Rhino Weekly Reader

Dear Rice Families,

Our first week has been nothing short of amazing, and I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our staff, students, and parents for making it such a smooth and exciting start. Our classrooms have come alive with the energy and enthusiasm of our students eager to learn and connect with their peers. It has been a joy to see our hallways filled with smiling faces and to witness the incredible engagement in our new and returning students.

I am particularly proud of our teachers and staff, who have worked tirelessly to prepare their classrooms to welcome our students. Their commitment to fostering a nurturing and stimulating environment is evident in every classroom.

I also want to extend a very special welcome to our new families joining the Rice community this year. We are delighted to have you with us and look forward to getting to know you and your children. Transitioning to a new school can be both exciting and challenging, and we are here to support you every step of the way. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance.

I want to thank our parents and guardians for your continued support and involvement. Your partnership is vital to our success, and we appreciate your efforts in preparing your children for school each day.

Looking ahead, we have many exciting events and activities planned that will enrich our students' learning experiences and build a strong sense of community. Sustainability is a key focus of our daily practices. We are committed to educating our students about the importance of environmental stewardship through hands-on learning experiences and eco-friendly initiatives. Our programs include recycling projects, energy conservation efforts, and a school garden where students can learn about growing their own food and the interconnectedness of ecosystems which aligns with science standards and fosters a deeper understanding of sustainability and environmental stewardship.

I encourage you to stay connected with us through our school website, newsletters, and social media channels to stay informed about upcoming events and important announcements.

Once again, welcome to a new school year at Rice Elementary. Together, let’s make it a year filled with growth, discovery, and success for all our students.

Warm regards,

Shirley Mathew

I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new Elementary Dean at Rice Elementary. My name is Cassie Bohlig, and I bring 25 years of experience in education. I have had the pleasure of serving as a classroom teacher for 20 years, teaching kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades. For the past four years, I worked as the District Math Academic Coach at Chandler Unified. My family and I moved to Arizona from Illinois six years ago. I am blessed with a loving husband and two wonderful children: my daughter Ashley, who attends Northern Arizona University, and my 16-year-old son Jacob. Our family also includes our beloved dog, Riley. We enjoy spending our weekends together, mainly attending soccer games. I am excited to join the Rice Rhino community and look forward to working with you and your children.

What an exciting first week of school! It was great to have our students back and see their enthusiasm and energy.

Transportation Registration for the 2024-25 school year is available. Students who have transportation request in their IEP, you will not need to register them. For more information, please click on the link below.

Transportation / Online Transportation Request (cusd80.com)

Bussing details for eligible students will be posted in your parent portal within 48-72 hours. Students will only be able to ride the bus they are assigned to.

Introducing the Here Comes the Bus app at CUSD! This app lets you:

Track the real-time location of your child's school bus

Reduce wait times by knowing when the bus is nearby and when schedule changes occur

Know when your child arrives at school or at home

Click flyer below to sign up

Visit https://www.cusd80.com/transportation for more information.

This school year, CUSD will have a new form of school-to-home communication. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with CUSD. ParentSquare will be fully districtwide beginning July 1. To begin learning more about this new platform by visiting https://www.cusd80.com/parentsquare.

Click below to sign up

www.parentsquare.com/signin

The first day of school is July 17th. For space and safety reasons, parents will not be able to be on the playground with their student.

School hours are 8:35 AM – 3:05 PM and students may be dropped off on campus starting at 8:10 AM. Please do not drop off your students prior to 8:10 AM as we do not have staff to supervise them.

Please Note:

- The south parking lot in front of the school is the designated parent drop off and pick up area. The west parking lot is for staff parking, our buses, and families who are dropping off or picking up their children from Kids Express or Weinberg and Knox Gifted Academies.

- The Town of Gilbert has not designated a crosswalk for our campus. We encourage you to be present to monitor students who are walking or riding their bikes home.

-- Note: Our bike racks have been relocated to the north side of the garden. If your student is riding their bike to school, please use the sidewalk by Waterston South and cross over to the single gate where students enter the campus each morning. Ensure your student crosses near the gate to avoid the bus area.

