SEM Newsletter

To ensure high levels of learning in a safe, respectful environment where all achieve personal and academic success. ALL means ALL.

Welcome Back, Seminole Family! 🎉

We’ve missed our amazing Seminole kiddos over the break and hope everyone enjoyed a joyful and relaxing holiday with loved ones. As we dive into December, we’re gearing up for an exciting and busy month ahead!

This month brings the second round of state testing, our much-anticipated Winterfest, and plenty of other wonderful activities to celebrate the season and showcase our students' hard work. Let’s start December off strong and make it a fantastic first week back! 💙❄️

Mrs. VanderMolen, Principal

Mrs. Drazick, Assistant Principal

This week marks the start of STAR Testing for grades K-2 and FAST Testing for grades 3-5! 📚✨ To help your child succeed, please ensure they get a full night’s sleep, arrive at school on time, and feel motivated to give their very best effort.

We’re so proud of the hard work our Seminole students have put in this semester and can’t wait to see the incredible growth they’ve achieved. Together, let’s set them up for success and cheer them on as they shine! 🌟

Seminole's Winterfest is Almost Here! ❄️🎉

Mark your calendars for Friday, December 6th, and join us for an evening packed with fun and festivities at Seminole Elementary’s Winterfest! This exciting event is not only a celebration but also a fundraiser to support our school.

Enjoy a variety of activities including food, drinks, crafts, and games, some of which will have a small cost. Don’t worry—there will also be free movies and games for everyone to enjoy! 🎬

Tickets are just $1 each and can be used for the activities you choose to participate in. Details about the activities and their costs can be found below. We can’t wait to see you there for an evening of holiday cheer and community spirit! 🎄✨

Parents, take a look at our Parent Family Engagement Plan here! This plan provides an overview of the ways we aim to foster strong partnerships between families and our school.an overview of the ways we aim to foster strong partnerships between families and our school.

Parent Family Engagement Plan English

Parent Family Engagement Plan Spanish

AfterCare is being offered at Seminole!

Please use the QR codes to learn more information and register your child for AfterCare!

Below is a link to the District Policy on Bullying and Harassment. In order to be classified as bullying, the physical threat or emotion distress must be continuously inflicted towards the student. A one time occurrence of teasing would not fall under bullying.

SEM takes bullying seriously! If your child is being bullied, please have your child tell an adult at school or call the office to inform administration of the situation.

Link to District Bullying and Harassment Policy

Parents, please use the roundabout towards the back of the school when dropping off or picking up your student. This helps us avoid congestion and issues with traffic back up. Do not use the driveway before the roundabout to turn around. This creates a very dangerous situation for cars that are driving to the roundabout or turning into the school.

Also, please do not exit your vehicle during drop off or pick up times. We have staff that will assist the students exit or enter the vehicles as necessary. This limits pedestrian traffic in the road and near our opened gates.

Thank you!

At Seminole, we are committed to Read Aloud A Lot. Students spend time daily reading aloud in class. Students daily are required to read 20 minutes at home for homework. Students K-2 should be reading the fluency passages sent home by the teacher and grades 3-5 should be reading books at home.

Stay Informed About Meals at Seminole! 🥞🍎

Access the December Breakfast and Lunch Menus on our District Website by clicking here. These menus are packed with delicious and nutritious options to fuel our students for success!

Remember, breakfast and lunch are completely free for ALL Seminole students. Make sure your child takes advantage of these healthy meal offerings every day! 🥪✨

Parents, please check out this wonderful free resource! Even if your family is not eligible to receive books, there are still free resources available to help your child with reading!

Link to New Worlds Reading Website

Parents, does your child need additional assistance?

Okeechobee County School District has partnered with Varsity Tutors for Schools! All students now have access to the Varsity Tutors learning resources like live classes, chat tutoring, and more. Some students may have been assigned tutoring by your school, ask your teacher or school office if this has been provided to you. All Okeechobee County School District families can sign up for paid supplemental private tutoring for their students at a discounted rate!

Click here to learn more information about what it is, how to login, and so much more!