Seawell Peek At the Week

Welcome Back to the 2024-2025 school year Seawell Seahawks!! Ms. Kulikowski and I are absolutely elated about all of the amazing learning opportunities for the upcoming school year. In addition, this year is a year of Joy and Genius for everyone which means the following:

• We will strive to center Joy for all of our learners, as well as one another daily within our learning community
• We will define Genius as the recognition of special qualities, creativity, intelligence, uniqueness, etc that each person brings to our learning community; our students and educators are all Geniuses!

And both of us are truly delighted to have the opportunity to learn and serve with such a wonderful learning community. SEAWELL SEAHAWKS SOAR!

This week's information will be just a few brief reminders about upcoming events.

• School begins at 7:50am and ends at 2:35pm.

• Please do not park at the front or back of Smith Middle School for drop off or pick up. If you are driving to Seawell, please use the car rider lane.

• Student drop-off - School doors/cafeteria open at 7:25am. Students should not be dropped off before 7:25 am. Parents should not walk students to classrooms. Staff will be at the drop off locations to receive students and guide them to their morning locations. See more procedure details below.

• Grade K-2 students meet in the cafeteria and grade 3-5 students go directly to their classrooms.

• Students should arrive by 7:40am. Your child will be considered tardy if the student is not in the classroom by 7:50am. If your child arrives after the 7:50 bell you must walk with them to the main office to sign in and get a tardy slip. Having children wandering around the campus trying to find their class is a serious safety concern.

WALKERS/BIKERS ARRIVAL (7:25-7:40)

Parents walking/biking with students need to get them to the drop-off locations (see below), where you will be greeted by staff to receive your child. Please do not walk your child to class.

• Walk/Bike Drop Off Locations

• Homestead, Highschool Road Walkers/Bikers - please follow the path along the Smith field leading up to Seawell. There’s a bike rack there before the steps to Seawell. Staff will be at the top of the Seawell steps ready to receive students and guide them to their morning locations.

• Seawell School Road Walkers/Bikers - follow the sidewalk up from the Seawell bus entrance to the large tree in front of the PreK Village. There is a bike rack at this location. Staff will be there ready to receive students and guide them to their morning locations.

Safety Tips

• Stay on sidewalks or designated paths. See the maps here for the safe walking/biking paths from specific neighborhoods surrounding Seawell.

• Camden Place/Rodgers Rd

• Claremont/Winmore (Homestead Bridge)

• Chandler Woods/Homestead Village/Kove & Lena Cir.

• Only cross streets at crosswalks.

• Stop before the curb. If there is a walking signal, push the button and wait for the walk signal.

• Before crossing look left, right, left again and listen for traffic. If the road is clear or traffic has stopped, cross and continue looking up and listening for traffic.

• It is recommended to walk in groups. We know our Seahawk community will come together to support one another, so please reach out to the front office if you need help connecting with other school students in your neighborhood.

CAR ARRIVAL PROCEDURES (7:25-7:40am)

• Line up and wait for a staff member to assist in opening the door for your child.

• Pull up as far as possible

• Be alert and off cellular devices

• Exiting Seawell - right hand turns only on Seawell School Rd.

DISMISSAL/EARLY CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES

Early Check-Out - if you need to sign your child out of school early, you must do so before 2:00 pm. Please come to the main office to sign them out.

Walkers/Bikers

• Please do not park at the back or front of Smith Middle School and walk up to get your students.

• Students in grade K-2 must be picked up by a designated adult or a designated student in grade 3 or higher. Permission to walk/bike home without an adult must be obtained through the Walk/Bike Permission Form. (this only needs to be filled out once a year)

• Students in grade 3-5 may walk/bike home without an adult, but must have parent/guardian permission granted through the Walk/Bike Permission Form. (this only needs to be filled out once per year.)

• ALL walkers/bikers will meet outside of the M1/M2 pod, also known as the 4th grade Village at the end of the school day. Parents walking/biking should plan on meeting there.

• Here is a picture of the walker/biker pick up area.

