Toll Gate Times October 2019
HAPPY FALL!
12183 Toll Gate Road Pickerington, Ohio 43147
614-834-6300
Letter From the Principal
October 2019
A Letter From The Principal
Did you know that our school has a Building Leadership Team? This team is comprised of grade level teachers, academic coach and intervention staff. Our task is to implement a school improvement plan based on available school data. We meet monthly to track updates & prepare professional development opportunities for our staff. Our goal is to provide all students with excellent and sound instruction so that each student benefits from their educational experience with us.
Additionally, all K-4 students were assessed in reading & math using iReady.
iReady is an adaptive program that is standards based. Student lessons are based on their mastery of individual standards. The complexity of the lessons self adjust based on how students progress through the lessons. Teachers monitor both time on task & accuracy as students progress through their lessons. This particular program is to be used here at school only, since progress is based on a child’s amount of time spent on lessons & successful completion of lessons. Students will take an iReady diagnostic assessment in December & March to see how close they are to achieving their goals. Students will be progress monitored in between these 2 benchmarks. Teachers will be monitoring student progress and providing intervention/enrichment during E & I (Enrichment/Intervention) time. This is 2 daily 30 minute blocks of time when teachers can work with small groups in Reading & Math. Our school wide focus in Reading will be phonics instructions for grades K-2and instruction in vocabulary for grades 3 & 4. For more information see link below.
https://embed.vidyard.com/watch/CdGRnjBuu3jUSxcE4Aiid4
All parents will receive a letter informing you if your child is “on track” in reading. A reading improvement monitoring plan (RIMP) will be developed for any student determined “not on track“ in reading. This plan will be monitored regularly & updated by your child’s teacher. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions.
Educationally Yours,
Kristi Motsch
Kristi Motsch, Principal
Toll Gate Elementary
October Happenings 2019
Oct. 11- NO SCHOOL – Professional Development Day
Oct. 16 - End of First Grading Period
Oct. 17 - Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
Oct. 20 -Trunk or Treat – 3:00-5:00 pm
Oct. 21- NO SCHOOL (K-8 only) – Parent/Teacher conferences
Oct. 22 - NO SCHOOL (Kdg. Only) – Parent Teacher conferences
Oct. 24 - Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
Week of Oct. 28 – Book Fair
Oct. 31 -Lunch with a Loved One
1st Gr. these classes only - Poeppelman, Marcus & Steele- 12:30-1:15 p.m. & all of 2nd Gr. 11:00-11:45 a.m.
Nov. 1 - Lunch with a Loved One
1st Gr. these classes only: Lanier, Zwiebel, Gullett & Whitt - 12:30-1:15 p.m.
Visitors to Our School
Because students are our most precious resource, we care deeply about their safety. We ask all visitors to sign in and obtain a visitors pass to be in the school. Please make sure you sign our visitor/volunteer policy in the office. Parents are asked to respect the teacher’s duty to provide instruction from 9:15 a.m. – 4:05 p.m. We try to limit the number of classroom interruptions during the school day. Please make sure that your child brings their homework, lunch money, projects, etc to school in the morning. In addition, if you are interested in visiting your child’s classroom, please make arrangements in advance with the teacher according to our districts’ policy, which is displayed by the front office door.
Weather Watch
WEATHER WATCH
Fall is here and that means we can have 80 degrees one day and 40 degrees the next. Please be diligent in watching the weather and make sure your children have the appropriate clothing.
School Fees
SCHOOL FEES
For your convenience, you may pay your school fees online or in our office. You may make your payment by credit card, check (payable to Pickerington Local School District or PLSD) or cash at Toll Gate Elementary. When paying by check, please remember to write your student’s name and ID (same as lunch account number) in the memo area. Fees for 2019-20
KINDERGARTEN $19.00
GRADE 1 $17.00
GRADE 2 $17.50
GRADE 3 $22.00
GRADE 4 $23.50
Attendance
Please note that attendance is now counted by hours missed, not days.
Dismissal Changes
While we all know that consistency in important in a child’s life, it may become necessary to change your child’s dismissal plans. If you must change the way your child is to be dismissed, we ask that you follow the following procedures:
1) Send a note in advance to your child’s teacher. They will then inform the office.
2) Please allow enough time for you to come into the building to sign your child out. Students will be called from class to meet you in the office.
