
Welcome to Pinecrest Elementary
December 2023
About Us
Main Line: 651-480-7280
Attendance Line: 651-480-7281Health Office (Nurse): 651-480-7286
Kids' Campus: 651-480-7296
Hastings Bus Company: 651-437-1888
Website: pinecrest.hastings.k12.mn.us
Location: 975 12th Street West, Hastings, MN, USA
Phone: 651-480-7280
DATES TO REMEMBER
DECEMBER
1-10 - 10 Days of Giving Food Drive
4 - PTA Meeting at 7:15 pm in media center
25 - January 2 - NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
JANUARY
8 - PTA Meeting at 7:15 pm in media center
15 - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Day
22 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher Workshop
29 - Countdown to Kindergarten, 5:00-6:30pm
10 DAYS OF GIVING STARTS DECEMBER 1
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
The Pinecrest PTA will be having a contest between the classrooms for the 10 Days of Giving for Hastings Family Service. The class that brings in the most pounds of food over the 10 days will win a popcorn party! Through December 10th, students may drop off items in their classroom. Any monetary donations should be brought in an envelope with your teachers name.
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
The food drive benefits Hastings Family Service. Merchants Bank will then collect monetary donations and the non-perishable food items.
- Monetary donations. Hastings Family Service can turn a $10 donation into 10 pounds of food. If each student at Pinecrest brought in $2 we could provide 1,000 pounds of food to families in need!
2024-2025 Kindergarten Registration
Information for registering your 2024-25 kindergartener will be mailed out in early January. Additional information regarding an opportunity to visit our school and meet kindergarten teachers will also be included in that mailing.
"SNOW DAY" E-LEARNING PLANS
Your child will bring home an e-Learning packet in their take-home folder or binder. Please keep the packet for use at home on e-Learning days. You will be notified when this pack needs to be used.
Click here to learn more about our e-Learning Plan to understand the plan for days in which school may be closed due to inclement weather.
*Please note, the first inclement weather day will not have E-Learning expectations in place. Students will use the day to catch up on anything they would like.
PTA MONTHLY MEETING
Next Meeting is Monday, December 4th at 7:15 pm in the media center
DRESS FOR THE WEATHER
As the weather begins to cool, please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for playing outside. Students spend twenty minutes outside for noon recess.
When the temperatures start to dip into the 40’s and 50’s, we do require students to wear a light jacket or sweatshirt outside. When winter arrives, winter clothing will be required.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL WINTER ... PREPARE FOR A "SNOW DAY"
It is important that you have accurate phone numbers on file for your student. Although we are using a calling system to contact families in case of inclement weather, the district will still continue to post school delays or closings in the following ways:
Official school closing announcements will be made on Hastings KDWA Radio 1460, WCCO-Channel 4, KSTP-Channel 5, KMSP-Channel 9 and KARE-Channel 11 television and Hastings Public School Website.
Click HERE for instructions on how to update contact information in Infinite Campus Parent Portal
BIRTHDAY PARTIES
Just a reminder that if your child is having a birthday party and wants to invite their friends from school, we are not able to give out names, phone numbers or addresses of the students. While we know it is exciting for children to have a birthday party and invite their school friends, we ask that you not send invitations to school with them to pass out. It can cause hurt feelings for those students who did not get invited to the party.
TREATS AT SCHOOL
Food & Nutrition Services
2023-2024 Minnesota Free School Meals Program
What is the Minnesota Free School Meals Program?
The Minnesota Free School Meals Program provides state reimbursement to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program so that students can have one breakfast and one lunch at no cost at school.
Can the meals be picked up or brought home like we did during the pandemic?
No. Congregate meal service is required in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Meals may not be taken off campus, sent home, delivered, or picked up by parents or others.
Do I still need to complete the Application for Educational Benefits?
Families need to complete the Application for Educational Benefits. Applications for Educational Benefits determine how much funding your child’s school receives for educational programs and support. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits, such as:
- WIC Benefits
- Metro Transit Assistance Program
- FCC Affordable Connectivity Program/Reduced price internet programs
- Some summer camps, athletics programs, and child cares offer scholarships or discounts
What is included in the MN Free School Meals Program?
