Graham Elementary Schools

News From the Nest - September 13, 2024

At Graham Elementary, "A better ME means a better WE"...Falcon Pride!

Hello Falcon Families! We are nearly halfway through the month of September, and great things are happening at Graham Elementary School! Thank you for your participation in the Tasty Traditions fundraiser. We cannot wait to share the final successes with you soon!

On Friday, we welcomed in many future Falcons and families for our first preschool screening of the school year! We are looking forward to these learners and families joining the Graham Elementary family soon!

This week, our students who ride the school bus will participate in practice bus evacuations. Students will become familiar with evacuating the bus from the front, the rear and finish the week by evacuating both parts of the school bus. We appreciate the work our drivers do, and our students' safety is number one.

This school year will 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

Letter Learning in Kindergarten

Learners in grades K-2 participate in University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) lessons each day. Letter formation is a critical step in literacy development, and Miss Thompson's learners were working hard on the letter K!

Literacy in STEAM

Students in grades KPrep thru 5 are fortunate to attend STEAM class with Mrs. Setty each week! Lessons and challenges tied to literacy and other content areas are creating big thinkers and problems-solvers at Graham Elementary!

Playground Fun!

Blue skies and great friends and teachers make for fun times on the playground!

Our fundraiser has concluded, and we are SO THANKFUL for the hard work you all did in supporting Graham Elementary School! Orders will be totaled and we will announce winners and a pickup date as soon as we can!

We appreciate your partnership in your children's education, and we cannot wait to share more about how your generosity will positively impact the learners at Graham Elementary School!

Come see the Dancin' Band from Falconland!

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

Our Learners are Leading!

Our first GES Town Hall meeting was Friday, September 6. Our Student Lighthouse team members facilitated a great assembly to get our Falcons ready for GREAT success!

Yeti in Computer Class

In computer class, students are using a new program called Yeti to learn all-things-computer science. This program blends computer science with other content areas to engage our learners at age- and developmentally-appropriate ways each week!

This is one of many ways that our Tasty Traditions fundraiser proceeds benefit many of our Falcon learners!

Mathematicians Growing!

Miss Carnes and her learners talk about similarities and differences in the shoes the learners are wearing. Watching our learners think and have academic conversations is one of the BEST parts of our days!

Hard Work Pays Off!

Graham Local Schools Homecoming 2024

Graham Elementary Daily Schedule

2024-2025 School Fees

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.

Student Pick Up Dismissal Procedures

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.

Handbook Need-to-Knows

*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.