Stingray Sentinel August 31st
News for the Families of Duval Charter School at Southside
Required Forms Need to Be Submitted ASAP
We are compiling lists for teachers of who has not submitted their required 2020-21 forms! Teachers will be reaching out in order to not have to exclude students from class.
There are two fillable PDFs that must be submitted back to school. This can be done electronically with all forms typed into and then uploaded, or you can print, hand fill out and send to the school with your child. We would prefer the electronic forms.
These were part of the Orientation website on our DCSS page, if you have NOT done them, please do so now!
Required Forms - Complete the fillable pdf, then submit via the link
- Covid Parent Waiver - download, complete and then submit below.
*formulario de exencion para padres - vea la pagina dos (page 2 is in Spanish)
- Image Likeness Release - download, complete and then submit via the link on the left of this page.
*Publicación de semejanza de imagen: consulte la página dos (page 2 is in Spanish)
Baseline Assessments
Fully Mobile students will be invited in to school to take the assessment, or arrangements can be made for grades 1-8 to take this assessment at home with proctoring via a 2nd device and zoom. Teachers will provide more information on when and where at home students will take this valuable assessment.
It is very important that all parents and students exercise academic integrity when taking this assessment. To provide a student answers or provide them high levels of support does not give an accurate picture of what the child can do independently.
Kinders will do assessments through our ESGI with a teacher or teacher's aide, as they are not ready to be assessed independently at this time. The winter NWEA will give kinder teachers and families more information.
Want to know more information about NWEA? Follow this link: (click on box below)
Moving Forward, next steps
1. After Labor Day, Middle School will transition to each block, in supervised socially distanced single file lines. We are small enough we believe we can do this quickly to not lose class time, without crowding our hallways.
2. Starting 9/8 we will start tryouts for some upper grades athletics
3. Starting 9/14 grades 3-5 classes will transition to their other academic classroom of the day with cleaning of learning stations prior to changing classrooms.
3. We will be adding enrichment activities for all grade levls on site and virtually mid September
Thank you for your support in easing back into the school year to ensure we could accomplish what needed to be done with social distancing and sanitation protocols implemented.
Spirit Friday!!
Wear that Spirit Gear!!
If you missed the first spirit shirt order, we are now taking new orders for the next run of shirts in early October. Pay online and email receipts to jmorales@southsidecharter.org We only order spirit shirts in batches, so you will have to wait for the next run of shirts!
5 Days a Week Onsite Students in Grades K-5 - RETURN TECHNOLOGY PLEASE
Devices - Return to front office
Middle School students - keep your devices for now - we will switch out with newer laptops when we are ready to go 1:1.
I need technology for my child...
We are awaiting the arrival of new devices. In the meantime, those without any device, will need to contact the front office to set up a pick up appointment to obtain a device.
If you have a device to use for now, we will let you know when the new laptops are here and we are ready to go 1:1 for all of middle school.
Tech Help Needed ?
We will get through this and get everyone going. Sometimes Ms. Jill or Ms. Rita can assist you with the steps saving Mr. McNeil for the deeper IT issues. We will be using both Zoom and Microsoft Teams for our synchronous learning platforms, and will help students learn both as both are subject to technology crashes nationwide at times.
Sports Starting Back...
Athletic DCSS Webpage
Middle School Schedule
Some middle school students are "picking" and choosing, or so it seems and only attending their favorite classes. This will result in students missing core content and earning lower mastery assessments. Parents, teachers will be reaching out if your child has missed a middle school class more than one day in a row.
Middle School students have lunch during a portion 3rd/ 7th periods. Their lunch is either 12:15 or 1pm.
DCSS - Three Models of Learning
We have parents asking to change models for a variety of reasons. We are working to accommodate these requests. We have to review the number of students that can be socially distanced in a classroom, hybrid number for hybrid classrooms, etc.
Parents were asked to select for the first quarter that ends October 15th. We understand that situations change with work and health. A student with health concerns or health concerns in the home can switch to fully mobile at any time. You just need to notify Mrs. Sauer and they will be changed until the health conditions to return are met or until the end of the quarter.
To switch back to any form of onsite (flex or five days a week) requires more review of class sizes, your situation, etc. After review of your request, Mrs. Sauer will let you know if we were able to accommodate the request or if the change will need to wait until the end of the quarter.
