The Weekly Update #4

Welcome to the 24-25 school year! We hope you had a wonderful and relaxing summer and look forward to another great and exciting year at Prospect.

We are excited to welcome your family and your children back to Prospect School on Tuesday, August 20th. The information in the SMORE will provide you with upcoming events, day-to-day procedures and updates to the building.

Next week the teachers will be back in the building participating in professional development and preparing their classrooms for the arrival of students. I can't wait to kick off the new year next week and see all of the students return to school. Enjoy your last week of summer!

Are you wondering who your teacher(s) will be? You will receive an email on Tuesday, August 13th with information on how to view your child(ren)’s homeroom teacher information in the Skyward Family Access Portal. Placements are final at this time. Our grade level teams and specialists (reading specialist, differentiation specialists, resource teachers, and art, music, and PE staff) work together to share input and create class lists conducive to learning. We take into account your child’s academic, social, and emotional needs. Our goal is to create equitable classes in terms of size, instructional support, gender, etc. and allow for groups of students who can benefit from learning together.

Grade Level Teachers

Classroom teachers are as follows:

Kindergarten

• Mrs. Bergin (AM and PM)

• Mrs. Wheeler (AM and PM)

First Grade

• Mrs. Abitz and Mrs. Johnson

Second Grade

• Mrs. Nolin and Mrs. Segovia

Third Grade

• Mrs. Bauer, Mr. Goetz, and Ms. Palumbo

Fourth Grade

• Mrs. Litman, Mrs. Matt, and Mrs. Shramovich

Fifth Grade

• Ms. Akiti, Mrs. Legner, and Ms. Tweedie

New families to Prospect School, please join us for a new family tour on Monday, August 12th at 9:00 am. The whole family is welcome to attend. If you can't attend, please don't worry, we will make sure to assist your child on the first day of school. Please email Mrs. Alberts to receive the new family packet.

• Wednesday, August 14th - Kindergarten and New Family Party, 10:00-11:30 am, Prospect Park Pavilion. Children and families will enjoy snacks, balloon artist creations, a special visitor, and meeting new friends.
• Monday, August 19th, Meet and Greet - Kindergarten Teacher Mrs. Bergin: 10:00-10:30 am for AM Kindergarten students and 10:30-11:00 am for PM Kindergarten students
  

• Monday, August 19th, Meet and Greet - Rising Star Teacher Mrs. Wheeler: 10:30 am for AM Rising Star students and 10:00 am for PM Rising Star students

• Monday, August 26th- First day of Rising Stars

Those who pre-ordered school supply kits, our Prospect PTO has arranged for supplies to be delivered to classrooms so they are awaiting students on the first day. Teachers will help students unload the supplies on the first day. If you did not pre-order in the spring, we ask the students to bring their own supplies on the first full day of school, Tuesday, August 20th. School supply lists can be found on the Prospect PTO website.

We encourage you take advantage of one of the following suggestions to bypass the parking lot.

• Walk your child to school if weather permits.

• We have a crossing guard at the intersection of Prospect and Norfolk Avenue. This is where the students are expected to cross to get onto to the school grounds.

• Choose an alternate location to pick-up/drop-off students off of school grounds if you are not using our pick up and drop off area.

Crossing Guards at Chicago Ave. and Middaugh and Chicago Ave. and Woodstock

Crossing Guard Hours: 7:45-8:30 am, 11:20-11:40 am, 12:00-12:20 pm, and 3-3:40 pm

If you choose to drive, all car and bus traffic shall enter the Prospect Circle Drive which begins on Chicago Avenue. Please refer to the map below. (Cars may not drive around the CHMS buses when the bus arms are out.)

Morning Drop-off Procedures Reminder:

Vehicles should pull as far forward into the unloading zone as possible to allow multiple cars to unload and the line to move more quickly. We ask that children exit vehicles in the morning from any point on the sidewalk in the car line and as soon as your car comes to a stop while in the carline area. This will expedite the drop‐off process. While we know parents may want to wait until their child is near the door to unload, we expect that our supervision along with appropriately‐dressed students exiting alongside sidewalk areas while stopped will greatly improve traffic flow in the line.

