Graham Elementary Schools

Hello Falcon families!

Here we are at the halfway mark of the month of November, and great things are happening at GES! Please be sure to read through the entire newsletter as we have added a good deal of new information.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released the Graham Elementary report card, and there are many celebrations! Students and staff are working hard each day. The 2024-2025 school year will continue to be a year of growth and achievement for our learners🍎 If you would like more information on the great things happening at Graham Elementary School and our continued focus on growth and achievement, please follow this link: https://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/school/014035.

As our teachers continue to work hard to facilitate powerful learning opportunities for your children at GES, we are 🦃thankful🦃 for the support and partnerships we are developing with each family we are lucky enough to serve at Graham Elementary! Thank you for trusting us with your children's education and development both as learners and as people!

Reminder...the safety of our learners as they enter and depart our school is our top priority. Please see the graphic below for details and be mindful of our A.M. drop-off procedures at Graham Elementary School...

🦺The east lane (closest to Urbana) is the ONLY lane that can be used to drop students off in the morning.

🦺The west lane (closest to St. Paris is ONLY to be used for drop-off of handicapped students. No other vehicles are to enter the west lane of the parking lot at drop off.

🦺Cars parking in the west parking lot (closest to St. Paris) must exit their cars and escort their children across the lane and to the sidewalk.

Thank you for your cooperation!

This school year continues to be filled with learning, achievement, success and LOTS of smiles!

Our Graham Elementary Staff is the best in the land, and we are privileged to serve your families!

Stay informed about all things happening at Graham Elementary by following us on:

Facebook: Graham Elementary School

ClassDOJO

Graham Local Schools website: grahamlocalschools.org. (Graham Elementary School)

Emily Shreve, Graham Elementary School Principal

Aaron Myers, Graham Elementary School Assistant Principal

On Thursday, November 14, our Graham Elementary second and third grade students honored our United States military veterans with a selection of several patriotic songs. Under the direction of music teacher, Patrick Woods, students thanked veterans and their families for their sacrifices and recognized many of the military branches with a medley of the branches' songs. Students followed Mr. Wood's lead well, and it was remarkable to watch their hard work in action!

Thank you to the many men and women of our Graham Local School family for your service to the United States of America!

Some of your grades grades K-5 children may be coming home and telling you about a new program in computer class...YETI Academy! If so, great! If not, that's okay. We want to give you some information about this program and the benefits it is bringing to our GES learners.

Learners can access YETI Academy through Clever at home. Ask them to show you what they are doing in school with this program, and they can practice at home as well👍

This program was purchased through the proceeds from our Tasty Traditions fundraiser! Thank you for your support in your children's learning!

Yeti Academy, is an innovative Keyboarding, Coding and STEM education platform meticulously crafted for K-12th grade students. Aligned with educational standards, Yeti Academy goes beyond traditional keyboarding and technology platforms by seamlessly integrating differentiated learning across its courses including: Keyboarding, Life Science, Digital Citizenship, Coding and more.

Yeti's dynamic project-based STEM modules are uniquely designed to captivate and engage students at every level. Our platform offers the flexibility to customize lessons to suit the specific needs of any classroom.

Graham High School FCCLA students are embarking on a leadership project to collect toys for a Christmas Toy Drive. Please see the flyer below for more information.

**This activity is not associated with Graham Elementary School.**

Back by popular demand, please see the 2024-2025 Family Falcon Focus for important dates at GES. This document will be updated as the year progresses. Dates are subject to change if/when necessary.

Thank you!

November

7: Leader In Me movie night @ 3:30p.m. to 5p.m. in GES cafeteria

11: Picture Retake Day (Lange Photography Inc)

12-16: Dental Outreach Exam Day

22: GES Club Day

22: Kona Ice at GES

25: Third Grade Bread Making Day

25: PTO Meeting in library @ 5:30p.m. in GES first grade pod

26: Third Grade Bread Making Day

27: THANKSGIVING BREAK - NO SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE

28: THANKSGIVING BREAK - NO SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE

29: THANKSGIVING BREAK - NO SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE

December

2: CONFERENCE MAKE-UP DAY - NO SCHOOL

6-14: PTO Holiday Shop (more information coming)

12: St. Paris Library visiting Kindergarten for Story Time @ 9:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.

