Eaton Family Newsletter

August 18th, 2023

Dear Eaton Families,

August 23rd is a Designated Teacher Workday. There is no school for students.

PTA Spirit Night at Pizza Hut (Market Street and Middle Sound Loop Rd. in front of Publix) August 30th, 4:00pm- 9:00pm.

School Picture Day is August 31st. The make-up date is October 26th.

Student Device/Cell Phone Use at School

Eaton school policy states that student personal devices (cell phone, smartwatch, ipad. etc.) must remain off and in bookbags during the day and while on the bus.

Absence Notes

If your child is absent please send a note explaining the absence when they return to school. You are also welcome to email the teacher and copy our data manager @ lyndsie.hutson@nhcs.net. Absences without documentation will be coded as unexcused. Please reference the attendance document shared at the bottom of the newsletter for information on excused and unexcused absences.

Tardies

If you are coming to school from a medical appointment please remember to bring in your doctor's note in order to excuse the tardy. Although you may select Doctor/ Dentist Appointment in our check in system, without a note it will be marked as an unexcused tardy.

Due to the changes in school start and end times this year, students must be in class for 198 minutes a day in order to be counted Present. Late arrivals will need to be checked in by 10:58 am and present through school dismissal in order to be counted present. For early check outs students must be present from 7:40 am until 10:58 am to be counted present. If a student checks out and returns our system will calculate the time.

If you have any questions regarding attendance you may contact our Data Manager or School Social Worker.

Car Drop Off/Pick Up Reminders

Traffic onto campus is at it's peak at 7:30am.There is very little to no back-up at 7:10am through 7:25am. We encourage our students to arrive to campus at 7:10am.

Please pull all the way up to the mailbox when unloading children. We ask that you do not leave large gaps in our car line. These steps will help us unload or load students quickly and efficiently.

We ask that parents do not exit their vehicles in the car line. If your child needs assistance we are happy to help. We also ask that parents not park and walk students to the front sidewalk unless you are checking your child in. Walking across our drop off line slows it down and creates an unsafe practice.

We kindly ask that our families follow all traffic laws and show kindness to others during drop off and pick up times. Parents enter our campus from three directions. We are fortunate that we have a traffic light to assist with traffic. Although NC law does allow us to turn right on red, we ask that you are mindful of those who are turning left on a green arrow or coming across at the green light on Netherlands Dr.

We have noticed in the afternoon that some parents are parking under the tree instead of pulling up to the vehicle ahead of them. This creates large gaps in our line, and makes our line longer. We ask that you please do not leave large gaps in our line. When you pull onto campus we ask that you follow the line of cars and do skip other cars unless you are coming into our building. Thank you for showing kindness to others.

Visitors/Volunteers

All visitors and volunteers must sign in and out at the front desk when coming on campus (both inside the building and on school grounds)
Parent lunch visitors must sit at the designated tables by the windows, and may only eat with their child (students may not bring friends to sit with them and their parents at lunch)
If someone other than the parent/guardian wishes to eat lunch with a student we must have permission in writing from the parent/guardian

All volunteers must complete these steps each school year:

Review Volunteer Orientation Presentation
Read the Volunteer Handbook
Complete the Volunteer Assessment with 80% or Higher (You may retake the assessment if needed)
Email Mrs. Allen, crissie.allen@nhcs.net, so she can verify completion and add you to our volunteer list

Level 2 volunteers must complete the steps above, and complete a Background Check application. Background checks are good for three years from the date they are cleared.

Room Parents must be Level 2 volunteers. Any parent who wishes to attend a field trip during the school year must be a Level 2 volunteer. Please plan ahead, as it can take up to two weeks for background checks to process.

Absence Notes

Please remember if your child is absent send a note explaining the absence when they return to school. You are also welcome to email the teacher and copy our data manager @ lyndsie.hutson@nhcs.net. Absences in which we do not receive documentation will be coded as unexcused. Please reference the attendance document shared at the bottom of the newsletter for information on excused and unexcused absences.

Tardies

For students that are tardy in the morning, if you are coming to school from a medical appointment please remember to bring in your doctor's note in order to excuse their tardy. Although you may select Doctor/ Dentist Appointment in our check in system without a note it will be marked as an unexcused tardy.

Due to the changes in school start and end times this year, students must be in class for 198 minutes a day in order to be counted Present. Late arrivals will need to be checked in by 10:58 am and present through school dismissal in order to be counted present. For early check outs students must be present from 7:40 am until 10:58 am to be counted present. If a student checks out and returns our system will calculate the time.

If you have any questions regarding attendance you may contact our Data Manager or School Social Worker.

BOY Paperwork

Again this year, all parents/guardians of NHCS students in grades 1-5 will be required to complete the beginning-of-year paperwork using the Scribbles online system. The online system allows parents/guardians the ability to complete this process from their laptop, cell phone, or desktop computer. If the parent/guardian has moved, please update the address on the beginning-of-year paperwork and upload the new proof of residence. Students attending Eaton will need to select their zone/district school in order to complete the application, it will then be transferred to Eaton for processing. The beginning of year paperwork will close October 1st, 2023.

Click HERE for step-by-step instructions.

Save the Date for Fall Festival

Please save the date for our Fall Festival, October 20th. Our PTA will need lots of volunteers to help make Fall Festival a fun and successful event for our students and families. A sign-up sheet will be shared closer to the event. Volunteer shifts are for 30 minute blocks of time. Thank you for your help!

