Kelly Newsletter
March 2020
Dear Kelly families,
We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring and are looking forward to some milder weather. We sure get excited when we see temperatures in the 30’s!
March will be filled with continued learning as students work towards their individual goals. We are looking forward to seeing you all this week during parent-teacher conferences. While you are here be sure to check out the Scholastic Book Fair in the library. Report cards will be sent home electronically on Friday, March 13th.
We want to take this time to give a BIG thank you to Katy Johnson. Katy has been our PTO president for the past four years and has been the driving force of our playground fundraising campaign. We can’t thank her enough for the amount of time, energy and commitment she has given to our school, students and staff. This month Katy and her family are moving to the Twin Cities due to her husband’s job. Katy will be greatly missed, but we know she will go on to make a difference in another school!
Please take some time to read through the rest of the newsletter for important information and events happening at Kelly School.
LuAnn Schmidt
Associate Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Tuesday, March 3rd-Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00pm
- Thursday, March 5th-Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00pm
- Friday, March 6th-11:20am Dismissal
- Friday, March 6th-Parent/Teacher Conferences Noon-4:00pm
- February 25th-March 6th-Kelly School Book Fair in Library
- Monday, March 9th-PTO Meeting at 5:15pm in Library
- Tuesday, March 10th-PJ/Pizza Playground Fundraiser Day
- Wednesday, March 11th-1:30 Dismissal
- Thursday, March 12th-Kindergarten Registration from 9:00am-5:30pm
- Thursday, March 12th-5th Grade Music Program at 6:00pm
- Friday, March 13th-Report Cards Emailed Home
- Wednesday, March 18th-No School
- Thursday, March 19th-No School
- Friday, March 20th-No School
- Thursday, March 26th-Parent Fuel-up Event at 2:30pm
- March 31st-April 5th-ARTWISE Exhibit at Columbia Mall
FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH
REPORT CARDS
- Check with your spouse
- Check your spam
- Check your junk mail
- Call the Kelly Office to make sure your email is correct
EARLY DISMISSAL WEDNESDAYS
The following Wednesdays school will be dismissed at 1:30pm:
March 11th
April 1st
April 29th
May 6th
May 20th
MONTHLY FUEL UP EVENTS
This year we will be taking a ride on the Energy Bus and we invite all of you to ride along with us. Our theme is based on a book written by Jon Gordon titled The Energy Bus for Kids. It is a story about staying positive and overcoming challenges. Each month we will learn about one of the rules that can help us on the ride of our lives.
If you have more than one child at Kelly School, you may bring your children together into one classroom each month. Please alternate so each child is still able to attend their own classes Monthly Fuel Up Events. It will be helpful to have a plan in place before the event begins so that all events can begin on time.
These are the dates and times of this year's Monthly Fuel Up Events. We hope you can join us as we fill our tanks with knowledge and positivity.
Thursday, March 26th at 2:30pm
Tuesday, April 21st at 8:30am
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
We are excited to see you on March 12th as we prepare for your student’s kindergarten year at Grand Forks Public Schools! In order to help better prepare for your arrival at Kindergarten Registration, we would like you to take a few minutes to complete our online Pre-Registration form. This Google Form (http://bit.ly/Kindergarten2020) will allow us to capture information so we can begin your student’s enrollment now and cut down your waiting time at school that day.
The actual Kindergarten Registration will be Thursday, March 12th from 9:00am-5:30pm. Children who reach the age of five before August 1, 2020 would qualify to enroll for the 2020/2021 school year. Please allow approximately 30 minutes to complete this process. You will need your child's birth certificate, updated shot records, a primary proof of address and a secondary proof of address. Acceptable documentation is listed at the end of this newsletter. You do NOT need to bring your child to the registration. Please contact our office at 746-2265 if you have any questions.
ARTWISE
March 31st-April 5th ArtWise and the Columbia Mall present the 2020 Elementary Art Show exhibiting more than 3,600 works of art by local students. Activities will include musical and dance performances and artists make’n’take activities.
This year ArtWise will hold Art Camps4Kids on Saturday (April 4th) morning--registration will be through www.artwise4kids.com or by contacting artwise@mygfschools.org or 701-787-4260.
On Saturday (April 4th), at noon, we'll have our 1st Talent Show! Any short acts in which children are involved are welcome. Registration will be through www.artwise4kids.com or by contacting artwise@mygfschools.org or 701-787-4260.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the art show can sign up by using the link on our website.