16-20: GES Winter Spirit Week (more details to come)

17: K and 1 Christmas evening performance K @ 5:30p.m. and 1st @ 6:30p.m.

18: PTO Meeting in library @ 3:45p.m.

19: CLUB DAY

20: Inflatable Day

23-January 3: WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL (students return on Monday,

January 6)

January

6: Students return from Winter Break

9: Last day of Quarter 2

9: St. Paris Library visiting Kindergarten for Story Time @ 9:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.

10: IN SERVICE/RECORDS DAY - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

13: First day of Quarter 3

13: PTO Meeting in library @ 5:30p.m.

17: PTO Movie Night at GES

20: MLK DAY - NO SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE

27 - February 7 - Student Council Candygram sale

31: 2-hour early release PD day

**Previously posted on ClassDOJO (September 3, 2024)**

Hello Falcon Families! If you are interested in volunteering at Graham Elementary, please use this link - https://www.grahamlocalschools.org/page/volunteer-portal-and-information - to view updated information regarding the volunteer process at Graham Local Schools.

If you are considering volunteering and/or helping with classroom parties at Graham Elementary, you must complete an application and be approved through the Secure Volunteer site before you volunteer.

Please email Mrs. Shreve (shrevee@grahamlocalschools.org) with any questions.

Thank you for your partnership in your child's education!

This is a reminder that free and reduced lunch applications expire at the end of every school year. If your child qualified for free and/or reduced lunch last year and you have not completed a new application for this year, please do.

Paper applications can be found here:

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/.../Graham

Free and Reduced Lunch forms can also be sent home with your child. If you would like a copy, please contact the GES office and we will send one home.

Online applications can be found on PaySchools Central here https://www.payschoolscentral.com/

If you are in need of before or after care for your children, please see this flyer to learn more about this opportunity.

**Reminder...A.M. preschool students enter the building at 8:30a.m. to begin their A.M. session**

As stated in the Graham Elementary Student Handbook,

"All school fees must be paid in order for students to attend field trips (Glen Helen included) or participate in preschool promotion and/or 5th grade promotion."

Fees can be paid by cash or check (Graham Elementary School) or online at https://www.payschoolscentral.com/. Please contact Mrs. Shreve with any questions.

At Graham Local Schools, we take a proactive approach to attendance. If/When GES students accumulate 50 hours of excessive absence, families will be provided with Absence Warning Letter #1. When students accumulate 65 excessive hours of absence, families will be provided with Absence Warning Letter #2.

An absence intervention meeting will be scheduled when students accumulates 72 excessive hours of absence

Please see the GES Handbook language below for the steps to report an absence...

A. When a student is ill or for some other reason is unable to attend, the parent/guardian is ex­pected to contact the school office by phone before 9:00 a.m. on the day of the absence. For your convenience, you may call the night before and leave a message on the answering machine (937-663-4449).

B. A written reason for all absences properly signed and dated by a parent/guardian is required. Written notes not filed in the office within one day after the student returns to school following an absence will result in an unexcused absence. Administration reserves the right to excuse student absences with reasonable cause.

C. For each unexcused absence, the student is responsible for obtaining work and following make-up work policies.

The end of day pick-up procedure will make our out front pick-up safer for our students at Graham Elementary . Thank you for your cooperation!

Permanent Pick-Up

• Students will be dismissed at 3:25pm each day.

• Each student/family who is a permanent pick-up will be given 2 numbered tags and their child will have a numbered tag with a corresponding number for their bookbag.

