Monday- Full Day, 3:05 dismissal, Harlem Wizards game @ RHS

Tuesday- Half Day, 11:45am dismissal

Wednesday-Full Day, 2:15 dismissal

Thursday-Half Day, 11:45am dismissal, PTO meeting at 7pm

Friday-Half Day, 11:45am dismissal, Pi Day, 5th grade visit to middle school

Board Games/Card Games- 🎲🃏GP families, keep in mind as you are spring cleaning or organizing closets that our teachers are in need of more indoor recess supplies. We would be happy to accept any used board games, card games, word games, etc. Please send into school with your child or drop off at the main office at your convenience.

Examples include (but are not limited to): Connect Four, Uno, Boggle, Dominoes, Memory, 24, Bananagrams, Sushi Go, Checkers, Battle Ship, Magnatiles, Blokus, Gravity Maze, table hockey. Etc.

March 10- Harlem Wizards Game 🏀

March 11, 13, 14- Student 1/2 Days for Parent-Teacher Conferences

April 3- Spring Picture Day 📸

April 8- HEADstrong Walk 🚶🏻‍♀️

April 25- My Guy Hoops 🏀

May 9- Field Day 🏆

May 14, 15, 16- 5th Grade Camp ⛺

This month, talk to your child about how they can demonstrate the life skill of organization.

Guiding Questions:

• What are ways you can show respect for others?
• What are ways you can show respect for property?
• What are various ways to show respect at home? At school? In the community?
• How does it feel when people treat you with respect?
• How do you think other people feel when you show them respect? What will they think about you?

Our Parent-Teacher Organization continues to organize fun-filled events for our students and raise money for educational resources. They are looking for more volunteers to help with carrying out some of these events and look forward to community participation during monthly meetings. Or feel free to reach out to them at graceparkpto@gmail.com.

March 13- Monthly PTO Meeting, 7pm

April 10- Monthly PTO Meeting, 7 pm

Upcoming Fundraisers/Events- Spirit Nights, Sweatshirt/Shirt Sales, Pretzel Days, etc.

https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/PA/Swarthmore/Grace+Park+Elementary+School/collection_detail.html

Students must arrive and dismiss through their assigned classroom locations. This is to ensure the accountability and safety of all students.

School begins at 8:40 am every day. At 8:40am, students will begin entering the building with their teachers and classmates. Classroom and side building doors will be accessible until 8:45am for students.

After 8:45, students will be permitted to enter through the main, front doors; however, they will be considered tardy and marked as such.

School ends at 3:05pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and at 2:15pm on Wednesday. Students will dismiss out of their assigned location (classroom doors, side hallway doors, etc.) every day, regardless of time or weather.

On designated half days, students are dismissed at 11:45am.

Please do not block the Grace Park driveway, front circle, or vacate your car while parked in these areas as this is a fire and safety hazard.

Safeties: Grace Park has 5th grade safety volunteers working our front doors every morning and afternoon. Safeties are trained by school staff on school and district procedures. This includes the directive that they are only to open doors to staff. Parents/guardians and other visitors must be buzzed in using the doorbell via the main office secretary. Please treat our fifth grade volunteers with kindness and respect.

Neighbors: Please be mindful of local residents when dropping-off and picking-up students. Do not block driveways or disrupt our GP neighbors. Especially on Woodland Ave, Creghan Ave, and Schoolside Lane.

Weather: Each morning at 8:00 am, the administrative team references online weather reports for local climate conditions. Students will always be indoors when the weather includes rain, snow, or below freezing temperatures.

There will be a sign hanging on a pole by the font doors of the building letting parents know if students are to be ‘IN’ or ‘OUT’. On ‘IN’ mornings, for safety reasons, the front door will remain the only entrance door for students. Students will enter the front doors and line-up with their classmates outside of classroom doors. Students will not be let in the building before 8:30am on these mornings (unless they are participating in the breakfast club).

Please make rainy day plans with your children so they know what to do when school lets out. The office telephone cannot handle last minute plans for all students.

We have a drop-off bin located at the front entrance for parent use. When needing to get items to your child during the school day (lunch boxes, iPads, water bottles, snack, homework folders, hats, etc.), please place your drop-off materials in the bin labeled with your child's name, grade, and teacher. Staff will check the bin frequently and be sure to deliver the items quickly.

When dropping off items for classroom parties OR when visiting/volunteering in the classroom you must come to the front entrance. Please push the front doorbell and be buzzed into the main office to follow visitor procedures. DO NOT go to the teacher's classroom door.

When your child is out sick, please call the TAP line at 610-461-6475. Give your child's name, teacher and reason for absence or lateness.

A parent note is required to consider the absence excused. You can send in a handwritten note upon your child's return, email your child's teacher or the attendance line at: gp_attendance@ridleysd.org

*When your child is absent 3 or more consecutive days, a doctor's note is required.

**When a student reaches 10 Total Absences (regardless of reason: excused, unexcused, vacation, etc) in the school year, a doctor's note is needed for every absence after 10.

At the end of last school year, student's iPads were collected and returned so that our technology department can issue new devices at the beginning of the 24-25 school year.

There is an annual tech fee of $30. If this fee has not been paid, your child will not be permitted to take their school-issued iPad home. You can do so through the School Pay link below:

https://www.schoolpay.com

Breakfast Club: breakfast is served, free of charge, from 8:15-8:30am. At 8:30am, students attending the breakfast club will be walked to their classroom lineup outside.

Lunch: lunch may be brought from home or purchased at school, cost is $2.20. Students use a debit system accessed by a PIN number provided by the school. Their number stays with them their entire time at GP.

You can add money to your child's account by any of the following:

1- Send cash in a sealed envelope labeled with student's name, PIN number, and amount given.

2- Send a check in a marked envelope (same as cash) made out to 'Ridley School District Food Services'.

3. Pay online at schoolcafe.com, link can be found on the district and school websites.

Maureen Clark, MSN, RN, CSN

email: mclark@ridleysd.org

All Grades: Please be sure students have access to a change of clothes. Students of all grades have accidents, get muddy or wet, or uncomfortable during the school day.

Kindergarten & Third-grade Families

The Pennsylvania School Health Law requires dental examinations for children in these grades. If the school nurse has not received the completed dental examination form by December 1st, the dental hygienist will schedule your child for a dental examination.

Attention incoming 3rd Grade Families:

Dental examinations are required for third grade students. Please see the link to the dental form below:

Please send your children into school daily with closed-toed shoes that tie. This helps to ensure safety while participating in gym and during recess games/sports.

Please be mindful of the school board approved dress code (below). The 'Gym' attire states ' apparel should be free of logos or insignia other than child's elementary school, or Ridley....'. Therefore, attire with cartoon characters, brand names/logos, or brand specific phrases (ex. Nike's 'Just Do It' ) do not adhere.

**Exceptions are made for spirit days