To request a change - email asauer@southsidecharter.org
Name of Student:
Grade Level:
Current Model:
Requested New Model:
Rationale:
Please be patient as we work through these requests in the order in which they are received.
New Calendar
Calendar Updates
School Pass - Dismissal System
Every Stingray family will receive an email to set up your account. The email will be sent to the primary parent on your family’s account. This parent is currently listed as Parent 1 in your household. The email will contain login information and will invite you to access your account through the SchoolPass website. Once the account has been created, the parent will be able to add other parents as well as other persons authorized to pick up your child.
After you have created your account, you can download the School-Pass app on your smartphone.
If you need to make changes to authorized drivers, parent #1 can do this on the web version that was sent in the email - not through the APP.
Most co-parenting situations do just fine navigating adding or deleting drivers through Parent 1. IF you have very specific custody limitations, we can can create two parent pick up numbers and only authorize parents on certain dates. This would need to go through Mrs. Sauer. Most families can work through schedules on their own.
On-Site Families & Flex Families - PLEASE start doing the morning wellness check through the App - this will speed up arrival. You can do it before leaving home or in the car line. Walkers - parents need to answer the health questions before the child walks to school.
CAR TAGS - We will start issuing car tags this week that have CAR POOL Number on them. This is unique to your children. Then there will be a place to put the driver's name. Please do this large and in black marker. This will speed up us checking cars in. If you need additional car tags please send a note with your child after getting your initial two. Sorry for the delay, we wanted to make sure we understood SchoolPass and what info would be needed on the tag before creating them.
IF you have gotten multiple numbers for your children, it is because they did not appear linked in Powerschool. We are fixing this child by child and should be able to get you down to one carpool number. Please fill out the link for assistance if you need your children merged into one schoolpass account.
Key Benefits:
- A quick and easy way for you to communicate arrival and dismissal changes.
- You will no longer need to worry about who to contact for arrival and dismissal changes. Your child’s teachers and administrative staff will all instantly receive your updates.
- Parents can make changes up to 30 minutes before dismissal time.
- Parents will use this system to reports absences, late arrivals, early pick-ups, carpool changes, aftercare changes and enrichment/after school club changes for on-campus meetings.
We understand that there is a learning curve with any new system and thus we are committed to assisting our families in successfully transitioning to School-Pass.
Please understand that despite the bumps, we have to implement a system such as this to socially distance students at dismissal.
School Pass Issues - Submit here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=6IYDYQKuBkmJnU5aq6b4cV8U2Si_65NMmdyaFxpBaXdUQlBRQUFPSzY0SE5TNTZFTDZBNkxGNVhLWC4u
Curbside Meal Pick UP
The survey answers will help us gauge how many meals to prepare. Your answers will not commit you to a choice…if you choose to participate or stop participating at any time, you will be able to do so. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!
Link to survey: https://survey.slamgmt.com/
Pick up is 2x per week with multiple meals picked up at once, using side kitchen entrance by K-1 arrival/dismissal lanes.
New Software for Online Platform Learning
As part of Schoology, students will have Microsoft Office 365 accounts with the full suite of programs/software and cloud storage. These are powerful learning tools. The video platform from Teams will be integrated as well, rather than having to also use Zoom.
Schoology will become our new one stop shop for students and parents!
Below is more information about logging into Schoology.
Re-Opening Fall 2020 DCSS
Hiring Part Time Employees
We are a growing school and are seeking team members to join our school family!
Please email resume to bgifford@southsidecharter.org and apply on our career site through CSUSA.
Currently seeking:
Part Time - Daily Subs (work a consistent 30 hours a week, or work only dates you want!)
2020-21 School Wide Theme!
The World is Yours...
Explore. Excel. Embrace.
Explore: exploring and learning new things.
Excel: being the best that you can be and reaching higher!
Embrace: embracing the many cultures represented within the school and the world.
Uniform - Dress Policy 2020-21
Dress Code – School Attire Policy
A higher standard of dress encourages greater respect for individuals, students and others, and results in a higher standard of behavior. Our dress code guidelines indicate appropriate school dress during normal school days for every student. Please read the parent handbook for the complete uniform policy.