• Those students who are picked up by a babysitter with proper transportation forms on file will have a number for their babysitter.

• Each grade level will have a designated area marked outside and the family will come to that area to pick up their student(s) from each area - families should have their numbered tag with them.

• Families must park and come to the sidewalk to pick up their students. There will be no parking in the fire lanes of the building.

Students who are not permanent pick-ups who will be picked up on a day must call the elementary office or send in a note to pick-up their child. When picking your child up, please follow the procedure below:

• Families who are not permanent pick-ups must come to the front doors, provide ID and sign out their student from inside the building.

• Students will be dismissed to their family once the family has signed them out at the front office.

We do understand this process takes time and we thank you for your patience and flexibility as we work through this process together. Our #1 priority is our students safety.

*In an effort to remediate behaviors through reflection versus consequence, Graham Elementary will institute Restorative Recesses when deemed appropriate. This opportunity is a consequence targeted at reflection instead of punishment. It provides students the chance to work alongside an adult to reflect on their behavior and make plans for corrective behaviors.

*Cell phones and Smart Watches are to remain off and in student bookbags upon entering the building and should not be used until after the final dismissal bell and students have exited the school building. In effect, cell phones should not be “seen, heard, or used” during this time. Also, cell phones should NOT be used to take any type of photograph, video, or recording at any time unless directed by a staff member.

Students cannot contact parents via a personal cell phone during the day; they are to utilize a classroom or office phone. If violations of this policy should occur, a CELL PHONE WILL BE TAKEN AND CAN BE PICKED UP AT THE END OF THE DAY.

1st offense – warning 2nd offense – parent called 3rd offense – detention/parent picks up phone.

*Clothing must cover the chest, stomach, back, buttocks, upper thighs, and undergarments when the student sits, stands, raises his/her hand, or bends over. Any article of clothing that reveals an excessive amount of skin will be deemed inappropriate for the school environment.

Therefore, the final decision regarding the professionalism of clothing and accessories will be made by the building administration.

Clothing or accessories bearing patches, drawings, and/or sayings (stated or implies), which refer to drugs, alcohol, sex, profanity and obscenity, shall not be permitted.

Shoes shall be worn for health and safety reasons. Footwear with only toe support (ex - thongs, flip flops, etc.) shall not be worn. High heels or platforms, roller shoes can present safety concerns and are not to be worn. Socks are recommended as a good hygiene practice.

Pupils are not to wear hats, overcoats, jackets, or other outer wear in the building unless the principal has granted permission. This dress code will be in effect for all school days and related activities except for those “special” days and/or activities as approved by the principal.

*ZERO QUARTERLY REFERRALS REWARD AND END-OF-THE-YEAR REWARD

Students with zero bus/office referrals will earn a reward for each quarter that they meet this qualification.

When Graham Elementary reaches 30 cumulative days of zero bus/office referrals, all students will participate in a day-long school-wide celebration.

Students who have three or less bus/office referrals and no suspensions (bus or school) will participate in an additional special activity during the school-wide celebration if/when Graham Elementary reaches 30 cumulative days of zero bus/office referrals.

Details of the reward will be shared during the school year.

Administrator holds the right to remove a student from the day-long celebration due to excessive referrals or extreme behaviors.

Emily Shreve - Principal - shrevee@grahamlocalschools.org

Aaron Myers - Assistant Principal - myersa@grahamlocalschools.org

Jon Comer - School Counselor - comerj@grahamlocalschools.org

Morgan Boggess - School Nurse - boggessm@grahamlocalschools.org

Kristina Thornton - Administrative Assistant - thorntonk@grahamlocalschools.org

Kayla Yoder - Administrative Assistant - yoderk@grahamlocalschools.org
Website: grahamlocalschools.org
Location: 9464 U.S. 36, Saint Paris, OH, USA
Phone: 937-663-4449
Facebook: facebook.com/FreddieFalcon
Twitter: @GESFALCONS