Wickliffe Family Update

Dear Families,

Welcome back to another exciting school year! We are thrilled to see our school buzzing with the energy and enthusiasm that only our students can bring. Whether you're returning to our school or joining us for the first time, we are committed to making this year a great year for everyone.

Please take a moment to read through the important drop-off and pick-up details below, as there are some changes this year. We are sharing this information to ensure the safety of our students during these times of the day. At pick-up, please place a sign in your front window with your student’s name, teacher, and grade. Thank you!

Best regards,

Angela

August 13: "Sneek-a-Peek" before school starts (4:00-5:30)

August 14: First day of school for 1st-5th graders and half of our K students

August 15: First day of school for the other half of K students

August 16: All students at Wickliffe!

August 16: PTO Sponsored family coffee on the playground after morning drop off

August 22: Parent Information Night:

• 1st and 4/5 @ 6:00-6:45
• 2/3 @ 7:00-7:45

August 30: Picture Day

School Day Hours

• School Day: 8:10am-2:50pm (students can begin to arrive to the playground at 8am)

• Tardy bell: 8:15am

• Lunch Block: 11:00am-12:20pm

• K/1 11:40-12:25 (Recess/Lunch)

• 2/3 11:05-11:55 (Lunch / Recess)

• 4/5 11:10-11:55 (Recess / Lunch)

• Office Hours: 8:00am-4:00pm

Traveling To and From Wickliffe

Wickliffe Office:

• Our Wickliffe office is at the front of the building off of Wickliffe Road. When arriving at the building, you will always need to be buzzed into the main office when you arrive so that you can check in appropriately. Please don’t forget to bring your driver’s license if you need to enter the building or if you plan to pick up a child for any reason.

Routes To and From School During Arrival and Dismissal:

• There are many ways to travel to and from Wickliffe! If your child is walking or biking, please remind them to cross at the designated marked crosswalks. When on school property – which includes crosswalks and sidewalks – students must walk their bicycles.

Walkers:

• In the AM walkers can enter at the front or back part of the building.

• In the PM walkers will exit the building out back near the black top/playground. Siblings/parents will meet out back. Walkers will NOT be dismissed out front near the bus lane. Only bussers/daycare vans will exit out the front.

• As students walk home, they will need to follow the same safety precautions of walking on the sidewalks around the building.

• If you plan to meet your child at dismissal, please determine the spot that your child is supposed to meet you. This will help your child know where to find you at the end of the day. Please plan for this spot to be out back and not in the front part of the building.

• If you are driving and plan to park your car and then pick up your child on foot, please follow the suggested street parking signs. There should be no parking along Cimmaron Rd. and Eastcleft Dr. during morning drop-off. There should be no parking along Eastleft during dismissal. We will have a number of students moving around in those areas and, for safety, it’s best if students and families are not crossing in areas where our car drop off/pick up occurs.

• Cimmaron Rd. is available for parking on both sides at the end of the day for parents who want to pick their children up on the playground by foot.

Bussers:

• Will arrive at school and stay on the bus until 8:10 when the morning bell rings. Students will then enter the building and go directly to their classrooms.

• Students will get picked up by the bus at the end of the day in the bus lane at the front of the building (Wickliffe Road)

Bikers:

• Please use the bike racks that are at the back of the building near the blacktop.

• Please remind your child that when riding their bike, they need to start walking once they are on school sidewalks.

Please do not drop children off prior to 8:00am as school doors are locked.

Car Line:

• AM Drop Off:

• The car line involves driving along Eastcleft Dr. from the east and dropping your child off at the designated areas just before the indent in the sidewalk. (When in doubt, look for the signs for car drop off.) In the drop off area, there are aides and teachers on duty from 8:00am through 8:15am and 2:50pm through 3:05pm. To use the car line, please pull all the way forward in your car, as far as you can, and then you can let your child(ren) out of the car once you are in the drop off zone. All students K-5 can use the car lines.

