September 9, 2011 Parent Newsletter
Dear Parents,
The second week of school has run smoothly. Bus routes, schedules, and classroom coverage have begun to run smoothly. Our Kindergarten students are now here full time.
- One of the difficulties in creating accurate bus routes is that some students do not ride the same bus home as they ride to school each day. Depending upon sports, day care needs, and parent schedules, some students ride different busses at the end of each day. Teachers make a concerted effort to ensure that students get on the correct bus every day. Please make sure that teachers have a note of which bus is to be taken. If your plans change, you must provide a note. It is common for a child to state that they are supposed to wait for a parent to pick them up when no notice was given to the teacher. Our protocol is that all children will be sent home on their regular bus UNLESS we have received a note, or in an emergency, a phone call.
- Our secretaries work from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. If you call the school after 3:30 PM, you will hear a recording. If you stay on the phone, you will be instructed about how to access a teacher’s direct phone line or voice mail. A list of staff extensions has been included in this newsletter for your convenience.
- Walmart has selected our school to receive $1000 in gift cards so that teachers can purchase classroom materials. Each year, Walmart employees select an area school to honor. We are very pleased to accept this gift to the school.
- Micah Heaney is a former HES student working on his Eagle Scout designation. This summer he and a cadre of volunteers built an access to the 17 acres adjacent to the school. Stone steps, railings and bridges were erected. We encourage you to explore this land with your families. His work was a gift to all of us. Our students and teachers are already using the 17 acres as a natural classroom.
- All court documents concerning custodial rights need to be filed in our main office.
- Please don’t forget the Welcome Back community picnic scheduled for Wednesday, September 21. Tom Christensen, our new WSSU Superintendent plans to attend and say a few words. This is a great opportunity to meet him.
From time to time I feel it is important to review school policies with parents. This week I want to review school attendance policies. Absences from school are considered “excused” as follows: (HES Policy F14) “ Illness, observance of religious holidays, a death in the family, family emergencies, or situations beyond the student’s control as determined by the School Board, or other circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent or guardian for the health or safety of the student and are confirmed in writing or verbally by the parent or guardian of the student.” All other absences are considered unexcused. School attendance in Vermont is compulsory after age 6. If a student accrues 5 unexcused absences, we are required to make personal contact with parents and document our concerns. After 7 unexcused absences, we will meet to determine how the school can assist the parents in improving school attendance. After 10 unexcused absences, the school must gather a team of social service agencies, the truant officer, and parents to create a Coordinated Services Plan. If that is not successful, we must make a formal referral to the Department of Children and Families, who will refer the issue to the State’s Attorney
It is important that you call the school when your child is going to be absent and describe the reason for their absence.
Have a great weekend. After a week of rain and clouds, it feels terrific to know the sun will be shining again. I hope that you have ample time to enjoy being out of doors. As always, give your kids a hug for me.
Judy Callens
