Stonegate Elementary Newsletter

“When Americans lend a hand to one another, nothing is impossible. We’re not about what happened on 9/11. We’re about what happened on 9/12.” — Jeff Parness

"If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short, and there is no time for hate." - Sandy Dahl

“Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”

• October 7 - PTO Dining for Dollars at City BBQ
• October 12-16 - Fall Break - No School
• November 2- Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences; E-Day
• November 25-27 - Thanksgiving Break
• December 19-January 3 - Winter Break

• January 18 - MLK Jr. Day (No School)

• January 19 - No School
  

• February 15 - Presidents Day - No School

• April 2-9 - Spring Break

• May 26 - Last Student Day of School

• May 27 - Teacher work day

• May 31 - Memorial Day

Please see the links below for the updated guidance. You can also click here to access the ZCS website.

ISDH Guidance for Families

PTO has provided ways in which you can give during the Spirit of Giving Campaign. Click on the QR code or URL link for donation options from PayPal:

For PayPal use this link:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=FDQ6EXRFD2M72&source=url

PTO has provided ways in which you can give during the Spirit of Giving Campaign. Click on the QR code or URL link for donation options from AmazonSmile:

For AmazonSmile use this link:

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/02-0668128

On October 7th have a meal at City Barbeque Whitestown, and PTO will get ***20%*** of the proceeds from every order we bring in!

DATE OF FUNDRAISER: October 7th

LOCATION: City Barbeque Whitestown, 6082 Whitestown Pkwy.

Ordering in person? Show this message to the cashier at checkout (either a printout or just on your phone).

Ordering online? Use code FundA at checkout at https://order.citybbq.com/menu/whitestown for pickup or delivery on October 7th.

Ordering over the phone? Ask to apply code FundA when you provide your payment information.

Want to increase your impact? Place a group order online: a bigger order for you means a bigger donation for us! Start a group order at https://order.citybbq.com/menu/whitestown, send the link around the office, and be a hero (to both us and your coworkers). Just remember to use code FundA at checkout!

Remember: all orders have to be picked up or delivered on October 7th from City Barbeque Whitestown for it to count toward our fundraiser.

Next week (week of Sept. 14th) our school safety team will speak to SGE students on the topic of school safety. As you can imagine, school safety encompasses a wide variety of topics. After a general review with students on how we can remain safe on a daily basis, your child’s class will receive instruction on the A.L.I.C.E. protocol.

What is ALICE?

Very briefly stated, A.L.I.C.E. is a safety philosophy and action plan that seeks to give all school employees information during an intruder situation so that we, as first responders in crisis, can save lives. A.L.I.C.E. is a program used by schools, businesses, and law enforcement across the country. The philosophy of A.L.I.C.E. is to use information in a way so that staff and students can make informed decisions in a crisis, remove as many people as possible from the danger zone, and provide realistic training so that those involved in a crisis have a better chance of surviving.

A.L.I.C.E. is an acronym for, Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. A.L.I.C.E. is not designed to be sequential, but rather to be utilized dynamically in each situation. Teachers will provide direction to the students on what action needs to be taken, so it is very important that students listen and follow the directions given, as this drill is not predictable like a fire drill or tornado drill. This protocol helps us teach students safe decision making skills during a crisis. The A.L.I.C.E. program was introduced to the Zionsville community in the spring of 2014. District parent meetings were held to help inform the public while training took place throughout the 2014-2015 school year with our faculty and staff.

WHY ALICE?

Our local law enforcement and ZCS school safety leaders have been trained in the A.L.I.C.E. protocol. In addition, our ZCS Board of Trustees has met with Boone County and Town of Zionsville police professionals in this regard. Our governing board is in unanimous agreement with law enforcement professionals’ recommendation that we train, communicate, and fully implement the A.L.I.C.E. protocol.

The A.L.I.C.E. program is leveled to be age appropriate and is not meant to scare or frighten children but to empower them with knowledge to make good decisions in a crisis. We will encourage your child to discuss A.L.I.C.E. with you at home. We will continue to highlight the key steps of this protocol with students through daily announcements, safety drills, and classroom conversations. For more information on A.L.I.C.E., please feel free to visit the following website: http://www.alicetraining.com/. If you or your child have continued questions, please contact your school leader.

It is our school and district goal to make our students strong, safe, and empowered.

