Trailside Elementary Weekly Update

First graders have been learning about the ways people have access to books in various places around the world. One book they read was about a biblioburro, or donkey that delivers books. This week students had the opportunity to meet their own "biblioburro" and get a bookmark.

Dear Trailside Families,

We have a few extra days to build excitement for our Jog A Thon event! See the newsletter linked here for all of the details. Please be sure your child is dressed to run on Monday! We are hopeful the weather will cooperate so we can enjoy a day of fun and exercise while supporting our school.

Here are some additional details for the week ahead:

• Trailside is now welcoming lunch guests. See the link and details about our lunch guest procedures under the "Lunch/Food Service Information" heading.
• Next Friday, October 4, our Dads Club will be hosting a Tailgate before the ZCHS football game from 5-7 PM. Hope to see you there!
• First graders will honor Grandparents and Special Guests during our annual Grandfriends events on Wednesday and Thursday. First grade families, please be sure to check communication from your child's classroom teacher for additional details.
• Our Fire Department will join our PK-2nd grade classes during the week of October 7-11 for Safety Week! Students will have the opportunity to tour a fire truck and discuss fire safety plans. If you don't have a home safety plan, now is a great time to put together a plan for your family!

• As the temperatures cool and the weather shifts, we’re preparing to turn our calendars to October! It’s hard to believe that Fall Break is just two weeks away, marking the end of the first quarter of the school year. We’ve had a busy and successful start, and we’re excited for what’s still to come!

• Looking ahead, please mark your calendars for Family/Teacher Conferences on November 6th and 7th. November 7th will be an E-Day for students, allowing teachers to dedicate their time to meet with students and caregivers. More details will be shared by your child’s teacher in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Jen Raycroft, Principal- jraycroft@zcs.k12.in.us

Deb Pickett, Assistant Principal- dpickett@zcs.k12.in.us

September 30- Jog A Thon

October 2 and 3- First Grade Grandfriends Days; Third Grade Zionsville Parks Visits

October 4- Second Grade Field Trip to Connor Prairie

October 7-9- Fire Safety Lessons

October 8- PTO Meeting, 7 PM

October 11- End of First Quarter; Fall Parties

October 14-18- Fall Break

October 24- Dads Club Meeting, 8 PM at Americal Legion

November 6- Elementary Conferences After School

November 7- Elementary Conferences- NO SCHOOL, E-Learning

November 11- Veterans Day Program

November 14- Wellness Night

November 20- PTO UPaint Pottery Night in Cafeteria

November 21- Dads Club Meeting, 8 PM at Americal Legion

November 27-29- NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving Break

December 10- PTO Meeting, 9:15 AM

December 9-20- NWEA Winter Benchmark Testing Window

December 20- End of Second Quarter; Winter Parties

December 23-January 6- NO SCHOOL, Winter Break

ZCS 2024-2025 School Calendar

Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS) is launching a Strategic Planning process, and we want to include your voice. This is a valuable opportunity to reflect on our district's strengths, identify areas for growth, and help prioritize what matters most as we shape the future of our schools together.

We invite students, staff, parents, caregivers, and all community members to participate in the ZCS Strategic Planning Survey, available through Friday, October 4. The survey is anonymous, takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, and allows you to contribute your insights. Your feedback is deeply appreciated and will be crucial in this important process.

Why Participate?
Engaging in strategic planning will allow us to prioritize time and resources effectively as we meet new educational standards while supporting the specific educational priorities of our community. This plan will guide us through the 2025–2030 school years, helping us implement new learning opportunities, and prepare for projected enrollment growth.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to contribute to the future of ZCS!

Link to survey: https://tinyurl.com/ZionsvilleFall24

If you are picking your child(ren) up from an after-school program (Eagle Rec club, Spanish, etc.), we ask that you follow the same procedures that we use during morning arrival/afternoon dismissal. Because this is after-school hours, we do not have TSE staff on duty (unless it is their program). Dismissal for each individual program is overseen by the program instructor.

Please take note of the following directions:

• Cars should pull all the way down to the mailbox to line the sidewalk all the way down the front of the building.
• Have children enter the vehicle on the curb side.
• Refrain from cell phone use- remain alert.

Thank you for your continued support of student safety at Trailside!

The Trailside and PVE Dads Clubs are hosting a Football Tailgate Party at Jennings Field on Friday, October 4 from 5:00-7:00pm . There will be music, games, football stations, cheerleaders and TUG-O-WAR. Tailgate admission is free and the Dads will be grilling and selling picnic dinners. The Zionsville High School varsity football game kicks off at 7:00 at the stadium across the street from Jennings Field.

Do you have any of the following items at home you would be willing to share? Kindergarten is seeking the following materials for some upcoming learning:

-Several large, refrigerator-sized cardboard boxes

-Sets of plastic farm animals

-Several small barn toys (we are happy to return yours to you afterwards if needed)

Please contact Mrs. Argus at margus@zcs.k12.in.us or send items into the office attention to Mrs. Argus. Thank you for considering!

Second Step

Second Step lessons began this week! Second Step is a research based social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum utilized throughout the district. Lessons will be taught weekly by your student’s teacher. To follow along and continue the learning at home, please utilize the family activation code below. This code provides you access to the Second Step website (www.secondstep.org) which houses a variety of resources including videos and information about what students is learning through weekly lessons.

The Home Links for the entire year are linked below.

