News to Know: Back to School

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Greetings from Indian Landing! We hope that you had an enjoyable summer! We are eager and excited to welcome students back to school for the first day on Tuesday, September 3rd!

One of the most important tasks that we need to complete each school year is coordinating student dismissal plans. Car pick-up and Walker Door dismissal will be done in three waves starting at approximately 3:20 p.m. Bus dismissal begins at 3:25 p.m. Independent walkers are dismissed once all buses have cleared the loop. Details about arrival and dismissal procedures can be found below.

To help us plan accordingly, and make the process efficient for families, we must know the specific plan for each student. if you haven't already done so, please complete this dismissal form for EACH child in your family. We need a form for every student by Wednesday, August 21st in order to finalize our dismissal procedures.

Have you signed up for ParentSquare yet? ParentSquare is a unified communications platform that is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with Penfield CSD. It provides a safe way for district administrators, principals, teachers, staff, coaches and parents to communicate, all in one place! All district, school, grade level and classroom information will be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience and additional options, download the ParentSquare app (available for free on iOS and Android devices). We encourage parents to visit ParentSquare and register as soon as possible. Please note that you need to use the same email address or phone number you have in Infinite Campus to register.

We know that the start of a new school year can be very hectic, so we attempted to include all pertinent information in this newsletter so you can access it in one spot. This newsletter includes information about Supply Drop-Off on August 29th, our IL arrival and dismissal procedures, medication at school, school lunches and much more! There is also information about Homecoming 2024. Supply lists for each grade level are posted on our Indian Landing website.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at mware@penfield.edu if you have questions or concerns.

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer vacation! I look forward to seeing you in September!

Sincerely,

Marcie Ware

Principal

Eric Traugott

Assistant Principal

Students may drop off supplies, see their classroom, and meet their teacher on Thursday, August 29th. Due to limited parking we will once again be utilizing TWO thirty minute waves during the Supply Drop-Off hour. Families with last names M-Z should plan to visit from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. and families A-L should attend from 2:30-3:00 p.m. Due to required meetings and professional development activities, teachers are not available to meet students outside of this window.

Typically, Supply Drop-Off is very busy and crowded, and it can be overwhelming for our new and youngest students. We know that students are excited to be back in the building and after meeting their new teacher they will often walk around the building to seek out friends or to visit with their teachers from previous years. While we always welcome the interactions with students, due to time constraints and continued clean-up from the capital project, we are kindly requesting the following-

• Please limit your visits to your child's CURRENT TEACHER ONLY. Children will have many opportunities (when it is less crowded and busy) to connect with all teachers and staff once the school year gets underway. This also allows the teacher to focus on and greet their new students to make sure they are feeling welcomed and comfortable.
• Please be mindful of your time in the classroom. We ask that you greet the teacher, drop off supplies, find your child's desk, look around, and then leave the room. Spending just 10-15 minutes in the room will help ensure that we can give everyone a chance to visit their room.
• Please do not linger or gather in the hallways. This will minimize congestion and allow everyone to get where they need to be.
• Please adhere to your designated timeslot- M-Z 2:00 to 2:30; A-L 2:30 to 3:00.

We will have entrances in both the front and back of the building open. Please use the entrance that is closest to your child's classroom:

• Main Entrance- all kindergarten, all grade 1 except Page, grade 2 Nevins, all grade 4
• Back Doors- 1st Grade Page, grade 2 O'Hara, Diaz, McDermott, and all grade 3
• New Wing in Front of Building Lower Lot- all grade 5

Thank you in advance for adhering to these procedures. This will help make Supply Drop-Off a fun and safe event for all!

Indian Landing's Project LEAD team is a school-based committee comprised of both parents and teachers. LEAD stands for Learning, Evolving and Advancing Diversity. We acknowledge respect, honor, and value the diversity of our community by welcoming all cultural identities, orientations, socioeconomic statues, and abilities. We will foster a culture where all feel safe, seen, heard, represented, and respected. To help support our mission, please complete respond to the following questions. We will use your responses to broaden our understanding of our Indian Landing community and to inform and deepen our instructional practices, our school climate, and most importantly, our relationships with students and families.

Please complete this survey by September 8, 2024. If you would prefer a paper version, please contact Marcie Ware at mware@penfield.edu.

