Sra.Peake's Newsletter

Dear Students, Teachers, Staff, Parents and Families of Kuser Elementary School,

We have had two very successful months. We continue moving forward to ensure a safe campus for all students and staff. I thank you for your cooperation and understanding. The arrival and dismissal procedures are running smoothly. In addition to the arrival and dismissal procedures, we have adjusted our visitor, late, and early pick-up procedures.

Our campus monitor will meet any late arrivals at the front door beginning at 8:55 a.m. Parents will sign their students in at the door, and students will enter the building and proceed to class. Any students who are leaving early will be brought to the door by our campus monitor and/or our office staff. Parents will sign out students at the door. Please be prepared to show your ID if requested. Any adults not listed as emergency contact will be asked to verify their permission to pick up the student and must show their ID. Parents, please inform your teacher or our office staff of any changes to your pick-up procedures. All visitors will be greeted at the door and must sign in.

This month, we will begin with our Parent Teacher Conferences and Fall Book Fair. Click here to view the Conference Info Letter. Please see the schedule below:

Please remember that this week from Tuesday through Friday, 10/31-11/3, we will have one session day ~ Half-Day, with a 1:15 dismissal.

New traditions are underway! Kuser Kats News!!! We have begun a student-led live morning broadcast! Not only is it live, but it is bilingual! Our students are incredibly proud to share their bilingual superpowers! Depending on the students broadcasting, the announcements can be heard in English, Spanish, or Creole! This broadcast is viewed by our entire school community every day at 9:00 a.m. We will be expanding the broadcast to include pre-recorded parent messages. Stay tuned for more information! Another great tradition that we will celebrate this month is American Education Week, which will run from November 13, 2023 - November 17, 2023. More information will be shared soon.

Please join us on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 6:00 p.m., when we present our new PTA Board. We need your support to continue to build a community of one dedicated to promoting the success of all students. Our unified efforts were evident this past week during our Trunk or Treat! We had a great turnout and huge support from the entire community. When we work together, there are no limits to what we can accomplish!

I am incredibly proud to serve this beautifully diverse community that exemplifies inclusion and unity.

Your Servant Leader,

Sra. Peake

Dear Families,

As the school year continues, we want to emphasize the importance of a holistic and collaborative approach to education. When students, parents, teachers, and the community work together to create a positive and supportive environment, it can lead to better academic outcomes and personal growth for all involved.

Our theme this year is "Every Day Counts." Our theme encompasses seven principles that will guide us through our journey. I invite you to join me on a reflective journey to honor our theme. This month, we will focus on attendance.

• Every Day Counts: This emphasizes the importance of consistent attendance and engagement in the educational process. Regular attendance ensures that students take advantage of valuable learning experiences. What can we each do to ensure that we make every day count?

Absences can creep up on you and take you and your students by surprise. An absence here or there can suddenly result in many absences due to unforeseen illnesses or a planned vacation. This is why we ask our families to consider the following when making decisions about attendance:

• Try to make doctor appointments when school is not in session or at the start or end of the day to limit time away from instruction.

• Try to plan family vacations when school is not in session.

• Limit the number of tardies. Arriving late to school disrupts the learning for all students.

• Limit the number of early outs. Leaving school early results in a loss of instruction that cannot be made up.

• Only keep your student home for the following reasons:

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Fever

• If you need assistance, reach out and let us know.

The chart below includes attendance data for the month of October. We currently have 483 enrolled students. Already, within the first two months of school, we have 290 students with recorded absences. Out of those 290 students, 82 of them are identified as being on the path to chronic absenteeism. Three students have already reached chronic absenteeism, and one student is only one absence away from being identified as chronically absent. These absences negatively impact student performance and increase educational gaps.

Chronic Absenteeism is defined as having 18 or more absences for the entire school year. Just missing two days a month can negatively impact a student’s ability to perform academically. It can impact reading levels and a student’s social-emotional well-being. The long-term impacts can result in repeated behavior issues, suspensions due to behavior issues, and dropping out of school.

Here, at the elementary level, we can work together to diminish the effects of chronic absenteeism. We can help develop and establish healthy attendance habits and provide targeted levels of support to ensure that all students have the best opportunities to succeed at Kuser and beyond. However, that requires us to all work together to ensure that our students are in school every day they are healthy for the entire day from 8:45- 3:30 p.m.

We are here to support you and your student!

Showing up matters for R.E.A.L. It is an opportunity to:

• Build Routines

• Increase Engagement

• Provide Access to resources

• Support Learning

Routines: Daily attendance routines, created at home or in school, can reduce stress for students and families and create a sense of safety and security, especially after chaotic transitions.

Engagement: Being in school helps students to get to know peers, teachers and school staff, and to create trusting relationships that motivate students to participate in learning.

Access to Resources: Schools help students and families gain access to basic resources such as meals, physical and mental health services, and fun enrichment activities including sports, clubs, music, afterschool and summer programs.

Learning: Learning is most meaningful when it is active, social, and allows students to apply concepts to real life situations. Showing up to school regularly helps students engage in learning that builds proficiency in reading and math that will help them to graduate from high school.

Presentarse es importante para una R.E.A.L. oportunidad para:

• Crear Rutinas

• Fortalecer los Enlace y Compromisos

• Proporcionar Acceso a recursos

• Apoyar La Enseñanza

Rutinas: Las rutinas diarias de asistencia, creadas en casa o en la escuela, pueden reducir el estrés para los estudiantes y las familias y crear una sensación de seguridad, especialmente después de transiciones caóticas.

Compromiso: Estar en la escuela ayuda a los estudiantes a conocer a sus compañeros, maestros y personal escolar, y a crear relaciones de confianza que motivan a los estudiantes a participar en el aprendizaje.

Acceso a recursos: Las escuelas ayudan a los estudiantes y las familias a obtener acceso a recursos básicos como comidas, servicios de salud física y mental, y actividades divertidas de enriquecimiento que incluyen deportes, clubes, música, programas extracurriculares y de verano.

Aprendizaje: El aprendizaje es más significativo cuando es activo, social y permite a los estudiantes aplicar conceptos a situaciones de la vida real. Presentarse a la escuela regularmente ayuda a los estudiantes a participar en el aprendizaje que desarrolla la competencia en lectura y matemáticas que los ayudará a graduarse de la escuela secundaria.

10/31 ~ Halloween Parade 9:15 am

10/31- 11/3 ~ One Day Session/Half-day 1:15 Dismissal

10/31 ~ Parent Teacher Conferences/Book Fair ~ Afternoon Session

11/1 ~ Parent Teacher Conferences/Book Fair ~ Evening Session

11/2 ~ Parent Teacher Conferences/Book Fair ~ Evening Session

11/3 ~ Parent Teacher Conferences/ Book Fair ~ Afternoon Session

11/7 ~ No School for students

11/9 - 11/10 No School for students or staff

11/22 ~ One Day Session/Half-day 1:15 Dismissal

11/23 ~ No School Thanksgiving Recess

11/24 ~ No School Thanksgiving Recess