The ELC/PC Viking View
Responsible, Respectful & Ready
School Starts Friday, September 1, 2023
Translation/Accessibility Options
Principal's Post -Preparing for the First Day & Beyond
Attendance at our Kindergarten and PC Drop-In events were outstanding. It was absolutely wonderful to see you all. Thank you for your partnership and support. A special thanks to our kindergarten families for pivoting with us when we needed to cancel our Kindergarten Kick Off event due to the extreme heat and lack of a centralized air conditioning system at the ELC late last week. Unfortunately, the weather models are showing the return of scorching heat to our area early next week; specially Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday, September 6. Rest assured, we are devising plans to provide a learning space for each kindergarten classroom at the Primary Center for part of the learning day if the excessive heat prediction holds true. Please know that our kindergartners would start and end their days at the ELC as well as they would eat their lunch in the ELC lunchroom as planned. We would provide a classroom for each kindergarten group at the PC to use throughout the day to give a reprieve from the heat and humidity.
If our area would be under an excessive heat warning on a school day, all of our K-2 Vikings would enjoy indoor recess. We would limit our outdoor time to transitions and dismissal only.
Here are a few tidbits to ensure a great start to the school year for your child:
- Water Bottle - Although drinking fountains are open, it will be helpful for your child to have a water bottle. There will not be milk offered during afternoon snack time so having a water bottle at school will be important!
- Snack - Although there will not be snack milk served, students will still be given a short time to have a nut-free snack in the classroom, daily. Some classrooms have additional food items that should not be brought for a snack based on student needs. Your child's teacher will communicate any additional information to classroom families.
- Going Home Plan - If the going home plan for your child is different than their typical daily dismissal plan, this must be put in writing by the caregiver to the teacher OR please directly contact our school office to share this information. The office will notify the classroom teacher of the going-home change. For your child's safety, we cannot take the verbal word of your student. We MUST have verification from a caregiver of the official going-home plan.
- We welcome volunteers and lunchtime visitors! Classroom teachers will communicate the need for or request classroom volunteers for classroom support and/or field trips. If you plan to eat school lunch with your child, you must contact our school office by 8:30AM on the day of your visit to ensure we have a meal prepared for you. Please verify meal times with your child's teacher. Parents/Guardians must provide permission for a non-parent/guardian (neighbor, non-household relative, family friend) to join a child for lunch.
- School Nutrition (Breakfast/Lunch) - Need to find the breakfast or lunch menu, add money to your child's account, or apply for free or reduced-priced meals? The School Nutrition webpage is the place to go.
- ELC/PC Picture Day is Thursday, September 7 - An email will be arriving to parent/guardian inboxes from VIP, with picture day information and ordering details, soon!
- Need student insurance? - If you are interested in voluntary student insurance coverage for the school year, please go to the 1st Agency website here. The brochure will provide options and prices associated with their coverage.
Only two more sleeps until the start of the 2023-2024 school year!
Sincerely,
Rachael Johnson, Principal
District Attendance Policy Changes - Please Read
Dr. Salerno sent out messaging regarding attendance policy changes in his July district enrollment email to all families, but we feel it is important to share again these important changes. Please take the time to review this information carefully and make a family school attendance plan.
State law requires that all absences be recorded as excused or unexcused, and it permits up to 10 days of student absences.
Why School Attendance Matters
Research shows that students who miss 9 or fewer days of school in one academic year in Kindergarten and 1st grade are more likely to be reading on grade level by 3rd grade. Building the habit of good attendance early on is key to academic and social-emotional success long-term. Said another way, by letting your child miss today, you give them permission to ditch later. Missing school in the early grades teaches them it's okay to miss school when they are older.
Here is a resource to help your family build healthy school attendance habits.
Absences
Excused absences may include, but are not restricted to: illness, family emergency, medical appointments, and family vacation. School Board Policy 431 and School Board Policy #431.1 further spells out the conditions of the school attendance policy.
Parents and guardians may excuse their child for up to 10 days per year without a medical excuse. These days may be taken in ½ day increments according to the Full Day Attendance Policy #431.1 and will be calculated as follows:
Students who receive at least 90% of district-supervised educational services will have been considered in attendance a full day;
Students who receive 33-89% of instruction will accrue 0.5 of attendance; and
Students who receive less than 33% of instruction receive no attendance accrual for the day
Said another way:
Students reporting to school after 8:15 a.m. will be marked tardy.
Students arriving after 8:45 a.m. will be marked absent for a ½ day increment.
Students leaving school before 2:45 p.m. will be marked as absent for a ½ day increment.
Students leaving after 2:45 p.m. will be marked tardy.
Students gone for more than five hours of the day will be marked absent for the entire day.
Absences due to illness or appointments beyond a total of 10 days are considered unexcused. These absences may only be excused if a medical provider’s note is provided. Absences that are medically excused do not accrue towards the 10 allowable absent days. Families are encouraged to seek and provide a professional note in order for an absence to be marked as medically excused.
Unexcused absences occur when a parent does not contact school to report the absence or a student exceeds their 10 allowable absent days without a medical excuse.