Project LEAD Family Survey 24-25

More info will be coming in the September newsletter, but please mark the following dates on your calendar!

• Wednesday, August 21st- Kindergarten Popsicles on the Playground; 6:30 p.m. See details below!
• Thursday, September 12th- PTO meeting, 7:00 p.m. IL Library
• Friday, September 13th — Homecoming Celebration at PHS
• Tuesday, September 17th — Curriculum Night; Grades 3-5 6:30-8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 18th — Curriculum Night; Grades K-2 6:30-8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 18th — School Picture Day! See details below!
• Friday, September 20th — IL & Red Wings Family Night

All six Penfield schools operate on a five-day rotating schedule (Days 1-5). At the elementary level, most days the schedule is exactly the same, except for special area classes and Rti support. Below is a full year calendar that includes the rotation of days 1-5 from September to June. If you would like to download and print a copy, please click this link Days 1-5 Calendar Rotation

School pictures will be taken on Wednesday, September 18th. We are once again excited to partner with CLIX studios for our school photos. Order forms will be sent home in backpacks and they will also be emailed the week of September 9th. Online ordering is is also available now! Use code 24IL Paper order forms cannot be accepted after Picture Day.

The PHS staff are working hard to make 2024 Homecoming a great family-friendly, community event! This year Homecoming will take place September 9th-13th and will include a district-wide spirit week, sporting events, food truck, a kids' Fun Zone, and fireworks on Friday night, September 13th.

One of the most important tasks that we need to complete each school year is coordinating student dismissal plans. Car pick-up and Walker Door dismissal will be done in three waves starting at approximately 3:20 p.m. Bus dismissal begins at 3:25 p.m. Independent walkers are dismissed once all buses have cleared the loop.

To help us plan accordingly, and make the process efficient for families, we must know the specific plan for each student. if you haven't already done so, please complete this dismissal form for EACH child in your family. We need a form for every student by as soon as possible in order to finalize our dismissal procedures.

As we start the school year, it is a good time to review procedures for our morning car drop-off. All vehicles for A.M. drop off should enter the loop in the rear of the building off of Forest Hills Rd. We kindly ask that all vehicles pull forward completely and use all available sidewalk space in the designated unloading area. Staff members will be on duty in the unloading zone to greet students and let them into the building at 8:40 a.m. Under no circumstances should a student be left in the drop-off area without a staff member present. The gate closes at 8:50 a.m. After that time students are tardy and will need to be signed in at the Main Entrance by an adult.

There will be plenty of IL staff members on hand (especially the first few days of school) to make sure students know how to find their classroom.

Our loop exits back out on to Forest Hills Rd. This is a road that is used by many of our walkers so we ask that you please be extra vigilant when entering and exiting the lot.

If your child is picked up by car— All vehicles for afternoon pick-up should enter the loop in the rear of the building from Forest Hills Rd. The gate will not open until 3:10 p.m. This is a “no idle” area and cars should be turned off completely while waiting. We kindly ask that all vehicles pull forward and follow the directions of our staff members on duty (see map above).

We will once again be utilizing a staggered schedule organized into three alphabetical waves This will also minimize congestion on the side roads and allow our buses access to the bus loop.

We will begin calling students for car pick-up at 3:20 p.m. based upon a staggered pick-up schedule. Students will be sent down to the dismissal area in waves based upon alphabet. The exact schedule will be shared after all student dismissal plans are finalized. All vehicles will be provided with a color-coded window sign that has your child's last name and designated dismissal wave. Having this sign displayed in your car will expedite the process tremendously.

With such a high volume of vehicles at car pick-up each day, we kindly ask that you please be patient. Adults should remain in the vehicle at all times. Please do not exit your car and go up to the dismissal door.

If your child walks/rides a bike home independently— All students who walk/ride home on their own without an adult, are dismissed after all bus and car traffic has cleared at approximately 3:30 p.m.

If your child walks home, but is met by an adult at school (walker door)— Students are dismissed at the walker door in the back of the building in alphabetical waves (schedule will be shared after all dismissal forms are complete). Adults at walker door pick-up will need to check in (and show ID) with the staff member on duty before a child is released. This option is meant for neighborhood families who are not comfortable with having their child walk home independently. We ask that parents please keep a close eye on children (and have them within reach) at all times.