• PM Pick Up:

• ALL students will get picked up on Eastcleft Dr. at the end of the day.

• Please place a sign in your window with your child’s name and grade on the passenger side of the car.

• Car Line Drop off/Pick up reminders:

• Pull all the way up to the front of the drop off lane.

• Do NOT allow your child to exit the car outside of the drop off and pick up zone as it slows the car line.

• Children need to exit/enter on the right side of the car.

• Students need to be ready to get out of the car as you pull forward (backpacks and lunch boxes in hand).

• DO NOT pull around cars after you drop your child off. Please stay with the flow of the line. While we know people are in a hurry in the morning, our priority is the safety of everyone.

• Parents need to stay in the car during drop off/pick up. The teachers on duty will help assist with getting students out of the car.

• Please keep your child in the car until you see an adult on duty at 8:00 am.

• If your child arrives past 8:15, and there is not a teacher out on duty, please bring them to the front office to check in.

• DO NOT drop your child off in either parking lot during the 8:00-8:15 time frame. You will need to use the car line.

• There is NO parking, drop off or pick up in the Eastcleft Drive staff parking lot. This is a dangerous spot with the potential of students crossing on foot and bikes coming and going at that time.

• PLEASE do not block the entrance to the staff parking lot.

• Please do not drop children off prior to 8:00am as school doors are locked.

• All daycare and school busses will pick up and drop off students on the Wickliffe Road entrance to the school.

Before School Procedure:

• Students will be directed to the playground at 8:00, weather permitting. They will be supervised by our staff until 8:10 when they will line up and head to their classrooms.

• In the event of inclement weather, students will enter the school and go to the gym or the town square, as directed by our staff members.

• Students should be in their classrooms and ready to learn by 8:15. (Tardy Bell rings at 8:15)

Late Arrival or Early Sign-out:

• If your child is arriving late to school (after 8:15am) or is getting picked up before the end of the school day, they must be signed in/out by a parent or caregiver in the Main Office on Wickliffe Rd. Please remember to bring your drivers license or digital pass to sign out your child.

Dismissal:

• We will be using a staggered dismissal plan and will begin dismissing the following groups starting at 2:45 pm.

1. All UA bus riders, daycare pick-up busses or vans/SACC students/ will be dismissed at 2:45

2. All walkers/bikers/car riders will be dismissed shortly after the first group.

Parking:

• We have a few visitor parking spots in the Wickliffe Road lot. These are for visitors who are going to be in the building for a short period of time. There is street parking available all around the building. Please follow the street signs that indicate where you are able to park.

• There will soon be designated parking in the bus lane between the hours of 9 am - 2 pm

• Email your child’s teacher and copy wickliffeattendance with ANY attendance-related information

• Avoid scheduling appointments during the school day. If you must schedule during the school day, try to schedule early in the morning or late in the afternoon and avoid recess times whenever possible.

• It can be challenging to find students during recess, so please allow yourself extra time if this is your only option

• Obtain a medical excuse every time you visit a doctor, dentist, orthodontist, therapist, etc.

• Scroll down to the Helpful Links section below for full details about the district's attendance policies and procedures.

• Inside the vestibule, there is a shelf where you can leave things such as lunches, iPads, jackets, etc. Please use the provided post-it notes, markers, and tape to indicate your child's name along with their teacher's name.
• Our educational aides regularly check these shelves and will ensure that the items are delivered to your child's classroom or the lunchroom.

Please do not apply stickers or write on the iPad keyboard cases, as devices may be reassigned to other students throughout the year. Reassignment occurs when students graduate, transfer, or when devices need repair. The new keyboard cases are district property and durable assets intended to last for several years, not consumable items.