LUNCHROOM INFORMATION
- Child lunch costs $2.20. Child breakfast costs $1.20.
- You can check your child's lunch account balance and meal purchases or pay for your child's lunch by going to myschoolbucks.com It's super easy and convenient.
- In accordance with the Grand Forks Public School Wellness Policy #6175 we strive to be superior in our nutrition standards. This means that no fast food or other restaurant food is allowed in the lunchroom for either student or parent.
KELLY SCHOOL TWITTER ACCOUNT
Kelly School has a Twitter account and we would love you to follow us. It is a great way to see all the wonderful things happening each and every day. You can follow us @KellyGFPS
SOCIAL WORKER CORNER
Hello Kelly Families!
March is National Social Work Month! Each year the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) chooses a theme to celebrate social workers across the country. This year, the theme is “Generations Strong”, and given the start of our new decade, celebrates the work that social workers across all generations have done and will continue to do! We are excited to be celebrating National Social Work Month!
In addition to March being National Social Work Month, March 1-7, 2020 is National School Social Work Week. We are so fortunate in the GFPS to have 12 passionate school social workers serving our 18 campuses! Day to day you can find us collaborating with our school teams, providing evidence-based interventions for students, managing crises, and helping families remove barriers so their children can receive an education (among many other things!). School social workers in the Grand Forks Public Schools are trained mental health professionals with a degree in social work and licensed through the state of ND. We provide services related to a person's social, emotional and life adjustment to school and/or society, as well as provide consultation to school staff regarding child welfare matters. School social workers are the link between the home, school, and community in providing direct as well as indirect services to students, families and school personnel to promote and support students' academic and social success. Take a look around our school social work webpage on the GFPS website: Social Work Program / Social Work Program.
The school social workers also collaborate frequently with the many other mental health professionals in the district to aid in student well-being and mental health care. You can find our school district’s mental health hub here: Families / Mental Health Hub. Please take a few minutes to look through the information and resources provided; there is plenty of information for parents that can help you to help your student’s overall well-being. In light of all of the work our school mental health professionals are doing for our students, we would like to inform you of an exciting kick-off event happening this month! Mental Health Matters is a community collaborative that is promoting resilience, strength, and emotional well-being for people in the Grand Forks community through education and collaboration to increase awareness and access to mental health resources.
MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
#GFCARES
A GRAND FORKS COLLABORATIVE
Location: Lake Agassiz Elementary School (605 Stanford Road)
Date/Time: Saturday, March 7th, 10 AM-1 PM
Description: Join the Grand Forks community in kicking off the Mental Health Matters initiative with FREE food, FUN activities, and IMPORTANT information on mental health!
Schedule:
· 10 AM-1 PM: Healthy Activities for All Ages + Information and Resource Booths
· 10:15 -11:15 AM: Wellness Hour Activities - Zumba, Yoga, Meditation & More!
· 11 AM-12 PM: #GFCares Kickoff (11:30 Presentation & FREE Lunch)
· 12-1 PM: Discover your sources of strength - Learn a new wellness skill!
Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter. If ever needing anything, I’m always here for support. Happy Social Work Month!
Mrs. Tracy Meagher, LBSW
701.215-6990
701-746-2265-school office
Telephone Calls: Calls do not ring into the classroom during school hours to minimize interruptions. Messages for students can be left on the teacher’s voicemail.
Bus Tickets: Bus Tickets are $10.00 for a strip of 10. You can purchase them in the school office. If you are writing a check, make it payable to GFPS. Kelly School only has an PM bus. If your child is riding the bus you must complete the required online form. For more information about the bus including the bus routes, maps, procedures and forms go to https://www.gfschools.org/Page/7894
Peanut/Nut Free School: When sending a snack or packing a lunch, please remember to check labels to make sure it does not contain or have traces of peanuts/nuts.
Birthday Snacks: Due to the increase of students who have severe food allergies and the higher levels of severity, we no longer celebrate student birthdays with a “birthday snack” in our schools. Parents are welcome to find other non-food items to send to school if they wish. Please discuss with your child’s classroom teacher for ideas or preferences.
Arrival: School begins at 8:25am. Breakfast is offered from 7:45-8:25am. Reading opportunities are available starting at 8:00am. Students should not wander the hallways or hang up their coat/bag before the first bell rings.
