UNION GAP SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

May is state assessment month. Students in grades 3-8 are testing almost every day in the month of May. Attendance is critical this time of year.

The March Parent/Teacher Conferences were a great success. We had 96% of parents/guardians come and meet with their student’s teacher(s). Thank you for being active in your student’s education!

During conferences, parents voted on their preference for the 2022-2023 school calendar. The results are as follows:

• Option 1 (2 intersessions) – 30%
• Option 2 (3 intersessions) – 60%
• Traditional Calendar – 10%

Eighth Grade Parents – After June 6th, please consider donating your child’s gently used polo shirts, back to the school district, so we can distribute them to needy families. Thank you for your consideration.

Please contact the school if you would like a copy of the school uniform policy that will continue for the 2022-2023 school term. Please review the policy BEFORE you purchase school clothes this fall. We will again be following the uniform/dress code on the first day in August. Please call for any clarifications or bring in clothes for review if you would like a 2nd opinion. Students will be required to wear the appropriate clothing beginning on the first day of school.

Have a wonderful summer with your family.

Lisa

What to do if your child needs medication at school

It is generally safer for your child to receive medication at home. However, there may be times when it needs to be given at school. State laws dictate who may give medicine at school and the authorization needed for it. Below is a summary of the procedure for giving medication at school. It applies to both prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Who can give medications at school?

1. Parents
2. Students self-administer (inhalers or epipens only), with a written order from doctor and parent
3. Nurses, but only with a written order from the doctor and the parent
4. Certain staff members, but only with written orders and having been trained by the RN

What is the procedure for having staff give my child medication?

1. Complete the Medication Order Form. We also accept any forms your doctors use as long as both the parent and doctor have signed it.
2. Bring the medication to the school office. This prevents theft or misuse.
3. Medications must be in the original package, with original labeling. If it is a prescription, ask the pharmacist to make a separate container for school so it won’t need to be carried back and forth from home to school.

What if my child becomes sick at school?

Sick children need to go home where they can be cared for and won’t infect other children. The school cannot give medicine to treat fevers. The school does not have medicine to treat headaches, rashes, etc. (you can provide these if needed frequently according to the procedures above).

If your child has asthma or severe allergy:

We are required to have medications and orders from a doctor for students with life-threatening health conditions. With these, the nurse writes a plan for staff to follow in case your child needs emergency care.

The paperwork needs to be renewed each school year. New forms will be sent home at the end of the school year. Please do the following this summer:

• Make sure your emergency contact numbers on file at the school are correct
• Make an appointment with your physician so that the medication order form can be completed and you can get new medications if needed
• Please bring or mail this paperwork to the school at least one week before school starts.
• Medications that will be kept in the school office will be accepted the week before school starts.

Washington State Law allows parents or guardians to exempt their child from the school immunization requirements. Exemptions may be claimed for personal/philosophical, religious or medical reasons. Measles, mumps, and rubella may not be exempted for personal/philosophical reasons. To request an exemption a completed Certificate of Exemption must be submitted to the school.

Dear Parent or Guardians of 6-8 grade students:

As a parent, there is nothing more important than safeguarding your child’s health. The Washington State Legislature requires us to make information available to you about meningococcal disease and human papillomavirus (HPV). Know the facts about these diseases and the vaccines available to protect your child.

Meningococcal Disease and Prevention

What is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection. Fortunately, this life-threatening illness is rare, with only 20-30 cases reported each year in Washington. The most common symptoms of the disease include fever, cough, headache, and rash. It can cause meningitis (swelling of the covering of the brain and spinal cord). The disease spreads through close contact with an infected person. Teens and young adults are more likely to get meningococcal disease, especially if they live in group settings like college dorms.

How can I protect my child from meningococcal disease?

The meningococcal conjugate vaccine, or MCV4, prevents against four types of the disease. It is a 2-dose series recommended for all children between 11 and 12 years of age, and again at 16 to 18 years of age. The meningococcal B vaccine, or MenB, is recommended for some children with rare health conditions or who are at risk during a meningococcal B outbreak.

For more information about meningococcal disease and how to prevent it:

• Washington State Department of Health: www.doh.wa.gov/Immunization/DiseasesandVaccines/MeningitisMeningococcalDisease
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/meningococcal

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Prevention

What is HPV?

HPV is a common virus. Most people exposed to HPV will never develop health issues. But for others, HPV causes major health problems, including cervical, anal, vulvar, mouth, and throat cancer. Most infected people have no symptoms and may spread the virus without knowing it. HPV spreads mainly through sexual contact.

How can I protect my child from HPV?

Make sure your child gets the HPV vaccine. The vaccine is highly effective. The HPV vaccine can prevent infection from some of the most common and serious types of HPV that cause cancer and genital warts. The vaccine does not get rid of existing HPV infections.

Who should get the vaccine and when should they get it?

Because the vaccine is more effective when given at younger ages, two doses of HPV vaccine are recommended for all boys and girls starting at ages 9 to 14. If boys or girls do not get the first dose of HPV vaccine before age 15, it is recommended as a three-dose series.

