Summer Update

Welcome August!

Carrie Downie welcomes the newest dolphins to the pod

• Dr. Ellison, Administrator
• Ms. Alphonso, Teacher
• Ms. Dupree, Communities in Schools
  
• Ms. Anderson, Paraprofessional
• Mr. Harmon, Teacher

We would also like to wish Ms. Cebenka all the best! Ms. Cebenka will be retiring and starting a new chapter. She will be with us until September 1. We thank her for her dedication to our students.

Carrie Downie is happy to have Soccer Shots for grades 3-5 this Fall. Stay tuned for more details.

Our health partner, Nemours is hosting a Back to School Bash. See the flyer below for more information.

Update on before/after Care

The before/after care that was provided to families last school year was funded under The 21st Century Grant. The district applied for the grant for SY 24-25; however, it has not been renewed. Unfortunately, this is not a Carrie Downie or a district decision, but one that rests with the Delaware Department of Education. As a result, the care that was provided free of charge will not be provided this year due to lack of funding. Our Supervisor of Extended Learning for Colonial has worked tirelessly to find an option for our families. SummerCollab if offering before and after care for a small fee, the program will be housed at New Castle Elementary. Students would need to be dropped off at New Castle if taking part in before care. A bus will bring students to Carrie Downie for morning drop off and take them to New Castle at dismissal. Families would then pick up their student from New Castle. Please refer to the flyer at the bottom of this newsletter for additional information, how to enroll, and contact info. Thank you for your patience in this process.

Yearbook Update

Yearbooks have arrived. If you ordered a yearbook for your student, you may come to Carrie Downie on Friday, August 9 between the hours of 12pm-2pm. If you'd prefer the book goes home with your student on the first day of school, please contact Ms. Gina 302-323-2826 or eugenia.cartagena@colonial.k12.de.us, to let her know. Thank you for your patience.

Here is some beginning of the year information

Kindergarten Camp will be held on August 12, 2024, 9am-12pm. Kindergarten camp is a great way to get your scholar acclimated to the idea of going to school. He/she will have an opportunity to see the building, the kindergarten classrooms, meet teachers and staff. Scholars will engage in an activity, get to ride the school bus, and enjoy a snack. Parents/Guardians will remain with their student and will participate in a kindergarten presentation. This is a great opportunity to learn about all things kindergarten and ask questions. We look forward to seeing all of you!

Click below for the Kindergarten Camp Invite

A Special Message to Our Kindergarten Families & New Families

Welcome to Carrie Downie! The beginning of the school year is a special time for you and your child! Here are some tips and some procedures we feel are important to share:

• Staggered Start for Kindergarten Students-This provides teachers with smaller groups of students so procedures can be more easily taught and your child isn't as overwhelmed the first few days. Teachers also value this time to start building relationships with your child.
• Breakfast and lunch are free to all Carrie Downie students. Students may pack a lunch from home.
• A.M. Car Riders- When you pull up to car line, staff will be there to greet your child. Your child will be guided from the car line to their teacher.
• On the first day of school, we ask for all goodbyes to take place in the car or at the bus stop before drop off. Trust us! We do not allow parents to get out of their cars and take pictures on the 1st day or any day at arrival, as it adds to the emotional stress and it simply isn't possible with time as we have so many families dropping off in the morning.
• Dismissal-all procedures are carefully taught.
• Bus Riders-Each bus rider will be guided directly to their bus Parents must be at the bus stop to pick up their Kindergarten student or the student will be returned to the building. Please arrive at your child's bus stop at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time to ensure you are on time. Please be patient the first couple of weeks as the bus routes are new to our drivers and timing may not be spot on at the start of the school year.

Dates to Remember:

• Back to School Walk Through Night is August 22, 2024, 4:00-6:00pm
• Open House will be September 11, 2024, 6-7:30pm. We will be offering two sessions; you only need to attend for your student.
• Session 1 6:00-6:30pm
• Session 2 6:45-7:15 pm
• Fall Picture Day- October 18

First Day of School

• Is a full day of school for all students
• Breakfast and lunch are served
• Kindergarten Students with Last Names A-L: August 26 & 27 ONLY
• Kindergarten Students with Last Names M-Z: August 28 & 29 ONLY
• All students in grades 1-5: August 26
• Parents/Guardians will not be permitted to enter the building

It is VERY IMPORTANT that your child know how they are getting home: Bus/Car/Daycare/Walker. Please message your child's teacher on Class Dojo to verify and have it written down inside or attached to their bookbag. CD will have staff members ready to help guide students where they need to go on the first day. Parents will not be allowed to escort their child to class. In addition, there will be breakfast available for all students daily.