Dismissal: The safety of our students is a top priority for us at Kelly School. As per district policy, schools will have parents meet their child(ren) at a designated location outside the school at dismissal time.
• Teachers will bring their students to a location outside the school at their classroom’s assigned door. Students will meet their parent or person picking them up at a prearranged meeting place near the assigned dismissal door.
• Older siblings meet youngest sibling at youngest sibling’s assigned door.
• Bus/Daycare van students will walk through the school to Door #1 to board their bus or van.
Visitors: Parents and visitors are required to check into the school office. Please do NOT stop at your child’s classroom first.
Box Tops: Keep saving these!!
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
TEARS is offering Adult Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) classes through May 2020. These 8-hour classes are to mental health what CPR is to physical health – learning to recognize the symptoms and how to be connectors for help. All classes are $20/person.
The classes will be held:
March 2020
3/20: 5-9 PM, 3/21: 8 AM-12 PM at Altru Professional Center, Youth MHFA
3/21: 8 AM-5 PM at Altru Hospital Meeting Room A, Adult MHFA
3/27: 5-9 PM, 3/28: 8 AM-12 PM at Red River High School, Youth MHFA
April 2020
4/3: 5-9 PM, 4/4: 8 AM- 12 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
4/10: 5-9 PM, 4/11: 8 AM-12 PM at Red River High School, Youth MHFA
4/18: 8 AM-5 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
4/25: 8 AM-5 PM at TBD, Adult MHFA
May 2020
5/15: 5-9 PM, 5/16: 8 AM-12 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
5/23: 8 AM-5 PM at TBD, Youth MHFA
5/23: 8 AM- 5 PM at TBD, Adult MHFA
Participants must be 18 years of age or older and must go to both session dates. If you register for a class with two class dates back-to-back, you must attend both 4-hour dates to receive a certificate. You can register for classes by searching Mental Health First Aid on Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/ or looking under Events on the TEARSGF Facebook page.
Contact Moriah Opp (mopp@altru.org) with any questions.
SCHOOL POSTPONEMENT AND CANCELLATION PROCEDURES
School postponement and cancellation alternatives will be as follows:
- a. Hold school as normal
- b. Open school but delay sending buses
- c. Delay the start time in all schools by two (2) hours based on each school’s start time
- Elementary School: Start time is 8:25, so school would start at 10:25. Doors will open at 10:15 a.m.
- Middle School: Start time is 8:40, so school would start at 10:40. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m.
- High School: Start time is 8:00, so school would start at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:50 a.m.
- Head Start: Start time is 8:00, so school would start at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:50 a.m.
- When school starts late, there will be no morning Early Childhood Special Education classes. Afternoon Early Childhood Special Education classes will be held.
- Breakfast will not be served at any sites.
- d. No school in Grand Forks Public Schools all day
- e. No school for the Grand Forks Air Force Base School District students all day
- Decisions related to the weather-related delayed opening or closing of air base schools may not always be consistent with those made for in-town schools. On those days when severe weather makes travel conditions so hazardous as to threaten the safety of staff members, opening delays or the closing of base schools will be given special consideration.
- f. Once school is in session, it will not be terminated until the regular closing time except in very severe situations. However, school buses may leave early. Radio and TV stations will be used to notify parents.
The decision to close or delay school will be made as early as possible. Announcements will be made on the District webpage (www.gfschools.org), and District social media (www.facebook.com/GrandForksPublicSchools; www.twitter.com/GFSchools). Announcements will also be made on local radio and TV stations.
Grand Forks Public Schools will be using our Automated Calling system to call staff and parents if school will be delayed or cancelled due to severe weather conditions. Typically, this automated call will occur to staff between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., and to parents between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Parents or guardians may always exercise their right to keep students home or pick them up early during stormy conditions.
If an emergency situation should develop during the time school is in session, children will be cared for in school until the storm has subsided.
If buses are sent home early, all buses will be sent.
- a. Radio and TV stations will make the announcement of the departure time.
- b. The lead-time needed for the procedure is approximately one (1) hour.
- c. If conditions are dangerous, bus drivers must use common sense in discharging students that must walk a considerable distance. If possible, use the radio and contact the base station. Have parents meet the bus or be on the lookout for their children. If the driver is unable to contact parents and conditions are dangerous, do not let students off the bus but return to school and notify the principal. Schools that have bus students must have a written procedure for caring for students in the event they must be kept overnight at school.