traffic Flow Through Parking Lot
Walkers
Here Comes the Bus
Lanyards & Bus Harnesses
Car Seats
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.
Policy & Procedure Review
Toothbrushing
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!
Tooth Brushing
POLICY:
A program must promote effective oral health hygiene by ensuring all children with teeth are assisted by appropriate staff, or volunteers, if available, in brushing their teeth with toothpaste containing fluoride twice daily. This policy relates to Head Start Performance Standards 45 CFR Part 1302.43
PROCEDURE:
1. Each child will have his/her own toothbrush labeled with his/her name.
2. Toothbrushes will be stored with the head of each brush upright in an appropriate toothbrush holder, not touching.
3. Toothbrushes and toothbrush holders will be kept clean and sanitary.
4. Toothbrushes must be kept out of the reach of children in a place where contamination will not occur. They should not be kept inside a bathroom.
5. When toothbrushes become worn, they are discarded and replaced (approximately every 3 months).
6. Toothbrushes will be discarded and replaced if a student was diagnosed with Strep Throat.
7. Classroom schedules should be developed so children will be able to brush their teeth following breakfast AND lunch.
8. Students should be monitored by a staff member and provided direction on how to properly rinse their own toothbrush.
9. Only toothpaste with fluoride is to be used.
10. To eliminate contamination when one large tube of paste is used, place a small dab (pea size) of the paste on the inside of the child’s rinsing cup just prior to the child brushing. The child will use his/her toothbrush to scoop the paste off the cup onto their toothbrush. This will avoid transferring germs from one child’s brush to another.
11. Staff should wear gloves when handling toothbrushes. Hands should be washed after removing gloves.
12. Teachers will provide group activities that allow children to learn proper brushing techniques.Toothbrushing must be supervised by an adult.
Informational Items
COVID Protocols
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
Academic Calendar
Family Resources
Sheldon Food & Clothing Bank
Community Resources Council Directory
If in need of resources, you can also contact the United Way by dialing 211.
Sheldon Head Start Child Development Center
Website: https://sheldon.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 1155 SW Seabrook Ave.
Phone: 785-438-4530
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheldonChildDevelopmentCenterHeadStart