Each year, our goal is to make our vision statement come alive.

Our vision is to create an inclusive, collaborative, and welcoming community of learners who experience a kind, responsible, and safe environment and a sense of belonging. We believe in creating joyful and meaningful academic, social, and emotional learning opportunities, building a foundation for independence and lifelong learning.

As we begin the new school year, we look forward to getting to know our students and learning and growing together!

Welcome to all our new families and welcome back to all our returning families!

We hope you had a wonderful summer creating special memories with family and friends.

This summer, we spent time preparing our classrooms and programs to continue to provide an engaging experience for all our students. We hope this August communication provides you with important information to plan for the beginning of school.

The team at IMES has been busy planning and preparing for the new school year.

If you have visited the IMES campus, you may have noticed major renovation and construction taking place on the property. As part of the Capital Improvement Project, our front entrance, common area learning spaces, small group instructional spaces, library, and STREAM/STEM rooms are being updated. The majority of this work will be completed prior to the first day of school, Wednesday, September 4. The library and STREAM spaces will be completed this fall. Construction will continue throughout the year on the new classroom additions in the back of the building. We will continue to provide updates in our monthly newsletters.

It has been exciting watching the progress, and I am sure our students will be interested in seeing the renovations and progress. We look forward to having all of you visit in September to see the progress too!

The first day of school for all students, K-5, is Wednesday, September 4.

Whether your child is arriving by bus or by car, our staff will be outside and inside the school building waiting to greet and help your child find their classroom and meet their classroom teacher!

Kindergarten students will receive Name/Bus Tags at the Kindergarten Visitation and we ask that they wear their tags for the first two weeks of school.

Your child may bring their school supplies on the first day of school. School Supply Lists are on the link below.

During the week of August 26, your child’s teacher assignment will be posted on Campus Parent, your Parent Portal Account on Infinite Campus. You will receive a district email communication asking you to check your account when the information becomes available.

Kindergarten Visitation with students and parents/guardians is scheduled for August 28 at 10 a.m. Please have your child bring their Eddie the Eagle that they received at the Kindergarten Screening. If you did not receive an eagle yet, not to worry! Our generous PTO will be giving your child one to keep at the Kindergarten Visitation!

Friendly Reminder! Our New Family Orientation for NEW students in grades 1-5 is scheduled for Wednesday, August 28 at 12:00 p.m. We look forward to meeting you!

Our Main Office is here to support you and answer your questions. You can reach the main office at 763-7155 or 763-7117.. Our office staff members include Ms. Eden Ladd, Office Assistant and Mrs. Jennifer Ferentini, Secretary to the Principal

Ms. Sara Silverman, District-wide Instructional Coach

Mrs. Mary Frances Warner, Grade 1 Teacher

Mr. Luis Vazquez, General Music Teacher

Ms. Faith Willett, Instrumental (Strings) Music Teacher

Ms. Jean Desrosiers, Art

Ms. Olivia O’Hare, Permanent Substitute Teachers

Ms. Nicole Bergenfel, Permanent Substitute Teachers

Ms. Delmi Campos, School Monitor

Students may enter the building at 9:10 a.m. School begins at 9:15 a.m. and buses depart Increase Miller at 3:40 p.m. Any student arriving after 9:15 a.m. is marked late. Please make every opportunity to arrive on time.

Your child may travel to and from school by school bus or you may drive your child to and from school. Please see details below regarding arrival and dismissal.

Arrival and Dismissal by Bus

*Please see the Campus Parent Portal for pick-up and drop-off times along with the location of your designated bus stop. Please call the Transportation Department with any questions regarding bus stop locations and times. Phone: 763-7237

Arrival: Drop-Off by Parent/Guardian

*Children can be dropped off by car in the circle near the gymnasium entrance beginning at 9:10 a.m.

*You do not need to leave your vehicle for drop-off. Staff members will greet the children.

*If you need to leave your vehicle to help your child get out of the car, please park in a designated parking space.

*If you drop off after 9:15 a.m., please park in a designated parking space and escort your child to the main/front entrance of the school.

Dismissal: Pick-up by Parent/Guardian

*If your child is being picked up at dismissal time on a daily or consistent basis each week, please click the link below titled My Child's Permanent Pick Up Note. Please submit no later than Friday, August 30th.

*At the end of the day, your child will be sent to the gymnasium for pick-up.

*To pick up your child/children please park in a visitor parking space in the area by the gym or the side of the hill when entering the campus. Parking in the circle or along the side of the road presents a safety hazard.

*Gymnasium doors will open for parent/guardians at approximately 3:35 pm.

*Proceed into the gymnasium to locate your child. Please keep your child with you at all times in the gym and escort him/her to the exit door on the opposite side of the gym for sign-out.

*The person picking-up should introduce themselves to the staff members and be prepared to present a photo ID upon request. Sign-out your child on the designated sign-out sheet.

*Please exit the building immediately to minimize congestion and traffic.

*No child will be released from school without written consent from the custodial parent.

Any change of your typical dismissal plan (either bus or pick-up) requires a written communication from a parent or guardian via our daily Dismissal Change Form.

Please click on the button below to preview this form. A link to this form is posted on the IMES website, and will be included in each of our family communications.

Please note that the Dismissal Change Form must be completed by 12 PM on the day of the dismissal change to ensure the information is relayed and followed.

