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DRE Weekly News

August 19, 2024

DRE Weekly News August 19, 2024

DRE Weekly News: August 19, 2024

Special Area Schedule

Monday- Day 1

Tuesday- Day 2

Wednesday- Day 3

Thursday- Day 4

Friday- Day 5

DRE PreK-5th Grade Picture Day

We are excited to have picture day on our second day of school! We know that everyone will have their best smiles ready on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. If you are interested in being a picture day volunteer, please stop by the school office on Monday to complete your WSD Volunteer paperwork. This is an annual school year requirement and only approved volunteers can help.

Important Dates

8/19 First Day of School, 8:20 am - 3:35 pm

8/20 Fall Picture Day

9/1 Fall Parent Survey Opens

9/2 No School, Labor Day

9/11 WSD Special Board of Education Meeting, 5 pm

9/11 DRE PTO 1st Quarter Meeting, 6:30 pm

9/16 Late Start Day, Arrival Begins at 10:20 am

9/27 No Classes, Professional Development Day

9/30 Fall Parent Survey Closes

Parent Teacher Organization 'PTO' News

Please consider partnering with our school by joining PTO! Our Parent Teacher Organization supports our school community in many ways, made possible by YOU! Each family membership is $10 annually.


We're excited to welcome the return of Room Parents at DRE! This process will be organized through PTO. More information will be coming home soon. Please add our first meeting to your calendars, Wednesday, September 11 at 6 pm, in our DRE library.


Many thanks once again for the generosity of DRE friends and families for our Fall 2023 fundraiser allowing us to install two shade canopies on the playground.

DRE Grade Level Lunch Times

All students have a 20-minute lunch with recess following. You are welcome to be our guest and have lunch with your child. When you come as a guest for lunch, we know this is a special time is for you to be with your child. Classmates and friends will need to remain with their assigned classroom seating. If you are a kindergarten parent, please check with your child's teacher to ask when they are ready for guests. Many of our littlest learners, need to develop predictable routines, and it can be upsetting when you leave following lunch and they are staying at school.


Please know, that we are unable to accept student lunch deliveries from restaurants, Grubhub, Uber Eats, etc. If your child forgets their lunch, you are always welcome to drop their lunch off in the office, we will make sure it gets to them! If you are unable to bring their lunch by, we will always make sure they can choose a hot lunch from the cafe.


Preschool: 12:00-12:30

Kindergarten: 11:15-11:35

First Grade: 11:25-11:45

Second Grade: 10:50-11:10

Third Grade: 12:40-1:00

Fourth Grade: 12:15-12:35

Fifth Grade: 11:50-12:10

Morning Arrival Reminders

During the first week of school, parents are welcome to walk their children to class. All students will begin walking to class independently (with the staff support) on Monday, August 26. Parents are asked to exit the building by 8:35 to allow our instructional day to begin on time.


Please keep in mind, that staff supervision begins at 8:20. Please help your children arrive no sooner than 8:20 when arriving as bike riders or walkers. All students in the car rider line are expected to remain in their cars and not wait by the doors until the morning arrival bell rings.

Daily Sign In and Sign Out

When your child arrives after the start of the school day, they need to be signed in by an adult in the office. When signing our child out early, please do your best to arrive no later than 3:15 to allow us to properly notify your child's teacher and have your child ready for early dismissal.

PM Transportation Changes

Please include Kelly Griffin and Jessica Carpenter for any change in your child's dismissal. If your child attends Chautauqua and they will not be attending, please remember to notify Chautauqua and the office of their dismissal change. We want to make sure all students are dismissed and arrive home safely!

kellygriffin@wsdr4.org

jessicacarpenter@wsdr4.org

Student Walkers-Bike Riders

If your child is ineligible for a bus and will be dismissed as a walker or bike rider, we will dismiss as two separate groups: students who live north of DRE (gym side of school) and students who live south of DRE (playground side of school). We ask that parents wait at the corner of the property for each side. We will not walk students across the exits and entrances of the parking. Each side has a bike rack and crosswalk supervised by school staff.


Walkers and bike riders should use the sidewalk along the fence on the gym side or walk through the grass along the fence on the playground side on each side for morning arrival. Please do not cross the parking lot entrances and exits. We are unable to staff the new City of O'Fallon crosswalk. As a family if you choose to walk with your child using this crosswalk, you may walk with them through the parking lot, however, students are only permitted, when walking independently, to walk alongside the north and south entrances along the white fences.


Please refrain from reporting your child as a walker and parking in nearby neighborhoods to pick them up.


The safety of your children and our staff remains our highest priority!

Building Visitors

All visitors entering during school hours are required to present government-issued identification. All district buildings utilize Raptor for screening guests before entry. There are events across the year that allow us to preregister guests (Booster-thon, Assemblies, Field Day, etc.), consider stopping by the office during Meet The Teacher to scan your ID into our Raptor system for advanced registration this school year.

Welcome Back From Our Counselors

Our counselors are eager to welcome our Stars back to DRE! If you need help with backpacks, school supplies, holiday assistance, winter coats, or weekly food bags, please reach out to Mrs. Browning and Mrs. Douglas.


Mrs. Stacy Browning, K-2 Counselor

stacybrowning@wsdr4.org

ext. 48240


Mrs. Jane Douglas, 3-5 Counselor

janedouglas@wsdr4.org

ext. 48244

Welcome Back From Nurse Rosemarie

We encourage you to review the student health requirements for the upcoming school year. Please see the 2024-2025 Missouri School Immunization Requirements for all school age children. If you are unsure if your child is up to date on immunizations, please contact me at 636-561-2354 x48233 or rosemariehamilton@wsdr4.org as soon as possible to ensure your child will be able to attend their first day of school for the 2024/2025 school year. You can also call your child's pediatrician or family doctor. All updated immunization records need to be turned into the school nurse's office as these do not automatically get sent to us by your doctor.


Important Links below

● Prescription Medication Authorization Form

● Over-the-Counter Medication Authorization Form

● Allergy Action Plan

● Asthma Action Plan

● Seizure Action Plan

● Diabetes Medical Management Plan

FOCUS Help

We want to thank you for your patience as we all learn a new system! You're doing great and we're glad that you are reaching out with your questions.


Helpful Tips for Logging In

Logging in for the first time to Focus, here are a few tips...

  • Navigate to the Focus School Software website and login, before downloading the new Wentzville Schools app.
  • Be sure to download the Wentzville Schools app, just searching for Focus School Software may not display the correct app.
  • Update your password, because you may already have account! To do this, you'll need to click "forgot password." Enter the email associated with your current previous Tyler 360 parent portal account. You will receive an email with a link to your new credentials. "Click to view your new credentials" and then "click here to LOGIN to the Portal" with the new credentials. From there, you will be prompted to reset your password. You can then log into Focus with your new password.
  • If you do not see the annual required forms when you login, make sure you are listed as Parent Contact #1. Only the parent listed as Contact Parent 1 (located under "Addresses & Contacts") in Focus can complete the forms.
  • If you are parent who is also a district employee, you must use a personal email address to login.


Download the Wentzville Schools App

Download the Free District App by clicking the icon of your provider: Choose Apple for your iPhone or iPad, or choose Google for Android.

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Discovery Ridge Elementary
2523 Sommers Road

O'Fallon, MO 63368

636.561.2354