Ice Cream Volunteers

Ice cream is offered in our cafeteria on Thursdays. If you are a Level 2 volunteer, and are interested in assisting with ice cream on Thursdays, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0F4BACA823A5FD0-2324

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Morning drop-off and afternoon pick up is located in the front of the school at the Gordon Road light. Please follow the flow of traffic, which lines up in front of the school and circles through the gravel lot.

MORNING ARRIVAL:

The bell will ring at 7:10am. Once staff members are in place to safely monitor students, students will be invited to begin exiting cars
We encourage our students to arrive to school at 7:10am.Teachers have instructional activities for students when they arrive.
Please make sure that students have their backpacks on and are ready to exit vehicles
We ask that parents pull all the way up to our mailbox to unload
After you unload you may pull out to the left to exit the parking lot

Students may purchase breakfast in the cafeteria. Our amazing cafeteria staff members look forward to welcoming our students to school each morning
We kindly ask that you do not leave large gaps in between vehicles during our drop off and pick up lines
The tardy bell rings at 7:40am. Students must be in their classrooms by this time to be considered on time. If students are not in their classroom when the tardy bell rings, they will need a tardy slip from the front office to enter their classroom.
Students who arrive at 7:40 are considered tardy and must have an adult accompany them into the building to check in.

AFTERNOON PICK-UP:

All families are given two signs with their last name and assigned number. Please have your sign displayed on the right side of your front window/dashboard.
Leave the sign visible until after your children have entered the car.
Only vehicles that have your sign will be allowed to pick up your child or children without going to the office to show identification. Please be mindful that if you give someone your sign, you are giving them permission to pick up your child.
If you need sign replacements please contact Ms. Harrison at the front desk.
Please remember to remain in your car when you are picking up your student in the afternoon. If your student needs support opening the door we are happy to help.
Please do not leave large gaps in our pick up line
We encourage parents to teach students to learn to buckle their safety belts. However, if your child is not yet able to do this, please pull up past the mailbox and/or park in a spot to assist your child. This helps to keep our carpool line moving smoothly.
We do not allow parents to park at the side of the building and walk up with a sign to pick up children. You must use the pick up line. The only exception will be for families who walk from their home to pick up children and/or circumstances approved by administration.

Thank you for your help to ensure safety during our arrival and dismissal times.

All transportation changes (different than how your child normally goes home) must be submitted in writing.

If you need to pick up your child early from school, you must do so by 1:45pm. Please know that you will need your drivers license to sign your child out of school.

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Attendance Expectations.pdf

ATTENDANCE EXP.docx.pdf

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Science Fair Information

Calling all scientists in grades 3-5! We have an exciting opportunity for you!! We are beginning to think ahead to the Science Fair which will take place on December 8, 2023. A great science fair project takes time and planning. The more time you spend in the beginning stages connecting with your “inner scientist” the more you will enjoy what you investigate because it will be something you are interested in learning about. In the end, your project will be awesome because your experiment is something you had fun discovering. Please complete the Science experiment/STEM application by November 3, 2023 to participate in the fair. This project will be done completely at home. If you need more information or help in completing your project, please review this slide show. For more information email kellie.shanahan@nhcs.net.

Updates from Transportation

2023-2024 De-Assignment Procedures:

In an effort to reduce late arrivals and departures to and from schools, students who do not meet ridership eligibility will be permanently de-assigned from Transportation. Students will have an opportunity to be reassigned in the Spring and the 24/25 School Year. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis when students inform Transportation of temporary situations such as illness, sports and club participation. Transportation eligibility includes:

students riding at least 3 times a week
parents following Pre K, K-2, and special education "meet at the stop" rules
students following safety protocols

NHCS Child Nutrition Information

Eaton's Lunch Menu:

8/21

8/22

8/23 *No School

8/24

8/25

NHCS Child Nutrition Website (including menus)

MySchoolApps (apply for free/reduced lunch)

MySchoolBucks (lunch prepay)

Volunteer Information

All volunteers, both Levels 1 and 2, must complete volunteer training each school year.

All field trip chaperones must become a Level II volunteer, which requires a background check through NHCS. Background checks are good for three years. You can log into your account to check your expiration date, or contact Mrs. Allen. The NHCS background check system is linked below. Level 2 volunteers must also complete the orientation and assessment each year.

All volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

Level I

Parents, family, or community members volunteering to assist students in a supervised setting are not required to undergo a background check if they are continually supervised by school personnel during the school day.

Level II

Parents, family, or community members volunteering to assist students in an unsupervised setting away from school personnel are deemed Level II Volunteers. We also ask that all chaperones become Level II volunteers, as well as those interested in assisting in our media center and cafeteria at Eaton Elementary. An applicant designated a Level II Volunteer must complete the online application and the criminal background check. Applications must be completed at least two weeks prior to the time you wish to begin volunteering. The cost of background checks are $22.50.

Steps to Take to Become A Volunteer:

Review Volunteer Orientation Presentation
Read the Volunteer Handbook
Complete the Volunteer Assessment with 80% or Higher (You may retake the assessment if needed)
Level 2 Volunteers must also complete a Background Check application and pay $22.50
Email Mrs. Allen to let her know you completed the steps to become a volunteer

Eaton Volunteer Coordinator: Mrs. Allen, Assistant Principal

crissie.allen@nhcs.net