Kelly Newsletter

It is hard to believe that we turned our calendars to November! We had a beautiful fall, but winter is right around the corner and will be here to stay for awhile. Please take the time to make sure your children have all the necessary winter gear. Boots, jackets, snow pants, hats and mittens will all be needed for recess. We ask that you label these items with the student’s name so that they may be returned if they end up on our lost and found tables.

We hope you can join us for Turkey Bingo on Tuesday, November 19th. More information will be coming from the PTO regarding this event. Also, please see the the information below from the Kelly staff regarding our Gifts from the Heart Staff Raffle. Our staff members donate a variety of prizes that often allow them to spend fun quality time with our student winners. Funds raised from the raffle go directly back to our teachers, classrooms, and students. We appreciate your participation.

As we head into winter, please keep in mind that Cherry Street will continue to be a very busy place before and after school. Snow will start to build up on the berms before we know it. We ask that you all set the example by using the crosswalks. We need to model this behavior for our students. We are lucky and thankful to have Sheriff Bob and Kelly Safety Patrollers helping to ensure our students arrive and depart our building in a safe manner. Thanks for partnering with us to promote pedestrian safety!

Please take some time to read through all the information in this month’s newsletter. We have had a great beginning of the school year and look forward to the upcoming holiday season at Kelly School.

Sincerely,

Kelli Tannahill

#buildingcharacter

Wednesday, November 6th-1:30 Dismissal

Monday, November 11th-Veteran's Day-No School

Wednesday, November 13th-Wear Kelly Cougar Spiritwear

Thursday, November 14th-Parent Red Event at 2:30pm

Tuesday, November 19th-Turkey Bingo-5:00-7:30pm

Wednesday, November 20th-1:30 Dismissal

Friday, November 22nd-Report Cards Sent Home

Tuesday, November 26th-Popolino's Pizza Fundraiser

Wednesday, November 27th-No School

Thursday, November 28th-No School

Friday, November 29th-No School

Wednesday, December 4th-1:30 Dismissal

Wednesday, December 11th-Wear Kelly Cougar Spiritwear

Thursday, December 12th-Band/Orchestra Concert at 6:00pm-Use Door 6

Tuesday, December 17th-Parent Red Event at 8:30am

Wednesday, December 18th-1:30 Dismissal

December 23rd-January 1st-No School

Thursday, January 2nd-School Resumes

The Kelly staff will once again be hosting the ‘Gifts from the Heart’. This is a fundraiser in which proceeds will go directly back to Kelly School to meet student, staff and classroom needs. What is ‘Gifts from the Heart’? Members of the Kelly staff pair up to create experiences for students. Some of these experiences can happen during the school day, before school or after school. Some experiences are held on our Kelly school campus while others are around the community! All in all, it is an opportunity to build connections with our students and give the gift of our time. Students can purchase tickets November 13th-19th before and after school in the library. Tickets can then be put into the container of their choice. Each experience will have its own container. The drawings will take place during Turkey Bingo on 11/19/24 but students do not need to be present to win. The more tickets purchased, the better the odds!

Mark your calendars-Turkey Bingo will be on the evening of Tuesday, November 19th from 5:00pm-7:30pm. There will be Pizza, Bingo, Games and Giveaways. This is a fun family event sponsored by our Kelly PTO. More information to come later.

If you have updated contact information since the start of the school year, please let the office know. This includes phone numbers, emails, place of employment and emergency contacts. With the inclement weather season upon is, it is important that we have this information for possible school closings or late starts.

Trimester 1 Report Cards will be emailed out to parent/guardians on Friday, November 22nd. Please make sure the office has your correct email. If you do not receive your child's report card, check your spam/junk mail.

We ask that students be dropped off between 8:15-8:20am at their designated door. As a reminder, there is no morning supervision on the playground. If your child arrives early and does not attend breakfast, he/she will be unsupervised until 7:55am. Entryways will be supervised by paraprofessionals from 7:55-8:20.

At the end of each school day, older siblings will meet their younger siblings at their classrooms and will exit the building together at the youngest sibling's door. Teachers will walk their classes to their assigned doors at 3:00 for dismissal.

