Christine Grant Chronicle

Hello Grizzlies,

We've had a great week of learning along with the many opportunities for students and staff to participate in Spirt Week!

Please see the following link for pictures from Wednesday's Homecoming Parade! What an amazing event for our community!

Homecoming Parade 2024

The video from the LHS Band can be viewed below. We greatly appreciated having the band and athletes kick off our Tuesday!

Band Visit 2024

Arrival:

Walkers/bikers - We encourage the use of the paved city trails to come to/from school.

• The bike racks will be in the same location as past years.
• Please see lineup locations below.
• Teachers will lead students into the building at 7:50.

Bus riders

• Depending on arrival time, students will exit the bus and walk to lineup locations.

Daycare vans

• Drop off is in the lower lot.
• Students will walk to their lineup locations.

Kindergarten/preschool

• Students will walk to their lineup locations (east side playground).
• If arriving by vehicle and walking your student to these doors, please park in our lot and walk them to the door. This keeps our flow of traffic moving.

Champions (BASP)

• Arrive through main doors.

Dismissal:

The bell rings at 2:55 (1:55 Thursday). Bus/daycare vans, walkers/bikers and carline/BASP all depart at that time.

Walkers/bikers

• Dismissed through the north side doors.
• We encourage siblings to have a meeting location outside.

Bus riders

• Students will walk directly out to the bus.

Daycare vans

• Will be walked to the lower lot for loading.

Parent pick up

• Students sit by grade level(s) in the gym and wait for their number to be called.

We all know the patience needed when the lining up of cars takes place whether in the AM or PM (especially on rainy days). At Grant, we are very fortunate to have two parking lots and a great system in place! By following the directions below, the efficiency of dropping off and picking up students will be greatly improved.

Please have your child(ren) ready to exit the vehicle in the morning as you pull up. As for the afternoon, a continued focus is on having drivers stay in the vehicle...unless parking in the lot and walking your child across the main drive. Students get independent rather quickly with entering the curbside door of their respective vehicle and getting buckled up.

As a reminder, we ask that:

• The main lot (upper) is accessed by families driving in from the east (ex. Cedar Springs)
• The lower lot is accessed by families coming from the west (ex. Fox Run).
• This assists with achieving a balance of vehicle numbers and really helps when our families are leaving each of the lots.

A few points relative to safety and efficiency:

• Curbside drops and pick ups only...students can't be walking to/from the parking lot unattended.
• Students should enter/exit the vehicle from the curbside door of the vehicle.
• Please do not leave your vehicles unless parking in a marked parking space and walking your child to the front sidewalk.
• Pull ahead as much as possible.

Hello Grizzlies,

Thanks to those who volunteered last year! All volunteers enjoyed their time being with our Grizzlies! We are rolling this out again for the 23-24 year.

Expectations are in place for students in both locations, and a volunteer would be paired with an experienced staff member. Some cafeteria duties include opening containers (milk, juice, etc..), giving out napkins and spending some time interacting in a positive manner. Playground expectations are also in place. Duties are primarily connected to being visible and available for student needs while monitoring for safe choices.

This sign up link offers opportunities to sign up for specific days and times. We included the lunch/recess schedule so you will know the grade level and location.

The district does have protocols for volunteering. This link will direct you to the online background check.

Not only do we appreciate any support, we are also excited that parents have the opportunity to get into the school and add to our positive and supportive atmosphere!

Thanks!

Mr. Turnis

Good Afternoon,
We are currently participating in an extensive review of cell phone use in schools. As an important component of this review, we are seeking feedback from parents/guardians through the brief survey linked below. We appreciate you sharing your thoughts on how cell phone use impacts our classrooms, hallways, and students' social-emotional well-being. Your input will help us ensure that our policies effectively support our students, their learning, and the overall school environment.

Survey Link:
https://iowacityschools.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d4KmSzrYT6cDd2K

Thank you for your time and valuable feedback.

Sincerely,

Matt Degner
Superintendent
Iowa City Community School District

Dear Families and Staff,

The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our highest priority. We believe that working together can create a safer school environment where our students can focus on learning and thriving.

