Handley Herald: August 20, 2013

Handley-Elementary-SchoolA great big Welcome Back to our students and parents!! Textbooks are delivered and classrooms are decorated. We are excited the students have arrived!! The teachers and staff at Handley School look forward to working together with students, parents, guardians, and community members to make Handley the BEST place for students to learn and develop into leaders. I look forward to meeting you personally at Open House tonight (5:00-6:30 p.m.).

Breakfast/Lunch: Just a reminder that all Handley students are offered a free breakfast each day school is in-session. Non-bus students wishing to eat breakfast at school will enter the building at 8:15. Please do not send your child too early for breakfast as they will need to wait outside until 8:15 a.m. Lunch prices have not changed. A student lunch is $1.85; reduced lunch is $0.40. A milk can be purchased a la carte for $0.45. Please send lunch money in an envelope with your child’s name and amount on it. Money may be deposited into your child’s account on-line or by sending it to school.

Office hours: The school office is open when school is in-session from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Mrs. Ford and I are available to answer questions and assist parents, guardians, and students.

Open House: Please join us in celebrating the start of the school year with an Open House on Tuesday, August 20, 5:00-6:30. This is a great chance to see your child’s class and meet the teacher. You will receive a “passport” when you arrive. You will get to “travel” to many different destinations and conclude with an ice cream treat sponsored by PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization). In addition, please visit the gym as there will be opportunities for your child to get involved in a variety of community activities. Hope to see you there!!

Attendance: Research indicates that attendance is directly related to the amount of success a child has in school. We strongly encourage students to attend school EVERY day unless they have a 100° or higher temperature. Although students can make up the missed work, the classroom experience, discussion, and practice cannot be recreated. If your child is ill and will not be attending school, please call the office - 362-2561.

Visiting the building: If you wish to volunteer in the classroom or another school event that involves working directly with students, you will need to have a Background Check form on file. This form can be found on-line or requested from the office. The form MUST be completed if you are planning to visit your child in the building or on the playground. NO visitors to the classroom, lunchroom, or media center will be allowed without a background check on file. THANK YOU for your understanding of this important safety rule!!

Parent Access: Positive and open communication is a great way to build strong and effective relationships. Please make sure you are signed up for the computer on-line program – Parent Access. Internet is required to utilize this program. It provides an opportunity for parents/guardians to view their child’s academic progress, attendance, and behavior. You must be signed-up to participate. If you already have a code, you do not need to take action. If you are new to the school, you will either receive your code or you must request an activation form from the office in order to enroll in the program.

School attire: Please keep in mind that students go outside and need to be dressed for the weather. Tank tops, midriff tops, or short shorts are not appropriate attire. Basketball jerseys may be worn with a t-shirt underneath. We ask that flip flops not be worn due to safety concerns on the playground. In order to play on the equipment at recess, students must have shoes that are closed toe and have a strap or back on the heel. THANK YOU!!

Drop Off/Pick Up Procedures: For the safety of all students, teachers, and visitors, PLEASE be sure to review the information in the First Day bags regarding these procedures. Non-bus students that are eating breakfast at Handley will enter the building at 8:15 a.m. If your child is not eating breakfast at school, please DO NOT arrive before 8:30. The bell does not ring until 8:35 and supervision is not available. THANK YOU for keeping Handley a safe place to be.

Book Rental:

Kindergarten: $91
Grade 1: $138
Grade 2: $121
Grade 3: $108
Grade 4: $101
Grade 5: $101

WELCOME NEW STAFF

Mrs. Hale – 1st grade teacher
Mrs. Menne – 1st grade teacher
Mrs. Smith – Special Education Teacher
Mrs. Long – Speech teacher
Ms. Happel – Title I assistant
Mrs. Ford - Secretary

The Wellness Committee met on April 27, 2011, and formulated a policy addressing treats for classroom celebrations. The policy states:

For the safety of all children, all treats furnished for students, including birthday treats, must be commercially purchased. These treats should be kept simple and in a form that is easy to pass out to students in the class.”