Elementary School Newsletter

 

August 24, 2018

Dearest PCS families,

It is so exciting to have started the 18-19 school year and to have all of our students back with us!  It gets pretty lonely here over the summer months! As you all know, the start of this school year has been filled with lots of wonderful and exciting changes.  The addition of the Early Childhood Building is one of the major ones and one we have been working towards for a looooong time!  Such an addition will benefit all students that are with us now as well as the many, many students we will serve in the future.  We look forward to a great school year and on behalf of all our team let me be the first to say, "Welcome back"!!

Drop off and Pick up...

Thanks for your patience as we settle into the routine for getting kids to and from school safely. Just some reminders (mainly stemming from questions from parents or observations from the "parking lot safety team")...

  • Please pay attention to all requests by school staff outside both before and after school... we are here to help make the routine run as smooth as possible.
  • Dropping off either in the circle of the Early Childhood Building or in the drop off lane in front of the Elementary Building is the easiest form of drop off and we encourage families to do this instead of parking.
  • Please be cognizant of crosswalks and use them when crossing in the parking lot and on city streets.  Staff members are stationed at each of these to help with crossing safely.  Please remind your older students who are walking home or walking to meet rides of this as well.  Many students have been cutting through lots, between cars, etc which is very unsafe.  
  • Directional arrows throughout the parking lot as well as additional crosswalks in the EC building lot will be painted very soon.  
  • Please remember that when dropping off at the Elementary Building in the morning, the drive splits into two lanes at the curve.  Please pick a lane and remain in that lane until after middle crosswalk - right lane for drop off, left lane for passing through.
  • It would help us greatly if all cars entering and exiting the campus would signal well ahead of the entrance/exit. This allows us to wave cars in/out or stop traffic accordingly.
  • We are advising families of students who walk to meet their ride to find a meeting spot away from the EC Building parking lot. In years past, this parking lot was not nearly as busy.  However now with the new building it is one of our busiest and not the best meeting spot.
  • Doors to the buildings open at 8:10.  This is 15 minutes prior to our official start time of 8:25.  The only children who may be dropped off prior to 8:10 are those who are signed up for Before care.  If you come earlier than 8:10, you must stay with your child outside the front of their respective building to supervise them or wait with them in your car.  There is not enough supervision in or out of the buildings prior to 8:10 to allow students to enter any earlier.
  • If picking your child up early from the main offices, you will be asked to show your ID.  This is for the safety of your children. With so many faces passing by the office it is hard for Ms. Anderson or Ms. Zamudio to know everyone.  We thank you in advance for your assistance with this.  Please advise other family members of this as well if they are coming to pick up... helps quicken the process so they don't leave their ID in their car and have to go back out to retrieve. 
  • Please be respectful of our neighborhood and its residents.  Do not block drives or park on lawns.  

Again, thank you for your patience and help with all these matters!

Breakfast and Lunch...

Breakfast and lunch occur each day.  Breakfast begins at 8:10 and end at 8:25.  Grab and Go breakfast ends at 8:35.  All students K-5 who wish to eat breakfast should come to the Elementary Building cafeteria BEFORE heading to their classrooms. Lunch occurs each day in either the Elementary Building cafe or the Middle School cafe depending on grade level.  One change that has occurred with lunch is that 4th and 5th grade students are split between both cafes and the lunch time within the cafe is just a couple minutes shorter (however the overall lunch time is the same as in years past when including outside social time).  The few minutes shorter has not affected the students time to eat as the lunch line is much quicker due to only half the grade level in each cafeteria.

As a reminder, Free/Reduced lunch statuses from the previous school year are expiring here soon!  If you have not filled out an application for this current school year, or are interested in turning one in for the first time, make sure that you do so and turn it into the front office ASAP!  If you do not turn in the application your student will start to be charged full price for meals as well as before/aftercare.  If you have any questions feel free to contact Ben Huebner at bhuebner@premiercharterschool.org.

A Note from Nurse Gerwitz about School Vaccines...

The state of Missouri requires that all students have compliant vaccine records to attend school.  If your child's school vaccine record indicates that he/she is non-compliant with state mandates, you will receive a voicemail message and your child will receive a note with an attached vaccine record.

Free vaccines are available without an appointment at the Peoples Health Center, 5701 Delmar.  Call 314-367-7848 for the Walk-In Vaccine Clinic hours.  You must bring a copy of your child's vaccine record with you so the vaccine nurse knows exactly which vaccines to administer to your child.

For all students new to PCS who have no vaccine record on file, please bring an updated vaccine record to the nurse by Tuesday, September 4.

If your child has a non-compliant vaccine record, your child's record must be updated and compliant by Friday, September 28.

If you have questions concerning your child's vaccine record, feel free to stop by the office of the school nurse or call 314-645-9600 extension 108 or 244.

Dyslexia Screening...

Please see the attached letter regarding screening students for dyslexic tendencies now required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

PCG News & Happenings...

PCG is moving and shaking already this year with sports and other activities!  Please see below for what is coming up!

  • Soccer sign ups are happening now.  Forms are due back no later than Tuesday, September 6.  If you are interested in coaching, PCG is looking for additional coaches.
  • PCG will again be heading up the Tom Evan's fundraiser.  A kick-off for all K-5 students will happen next Tuesday.  Fundraiser packets will come home with each child that day.  All order and payments are due back by Wednesday, September 12.
  • Attached you will find the date for upcoming Family Nights... a fun way to hang out with other PCS families and support the school at the same time.
  • PCG sells school spirit wear.  Again, you will find an order form attached for this apparel. 
  • Save the date for the annual Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat.  They will be held at the school on October 20.
  • If you have Box Tops at home, be sure to collect and sent them in for additional fundraising opportunities for the school.  There is a collection box located in the Elementary Building.

Upcoming Important Dates...

  • 8.29.18-9.12.18: Tom Evans' Fundraiser
  • 8.29.18: PCG Family Night @ Smoking Barrels
  • 9.3.18: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
  • 9.6.18: Soccer sign-up forms due
  • 9.17.18: Girl Scout Meetings begin
  • 9.21.18: 1/2 Day (Noon dismissal) - Staff PD 
  • 10.20.18: Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat

Be sure to check us out on social media... Twitter, Facebook, Instagram!  All teachers & classrooms have accounts where you can check out pictures and happenings.

Lots of opportunities for after school clubs will be beginning soon.  Be on the lookout for information on how to sign up for them coming home throughout the next month or so.

We hope everyone had a great first full week.  If you ever need anything, please call, email, or pop in.  We are here for you.  My office as well as Mr. Strickler's office are still located in the Elementary School building.  Mrs. Huber's office is now located in the new Early Childhood building.  

Have a fantastic weekend and see everyone on Monday!

Dana Leesman, Elementary Principal 

p: 314.645.9600 x608             e: dleesman@premiercharterschool.org