CAR RIDER DISMISSAL (2:35pm)

Car Tag Instructions

Your child/children’s assigned school pick up number is on these tags. Please be sure this number is visible to help us expedite car rider pickup. Here are three suggested ways to post the number:

1. Use the string included to hang from your rearview mirror.

2. Tape the number to your passenger side windshield.

3. Tape the number to your blue car rider pick up card and place it on the passenger side dashboard.

Additional Car Pick Up Procedures:

• Staff will read your child/children’s pickup number and tell you the cone number, 1-6, that you should pull up to once the line has moved forward.

• Your child should be waiting at the cone for you.

The Seawell PTA Welcomes YOU to the 2024-25 school year!

By joining the PTA, you directly impact your child’s experience and strengthen the community. Learn more and join the PTA at bit.ly/SeawellPTA. As a reminder, memberships expire at the end of every year so make sure you re-join to receive important PTA info!

• Interested in volunteering? We'd love to have your help! Some areas where volunteers are needed include Teacher Appreciation, Yearbook, PTA Council, Big Fall Play Day, and more. We have opportunities that will fit any schedule and level of time commitment. All are great ways to be involved in our Seawell community! Contact ptaseawell@gmail.com for more info.

• Get your Seahawk news, including an up-to-date calendar of events, at the PTA website bit.ly/SeawellPTA and facebook.com/SeawellPTA.

• View the PTA's latest newsletter here: https://bit.ly/SeawellScoop2024

Upcoming PTA Meetings

• September 4, 7:30pm - Virtual PTA Board Meeting (via Zoom link here) All are welcome to attend Board meetings, whether you are a member or not!

Seawell’s Critter Corner is Orange County’s ONLY School Farmyard!

In operation for 30+ years and 100% parent-run. The Critter Corner benefits families in many ways from social emotional learning to biology and life skills. Bring the kids to get to know our furry & feathery friends at an orientation listed below. You only need one, no RSVP. Questions? seawellcrittercorner@gmail.com.

• Sunday, September 15, 5pm

• Saturday, September 21,10am

• Rain date Sunday September 22, 4pm (if needed).

Seawell’s Learning Garden is Growing!

Seawell’s Learning Garden is home to many plants, fruit trees, and vegetables! Students will have opportunities throughout the year to visit and work in the garden. Parents and families can also get involved by helping with garden work outside of school hours. To learn more, email seawellgarden@gmail.com.

NEW - Seawell's Garden Guardians!

The PTA is pleased to be introducing an after-school garden program for Seawell students in 2nd through 5th grades on Thursdays from 2:45 pm until 3:55 pm from September 5th through November 7th. (No class on 10/3 or 10/31)

The Seawell Garden Guardians will use the Seawell Garden and classroom space to learn about botany basics, planting techniques, soil health, food production, important pollinators, teamwork and responsibility. Seawell parent and garden coordinator, Elizabeth Zander, will be leading the classes.

Cost: $150/8 weeks

For more info and to sign up, visit the PTA store!

Join the Room Parent Network!

In order to keep all of our students safe, we must have any parent/visitor sign in at the front office. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this safety policy. The sign in process does require a government issued ID, i.e. driver's license.

Be sure to follow our social media and school website to keep up with all of the amazing things happening with our students and staff at Seawell!

Instagram: sesseahawks

Twitter: @SeawellES

Website: https://www.chccs.org/SES

September 2

• Labor Day - No School for Students

September 3

• First Full day for PreK students

September 4

• 7:30pm - PTA Board Meeting (via Zoom link here)

September 5

• SIT (School Improvement Team Meeting) 6:30pm(Virtual)

SES SIT Meeting
Thursday, September 5 · 6:30 – 7:30pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jmz-ddzm-ukm
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 803-999-5683‬ PIN: ‪812 231 048‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/jmz-ddzm-ukm?pin=4997963256798

September 19

• Curriculum Night 5:30pm (more information will be shared closer to this date)

• Fall Pictures, order information coming soon

September 27

• Teacher Workday (No School for Students)