For more information on HPV, the vaccine, and cervical cancer:

• Washington State Department of Health: www.doh.wa.gov/hpv
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: www.cdc.gov/hpv

Where can I find the meningococcal and HPV vaccines?

Talk to your healthcare provider about the vaccines your child needs. In addition to meningococcal and HPV, your preteen should receive Tdap. Washington offers vaccines at no cost to kids through age 18. Providers may charge an office visit fee or administration fee to give the vaccine. If you can’t afford these fees, you can ask to have them waived.

Please congratulate the Union Gap Middle School Band for receiving a Superior rating at the YVMEA Band Competition at Highland on March 15th. That is the highest score you can receive. The students represented themselves well and played a wonderful performance!

The 4th and 5th grade students sang and played Ukuleles on March 23rd in the Multipurpose room. That was the first concert in two years! A lot of friends and family showed up for the concert and cheered the 4th and 5th graders on a great performance.

Upcoming music events:

• Wednesday, May 11th Grade 6-8 concert in the Multipurpose room at 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 21st our band will be marching in the Selah Community Days Parade. Parade time is around 10:00 a.m.

The Union Gap School will be offering FREE breakfast and lunch for ALL children 1-18 years of age.

Meals will be served, Monday-Friday, June 27, 2022-July 22, 2022

(with the exception of Monday, July 4th, No meals will be served on this Holiday).

• Breakfast will be served from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
• Lunch 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Debra at 248-3966 ext. 402.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

This event/activity is NOT being sponsored by the Union Gap School District and the district assumes no responsibility...for the conduct at, or safety of, the event/activity. In consideration for the privilege to distribute these materials, the school district shall be held harmless from any cause of action, claim, or petition filed in any court or administrative tribunal arising out of the distribution of these materials, including all costs, attorney's fees, and judgments or awards, claims, liabilities, damages, expenses, or right of action, directly or indirectly attributed to the activities. Permission to distribute this flyer should not be considered a recommendation of the program by the school district. This is not a school district-sponsored activity.

These students were honored for their academic excellence for the month of April 2022:

• Kamila Ayala
• Yvette Figueroa
• Noah Garcia
• Brian Jimenez
• Jesus Rumbo
• Angel Valentinez

Jennifer Hunt, Jesus Rumbo, Kamilla Ayala, Kristen Bucknell, Brian Jimenez, Angel Valentinez, Taylor Russell, Nicole Thornton, Yvette Figueroa, Nicole Volland & Noah Garcia

MAY 2nd-6th

Please pass on a “Thank You!” to all the dedicated certificated staff at Union Gap School!

July 11-22, 2022

(8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)

Monday - Friday

If you have any questions, please contact Juanita at 248-3966, ext 400.

Union Gap School Dress Code still apply during Summer School.

• May 2-6 Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 3 National Teacher Appreciation Day
• May 5 Family Night, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. (check with Justo)
• May 11 Grades 6-8 Band Concert, 6:30 p.m.
• May 24 School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m. in the school library
• May 30 NO SCHOOL-Memorial Day
• June 2 Kinder Graduation at 9:00 a.m.
• June 2 8th Grade Promotion at 6:00 p.m.
• June 6 Last day of school; early release at 12:00 p.m. (No lunch)

Union Gap School is registering students for kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year, from 9 a.m. to 3p.m. Registration will be ongoing for the remainder of this school year.

According to state law, a child must be 5 years of age on or before August 31, to be eligible for kindergarten. A birth certificate, proof of address and a completed certificate of immunization are required.

You need to bring the following documents with you when you enroll your child:

• Birth Certificate, verifying child's age
• Immunization Record – please be sure your child is current with their immunizations.
• 2 pieces of Proof of Residence (mortgage/rental agreement and current light bill, cable bill or land line telephone bill)

Requirements for registration can also be found here on our district website.

If you have any questions about registration, call Union Gap School's main office at 248-3966.

9:30 a.m. in the multi-purpose room

Be sure to join us for kindergarten graduation on Thursday, June 2nd, at 9:30 a.m. in the multi-purpose room.

The kindergarten students will have a free dress day for the occasion, and will leave with their parents after the program.

Kinder parents, please remember the graduates will not need their backpacks on June 2nd, since it is their last day of school!

Periodically, the Union Gap School District may bring in a canine police dog to inspect the school facilities. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Union Gap School Superintendent.

The Union Gap School District does not tolerate discrimination in connection with any programs, activities, or employment based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, creed, religion, age, veteran or military status, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance procedures may be directed to the school district Civil Rights Coordinator, Mr. Patrick Vincent, 3201 S. 4th Street, pvincent@uniongap.org (509) 248-3966. You can report discrimination and discriminatory harassment to any school staff member or to the district's Civil Rights Coordinator, listed above. You also have the right to file a complaint. For a copy of your district’s nondiscrimination 3210 policy and procedure, contact your school or district office or view it online at www.uniongapschool.org.