Arrival:

· Students can arrive on campus after 8:10 AM.

· Staff will be on duty to greet and guide the students.

· Students will be directed to the playground or to the cafeteria if they wish to eat breakfast on campus. Let your classroom teacher know if your child(ren) will be eating breakfast at school. Please make sure your children are on campus in plenty of time if you choose to have them eat breakfast at school. The cafeteria closes breakfast service at 8:30 AM.

· Kinder and 1st grade car riders will be directed to the kinder playground from the front of the school.

· 2nd – 6th grade car riders and bus riders will access the playground from the sidewalk on the west side of school. 1st grade students may prefer to walk with their older siblings around the building.

• We ask that you remain in the car when using the drop off lane. Staff will be present to help your student out of the car. Please have your student get out on the passenger side.
• If you pull into the parking lot, please park your car and walk your student to the crosswalk where the teacher on duty will cross them. Please do not use the parking lot as a drive through lane.
• Please avoid using 148th Street for student drop-off, as it increases congestion and causes difficulties for the neighbors.
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Dismissal:

· Once buses are ready to load, bus riders will be dismissed. Staff will guide and direct students to their buses. Kindergarten and 1st grade students will be escorted to the buses.

· To avoid a situation where we have too many students in a small area, car riders and students being picked up at the crosswalk will be dismissed from their classrooms.

· We use the Schoolhouse Driveline app to dismiss students. At Meet the Teacher Night, each family will be given a sign which will have a designated number and student name(s). Student pick-up signs help us call students from their classrooms and let students know whether they will be picked up at the crosswalk or car line. The signs are critical for going through the dismissal process quickly. The safety of our students is always our top priority.

-This sign must be available every time you pick up your student at the end of the day whether through the carline or at the crosswalk. If you arrive without your sign for parent pick up, you will be asked to pull into the parking lot and park. At 3:15 PM all students will be dismissed from their classrooms. Please notify the teacher at crosswalk duty and they will call your student to meet you there. If you need additional signs, please contact the front office.

-If you arrive in the car line without your sign, you will be asked to pull into the parking lot and park. At 3:15 PM all students will be dismissed from their classrooms. Please notify the teacher at crosswalk duty and they will call your student to meet you there.

-Please attach the sign to the passenger sun visor and lower the visor as you enter the parking lot area. Another way to help keep the sign visible is to use a clip hanger and hang it from the rearview mirror as you pull through the line. If it is placed on your dashboard, it is not visible. The safety of our students is always our top priority. Thank you for your help with making pick up run more efficiently.

· If you are picking up your student(s) at the crosswalk, please have your sign available for the teacher on dispatch duty. We ask that you wait in the parent designated area by the kindergarten playground fence line and avoid blocking the main entrance to the school. Please monitor your children closely while waiting to pick up your students. Have them remain with you and do not allow them to run around the school entrance. Safety is of utmost importance, and we appreciate you helping us keep everyone safe.

· Our staff on duty spend extended periods in the sun. Please remember that every second counts; following the procedures ensures everyone's safety and speeds up the dismissal process.

• Please avoid using 148th Street for student pick up, as it increases congestion and causes difficulties for the neighbors.

Flow of Traffic: Please see attached “Rice Elementary Dismissal Traffic Flow” map. The south traffic loop is designated for parent drop off and pick up. Please enter the campus from Ocotillo Road on the east end of the campus. It is vital that cars pull as far forward as possible to prevent stacking on Ocotillo Road. We need your help and cooperation in following the designated flow of traffic. Please display your name sign and keep it visible until your student(s) are in your vehicle. Remember our staff are in the sun for a prolonged period of time during dismissal. By following these guidelines, you reduce the time they have to be in the heat. Every second matters.

• The traffic loop will be very busy, so parents must remain in their vehicles at all times.

• If at any time you need to park in the south lot and enter the building, we ask that you use only the designated crosswalk for crossing. We take every precaution to keep your children safe and appreciate your help and support

• There will be no access from 148th street or from the west parking lot. This area is for staff parking and buses only.