We have received some questions about what stylus, or specifically Apple Pencil, would work with the new iPads that students are receiving for this school year. The answer is that, like the headphones, any USB-C stylus, including the Apple Pencil USB-C, will connect with the new 10th generation iPads. Students can also continue to use any non-USB-C stylus, such as the Apple Pencil 1st generation, but will need to purchase a USB-C adapter to connect the stylus to their new iPad. It is important to note that specifically the Apple Pencil Pro along with the Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) will NOT work with the student iPads.

New iPads will be distributed to all students during the first weeks of school. These iPads no longer feature a traditional headphone jack; therefore you may need to buy new headphones for your student. We only recommend the official Apple USB-C headphone adapter: https://a.co/d/01oRJL6N. This is the only one we can guarantee is compatible with our 10th-generation iPads.

However, these types of adapters may get lost quickly. There are many third-party options available for the USB-C headphone adapter cable. These are some alternatives that our technology department suggested:

• https://a.co/d/0fUkocjn

• https://a.co/d/0096Wfpj

Get ready for school by downloading the new Upper Arlington Schools app! The launch of our new district app coincides with our new website, launched in June. The app gives families access to important information like school year calendars, school day schedules, and information to report a student absence — all in the palm of their hands. You can download the app in the App Store or Google Play.

Any prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician as well as written parental permission. Per Ohio Revised Code, the Prescribed Medication must be received by the health office in the container in which it was dispensed by the provider or pharmacist (we cannot accept medication in baggies). Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website at: UA Health Forms. Should you have any questions, please contact the Windermere Health Office at 614-487-5060.

META Columbus, our PowerSchool host, has planned maintenance that requires everything to be powered down on August 17th. During the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. maintenance window, you will not be able to access any of our PowerSchool portals.

🛑 🚲 🛴 Click HERE to view our guidelines for arriving to and leaving school. 🚙 🚌 🛑

This is important information related to the safety of our students, staff and families. Please read it carefully. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me.

It’s time to get ready for the 2024-2025 school year! Please read this full email for important back-to-school information to complete for new and returning students before the first day of school.

Class/Teacher Assignments (Grades 1-12)

Grades 1-12 students and their parents/guardians can now view class/teacher assignments in PowerSchool. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school.

Back-to-School Forms for Returning Students (PreK and Grades 1-12)

Back-to-school forms for returning students in preK and grades 1-12 are now available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal by clicking “Forms” in the left navigation menu.

Parents/guardians for all returning students will need to access and complete all available forms in PowerSchool to verify and update important student information. These forms involve parent/guardian contacts, emergency contacts, medical history and all technology forms associated with students’ school-issued devices, including the optional Technology Protection Plan.

Please complete your student’s forms before the first day of the school year (August 14, 2024).

For step-by-step instructions on how to access the forms in the Parent Portal, please visit our website, www.uaschools.org/backtoschool. If you have any questions about the back-to-school forms or difficulty accessing the PowerSchool Parent Portal, please contact backtoschool@uaschools.org.

Student Fees for New and Returning Students (Grades K-12)

Families of new and returning students can log in to SPS EZpay to pay any fees associated with their students. At this time, the fees available for payment include:

• Instructional fees for elementary students (K-5);

• Middle school optional community building / social fees; and

• The optional Technology Protection Plan fee ($25) for students in grades K-12.

Families wishing to purchase the optional Technology Protection Plan must complete the technology forms in PowerSchool AND pay the $25 fee in SPS EZpay before the first day of the 2024-2025 school year (August 14, 2024). If the $25 fee is not paid by the first day of school, the plan is void.

Middle school and high school course fees will be available in September. Fall athletic fees and UAHS parking fees will be available after those assignments are completed by the schools. Please allow 48 hours from the time of course enrollment to see fees updated in EZPay.

If paying these school fees will cause a hardship for your family, please contact your child’s principal or school counselor.

For instructions on how to create an SPS EZpay account or add a new student to an account, please visit www.uaschools.org/backtoschool. If you have any questions about student fees, please contact fees@uaschools.org. If you have difficulty accessing your account, please call 1-866-MYEZPAY.