Family Vacations
Please keep in mind that much of the work completed during the school day will not be able to be duplicated. It is recommended that families take trips that match the vacation schedule within the school calendar. Students are expected to bring a note from their parents/guardians a minimum of one week before a family vacation. It is the student and parents’ responsibility to see his/her teacher to inquire in advance about missed schoolwork.
Excessive Absences
It is widely recognized that any pattern of excessive absences (excused, unexcused or a combination) has an adverse effect on the learning process. The Mount Horeb Area School District believes early intervention is most successful in making a positive difference in a child’s school experience. Because of this philosophy, all schools in our district make formal responses to situations involving excessive or unexcused absences. If problems are suspected, a parent meeting will be held to discuss reasons for the absences and to determine an action plan designed to improve school attendance and the child’s educational program.
Truancy
Truant and habitual truant are two classifications used by the Early Learning and Primary Centers when Wisconsin State Law (S.118.16) maximum days of excusable absences are passed. Absences that are not called in and/or not excused for any of the above reasons are considered unexcused. The Intermediate Center is obligated to refer truant and habitual truant students to local, county and state agencies.
DROP-OFF AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
- Each family received a traffic safety trifold at their child's sitting spot during Kick-off or Drop-In. Please carefully review this information and share it with your child's daycare provider, grandparents or other caregivers that will be dropping off or picking up your child to ensure a safe, positive, and successful arrival/dismissal experience for all.
- K-2 students can be dropped off as early as 7:45 AM. At the PC, unless a student is eating breakfast, they will wait outside for the school day to start each morning until Thanksgiving. Between Thanksgiving and March 1, first and second graders will wait inside the building for the school day to begin. Kindergarten students will always report to the ELC gymnasium to start their day.
- Nutrition Break - K-2 students participating in the district's nutrition break program will eat breakfast before school begins. Nutrition break is available 7:45-8:05 AM, daily. Participation in the nutrition break is a daily decision for your family. If your child intends to have school breakfast and you intend to drop your child off at school, please make sure they arrive no later than 7:50 AM to allow enough time for your child to eat before school begins.
- School begins at 8:05 AM. We recommend you drop off your child no later than 8:00 AM. Students are marked tardy if they arrive after 8:15 AM. Students are considered a half-day absent if they arrive after 8:45 AM.
- The official school day dismissal time is 3:15 PM, however, we begin dismissing our kindergartners around 3:12-ish in order to ensure a smooth and supported transition to the buses.
- If your child's going home plans change, please contact our school office to notify them of this change. The school office will get an official form to the classroom teacher noting the plan.
Mark Your Calendars!
Friday, September 1 - First Day of School
Monday, September 4 - No School (Labor Day)
Thursday, September 7 - ELC/PC Picture Day
Monday, September 11 - Early Release (12:30 PM)
Monday, October 9 - Early Release (12:30 PM)
Friday, October 13 - MHASD Homecoming (8:40 AM Pep Assembly & Parade at 2:45 PM)
MHB Football: Spectator Expectations
In order to ensure that our events are orderly, safe, and enjoyable for all spectators, large and small, the Activities Department would like to remind our fans of the following expectations:
- Admission for all spectators is $5
- K-5 students must attend the game with a parent and be seated with them.
- Students are not allowed to go into the visiting team section and are not allowed on the south hill. Please stay in your section and enjoy the game.
- No footballs, soccer balls, kick balls, etc...allowed in the stadium.
- The south hill is designated as a family hill. Students are expected to sit with a parent or adult if they are on the hill. We encourage families to bring a blanket and enjoy the game.
- Pets are not allowed past the ticket office.
- Exhibit good sportsmanship: be respectful during the National Anthem, schools songs, player introductions and be positive at all times when cheering.
- Remember to represent Mt Horeb in a positive manner.
- Spectators not exhibiting good sportsmanship will be asked to leave and future privileges of attending a game will be revoked.
Supports Available
Need social-emotional support for your child? Need to problem-solve or check-in with our Student Services team members? We have a team of highly qualified staff who stand on the ready to support you and your student. You can call the PC main office at 437-7506 or ELC main office 437-7606 to be connected to our team, or you can send them an email directly.
Dean of Students: Katie Hardyman, hardymankatie@mhasd.k12.wi.us
School Counselor: Brooke Running, runningbrooke@mhasd.k12.wi.us
School Social Worker: Megan Handrick, handrickmegan@mhasd.k12.wi.us
School Psychologist/4K Coordinator: Nicole Tepe, tepenicole@mhasd.k12.wi.us
School Nurse: Christy Staats, staatschristy@mhasd.k12.wi.us
RESOURCES
Volunteer Background Check form
Blue Note Form for temporary bus riding changes
Bullying, Harrassment & Intimidation - How to Report It
Early Learning Center
Secretary: Colleen Kittleson, kittlesoncolleen@mhasd.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.mounthorebschools.org/schools/elc/
Location: 300 Spellman Street, Mount Horeb, WI, USA
Phone: 608-437-7606
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elcpc.mounthoreb.7/
Primary Center
Secretary: Lyndsay Evans Eder, evansederlyndsay@mhasd.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.mounthorebschools.org/schools/primary/
Location: 207 Academy Street, Mount Horeb, WI, USA
Phone: 608-437-7506
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elcpc.mounthoreb.7/