We want to remind everyone of the importance of our "Say Something" campaign. If you notice anything suspicious or concerning, we urge you to speak to a trusted adult or report it by texting @SayIt to 833-769-0372. Your actions can play a crucial role in keeping our schools safe, no matter how small they seem.

Our district has comprehensive safety protocols in place to ensure that our schools remain a secure space for all. One of these important measures is the adoption of the I Love U Guys Standard Response Protocol (SRP). The SRP provides clear, consistent language that helps guide our actions during emergency situations. The five specific statuses used during incidents are:

• Hold: Students remain in classrooms while a situation, like a medical or behavioral issue, is managed in another part of the building.
• Secure: The building is secured, and students continue their activities inside while outside threats are addressed.
• Lockdown: All classroom and building doors are locked while any threats within the building are addressed.
• Evacuate: Students and staff leave the building due to an emergency inside.
• Shelter: Students and staff seek shelter from severe weather or other hazardous situations.

We understand that it’s important for families to stay informed during any emergency situation at school. Our goal is to provide information promptly and accurately while ensuring we do not create unnecessary alarm. For major emergencies that involve emergency personnel, we will send updates to all families. In less severe situations, such as a Hold, we typically communicate only with the families directly involved to respect privacy.

If an incident directly impacts your child, we will always contact you. For any other emergency situations, such as Secure, Lockdown, Evacuation, or Shelter, all families in the impacted school will receive updates as soon as possible, with continual information provided as needed.

In addition to the multiple safety measures in place across our district, we want to let you know that we are currently in the process of installing shatterproof film on several window areas across our schools. We appreciate your patience as crews carry out the installation. Rest assured that workers will be mindful of the learning environment and will do their best to minimize any disruptions.

We are deeply committed to providing a safe learning environment for your children, and we thank you for placing your trust in us. Please know that we take this responsibility very seriously, and we are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of safety in our schools.

For more information about our school safety protocols, please visit www.IowaCitySchools.org/SchoolSafety.

Thank you for your continued support in helping keep our schools safe.

Sincerely,

Matt Degner
Superintendent
Iowa City Community School District

Dear Families,

Before the start of the school year, we shared information with you about our updated school attendance guidelines based on new state regulations. Since then, we have received additional guidance from the State of Iowa. We want to provide more information about our approach this year, including the state-mandated changes, particularly regarding absence exceptions and the related Infinite Campus attendance codes.

Some absences are exempt from these new guidelines, so it’s important to provide specific details when reporting your child’s absence. The following absence types will not count towards student absenteeism and will be coded as excused in Infinite Campus:

• Absences related to illness or medical appointment
  • After a student reaches the equivalent of eight (8) days of absence related to illness or medical appointments, parents will be required to provide documentation for the medical absence(s) to continue to be considered excused. Absences may be taken in hourly segments.
  • Families are encouraged to provide documentation to the school for ongoing health concerns so we can proactively work with your family to best serve your student.
• Absences related to a family medical emergency.
• Absences while attending religious services or receiving religious instruction.
• Absences excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge.
• Absences related to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that affects attendance.
• Absences related to a Section 504 plan under the Federal Rehabilitation Act that affects attendance.

Due to the new State guidance, any absence that does not fall into one of the above categories will appear as unexcused in Infinite Campus and will count toward student absenteeism. As a reminder, our primary goal is for students to be in school daily and to confirm their safety with a parent or guardian if they are absent.

State Attendance Requirements:
The Iowa Department of Education has implemented strict guidance that requires schools to address absenteeism. As part of this, schools will notify guardians when a student has missed 5%, 10%, and 15% of days each grading period. Based on State Law, schools must also notify the county attorney when a student is absent 10% of the days in a grading period. For more details, please visit the updated Attendance Page on our District website.

Reporting Absences:
If your child will be absent, please notify your school’s attendance office before the start of the school day. You can do this by creating an Absence Request in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or by calling the school attendance office. If we do not hear from you, the school will reach out to confirm your student’s safety and ensure you are aware of their absence.

Important note: In the Attendance section of the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, you will see your child's total number of excused and unexcused absences. Following state requirements, ‘excused’ indicates absences that are exempt from state reporting requirements, and ‘unexcused’ indicates absences that the state requires us to categorize as non-exempt.

