Glacier Ridge Gazette

As a parent, I often wonder what my child is like at school. Could they be a different person than what I see at home? Are they a similar version of their home-self or are they completely different because it is a different environment?

I recently had family conferences with the teacher of my own children. I had specific questions that I wanted to know about my child to better understand who my child was at school. I communicated those to the teachers ahead of time. I recommend that you take advantage of that opportunity if you have specific things you want to know about your child. The teacher only has 15 minutes to communicate as much information as possible and if you have specifics you’re wondering about, it is important to reach out ahead of time. Otherwise, the teacher plans for the full 15 minutes, which doesn’t leave much time for additional questions.

We have completed the first night of conferences and that is a great way to connect with the teacher about how your child is doing in school. As you intake the deluge of information, it is easy to be overwhelmed. Therefore, it is okay to synthesize information into major buckets. These buckets are similar to the questions that I asked the teachers of my own children.

What kind of person is my child? I want to know that they are kind and treat others with kindness. As you would expect, that is important to me and I want my children to be good and kind people even before they are good at academics.

Is my child making growth and at what rate? There is a natural tendency to compare as a method of understanding whether there is cause for academic concern. Much like physical growth rates, children learn at different rates as well. I just want to make sure that my children are learning and growing at a rate that isn’t increasing the gap between their current ability and the expectation of which they should be performing.

What are the next steps? Although family conferences are a status check, it is more important to focus on the plan moving forward than the previous data. The data tells us important information, but I want to know what I can do as a parent and what the teacher’s plan is moving forward.

How is my child’s effort? Effort is a major variable that controls academic output. I don’t always focus on grades and test scores. Instead, I focus significantly more on whether my children are working hard, asking questions, using opportunities for test corrections (typically in middle and high school), and using time wisely. To me, effort and self-efficacy is significantly more important than the grades and scores that they get.

Lastly, I recommend checking Infinite Campus for ongoing updates on your child’s performance. It is not necessarily the best way to get detailed information about your child’s performance. However, family conferences are only twice a year and Infinite Campus is the method that teachers use to communicate student work and progress.

Thanks for being a partner with your child’s progress….both academically and socially.

Sincerely,

Pete Kurty, Ed. D

Principal

Date: Thursday, October 31, 2024

AM Kindergarten (10:45 a.m.)

• AM kindergarten students should come dressed in their costumes.

PM Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th grades (2:30 - 3:15 p.m.)

• PM kindergarten students should come dressed in their costumes.

• All volunteers must exit the building by 3:25

Costumes

Costumes are welcome, but not required. It is up to the child/family whether or not to wear a costume and each choice is equally respected. For those that choose to wear a costume, please consider the appropriateness of your child’s costume choice. Simulated weapons or any other dangerous costume parts should be left at home. Grim and violent costumes can scare young children and should be reserved for trick or treating in the neighborhood. Students must be able to dress themselves in their costumes.

KINDERGARTEN (AM & PM): Students should come to school dressed in their costumes and be able to remove their costumes themselves.

Volunteers

VOLUNTEERS: Classroom parties are limited only to those parents, volunteers, and families who planned the party. Due to space within the classroom, the number of volunteers may be limited by the room parent and teacher. The parties and volunteers are coordinated collaboratively with the room parent(s) and classroom teachers.

Volunteer Schedule:

• Volunteer Arrival: Parent volunteers can go to classrooms no earlier than 2:15 p.m.

• Volunteer Dismissal: Volunteers must be out of the building by 3:25 and out of the way of dismissal/bus traffic.

Parking for Volunteers

Please observe the No Parking signs along Glacier Ridge Boulevard. All cars parked in the dismissal lanes must be removed prior to 3:30. Also, observe the Fire Lane Restrictions on school property. Local police may ticket you. We also will open our playground for parking.

Volunteers Signing Out Students

Volunteers can sign out their own child in the classroom in which they volunteer. Teachers will have sign-out sheets. If volunteers also want to sign out siblings, they must do so in the office. Please do not go directly to the sibling’s classroom.

Food

Please adhere to the food allergies of the students in the classroom. All food items should have the ingredient list on the packaging. A letter from the clinic should have come home with students in classrooms that have known food allergies. Please use the SnackSafely allergy guide. Please do not send items that contain ingredients on the allergy list. If you have questions about allergies in a particular classroom feel free to call the office. Parents of students with allergies are welcome to send alternate food items for their child as a safety precaution.

If you have questions regarding the party, please feel free to contact the school at 614-733-0012.

The Scholastic Fall Book Fair will take place from October 14th to October 25th. Students will be previewing the Book Fair October 14th-18th by making a “wish list” to bring home with prices and titles of books. (Please note, some book titles do sell out)

Students will be able to purchase books during their Library class beginning October 21st. The Book Fair will be open on Wednesday, October 16th from 4pm-7pm during conferences.

