Hillside Kindergarten Information

I would like to issue a special welcome to Hillside Kindergarten families for the 2020-21 school year. This upcoming school year is shaping up to be unique, challenging, and, ultimately, a test of our flexibility, creativity, and grit. I know that Hillside is up for the challenge, and I want you to know that we will work hard to make sure the coming school year is one of value for your newly minted kindergarten student.

With the current distancing measures in place, connecting with our families has been a mighty challenge. This kindergarten newsletter is our attempt to help you to get to know us a little bit and to give you as much information as we are able. This is information we typically deliver at the Kindergarten Parent Orientation Night. This is usually a night when we get to meet incoming kindergarteners; we are sad we were unable to have this very special night this spring. We are looking forward to the day we can, once again, have children in our halls and in our classrooms. Meanwhile, stay safe and healthy.

Cynthia Bailey, Principal

At the start of every school year, kindergarten students have a staggered start in August for the first four days of school. One group of kindergarten students would attend school on days one and two, while the other group would start on days three and four. Hillside staff communicates with parents at the end of day four, and all kindergarten students report on day five knowing who their teacher is. This staggered start is scheduled to begin on August 13, 2020, which is the first official day of school. If any changes occur to this date outside of our control, we would communicate the new first date with you. If a new start date needs to be assigned, this would become day one for the kindergarten staggered start.

Our school day begins at 8:30 AM. Students are encouraged to arrive at 8:20 AM. when doors open. We ask that students not arrive before 8:15 AM unless:

-Participating in a school activity

-Serving on Safety Patrol

-Working with a teacher

-Attending Club 66 Before & After Care program

-Serving as a Student Council greeter

WHY CAN’T I ARRIVE EARLY?

Teachers are involved in team meetings, staff meetings, individual planning, and preparing for the day from 8:00-8:15 AM. Supervision out in front begins at 8:15 AM.

WHAT IF I NEED CHILDCARE?

There are several area childcare businesses in the area that have van transportation to (and from) Hillside. We also have a Club 66 option here at Hillside (but please contact early because they are often at capacity, especially in the morning).

Every Wednesday, we will end the school day at 3:00 PM instead of 3:30 PM. This gives our teachers throughout the District collaboration time to attend weekly professional learning communities (PLC’s).

Each school day begins with taking attendance. It is very important that students be in their classrooms by 8:30 AM so they are not missed during this procedure. We also take attendance immediately following lunch time, which means that if students leave campus for lunch with a parent, they need to be back when that attendance is taken. We worry about our students if they are not at school, so the school secretary or the health assistant will call the home or work of parents who have not called in and reported their child’s absence. Please help us with this by calling the office at 402-390-6450 by 8:40 AM when your student is not coming to school or will be late for school. Safety is our focus in making this request. Students coming in after 8:30 AM or after attendance is taken in the afternoon must come to the office and check in. Students coming or going during the day for appointments, illness, etc., must also sign in and out through the office.

Please remember to call the school office at 402-390-6450 before 8:50 AM if:

Your child will be absent from school for any reason.

Your child will be late for school.

You would like to join your child for lunch and need to order a tray for yourself.

Often, parents will tell the teacher when their children are going to be gone; the office really needs to know as well. We would appreciate your help with this any time you know your child will be out of school. Also, please let the office know if you are going to be out of town and someone else will be be taking care of your children. In the case of an emergency, we want to be sure we are able to get in touch with someone quickly.

The health office must have a written, signed and dated Medication Authorization form from the parent or guardian requesting that his/her child be given medication during the school day (prescription or over-the counter). This form is available in the office. All medication must be brought to school and taken home from school by a parent. It must be in the original container, labeled with the child’s name, date prescribed, name of medication, directions for use, dosage information, and the time the medication is to be given. Cough drops, and any over-the-counter medication must be in the original box/package, and a Medication Authorization form must be filled out. These medications are kept in the health office. Scrapes and cuts are washed and bandaged, if needed. We do not and cannot use any ointment or cleaning product on an individual. If an injury is severe or questionable, a parent will be contacted. All medication, including cough drops, must be picked up by a parent at the end of the duration. We will not send any medication home with a child.

Please notify our health office if your child has severe allergies; this most likely will require a health plan which we will want in place before school begins. You can call our main number, 402-390-6450, to connect with our health office.

Lunch money will be taken at the office or the classroom or you can go to www.myschoolbucks.com and add money to your child’s account. Checks should be made to Hillside Elementary School. If you are sending money for more than one child, please note the amount of money to be deposited in each child’s account. We welcome family members to join their students for lunch. If you will be eating school lunch we ask that you call the office by 8:40 AM, so we can add you to the lunch count.

There is a link to the school lunch menus on the Westside Community Schools website. We will also include a link to the menu in Hillside's weekly News Brief.

For the school year, we ask families to consider donating school supplies. Parent support for school supplies is much appreciated! In the summer newsletter, you will find a list of school supplies needed for our building, organized by grade level. Please know that we carefully review these supply request lists every year to be sure there is nothing unnecessary on those lists. Supplies donated will go to the classroom, and teachers will dispense as necessary. Because we do it this way, there is no need to put a student name on an item. We appreciate anything you are able to provide; we will make sure all students have the supplies they need. Family support for school supplies has always been generous, and we are most appreciative!

Please note for parents of KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS: we appreciate these supplies and ask that you bring them on DAY 5 of school after all kindergarten students have been placed into classrooms. Thank you!

Teachers will enter every student's dismissal plan into a spreadsheet at the start of the year. For instance, if your child will be picked up in the carpool lane Monday through Thursday and attend Boys' and Girls' Club on Fridays, we will note that. It is important that we are aware of how every student will be getting home; this helps us to keep students safe. If you would like to change a student's dismissal plan for the day, please be sure to call the front office at 402-390-6450 to let us know. If something changes during the day and you need to get a message to your student, just call the front office. We do daily announcements near the end of the day, and we can call your student down to receive a message.

If you need to pick up your child during the day, please call us when you are no more than 10 minutes away from school. Our front office is a busy place, and we are unable to remember that your student needs to leave class at a specific time. When you call us, we will call your student down to the office to have him or her waiting for you!