• Kindergarten Home Links
• 1st Grade Home Links
• 2nd Grade Home Links
• 3rd Grade Home Links
• 4th Grade Home Links

Visit the website at www.secondstep.org and enter your grade level activation code. You will first need to create an account and then from your account dashboard you can select Family Resources.

Grade Level Activation Codes:

Kindergarten: SSPKFAMILY70

Grade 1: SSP1FAMILY71

Grade 2: SSP2FAMILY72

Grade 3: SSP3FAMILY73

Grade 4: SSP4FAMILY74

If you have any questions about the Second Step program, please do not hesitate to reach out for more information. Thank you for supporting your child(ren) in learning the skills which lead to success in school and in life.

Resources

Local Counseling Agencies and Groups - Zionsville Community Schools Student Services Department has compiled this list of professional counseling agencies as a guide for ZCS parents/guardians and students.

Mindy Conrad, RN- Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday

Lisa Stepsis, RN- Monday, Thursday

Email: tsenurse@zcs.k12.in.us (new contact email). Please use this shared email address to contact the clinic.

Phone number: (317) 873-8057 ext. 21993

Hours: 7:30am to 3:30pm

Call or drop in any time!

Please review the link below regarding transportation (bus, car, and new for this year- walkers and bikers!). All of our transportation procedures are in place to protect the safety of all those on our campus. Thank you for making safe transport to and from Trailside a priority!

Breakfast service will continue daily in the cafeteria from 7:45 to 8:00 AM. Please note that the serving line will close promptly at 7:55 AM.

Important Details:

• Cost: Breakfast is $1.40, with a reduced price of $0.30 for students eligible for free and reduced lunch. If you need to apply for meal assistance, you can click HERE to access the application for free and reduced lunch consideration.
• Bus Arrival: Students who are to have breakfast should go directly to the cafeteria upon arrival.
• Car Riders: If your child is a car rider and would like to have breakfast, please ensure they are among the first in line for drop-off. Students in the BAC and Bridge programs will also have the option to enjoy breakfast if families choose.
• Time: Due to the short window of service, all students must finish their breakfast by 8:00 AM and head directly to their classrooms. Please note that food cannot be carried to the classroom.

The ZCS Food Service Website is home to lots of important information, including monthly menus, price lists, nutritional and allergen information. You can also learn more regarding meal assistance using the website or clicking here. For more information or assistance, you can contact the Food Service Department directly at 317-873-1232.

Trailside will welcome lunch guests for students beginning on September 30th. You can use our online system to sign up to have lunch with your student in the office conference room. Please note that you need to sign-up at least the day before you are planning to come. You will need to bring your ID to check in. Please no more than 2 guests per student due to limited space. So that others may have the opportunity, we ask that you not sign up more than 1 time per calendar month. When you sign up, please put your student's name and classroom teacher in the notes. Here is the lunch visitor sign up link: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/TrailsideLunchVisitors@zcsk12in.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/

During the school day, all volunteers come to the front office to check in. Before the volunteer opportunity, all volunteers must sign a Non-disclosure Acknowledgement Form and have successfully completed a Full Criminal History Background Check.. Necessary background check paperwork is available on the ZCS website at the Volunteers/BRAVO link and should be submitted at least 10 days before the intended volunteer date. Volunteers must also view the state-mandated confidentiality/bullying video, provided on the Volunteer/BRAVO website. The volunteer will pay the fee for the full background check which will expire after 5 years.

During the school day, all visitors must enter via the front door and sign in at the front office. Visitors need to be prepared to present a government-issued photo ID which will be scanned against the National Sex Offender Registry. All visitors will be issued a visitor badge/tag to be worn inside the building at all times. Visitors other than parents/guardians must be prearranged and organized through the main office.

Are you looking for a fun and safe place for your child during Fall Break? GROW has you covered with Access Days—a convenient option for families who need care when school is out. Let us help keep your child engaged while you're at work!

Here are the details:

• Dates: Fall Break, October 14-18, 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
• Location: Pleasant View Elementary, Door #3
• Cost: $35 registration fee
• $85/day for K-8
• $95/day for Preschool
• Fees must be paid before the first day of care
• What to Bring:
• Preschoolers: Please send a blanket, pillow, and favorite stuffed animal for rest time.
• All children: Send a packed lunch since ZCS Food Service does not work during Fall Break.
• One afternoon snack is provided.
• Activities:
• Swimming at Zionsville High School pool
• Field trip to an apple orchard
• Arts and crafts
• Nature walks
• Lots of fun!
• How to Register: Sign up easily through EZ Child Track to reserve your spot!

Spots are limited, so please register today to ensure your child has a fun and engaging Fall Break with us!

GROW/Child Care Services

Eagle Rec

Bridge and Early Start Spanish are optional, fee based programs that “bridge” the time between the 7:50-8:00 arrival time for 1st-4th grade students, and the start of the instructional day for Kindergarten students, which is 8:50-9:00.

Before and After-School Care (BAC) is available for all Trailside students. Before school care begins at 6:45am and After school extends childcare from 2:30 to 6:00pm.

Eagle Rec offers fee based programs in a variety of interest areas.

Please click the link below for information about many community activities going on in our area.

• https://www.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/community_flyers

Email: jraycroft@zcs.k12.in.us
Website: http://tse.zcs.k12.in.us/
Location: 4200 South 875 East, Zionsville, IN, USA
Phone: 317-873-8057