Bear Families,

We had A LOT of MTSS meetings this week to look at students' data. It is SO worth it because now we have combed through everything and are ready to take action. As we continue working the plan for students or make some adjustments we will loop you in. We look forward to sharing your child's data at parent/teacher conferences, discussing observations and wonderings and working together to ensure the best year of learning for your child(ren). Conferences are October 14th to the 17th. If you have not signed up, please check your email for the link from PTCFast or reach out to us so we can help you get signed up. We aim for 100% participation because we feel this is a very valuable time for us to hear from you as experts on your child and for you to hear from us on what we are seeing at school. Please reach out to your child's teacher or call the office 614-450-5100 if you need any scheduling assistance.

Honored to be a Bear,

Julie L. Payne, Principal

Parents,

Introducing the XSEL Room!

XSEL stands for Extra Social Emotional Learning. The XSEL room is designed to help students learn to self-regulate when they are experiencing emotional or sensory dysregulation. The room has several regulation activities for students to do with an adult staffing the room. Students will take a 5 minute break then return to class. Our main goal for implementing this room is to help students recognize when they need a break and to help students find the right calming activity for them. Once students are able to practice those two skills, they will be better equipped to regulate in the classroom setting.

This week and next Mrs. Skura is doing classroom lessons with all students to talk about the XSEL room and how it is used. We anticipate it being ready to open in the beginning of October! Thank you to many parent donors and our PTA for making this possible!

Sincerely, Julie Payne (principal) and Alexandra Skura (counselor)

We really appreciate the support of PTA and generous parents who have helped to make this room possible. Linked below is a wish list of a few more items that would be really helpful in this new space. THANK YOU in advance for your support!

The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community are always our top priorities in Worthington Schools. Research and experience show that when students and staff are well-prepared through knowledge and practice, they can respond effectively to emergency situations. This is why we continuously engage in safety routines, drills, and learning to support the safety of everyone in our schools.

Historically, our schools have participated in several important safety drills:

• Fire Drills: These drills teach students and staff how to report fire hazards and safely evacuate the building using multiple exits.

• Weather Drills: These drills help everyone stay calm and safe during weather-related events, such as tornadoes, by identifying and using sheltered spaces within the building.

• Lock-Down Drills: These drills prepare us for situations where free movement within the school is restricted due to external disturbances or unauthorized visitors. They involve securing the school perimeter, classrooms, and common areas to keep everyone safe.

• Rally-Point Drills: These drills focus on safely exiting the building in cases of emergencies like a gas leak or unsafe visitor, and moving to a predetermined safe space away from the school.

In addition to these drills, Ohio law requires public schools to conduct a "Full Scale" Safety Drill every three years. This comprehensive drill combines elements of the previously practiced drills and includes a controlled classroom lockdown, as well as a simulated evacuation to move students away from the building in the event of danger.

Our staff has been trained in the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) emergency response model, which includes additional countermeasures during a lockdown to facilitate a safe evacuation to a Rally Point. In the event of an emergency requiring relocation, students would be transported to a designated "reunification" location, with the Worthington Education Center (WEC) being our primary consideration.

In October, we will provide instructions and practice opportunities for students across our schools to prepare for a Full Scale Safety Drill. By being well-prepared for unplanned interruptions, we aim to build confidence and ensure the ultimate safety of our students. We know that when students feel safe and understand safety protocols, they can better focus on their learning.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in keeping our schools safe.

I will share more information as we get closer to our Full Scale Drill. If you have concerns or think this will be upsetting for your child please reach out to Mrs. Payne or Mrs. Skura. Thank you!

Parents,

We have smoothed out our dismissal procedures and worked to ensure that dismissal is as efficient and effective as possible. Just letting you know this so that you have a heads up that your child(ren) might be coming out a minute or two earlier. We are not ending teaching any earlier, just more efficient in our release process. This change will really only be felt by our walkers and bike riders. Bussers and car pick up are already ready to receive students.

PLEASE help! We are very low on volunteers compared to last year! We can't run this crucial program with out our amazing volunteers! We NEED you!!!

Bluffsview is looking for volunteers to build reading skills with kindergarten students. Even if you only have 30 minutes a week, our kindergarten students would love to welcome you! Read below for more information and click HERE or on the flyer to register. Following registration, a program coordinator from our school will be in touch with more information.

