Worthington Park Shark Sentinel

We are thrilled to share some exciting events happening at our school next week! Parent-Teacher Conferences are right around the corner, providing a valuable opportunity to connect with your child's teacher, celebrate their progress, and discuss goals for the year ahead. We look forward to these conversations and strengthening our home-school partnership.

In addition, our Scholastic Book Fair kicks off this Monday! This is a wonderful chance for students to explore new books, ignite their love for reading, and support our school. We can’t wait to see you there!

Please take a minute to review the information below- including information from our PTA, updates on both Halloween and Veteran's Day Celebrations, and lots of great pictures from the building. Thank you for your continued support partnership. Have a wonderful weekend and Go Sharks!

-Principal Garrity

(pgarrity@wscloud.org)

(614) 450-5500

"Did you miss our picture day earlier this Fall? Are you a new student to Worthington Park? Or do you need a retake?”

You are in luck! We have our “Picture Retake Day on Tuesday, October 22!! All students who missed the first round of pictures or are new to Park, will be called down to have their picture taken for the Yearbook. These parents will be able to order pictures the following Thursday (10/24) by going to: shop.hrimaging.com.

If you have received your student’s picture and would like to have it retaken, please send the order envelope with your student no later than 10/21! Your student then will have their picture retaken and the same package will be sent to you.

If you have any questions, please call Renee at 614-450-5500.

Hi Parents and Guardians,

Book fair begins Monday, October 14th. Your child can shop during their assigned class time this week OR I will be open during conferences. Monday 10/14 2:30-7:00 p.m., Tuesday 10/15 2:30-4:30 p.m., Wednesday 10/16 2:30-7:00 p.m. Thursday I will be closing right after school. Payments accepted include credit/debit card, cash, Apple Pay, E-wallet, check.

If you would like to set up an e-wallet account for your child, the link is included below! Thanks for supporting your child's school library and encouraging a love for reading!

-Miss Justus

We want to acknowledge those in our school community who are veterans and the great sacrifice they made for our country. If you or a member of your immediate family has served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Space Force we want to celebrate YOU!

Please send a photo via email to lmurphy@wscloud.org along with their name, branch of the military, years of service, and the name of the student with who you are connected. If you have previously sent in a picture, we still have it on file! (But you are always welcome to send in a new one!

We will be compiling these photos into a presentation that will be shown throughout the school building and posted on our school website! Please send those in by Friday, November 4th!

This event is our way of expressing deep gratitude for your service and sacrifice. We invite you to connect with our students and staff, share your stories, and allow us to recognize the contributions you've made to our country. If you have a student here at Park from Kindergarten-5th grade, and you have served, please take the time to RSVP for this fun event by clicking the link below.

Your presence enriches our school, and we look forward to celebrating you and all that you represent on this meaningful day.

URGENT REMINDER - The Emergency Data Review is a set of forms that parents/guardians complete at the start of each school year to make sure we have updated information for your family. It also contains permission for your child to participate in an annual Field Trip!!

Below is specific instructions on how to complete! Thanks for your help!

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.

Our district and building will share more details leading up to the safety drill. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in keeping our schools safe.

It is almost that time of year! We are excited to once again celebrate the Halloween Season with our Park Shark students and families with our annual Halloween Costume Parade here at Park. On Thursday, October 31st, students grade K-5 are able to participate in a quick celebration and a parade around the building showcase their Halloween spirit and costumes.

If students wish to participate, we ask that they bring a costume to school (not worn all day) that can go over their clothing. Additionally we ask to avoid any costume that has blood, gore, weapons, or an inflatable costume.

Special Note: Costumes with Masks will not be allowed to be worn in the building, however they can use them during the parade outside.

More information will come out to families in future newsletter! If you have any questions about Halloween or anything here at Park, please reach out to Principal Garrity at pgarrity@wscloud.org

Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESEA), provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Our school receives Title IA funding.

Parents/families of students in our building have a right to know about teacher qualifications and state-mandated assessments. All teachers providing Title I interventions are properly licensed for their positions and anyone can search licensure information on any educator at https://core.ode.state.oh.us/Core4/ODE.CORE.Lic.Profile.Public.UI/ . In addition to being linked here, these documents are available on the Title IA page of our school website.

Conference week is coming and that means it's time to stock the lounge for our AMAZING staff! Thank you to everyone who has already signed up! It's not too late! Please check the sign up HERE and help us make sure the staff has goodies to eat all week long.

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Have you eaten at Piada yet this week? There's still time to help Worthington Park PTA earn 20% back. It's so easy, just order online at any point this weekend and use promo code N7QEW3. That's it! Thank you for your support!

Worthington Park 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.

October 14th-17th- Parent Teacher Conferences

October 14th- BOE Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at WEC

October 14th-17th- Fall Book Fair

October 18th- No School

October 21st- 3rd Grade ELA State Testing

October 28th- BOE Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at WEC

Looking for ways to be more connected across Worthington Schools? Then check out the Electronic Backpack For Worthington Schools!

Click here for great resources across the district!

• Information on After School Activities
• Area Sports Clubs and Teams
  
• Music, Art, and Academic Resources

Principal- Worthington Park Elementary School

Email: pgarrity@wscloud.org
Website: https://park.worthington.k12.oh.us/
Location: 500 Park Road, Westerville, OH, USA
Phone: (614) 450-5500
Twitter: @WoParkSharks