Transportation

Information about your student's transportation for SY 24-25 will be shared with families on August 19. This information will come directly from the transportation office.

Colonial School District Nutrition

CSD Nutrition Services has guidelines for Parents and Students bringing outside food into school.

Parents can send in a snack for their child only but cannot send in snacks for the entire class. Students get free breakfast and lunch daily. In addition, students receive Fresh Fruit & Vegetables 4 days a week.

School Cafe is a simple way for parents to make school snack payments. Students are offered second meals and a la carte snacks at a small cost. Click the "Pre Payment" tab to set up a student account.

No outside food coming from home to be used for classroom parties, celebrations, events and/or rewards for student behavior due to monitoring food allergies, reducing food safety concerns and consumption of excess calories during the school day to meet Smart Snack guidelines.

Volunteers

If you would like to volunteer for upcoming field trips or other activities throughout the school year, you must complete the Volunteer/Background Check Form on Colonial's website and be approved.

Colonial School District Calendar SY 24-25

• School Start & End Times
  

8:45 Doors Open (Arrival)

• Students will be considered late after 9:00 AM and will need to be signed in at the Main Office with Ms. Cartegena, our Secretary.

3:35 Student Dismissal

• We will start the dismissal process inside the building at 3:35.
• There is currently no before or after care at Carrie Downie.
  
• Students will need to be signed out at the Main Office with Ms. Cartegena for Early Dismissals PRIOR to 2:45.
• Please be sure they are picked by 3:45. There is no adult supervision after that time.

School Supply Lists

• Parents who wish to provide supplies for their child, please review the suggested CD Student Supply List SY 24-25

Carrie Downie Spirit Wear

• Check out this link for all your Carrie Downie Spirit wear

Carrie Downie Contact Info

Email: michelle.upperman@colonial.k12.de.us

Website: https://www.colonialschooldistrict.org/carriedownie/

Address: 1201 Delaware St. New Castle, DE 19720

Phone: (302) 323-2926

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carriedownieelementary/

Nemours Wellness Center

Carrie Downie's Wellness Center is excited for a new school year!

What's a school-based health center?

A school-based health center (SBHC) is a medical office located inside your child's school. Nurse practitioners and behavioral health therapists offer well-child visits, sick visits, vaccinations, and mental health care to students. Your child can get free, high-quality care, that's safe and convenient.

How much does a visit cost?

If your child doesn't have insurance, their care is free. If your child has insurance, the school-based health center will file a claim directly. (Note: No co-pay, co-insurance or deductible will be charged to you).

Who runs the SBHC?

Your child's school-based health center is a partnership between their school district, Nemours Children’s Health and the Delaware Division of Public Health. These three organizations work together to run the center.

Staff:

Physical Health Practitioner - Natalie Kasper

Behavioral Health - Jessica Pierre-Louis

Enrollment:

• Online Enrollment: https://app.nemours.org/sbhc

• Paper Enrollment: Use this LINK or https://bit.ly/csdwellnessctr

Get Connected

Throughout the year Carrie Downie and Colonial will communicate through various services.

School Messenger App

Carrie Downie and Colonial will communicate via email and text message using School Messenger. Please make sure we have the most up to date contact information. We want you to stay up to date. Please contact Ms. Cartagena (eugenia.cartagena@colonial.k12.de.us) to update your phone number and email.

Class DoJo App

Teachers and Admin will use Class DoJo to communicate with families, share upcoming events, send parents direct messages, and share wonderful things happening within the building. The best way to contact your child's teacher/Admin is to send them a Direct Message through Class Dojo. Make sure you get connected! Each teacher has a unique code to get you connected to their room. This will be provided to you at the start of the school year.