Each September, we take the time to teach and practice daily routines. To help students learn their daily dismissal plan and routine, which includes helping students get to know their bus number and bus drivers, students may only ride their assigned bus at the end of the day during the month of September. We will begin honoring individual playdates (riding a different bus) in October. If the bus is over capacity, bus notes for playdates cannot be honored.

If you have a special circumstance (childcare needs), please contact Eden Ladd in our main office 763-7117.

A written excuse is required by New York State Law each time a child is absent or late. The excuse should be sent with the child when he/she returns to school or on the day of lateness. In addition to the specific dates, the reason for the absence or lateness should be stated in the note and signed by a parent or guardian.

Parents are requested to call the school attendance line (763-7150) on the first day of each absence. If a child is absent and no call is made, the school will attempt to contact the parent. This is done for the safety and protection of the child.

We will continue implementing our breakfast program for elementary students. Please see the details below about our breakfast program:

· Students who participate will enter the building during arrival time (beginning at 9:10 am) .

· “Grab and Go” breakfast bags will be available. Sample items include a bagel, muffin, or breakfast bar along with a fruit with a choice of milk.

· Students will eat their “Grab and Go” breakfast in the classroom during the morning routine.

· Monthly Menus are available on the website.

Breakfast costs $1.75. To see if you qualify for the Free and Reduced Priced Meal program (breakfast and/or lunch), please refer to THIS LINK.

IMES students may purchase hot or cold lunch as well as snacks through an automated meal pay system. You can find information about the MyPaymentsPlus, menus, and Free and Reduced Priced Meal Program applications using THIS LINK.

We will be practicing evacuation/fire and lockdown drills at the beginning of the school year. Teachers will prepare students in advance for the drills. We will notify families each time we conduct a drill.

As a school community, we work toward establishing an atmosphere where children can learn and develop academically, socially, and emotionally. We embed social and emotional learning opportunities into the classroom and school-wide to help students build relationships, identify and manage emotions, and develop a growth mindset. Morning Meeting is a time where students come together as a class to learn, discuss, and practice these skills, while connecting with each other and their teacher. Through these and other approaches, such as monthly school-wide sharing assemblies, we teach and reinforce positive behavior.

Increase Miller’s expectations derive from our mantra of Kind, Responsible, and Safe.

Explicitly teaching these behaviors helps students to understand what is expected to create a positive environment. Our school expectations in the matrix shown below displays Kind, Responsible, and Safe expectations across school settings. At the outset of each school year, classroom teachers facilitate the process of identifying Kind, Responsible, Safe classroom expectations with students. These expectations are reinforced with a classroom system to recognize positive behaviors as students demonstrate them. Similarly, Kind, Responsible, Safe expectations are taught, reviewed, and positively reinforced in special area classes, lunch and recess, on buses, and in our sharing assemblies. We ask that you also reinforce these expectations at home to support our students' growth and development.

DASA seeks to ensure a safe and supportive environment for all students, free of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, taunting and bullying. If you are aware of an incident or have a concern, please contact one of us listed below. You will be asked to complete the BOE Incident Reporting Form (see "button" below for attachment).

Kerry Ford, Principal and IMES Dignity Act Coordinator 763-7155 or kford@klschools.org

Michael Weschler, Assistant Principal (designee) 763-7117 or mweschler@klschools.org

Kiri Ryan, Social Worker (designee) 763-7155 or kryan@klschools.org

In the beginning of the year, students are issued a school iPad. iPads are for school use only. Classroom teachers will communicate expectations regarding student use.

The use of personal devices by students during the school day is not permitted as it is a distraction to student learning. This includes text communications on cell phones and apple watches.

If a parent/guardian needs to speak with their child, please contact the main office.

If a student needs to speak with a parent/guardian, school personnel will reach out via phone or email.

Increase Miller Elementary School’s philosophy, policies, procedures, and services are outlined in our Family Handbook. We hope the IMES Family Handbook will help you gain a greater understanding of what makes the school run smoothly and safely. We trust that this handbook will provide you with answers to questions you might have throughout the school year.

We are in the process of implementing a new communication system named ThrillShare, and all email communications will now be coming from noreply@klschools.org. If you believe you may have opted out of the text option based on communications that have been sent in the last few days, you may opt back in by texting START to 98900.

Monday, August 26 Class Placement available on Campus Parent Portal

Wednesday, August 28 Kindergarten Visitation at 10:00 am

Wednesday, August 28 New Family Orientation at 12:00 pm

Wednesday, September 4 First Day of School for K-5 Students

Wednesday, September 4 PTO Tears and Cheers Coffee 9:30 am at Fox Valley Park

Friday, September 6 PTO Welcome Back Celebration 5 :30 pm - 7:30 pm at IMES

Wednesday, September 11 PTO Meeting & Principal's Coffee 9:30

Friday, September 13 School Compact Team Meeting from 8:15 - 9:10 am

Tuesday, September 24 Grades 3, 4, and 5 Curriculum Night at 7 pm

Monday, September 30 Grades K, 1, and 2 Curriculum Night at 7 pm

Wednesday, September 25 Picture Day K-5

Thank you to our PTO for their generosity - creating welcome bags with "Eddie the Eagle" for all our new students!

Thank you to our office team, Mrs. Ferentini and Ms. Ladd for all their hard work this summer in preparing for the new school year!

Thank you to our custodians for making our learning spaces clean and ready for the beginning of school!