As there is already traffic congestion during dismissal, under no circumstances should adults park on school grounds and utilize the walker door for dismissal. If you are driving to pick your child up then you should use the car pick-up line.

If your child attends the YMCA Childcare Program— Students are dismissed from their homerooms to the YMCA program in the gym at 3:25 p.m. Students in grades K and 1 are escorted to the YMCA by IL staff members.

If your child takes the bus home— All students who ride the bus home will be dismissed from their classroom to the bus loop at approximately 3:25 p.m. Please be patient the first week of school as our buses are often delayed. Please be advised that due to limited capacity on several bus runs, students are not permitted to ride a bus other than their assigned bus.

In addition to the specific procedures for arrival and dismissal, I would like to remind you of a few other important policies—

· Adults should be prepared to show ID whenever they are picking up a child from school. This includes the receptionist’s desk, walker door and car pick-up. All visitors are expected to show ID and state their purpose for being at the building before entering.

· No students will be dismissed at the receptionist’s desk between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m. If you need to come in to sign your child out, please arrive prior to 3:00 p.m. or use the walker door or car pick-up line.

· Changes to dismissal cannot be accepted via email. All changes to dismissal should be submitted in writing and must include a parent/guardian signature. Please do not email the teacher or the main office. If you have an emergency and need to change the dismissal plan, please call 249-6910. Phone calls with last-minute dismissal changes should be for urgent situations only.

· The front parking lot is the designated area for parking. Vehicles are not permitted in the bus loop at any time.

· Please be vigilant. There are many students that walk to and from school who use the nearby sidewalks. Please drive slowly and carefully, and always be on alert for children nearby.

Prices for school meals are as follows:

• Student Breakfast- $1.70
• Student Lunch: $3.00
• Milk- $.60

The MySchoolBucks system allows parents to pre-pay for meals and snacks. Instructions on how to register are available on the site at www.myschoolbucks.com . Note: You will need your child's Student ID number to register. Additional help is available at the following link: FAQs.

Parents may also pre-pay for lunches by sending in a check made out to: Penfield School Lunch. Students can hand the check to the cashier when going through the lunch line and the money will be credited to their account. Please make sure your child's name is on the memo line of the check.

For information please visit the PCSD Food Services webpage

Use this link to access the Free and Reduced Lunch application

We have many Indian Landing students with life-threatening food allergies. This year our students will be eating snack in the classroom and lunch in the cafeteria. It is important that we do our best to avoid exposure and contamination of surfaces.

At the start of school our school nurse will be sending home letters about decreasing the risk of exposure. If your child comes home with a letter, we kindly ask for your cooperation. Please do not send in foods for in-class snacks or lunch that contain the allergens as identified in the letter.

Thank you for helping to keep our students safe!

We included a reminder in our June newsletter and it is included in our handbook, but I wanted to again share information about district policies relating to medication. School nurses are prohibited by law from dispensing medication of any kind to students without written authorization from parents. This is for all over the counter medications, creams, lotions, daily medication, emergency medication, and all prescription medication.

You may drop off any medication and paperwork on the School Supply Drop Off date, August 29th from 2:00pm-3:00pm in the Nurse's office.

If you have questions, please contact our school nurse at 249-6907.

Supply lists for each grade level are posted on our Indian Landing website.

The Indian Landing Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is a partnership of parents, teachers, and administrators committed to supporting and enhancing the educational experience and social growth of all students at Indian Landing Elementary School. The Indian Landing Parent Teacher Organization is similar to other parent-teacher groups and is comprised of a volunteer board of directors, elected officers, and members, including the principal and a teacher representative. Through monthly meetings and fundraising throughout the school year, the Indian Landing PTO supports the Arts in Education program, provides volunteers in the school, and plans numerous social activities, programs, and clubs.

For more details on what the PTO is all about, please click here. To join please check out our Membership Form.

Email: Principal mware@penfield.edu

Assistant Principal etraugott@penfield.edu

Website: http://www.penfield.edu/IndianLanding.cfm?subpage=30142
Location: 702 North Landing Road, Rochester, NY, United States
Phone: 585-249-6900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianLandingElementarySchool/
instagram: @indianlandingelementary