• September 30th- First Bear Bunch Groups of the Year (during the school day)
• October 1st- 4:00-5:00 Ready for Reading Training for all Volunteers in the Library
• October 7th- Ready for Reading Program Begins!
• October 7th- 7:00 PTA Meeting, Library and Zoom
• October 8th- Planetarium come to Bluffsview- Thank you PTA!
• October 14th-16th- Conference Week
• October 17th- 6:00-8:00 Fall Family Fun Night- CORRECTION the time was incorrect before, it is 6:00-8:00!
• October 18th- No School
• October 22nd- Bluffsview Hosts XC Meet
• October 30th- Picture Retakes
• October 31st- Fall Parties




The calendar for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year is at this link.

Please mark your calendars and join us!

We are excited for another year of our Bluffsview Bears Cross Country program. We will be running on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday! All students who are interested in running or walking laps on a determined course on the playground on scheduled “Bears Running” days will be able to track their amount of laps across the “season” of recess running. They will earn small reward shoe tokens when having reached various mileage marks over the course of the season. We will also participate in optional races hosted by other Worthington Elementary schools throughout the fall. For more information check out our website and our Facebook page.

To sign up your Bear, please click on the link HERE.

If you would like to volunteer to help with our recess running time, please click HERE.

If you have further questions, please email Jen Miller at bluffsviewcrosscountry@gmail.com.

Mark your calendar for the evening of October 22nd when Bluffsview will host its 2nd annual XC Meet!!!

Worthington Schools is planning a change in how our Infinite Campus email is delivered. We plan to make the change before the end of this calendar year.

Prior to the change, all parents of students in Worthington Schools should view the brief parent guide linked below to ensure that emails continue to get delivered to your email inbox.

Parent Guide to Ensure Email is Received

When your child can't come to school it is important to let the office know. You can do this in two ways-

1) Call 614-450-5100 and report the absence.

2) Email bluattend@wscloud.org

Please be sure to communicate your child's name, date of the absence and reason for the absence.

THANK YOU! If you communicate it in any other way it might not get communicated to the right people and we may call looking for your child. This causes undue panic. Thanks for your help on this!

We are SO grateful to our families for ALL their support. If you are able, please click on this link and purchase an item that could really help us out! We appreciate it!

IF you missed it and you need help with technology, here are the things that were shared so that you can make sure you are receiving all the information and are able to help your child at home.

HelloID

Infinite Campus

Worthington App

Free and Reduced Application for Breakfast and Lunch

Smart Watches, including Apple Watches and Gizmos are permitted to be worn to school.

Upon arrival to the classroom students will have the choice to put the Apple Watch/Gizmo/Smart Watch in their backpack or give it to their teacher for safe keeping. Just like students are expected to keep phones in backpacks, the same expectation applies to smart watches.

"It is important that our transportation department has the correct pick up and drop off location for your child. Bus route information will be emailed to you on August 9th. Should you know in advance that your child will need an alternative bus stop on their assigned route due to child care or other reasons, please fill out the Alternative Transportation Request Form as soon as possible."

• Update Emergency Contact Info
• Login to the portal to put lunch money in your child's account
• Check to make sure my child has all the immunizations they need
• Locate my child's bus number and stop- beginning August 9th
• Apply for free or reduced meals, if applicable
• Pay fees on MyPaymentsPlus- Will be available on August 4th
• Purchase school supplies- Click on the "Supply List" button below to access the lists

Click the blue button below for assistance or to get to ANY of the items listed.

Times-

7:30 Doors Open and Buses Arrive

7:40 School Begins

2:20 Dismissal

Devices-

Students may bring web-enabled devices (cell phones, watches, etc.) to school, but they must remain turned off and in backpacks during school hours.

School Fees-

• REMOVED- Read Dr. Bower's Blog about Fee Removal Here

• Lunch prices will not change and will be $2.75

The USDA had school food services return to pre-pandemic operations last year.

Worthington Schools has eligibility-based pricing of meals (Free/Reduced/Paid).

All Worthington School families are required to complete the online Free/Reduced Lunch Eligibility Form. All students use their Lunch ID for meals. The student's number can be found in the Parent Portal. Select the Student ID tab and look for your Lunch PIN.

Families can add money to their lunch account through My Payments Plus. You can also use MPP to track your student's account and see much money remains on it. My Payments Plus is also used to pay other fees, like high school parking permits and AP testing fees.

The link below will take you to the updated handbook which is found on the district website. Parents are asked to digitally sign-off on the handbook as they update information for the school year.

2024-25 Elementary Student Handbook