Bus Route Information (Grades K-8)

Bus routes for any K-8 families who requested busing for the school year are now available in the Traversa My Ride K-12 website and app, available for Apple and Android devices.

For instructions on how to set up a My Ride K-12 account, please access this document. You will need your student's six-digit school ID number, available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal, to connect your student with your account.

Please note that the Transportation Department is continuing to refine bus routes, and there may still be slight changes in your child’s pickup or drop-off times. We encourage you to check the Traversa My Ride website or app again on Tuesday, August 13 to confirm these times for your students. We also ask that students arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes before their scheduled pickup time to ensure that our routes run efficiently.

If you have any questions or concerns about your student’s route information or difficulties registering for a Traversa account, please contact schoolbusquestions@uaschools.org.

We are super excited to welcome our students and families next Tuesday (Aug. 13) for our Sneak-a-Peek event from 4:00-5:30! This is meant to be a fun and brief visit, so feel free to drop in, find your classroom, say hello, and take a quick look around the space.

The bulk school supply program is back for the 2024/2025 school year! With one annual fee, we can ensure all students start the year equally and with the supplies they need. This program leverages bulk buying to obtain school supplies for the year including: markers, scissors, journals, tape, pencils, erasers, folders, paper, etc. These supplies can be shared across grade levels and classrooms further reducing costs. Supplies are distributed to each classroom prior to the start of the school year. We strive to keep costs as low as we can for families while also making the process as convenient as possible.

The fee for the 2024/2025 school year is $40. You can visit https://www.wickliffepto.org/school_supplies to pay school supply fees, field trip transportation fees, and PTO dues for the year all in one convenient location. Questions can be directed to the PTO at wickliffepto@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you soon!

If you are moving to a new home within UA Schools, you will need to complete a Change of Address form. Please email UAenrollment and they will send the form(s) you need.

If you are moving out of Upper Arlington, please complete a Withdrawal Form as soon as possible. We have printed copies available in the office. If you would like a form emailed to you, please reach out to Teresa Morley. Please return your child's iPad, borrowed library books and other items belonging to Wickliffe to the school office. Office hours are 8:00 - 3:00 most week days. Please label the items with your child's name.

Want more information about our PTO, events, and activities?

We encourage you to join the PTO and bookmark this website to stay up-to date.

Welcome back to the 24/25 school year! We are excited to reconnect with our returning families and looking forward to getting to know our new families! Please join

us Friday August 16th to meet and mingle with other parents/caregivers. We will gather on the blacktop behind the school after morning drop off. Coffee will be provided by the PTO, we look forward to seeing you then!

Please be on the lookout for the monthly PTO newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming events, important announcements, and volunteer opportunities!

• The bulk school supply program is back for the 2024/2025 school year! With one annual fee, we can ensure all students start the year equally and with the supplies they need. This program leverages bulk buying to obtain school supplies for the year including: markers, scissors, journals, tape, pencils, erasers, folders, paper, etc. These supplies can be shared across grade levels and classrooms further reducing costs. Supplies are distributed to each classroom prior to the start of the school year. We strive to keep costs as low as we can for families while also making the process as convenient as possible.

• The fee for the 2024/2025 school year is $40. If you have not done so already, please visit https://www.wickliffepto.org/school_supplies to pay school supply fees, field trip transportation fees, and PTO dues for the year all in one convenient location. You may be asked to update your information prior to purchase. If you do not yet know your child’s teacher for the year, this can be left blank and added at a later date. Questions can be directed to the PTO at wickliffepto@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you soon!

• To safeguard students' privacy, the school does not share class lists. However, parents can add a student's teacher assignment to the Wickliffe family directory. Once other parents update the teacher assignment for their children you will be able to connect with the families in your child's class. If you would like this information shared, please take a moment to add your child's teacher assignment to your family's directory profile by clicking here (or use the PTO website menu option My Account / My Forms / Step 1: Family Information > Next Step to Step 2: Student Information).