Thank you for your assistance and support in keeping our students safe.

Sincerely,

Stacy Smith, Principal Pleasant View Elementary

Andrew Foreman, Principal Eagle Elementary

Connie Largent, Principal Stonegate Elementary

Jennifer Raycroft, Principal Union Elementary

Tom Hundley, Principal Boone Meadow Elementary

Next week will begin the annual bully prevention lessons. This important topic is discussed with all students in order for them to prevent bullying as well as knowing if they are being bullied. The lesson is taught using the book One by Katherine Otoshi. In this book, children learn the importance of being the “one” to stand up to a bully. Bullying is defined as overt, unwanted, repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner including electronically or digitally, physical acts committed, aggression, or any other similar behaviors that are committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the targeted student and create for the targeted student an objectively hostile school environment. Bullying accusations are taken seriously therefore, the word “bullying” should not be used lightly. If the report is not considered bullying, we still take the conflict seriously, discuss, and follow up with students involved. Our number one job is to keep students safe, physically and emotionally! We encourage you to discuss with your child about bullying prevention, how to be an Ally, and how to navigate through natural peer conflict.

Dear SGE Families, Safety of our students is our highest priority. We routinely practice safety drills and engage in ongoing safety education of our students throughout the year. We teach guidelines and principles in a way to develop student agency, allowing them to regularly make decisions that prioritize their safety across settings and situations. One topic within the larger umbrella of Safety Education is that of Body Safety. A few examples of Body Safety topics include wearing seat belts and helmets, eating healthy foods, and following school procedures such as walking in the hallways. Body Safety education also encompasses the prevention of childhood abuse.

ZCS has partnered with the Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide (ICPYAS) to assist us in providing the instruction of strategies for abuse prevention. This instruction will be provided virtually to all students at Stonegate Elementary during the week of September 28th. ICPYAS is a non-profit organization that employs certified instructors who deliver research-based lessons to students in developmentally appropriate ways as a means to give children strategies to keep their bodies safe. All students in grades K-12 receive the instruction on an annual basis, in accordance with state legislation SEA 355.

***A special note for families of remote learners: Your child will participate in the scheduled Body Safety lessons based on your teacher's home school. So, if your child is in a class with Mrs. Strawmyer (1st ), Miss Nahrstadt (2nd ), or Mrs. Hartsock (4th ), your child will receive this instruction the week of September 28th. If your child's teacher is from another ZCS elementary school, then your child will receive this instruction at a different date, and you will receive additional information regarding those details from your child's teacher. Please let us know if you have questions.***

To learn more about these presentations, be sure to visit https://www.indianaprevention.org/parentresources and click on “Child Lures Video”, which provides information regarding the content of this program. The website also contains links to additional resources. In addition, all Kindergarten families, as well as families new to SGE will receive a supplemental guide during the week of September 28th . Parents have the opportunity to opt out of this program, if desired. Click here for the opt-out form. (We will have additional copies available for you should you need a hard copy - simply call the front office or notify your child's classroom teacher with a request for the paper version.) Please note, this opt-out form should only be completed and returned if you desire for your student NOT to receive this body safety education. Questions regarding this program should be directed to Jessica Wetzel: jwetzel@zcs.k12.in.us Phone: 317-873-8050 ext. 19130

ZCS and the Zionsville Diversity Coalition partnered to create a list of mentor texts that support our elementary adopted literacy curriculum. Books donated will be placed in our elementary classrooms for teachers to use and to offer our students mirrors (seeing themselves), windows (seeing others), and doors (opportunities to learn about differences) because in ZCS, EVERYONE BELONGS!

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2YZARP00V2AZF?ref_=wl_share

Just a friendly reminder of our school start and end times:

• 7:30 AM - Office opens
• 7:50 AM - 1st - 4th Grade - arrival time
• 8:00 AM - School begins
• 8:50 AM - Kindergarten - arrival time
• 9:00 AM - Kindergarten - school begins
• 2:20 PM - Student dismissal time
• 2:30 - School ends
• 3:30 - Office closes

ZCS Food Service Associate SUB positions available at our cafeterias at a pay of $11.40 per hour! Work when it suits your schedule! After you try us out, perhaps you’ll want to join us on a regular basis! Click here to apply directly and call 317-873-1232, ext. 11630 with any questions!