Principal Weekly Update to Families

Dear Disney Families,

We are off and running into the 24-25 school year. It has been a great start to the year!

This week, teachers reviewed safety procedures at Disney. Standard Response Protocol is a series of clear, concise actions established to provide consistency in vocabulary and response during an emergency. We will practice these procedures during school-wide drills.

Mark your calendars:

• August 19 - Core Knowledge Curriculum Night
• 5:00-5:30 - Kindergarten-Second Grade
• 5:30-6:00 - Third Grade-Fifth Grade
• August 22 - 4:00-7:00 Raising Cane's Night
• September 2 & 3 - No School for Students
• September 12 - 5:30-7:00 - Disney's 50 year celebration

Before and After School Traffic

Pull all the way forward when pulling into the circle drive for drop off and pick up. Students need to exit and enter the vehicle on the passenger side. Parents, please stay in your vehicle, we will help students in and out of the vehicle. Do not park in the circle if you need to enter the building. Please use the parking stalls. Thank you for your cooperation.

Dr. Cindy Scharff

Disney Principal

If your student is not yet signed up for 4th or 5th grade Strings, please scan the QR code with your phone or computer camera to complete the Google Form ASAP. You must complete this form to register and/or to request an instrument. Lessons being the week of August 26th, families registered will receive the schedule sometime next week.

Email Mrs. Overstreet at ljoverstreet@mpsomaha.org with any questions.

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community:

Thank you for your continued support of the students and staff here at school. I want to share an important area where we need your help as we embark on the 2024-25 school year.

Chronic absence has become a national crisis. Data show chronic absence nearly doubled by the end of the 2021-22 school year. It now affects nearly one out of three students. Chronic absence is typically defined as missing 10% of the school year - or just two days each month - for any reason. Regardless of why your student may miss, studies indicate students who are chronically absent from school often read below grade level and struggle to understand math concepts. To tackle this challenge, all hands are needed. We have set an average daily attendance goal of 95% for this school year. As we look at data from this past year, we had numerous days where we fell significantly short of that 95%. We know we can do better with your help and a renewed emphasis on our part.

Things to Consider:

● Absences: Please communicate all absences, each day, to the front office to avoid unexcused absences when possible.

● Appointments: Please attempt to make appointments early or late in the day to reduce missed classroom time. Remember to bring a note from the provider to the main office so it can be logged in the attendance record.

● Plan Around School Breaks: In education, every minute matters. Please make every effort to plan vacations, trips, and student absences around school breaks.

● Role Model the Importance of Education: Students learn about the importance of being on time and accountable at school, work, and other obligations by watching the adults in their lives. This is

an essential life skill we can all teach them together.

● Monitor How Sick Is Too Sick: It will always be important to keep children home when they are not feeling well, but we hope we can cut down on the amount of school missed for other reasons. Reminder: If your student has

accrued fifteen (15) medical parent excused (MPE) days of school, we will notify you that subsequent MPE days

will require medical documentation in order to be marked as excused.

● Tardiness: Please ensure your student is getting to school on time so they can begin the day in a productive manner. School starts promptly at 8:30 AM.

Addressing chronic absenteeism and tardiness is a team approach. Our school attendance team, which includes Rye McIntosh, elementary school social worker and Meagan Basye, early childhood community counselor, this year will identify attendance and tardy concerns and provide information and resources directly to families to improve student attendance.

Together, we can get back to an average daily attendance rate of 95% or higher, which helps individual and overall student achievement. Please help us achieve this critical goal. If you have any questions about your child’s absences or you want to brainstorm some strategies with me, please do not hesitate to contact me. Hopefully we can count you in towards working together to show that every school day matters.

Walt Disney Elementary School

Admin Intern: Mr. Tony Gentile

Secretary: Mrs. Kindalynn Mascarello

Website: https://disney.mpsomaha.org/
Address: 5717 S. 112th Street Omaha, NE. 68137
Phone: (402) 715-2350
Facebook: facebook.com/Disneydolphins
Twitter: @DisneyDolphins

Walt Disney Elementary, a diverse school devoted to each child, guarantees all students a world-class education through challenging, engaging, and innovative learning experiences. We will ensure students demonstrate academic excellence and social and emotional skills necessary for personal success in a global society.

Dr. John Schwartz, Superintendent

President - Stacy Jolley

Vice President - Mike Kennedy

Secretary - Linda Poole

Treasurer - Amanda McGill Johnson

Board Member - Mike Pate

Board Member - Lisa Schoenberger