• The online directory can only be viewed by current Wickliffe families. The Wickliffe Family Directory is a secure, password-protected online directory that allows Wickliffe families to easily update their own contact information and find the contacts of the parents of their student's classmates and friends. Find out more in the Directory FAQs

We always have opportunities to volunteer and all are welcome! If you are interested in volunteering on a committee or in a specific role, please fill out the survey to indicate your interest and we will be in touch! If time constraints limit your availability, please be on the lookout for sign up geniuses for various needs throughout the year!

• Classroom coordinators aim to help teachers. They are a liaison between the teacher, PTO, and classroom families, helping to bridge communication and community. They help with communication by relaying information to families about announcements, reminders, activities, events, and volunteer opportunities within the classroom and the larger community. If you are interested in pursuing this role for your child’s classroom this year please indicate your interest here or email Anita Bracha at a_rigoli@yahoo.com.

We are starting to plan for this year's PTO After School Discovery program. The After School Discovery program lets K-5 students explore diverse interests through fun extracurricular courses like STEM, fashion, Lego sculptures, magic, chess, music, drama, basketball, and more! After School Discovery has been a huge success in the past because of the amazing support from our Wickliffe community, including school staff, families, and local businesses.

Do you have a special skill or interest that you want to share with Wickliffe students? We are accepting instructor applications for courses for the 2024-2025 school year. Classes will begin Monday, Sept 23rd, are usually offered once per week, and run for six classes (with no class on days where there is no school) plus a make-up class if needed. All course instructors will be compensated through course fees. The instructor sets the price, class size, grades, and curriculum, and we coordinate the rest. If you or someone you know has a skill or passion to share with K-5 students through After School Discovery, please apply here, or contact the ASD planning committee at wickliffeptoasd@gmail.com. Applications are due August 23rd. Thank you!

Rachel Menezes, Robin Ralston, Marisa Martin, Shanna Jaggars, & Mayling Mckinley

Committee Members

After School Discovery

Wickliffe Progressive Elementary PTO

Please direct any questions to the After School Discovery committee at wickliffeptoasd@gmail.com. Course-specific communications will be sent from notify@membershiptoolkit.com. Add us to your address book to ensure you receive important information, such as schedule changes.

Some of the following links may not work after the conversion. We will update this Helpful Links section very soon.

Attendance Information - Click link for full details

• If your child will be absent from school, please email wickliffeattendance@uaschools.org. Please state a reason for your child’s absence. If you are emailing your child’s teacher regarding attendance, simply copy the attendance email - no need to send separate emails.

• There is a link to the attendance email in the Upper Arlington Schools app

• District Attendance Policy

• Please obtain a medical excuse for ANY visit to a doctor, dentist, therapist, etc that occurs during a school day.

Planned Absence Form - Forms should be completed 10 school days in advance of the first date of the planned absence whenever possible. Otherwise, the absence may be unexcused.

District Website Link

• 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

• A-E Calendar

Drop off/Pick up information

Instagram Account ~ @wickwolves

Lunch Menu

Lunchroom Helper - click here to Volunteer

Nurse Notes

Any prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician as well as written parental permission. Per Ohio Revised Code, the Prescribed Medication must be received by the health office in the container in which it was dispensed by the provider or pharmacist (we cannot accept medication in baggies). Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website at: UA Health Forms. Should you have any questions, please contact the Wickliffe Health Office at 614-487-5150.

PowerSchool Parent Portal: https://ps-uar.metasolutions.net/public/home.html

If you need assistance logging into PowerSchool, you may reach out to: familytechhelp@uaschools.org

Technology Family Support

• Check out this resource for K-5 families.

• WOSU Digital Wellness

• CommonSense Media Activities

Transportation Services

Email: schoolbusquestions@uaschools.org

UA Flyer Connection

Wickliffe PTO

Links to Previous Updates:

All of our updates can be found on the Wickliffe website under “school news”.