Acceptable payments will be cash, credit cards, check (made payable to Dublin Library Association) and ewallets (visit our book fair homepage to create: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/glacierridgeelementarysch)

If you have any questions, please contact Angela Gould at gould_angela@dublinschools.net

Thank you for supporting the GRE Book Fair!!

It's that time of year where kids are bundled up in coats and hats for the morning commute, only to find them in t-shirts and shorts by the time they come home!

Check out lost and found and have your children stop by the table outside the clinic to claim their items. You can see them when you come in for family conferences. Unclaimed items will be donated to One Dublin on 11/26.

This is the time of year where weather is variable. One day may be sunny and warm, while the next day is cold and windy. We want them to stay safe and healthy. Please make sure your child leaves for school with outerwear appropriate for the day’s weather. Make a habit of checking the weather forecast and encouraging your child to wear a coat, hat, scarf and gloves on these colder days.

As the weather turns to winter in a few months, you can see the temperature procedures below.

• 20 degrees or below with wind chill - all recesses will be indoors

• 21-25 degrees with wind chill - lunch recess will be indoors, short recess will be outdoors

• 26 degrees with wind chill and warmer - all recesses will be outdoors

Lastly, it is a good reminder to put your child's name in their respective winter attire. A simple task of putting names in coats and on sweatshirts helps get them back to their owner.

For more information on the districts WINTER WEATHER PROCEDURES, please click this link: https://www.dublinschools.net/domain/84

Dublin City Schools invites you to a public input session on Monday, October 21, from 7-8:30 PM at Jerome High School. Our school may be impacted by upcoming boundary changes, and your input is important. Cropper GIS will present in the Center for Performing Arts (CPA), followed by a review of proposed boundaries in the Commons. We hope to see you there as we work to balance student populations and plan for future growth!

Team up with the Dublin Girl Scouts to get winter coats to those in need. Please donate your new or gently used, laundered coats to benefit the kids and families through the Capital Kids Campaign of Columbus and Help My Neighbor Food Pantry.

All sizes of coats are welcome!

There will be a collection bin in the commons close to the front doors.

Donate today through November 1st!

Thank you for helping others stay warm this winter!

Our family conferences are coming up on October 16 & 24th. We will offer both in-person or virtual options. Your child’s teacher will reach out soon (if not already) to begin scheduling your conference.

During conferences, your child’s teacher will address three main criteria:

1. What I know about your child as a learner and a person

2. Evidence of ways I’ve gotten to know your child using formal and informal data

3. Next instructional steps for instruction

If you have specific questions about your child that you want the teacher to prepare for and address within the allotted time, please reach out to let them know.

3rd graders will participate in the OST for English Language Arts on Tuesday, October 23rd and Thursday, October 24th. We appreciate your attempts to ensure that your child is present at school on those days. If you know you will be absent please let your classroom teacher know. Makeup Testing will occur on October 24th, 25th and 28th.

VOLUNTEERING: Dublin City Schools takes the safety of our students and staff seriously and requires a background check for all volunteers interacting with students. In order to attend field trips or volunteer in the classroom, you much go through the background check process. The process is free and easy and takes only a few minutes to complete. This is required for any parents or caregivers wishing to volunteer with students.

Would you like to start your day saying “Hello!” to everyone at Glacier Ridge in the morning? Are you in 2nd thru 5th grade? Then sign up to read the morning announcements! If you would like to find out more about this opportunity and sign up to be a Tiger Student Announcer then go to the sign-up link below.

Students can sign up only 1 time per week.

Glacier Ridge Elementary believes in creating a caring and comfortable environment for it's community of learners. This begins as students enter the front doors of the school in the morning. Sign up your child to be a greeter. Students gain confidence, become leaders, and learn how to present themselves in a positive way.

Click on this link to find out more specific information.

October 14-25- Book fair

October 18th- No School (staff professional day)

October 23rd- Picture day make-ups & 5th grade class picture

October 23rd- 3rd grade ELA OST Part 1

October 24th- 3rd grade ELA OST Part 2

October 24th- Family conferences night 2

October 28th- Operation Kids for Troops collection begins

October 31st- Harvest party

November 1st- Feed the Kids candy collection begins

November 2nd- PTO cookie dough & pastry sale begins

November 3rd- Daylight savings day

November 5th- No school (staff professional day) Election Day

November 27th-29th- No School Thanksgiving Break

To help students discover their interests and enrich their learning, Dublin City Schools partners with local businesses and community organizations to offer After School Activities outside of school hours. These experiences, which vary in content, time, location, and cost, are taught by course instructors employed by a sponsoring business or organization.

If your child will be absent from school, please email our attendance line at gres_attendance@dublinschools.net.

Email: glacierridge_info@dublinschools.net
Website: https://glacier.dublinschools.net/
Location: 7175 Glacier Ridge Boulevard, Dublin, OH, USA
Phone: 614.733.0012
Twitter: @greDCSD