After-School Pick-up Procedures:

Parents picking up students in the carline must pull ahead as far down as possible to allow for the maximum number of cars in the lane. Students will be corralled in the middle of the carline on the sidewalk. Once your car is in sight along the sidewalk of staff parking lot, students will walk to your car.

Drop-off and Pick-up Reminders

• During drop-off and pick-up hours (8:25-8:40 and 3:05-3:20), please don’t walk through the car line. For example: if you are volunteering and leaving the school at 3:05, please walk to the parking lot exit and cross safely at the crosswalk that leads into the parking lot.

• The staff parking lot should also not be used as a means to avoid waiting in line. Please do not pull into a parking spot and have your children walk across the carline as this is extremely dangerous.

• Please do not park in the handicap spots in the staff parking lot to drop off or pick up your children.

• For safety reasons, please do not park in the overflow lot and let your children walk through the car lane.

• Children shall always exit on the passenger side of the vehicle and walk along the sidewalk through the front door.

• Cars are not allowed to drop off or pick up any students in or near the service drive/entrance in the back of the school.
• Remember, according to state law, cell phone use is not allowed in school zones.

• DO NOT leave your car unattended for any reason in the pick up lane or in the parking lot.

• Please use your car sign during pick-up. (We will send them home to new families at the beginning of the year.)

• When the bus is in the parking lot with an extended arm, motorists must stop and wait until the arm is withdrawn.

Arrival Procedures:

Staff supervision at the cross walks, school doors and car drop off begins at 8:25 am. Once the 8:25 bell rings, students are allowed to enter the building and go directly to their classroom. Students walking to school may use any of the doors (see picture) to enter and proceed to their classrooms. This will allow students to enter the building using the closest door near their house, walk in the building with their siblings or neighborhood friends, and allow them time in their classroom to organize themselves, build relationships with friends and their teacher, and be ready for a great day of learning when the bell rings at 8:40. Once the 8:40 bell rings, both the side doors will close. If students are arriving after the 8:40 bell, they will need to enter through the front door with a parent who will need to sign them in.

Dismissal Procedures:

1. Students will exit through the front door if they are being picked up in the car lane.

2. Please develop a plan or pick a designated spot where your children should meet before they walk home.

3. Students are not allowed to play on the playground at dismissal. All students must go home first and then they may come back to play on the playground.

4. Supervision will end at 3:15. If students are still waiting for a their ride, we will bring them into the office to be picked up.

5. Walkers will exit out their grade level doors. (See picture below).

Students in Kinder Rising Stars (RS)-5th grade will have lunch/recess from 11:25-12:15. We are an open campus and students are able to go home for the lunch period.

11:25 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. - Grades Kinder RS, 1, 2 and 3 eat /11:50 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. recess

11:25 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. – Grades 4 and 5 recess /11:50 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. eat

Procedures for Students Going Home for Lunch/Recess

• Upon arrival to school each day, your child will indicate to their classroom teacher that they will be going home for lunch.

• Information will be shared with our lunch supervisors about who will not be present for lunch at school.

• Students will be dismissed for lunch from their classroom teacher. Please arrange a pickup location with your child PRIOR to their first day of leaving campus for lunch. If your child is walking home, please be sure they are aware of this plan prior to dismissal.

• Upon returning to school, please ensure that your student enters through the main entrance. Students will not be allowed to join their class in the lunchroom and/or at recess.

• Classroom teachers will take PM attendance and ensure that all students have returned from lunch/recess on time.

• If your plans change for lunch, please notify both the teacher AND the school office. This ensures that the message is received in a timely manner.

If your child will be eating lunch at school, please plan ahead for your child to have a lunch ready to go each day. While we know unique situations can arise, we discourage regular drop off and delivery of student lunches during the school day.

If we experience inclement weather, students will participate in a recess inside their classrooms.

Line Up on the FIRST DAY of SCHOOL (Only)

Below is information regarding first day arrival procedures and designated grade level areas where you child should report. All grade level teachers will be outside to meet and greet their students, take pictures, etc. The teachers will begin entering the building with their classes at the 8:40 bell.

1. Staff will be present starting at 8:25 am.

2. Grade Level areas are designated on the map below.

3. Any staff member will be able to support you and/or your child with questions you may have.

4. If you need to access the front office or health office, please enter through the Front Door.