When students arrive at school they will be directed to their respective playgrounds. Kindergarten and 1st Grade students will go to the kinder playground at the front of the school. 2 nd – 6 th grade car riders and bus riders will access the playground from the sidewalk on the west side of school. 1 st grade students may prefer to walk with their older siblings around the building. We will have staff to guide students to where they need to be. If a student chooses to have breakfast, they may do so after dropping off their backpacks in their designated class line. Due to limited space and for safety reasons, visitors will not be allowed on the playground.

• Students will eat lunch in the cafeteria.

• Hot lunch will be served daily with items being prepackaged so students can make their selections as they go through the lunch line.

• Children will have 20 minutes to eat lunch and then will head out to the playground for a 20- minute recess.

• During high heat days or rainy days, students will eat lunch in the cafeteria and return to classrooms for indoor recess which will be supervised by a staff member.

• Parents will be welcome to eat lunch with their student(s) starting September 3rd. We will use the first weeks of school to teach them the lunchtime routines and procedures. There will be designated parent tables set up on the stage side of the cafeteria. Please note that you may have lunch with only your student(s).

• Information about cost of meals, free and reduced meal applications, as well as setting up accounts is available on CUSD’s Food and Nutrition web page.

The online meal payments through the MySchoolBucks Family Portal, myschoolbucks.com, are now available! The maximum payment amount is $500 and a processing fee of $3.25 is applied per credit/debit card or $2.75 is applied for e-check/bank account transactions. School Cafe Managers can accept cash or check(check made out to CUSD Food & Nutrition). No fees are associated with cash or check pre-payment. Please include the student name and ID# on checks.

To create an account, you will need your child’s student ID, first & last name, date of birth, and school name. Our district is listed as Chandler Unified School District.

Birthdays hold a special place in every student’s heart, and we believe it is important to recognize and celebrate this significant day in their lives. Students will receive a card and pencil from Mrs. Mathew to mark this special day. Additionally, they will be recognized during the morning announcements allowing everyone in the school community to share in the celebration. If you wish to celebrate your child’s birthday in the classroom, we kindly ask that you contact your child’s teacher in advance. We strive to keep birthday celebrations simple yet meaningful, promoting a sense of inclusivity and minimizing any potential disruption to the learning environment. You have a few options for recognizing your child’s birthday in the classroom. You may choose to send individual, store-bought treats for classmates to enjoy. Alternatively, you can opt for a non-edible gift that can be shared amongst the classmates. If you prefer, you may also send in a favorite book that your child would like to share with classmates. Your child’s teacher will provide additional information regarding the classroom birthday celebration. Balloons are not allowed due to allergies on campus.

All volunteers and visitors to campus must enter through the front office. Volunteers are required to sign in and get a vistor's sticker. All volunteers must have a new volunteer form on file every year. If you would like to meet with a staff member, please communicate with them and set up a time that is mutually convenient. We want to make sure we are available to collaborate.

The PTO Spirit store is open online at the link below, or you can order spirit items at the front office. PTO is always looking for volunteers, sign up below to get on the priority volunteer list for any upcoming PTO volunteer opportunities! Below are some important upcoming dates for the semester, and be sure to follow the PTO on social media to get the most up-to-date information. As always, thanks for your support!

Rice Spirit Gear Online Store

Volunteer Interest Google Form

Rice PTO Contact Info: RiceRhinoPTO@gmail.com

Social Media (Instagram & Facebook): @RiceRhinoPTO

If your student has any health conditions or medical needs, please contact our health assistant, Mrs. Carolina Marquez Devries at devries.carolina@cusd80.com or (480) 424-8502. We appreciate you communicating with us when your student is unwell and taking the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe.

Before and after school care is provided through the Kids Express program at Rice. If you are in need of this service, you may register online on the district’s Community Education page.

Email: mathew.shirley@cusd80.com
Website: https://www.cusd80.com/AboutRice
Location: 1290 E Ocotillo Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85298
Phone: (480)424-8500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobertRiceElementary
Twitter: @RiceElem