Students riding the bus or childcare vans will be dismissed through Door #1.

ASSIGNED DOORS:

Door 1: All Kindergarten

Door 2: Cebula, Miller, Restad, Klingler

Door 4: All 3rd Grade, Kossan, Sorensen

Door 5: Aubol, Pederson

Door 11: All 5th Grade

Door 13: All 1st Grade

Door 16: Special Education Bus

LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY

If you are taking your child out of school early for any reason (i.e. vacation, activities, appointments) please let the office know ahead of time. Students aren't necessarily in the classroom so it helps us locate your child in a timely manner so the checkout process goes smooth. You will also need to come into the office and sign your child out.

ABSENCES AND TARDIES

If your child is absent or late, please call the attendance line by 8:30am. Communication between home and school ensures the safety of your child.

701-746-2269-attendance line

701-746-2265-school office

ENCORE/EARLY RELEASE PICKUP PROCEDURE:

If you need to pick your child(ren) up before 3:00 from Encore on early release Wednesdays you can text/call the Kelly Encore number 701-787-1829 when you are here.

Please label all of your child's outerwear including coats, hats, mittens, scarfs, boots, snowbags, etc. Our lost and found is always overflowing with clothing that is missing its owner. The lost and found table is located in the front entrance of the school. Any unclaimed items are periodically donated to the thrift stores throughout the year.

Please send your child with outerwear that will keep them comfortable outside. Unless the temperature dips below 0 degrees students wait outside until 8:20am, go outside for recess and often go outside for PE.

• School postponement and cancellation alternatives will be as follows:
  • Hold school as normal.
  • Open school but delay sending buses.
  • Delay the start time in all schools by two (2) hours based on each school’s start time
    • Elementary School: Start time is 8:25, so school starts at 10:25. Doors will open at 10:15 a.m.
    • Middle School: Start time is 8:40, so school starts at 10:40. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. No Zero Hour Classes.
    • High School: Start time is 8:00, so school starts at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:50 a.m.
    • Head Start: Start time is 8:00, so school starts at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:50 a.m.
    • When school starts late, there will be no morning Early Childhood Special Education classes. Afternoon Early Childhood Special Education classes will be held.
    • Breakfast will not be served at any sites.
    • No before-school activities/athletics.
    • Students will not be marked tardy due to a late start.
  • No school in Grand Forks Public Schools (GFPS) all-day
  • No school for the Grand Forks Air Force Base School District students all-day
    • Decisions about the weather-related delayed opening or closing of air base schools may not always be consistent with those made for in-town schools. On those days when severe weather makes travel conditions so hazardous as to threaten the safety of staff members, opening delays or the closing of base schools will be given special consideration.
  • Hold remote learning.
  • Once school is in session, it will not be terminated until the regular closing time except in very severe situations. However, school buses may leave early.

The decision to close or delay school will be made as early as possible. Announcements will be made on the GFPS webpage (www.gfschools.org), and GFPS social media (www.facebook.com/GrandForksPublicSchools; www.twitter.com/GFSchools). Announcements will also be made on local radio and TV stations.

GFPS will be using our automated calling system to call staff and families if school is delayed or canceled due to severe weather conditions. Typically, this automated call will occur to staff between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., and families between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

Parents/Guardians may always exercise their right to keep students home or pick them up early during stormy conditions.

GFPS has two days (approx. 12 hours of instruction) built into the school calendar for storm-related delays/cancellations. If a full-day cancellation leads to a third storm day during this school year, GFPS will transition to remote learning. More information will be provided by GFPS and your student's school at that time.

If an emergency should develop during the time school is in session, students will be cared for in school until the storm has subsided.

• If buses are sent home early, all buses will be sent.
• We will communicate the departure time.
• The lead time needed for the procedure is approximately one (1) hour.
• If conditions are dangerous, bus drivers must use common sense in discharging students that must walk a considerable distance. If possible, use the radio and contact the base station. Have parents/guardians meet the bus or be on the lookout for their students. If the driver cannot contact parents/guardians and conditions are dangerous, do not let students off the bus but return to school and notify the principal. Schools that have bus students must have a written procedure for caring for students in the event they must be kept overnight at school.