Consistent school attendance is essential for your child's learning and development. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we navigate these new guidelines.

Sincerely,

Matt Degner
Superintendent
Iowa City Community School District

Dear Families and Staff,

If your child qualified for free or reduced-price meals last year, please be aware that the grace period for this eligibility is ending soon.

Each year, your student’s meal eligibility continues for the first 30 days of the new school year. This means last year’s eligibility expires on October 4, 2024.

Starting Monday, October 7, 2024, any student who has not submitted a new application will return to paid meal status. To avoid any interruptions, please complete a new application before the rollover period ends. You can easily apply online at myschoolapps.com.

If you’ve already applied or received a notification from the school district confirming your benefits, you can disregard this message.

We encourage you to apply even if you're unsure if your family will qualify. Financial situations can change anytime during the school year, and applications are available year-round. If your circumstances change, feel free to reapply at any time.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact our Nutrition Services Office at (319) 688-1021 or email Jackie Andresen at andresen.jackie@iowacityschools.org.

Sincerely,

Alison Demory
Director of Nutrition Services
Iowa City Community School District

Dear Families and Staff,

We want to remind you about Free and Reduced Meal applications for the 2024-25 school year. Per federal guidelines, applications must be completed each year. This is a separate process from registration.

If you have not already done so and feel your student may qualify, please be sure to complete the 2024-25 application for Free & Reduced Meals, which can be found at https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict. If you need assistance completing this form, please get in touch with the Nutrition Services Department at (319) 688-1021.

Please complete the application before the start of school to ensure benefits are activated. Unfortunately, benefits cannot be applied retroactively, so any debt incurred prior to applying for free and reduced status is the family's responsibility.

We are dedicated to ensuring that all students have access to school meals and will provide the necessary assistance to make that possible. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Sincerely,

Alison Demory
Director of Nutrition Services
Iowa City Community School District

Looking for information on Securly, our web filtering tool? Find all the information here www.IowaCitySchools.org/Securly.

The school day runs from 7:55-2:55. Our weekly one hour early out (1:55) will be each Thursday this year.

Here is a link to the district elementary handbook. There will be some updates added soon relative to attendance. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sarah Siddig is Grant's SFA.

Sarah can assist families in a variety of ways including, but not limited to:

• seeking out community resources
• assisting with registration
• building home-school connections
• locating school supplies and winter gear
• housing
• transportation
• attendance
• accessing mental health supports

As noted above, breakfast and lunches are back on a payment system this coming year. A pricing link is included above.

Breakfast is available at a cost daily for all Grizzly students from 7:40-7:50. If opting to have school breakfast, please use the front doors. Depending on the number of students accessing breakfast, we may adjust to an earlier time.

BIRTHDAY BOULDERS

The celebratory boulders have been fun! For a $10 donation to the PTO, you can “rent” the large boulders in front of the building and paint a special birthday message for your child on their big day.

Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for a date to “rent” a boulder. Reserve both if you’re extra ambitious! The $10 reservation fee goes straight to the PTO support teachers, students, and staff at Grant.

2. Pay through our secure payment portal (you’ll get instructions after reserving your date)

3. Come up with your birthday message design idea. Is your kiddo into sharks? Cover the rock with blue and put Jaws on there. Does your child love all things strawberries? Paint a bushel of them around their name. It's all up to your imagination.

4. Gather your materials—we’ll advise you on the best kind of paint to use. You can begin painting after 4pm the day before your rental.

All the guidelines and details can be found on the sign up sheet >> Reserve a Birthday Boulder

https://www.facebook.com/ChristineGrantGrizzlies/

@ChristineGrantGrizzlies

https://twitter.com/GrizzlyGR8

@GrizzlyGR8

Email: turnis.ken@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/Domain/4089
Location: 1000 Centro Way, North Liberty, IA
Phone: 319-688-1500
Facebook: facebook.com/ChristineGrantGrizzlies/
Twitter: @GrizzlyGR8

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Eric Howard, Director of Equity and Employee Relations, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245, 319-688-1000, Howard.eric@iowacityschools.org.