3) We ask that you do not call the office after 2:30 p.m. with alternate plans for your child. This causes interruptions to the classroom instruction and with over 700 students and 5 different grade level schedules; it takes an inordinate amount of time out of the school day. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Emergency School Dismissal
During the course of the school year, it may become necessary to send the children home due to an emergency. Weather, electrical outage, or other types of emergencies as determined by emergency personnel could cause an emergency dismissal. These emergency situations could occur suddenly leaving no time for parent notification other than radio announcement. In order to help our staff prepare for any such emergency, please complete the Calamity Form included in your back to school folder.
Please list on the form the instructions your child is to follow when leaving school and returning home. For example:
o Do they know how to enter your home?
o Do they go to the neighbors?
o Who do they call when they arrive?
o Do they have a list of phone numbers?
o Do they ride another bus with a friend?
As a reminder, our phone system does not operate during electrical outages and waiting at school to be picked up is NOT an option if we are told to evacuate by emergency personnel. Please take time to consider your emergency plan and help us keep your child safe.IMPORTANT BUS TRANSPORTATION NOTE:
Petermann Transportation is our district bus transportation company. If you have any concerns or questions, please call the telephone number below:
Petermann Transportation
Office: 837-8525
Fax: 837-9485
BUILDING HOURS
Office Hours 8:00 a.m.- 4:15 p.m. Student Hours 9:15 a.m. – 4:05 p.m
Teacher Hours 8:15 a.m.- 4:15 p.m.
Kndg. AM 9:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m.
Kndg. PM 1:00 p.m – 4:05 p.m.
BIRTHDAY BOOK CLUB MEMBERS
The following students have helped our library grow by purchasing a book from our Birthday Book Club Collection. Thank you for supporting our
school library.
Jenna C. Hamid F. Finn R. Jedd R.
Cooper M. Keaton N. Kara B. Lincoln B.
Scotty S. Daisy F. Nathan D. Cooper O.
Francos C. Ziyah G. Calvin H. Elijah M.
E-MAIL AND TEXT ALERT
Please join our e-mail communication system. This system gives our schools an easy and efficient way of sending newsletters, as well as communicating other important information, to anyone who wishes to receive it. Parents benefit by having timely access to important information regarding their child’s school, including news events, reminders, closings, and other updates. Go to www.pickerington.k12.oh.us to reach the district website. Scroll down to “Join our mailing list” to sign up. We will not share your e-mail address with anyone. This is strictly used for communication purposes between the school district and our subscribers.
You can also sign up for text alert so you can be informed of any school delays or closings. Also go to district website to join the text alert.
Counselors Notes:
Help Wanted #1College Career Exploration (CCE): Please consider volunteering your time to help students understand the wide range of careers that are available in our community. Every month from October – March we have a guest speaker come in and discuss their career with the kids during the end of the day. The presentations and questions are 15 minutes. This is another way to show students careers that are available in our community. If interested in presenting please contact Mr. Drake Phone: (614)834-6315 E-Mail: darren_drake@plsd.us
Help Wanted #2
We have a new Leadership Team this year call the Baking Team. We are in need of a handful of Toaster Ovens. If you have a Toaster Oven that you are not using and you would be interested in donating to Toll Gate Elementary please contact Mr. Drake Phone: (614)834-6315 E-Mail: darren_drake@plsd.us
Holiday Assistance
Pickerington Schools are teaming up with the Violet Township Fire Department to help provide some holiday assistance for families in need during this holiday season. If you would like to complete an online form for holiday assistance this year, please contact Mr. Drake Phone: (614)834-6315 or E-Mail: darren_drake@plsd.us
The request link will then be provided to you, only one per household please. This form is handled in a confidential manner; however, the information will be shared with local agencies. More details will be shared with those families requesting holiday assistance. Please remember that we will only be able to supplement your holiday. The online form must be completed by Friday, November 22nd.
Testing
The 3rd Grade AIR test will be administered on October 22nd and 23rd.
Group Counseling
We do offer group counseling at Toll Gate Elementary School. A couple of things happen in groups. One of the first things is the understanding that each student in the group realizes they are not the only ones going through the particular situation. They become close and loyal and notice who is absent at each group meeting. Group counseling happens at lunch so there isn’t any instructional time lost. Please note that if a group doesn’t have enough students signed up we may not meet. I want them to have fun while learning new skills. If you are interested in having your child participate in group counseling please feel free to complete the form and send it in to your child’s teacher.
Dad’s Basketball
We have Dad’s Basketball on Tuesday nights at 8 PM for any Dads of Toll Gate Elementary School. Due to space, this is limited to Dads only. Please refrain from inviting other friends or children. Hope to see you next Tuesday night.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask Mr. Drake - School Counselor
Phone: (614)834-6315
E-Mail: darren_drake@plsd.us