The student must choose at least three items to be counted as a reimbursable meal at breakfast. The student must choose a ½ cup serving of fruit or vegetable as part of their breakfast. At lunch, the student must choose at least three components to be counted as a reimbursable meal. The student must choose a ½ cup serving of fruit or vegetable as part of their lunch.
What is NOT included in the MN Free School Meals Program?
Single-item purchases and non-reimbursable meals are not free. Some examples include: a carton of milk, snack items, a second entrée, a second breakfast, or a second lunch, meals that do not meet the minimum requirements, and meals served to teachers, staff, and other adults.
The price for breakfast and lunch meals will be $0 for all sites.
Fill out the Form! The Application for Education Benefits helps determine how much education funding your school will receive. Complete an application for your student for the school year 2023-24.
- Students and families may qualify for other program fee reductions based on their eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. Parents should complete an Application for Education Benefits.
- Only meals that meet the requirements are reimbursed. Students that want additional or single items will be charged for those items.
- The 2023-24 Free and Reduced Meal Application is available online on the district website under Food Service.
For more information, please call Andrea Seleski 651-480-7050 or Brittney Hirschauer 651-480-7126
HEALTH SERVICES
Illness and Keeping your Child Home
A student should not come to school (and may be sent home from school) if they have or have had:
a fever of 100 degrees F or more in the past 24 hours
vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
an undiagnosed skin rash
Reporting Absences
If your student will not be at school, please call and report the reason for their absence at 651-480-7281. If your student is ill, please report their symptoms and/or any diagnosed communicable condition like chicken pox, strep throat, cough and fever, influenza, or pink eye. It is recommended that you follow the MDH and CDC exclusion guidelines for communicable diseases.
Immunizations
In order to attend school, students must show that they're in compliance with Minnesota School Immunization Requirements (see the Minnesota Department of Health Link below for more Information). Hastings School's immunization policy states that students who are not up to date on their immunizations will not be allowed to start school until they provide the school with documentation that they have received the required immunizations.
Parents/guardians may check their student's immunization status by logging on to the parent portal in Infinite Campus. To see the immunization records, click on the HEALTH tab. If your student's immunization status says "current for grade" in ALL immunizations required by law, then the student is up to date and ready for the start of school. If your student is not current, they will need to get the required immunizations to attend the first day of school. Yearly physicals with their healthcare provider are strongly encouraged for students to have optimal health.
Parents/guardians may choose to decline immunizations for their students by filing a legal exemption with the school. Student Immunization Form
If you have further questions, please reach out to our building nurse at 651-480-7286.
Change of Address or Daycare
If during the school year your address or daycare changes and this requires a change in transportation, please contact the school, not the bus company. If you give us the information we will work with the bus company to make the changes. The only changes that can be made are those that are permanent or for an extended length of time. It is very difficult for the bus company to make brief or sudden changes in the routes. If you need to update your address, please complete this form to turn into the office.
SCHOOL SAFETY
Early Pick Up for Students
In order to minimize interruptions to the classroom, students should not be picked up early unless it is an emergency. On those occasions when it is necessary to pick your child up during the school day, please go to the school office to sign your child out. The office administrative assistant will call the classroom and have the student sent to the office. Teachers will not release students unless the office gives prior approval. This practice has been established to help protect your child.
Your child's safety is of prime importance to us. There are a few procedure guidelines that help us maintain a secured building and limit the number of distractions to our classrooms. Our building is designed to have a single entry point during the school day. Please keep the following in mind:
- Always check in at the office whenever you are at school.
- We have a new secure entrance, please ring the doorbell and state your reason for visiting.
- When delivering things for your child (ex. snow gear), please drop them off at the office. We will deliver articles or call your child down to the office.
BRING YOUR ID
Please bring your driver's license with you when you are checking out your student.
If the Hastings Public Schools are closed due to inclement weather conditions, the Kids Campus Program will also be closed. If school is delayed two hours in opening, Kids Campus will be open at the regular time (6:30 am).
If school closes two hours early, then Kids Campus sites will close two hours early
(4:00 pm). Parents will be called and notified by Kids Campus staff to pick up their child.
Please pick up your child by 4:00 pm or authorize someone else to pick up your child by that time. Please listen to the radio and TV for school closing announcements.