Mobile Students - are highly encouraged but not required to wear their uniform to set the tone for learning, but we realize some families at home due to at-risk family members are not yet comfortable shopping and might not have uniforms or uniforms that fit. For Mobile sessions - fully mobile students may not wear bathing suits, tank tops or pajamas.
Uniforms
You must make an appointment to shop at the store.
From the Uniform Store's Website:
11160 Beach Boulevard, Suite 126
Jacksonville, Florida 32246
Our store is located just west of I-295 in the Winn Dixie shopping center behind Arby’s.
Tel: 1-904-646-0493
Regular Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-6pm & Saturday 10am-2pm
Summer Hours (July & August): Monday- Saturday 10am-6pm
School Payments
**Before/After Care Registration Fee is now available **
We are not taking cash payments in the office, all payments have moved online. 2020-21 items are for sale in MySchoolBucks
When registering for a MySchool Bucks Account - see below - you will need to select Renaissance Charter Schools (our governing board) not Duval County.
- 2020-21 pre-order yearbook $20 (price will increase in the spring!)
- 2019-20 Yearbook $25
- 2018-19 Yearbook $5
- Car Magnet $5
- Spirit Shirt $12 (student size) (Parent spirit shirts $20 will be added for end of 1st Q)
- Jeans Pass one Quarter $15
- Jeans Pass Semester 1 $25
- Jeans Pass Year $45
- Athletic Fee $75 (only after team rosters are confirmed, not for tryouts)
- School Donation (Principal's discretion - email if you would like it applied to certain item or event)
- Helping Hand Donation (pay off other's lunch accounts, supplies for those in need)
- Before/Aftercare Registration Fee $25
NEW - one payment and be done!
- Gold Package (shirt, year jeans pass, pre-order yearbook, magnet) $75
MySchoolBucks
If you do not have a MySchoolBucks account, set one up now!
https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/login/getmain?requestAction=home
You will need to select "Renaissance Charter Schools" not Duval County Public Schools
New students will need their Powerschool student number, and we will have those Thursday 7/30.
Free & Reduced Application - Apply Online
Applying for Free and Reduced Meals
Free and reduced meal applications are online! If you would like to submit your application please visit the My School Apps portal. If you don’t already have an account you must register before you will be able to complete the application online. You will need to enter your child’s first name, last name, date of birth, and student ID just as it appears in PowerSchool.
**New students we will have your powerschool numbers by Thursday 7/30**
Once you have linked your children to your account, you can proceed to submit your free and reduced lunch application by clicking the “Submit Application” link.
- How am I notified of the status of my application?
- Your child’s school will either send you a printed Household Benefit letter as you have received in the past or e-mail this letter to you.
- How long does the approval process take?
- Applications can typically be processed in one business day.
- Will I be notified of my eligibility right away?
- You will be notified as soon as the application has been processed. If the school has an email address for you on file, the Household Benefit letter will be emailed as soon as the application is processed. If no email address is on file a Household Benefit letter will be sent home with your child.
- How do I make corrections if I accidentally entered wrong information?
- The online application allows parents to go back and forth to correct any items. It also includes an account summary page before final submission to ensure that all family members, students, income and/or case numbers have been entered into the system correctly with the option to go back if corrections are needed.
Click Below for Lunch Menu!
Food Services - SLA
2020-21 Parent Handbook - Please REVIEW
Community Partner Spotlight
If you need marketing products reach out to the Nixon's for top notch customer service! Here is their website: https://www.pressnsow.com/
& social media page: https://www.facebook.com/PressNSow/
Thank you for partnering with Southside!
Need Volunteer Hours?
Log your volunteer hours on a computer in your Powerschool account (option does not appear on the App)
1 hr: Leave a positive review on Facebook, Yelp, or Great Schools - let shopping families know what you LOVE about Duval Charter at Southside. This helps our marketing team!
1 hr: Choose one of our enrollment/marketing social media posts and share it! That's it... help spread the word using the "share" button
Complete your Online Volunteer Training while at Home!
Ways to Support DCSS Online !!
Coke Rewards
Boxtops
SchoolStore.com
Previous Newsletter
Duval Charter School at Southside
Website: https://www.southsidecharter.org/
Location: 8680 A C Skinner Parkway, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Phone: 904-4235348
Facebook: facebook.com/DuvalSouthside
Twitter: @DCSSouthside