August Newsletter

Happy August!

I know I speak for most when I say June & July flew by, and it's hard to believe we're into the August countdown before back to school is officially upon us! We are looking forward to seeing our returning families and students and meeting new ones this year as well! This August newsletter is a quick reminder of some upcoming events and things to help us all be prepared for the 24-25 school year! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. It's good to be back!

-Mrs. Thornton

Office Hours:

Starting today, August 1st, the office will be open from 7:30-3:30 with the exception of August 13th. If you are unable to reach someone, please leave a message at either school, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Registration Help Desk - August 13th:

If you need assistance with registration or would prefer to register using a school computer, please visit us at the High School Lobby/Cafeteria on Tuesday, August 13th (8AM - 6PM). School secretaries, nurses, and tech staff will be on-site to assist throughout the day as needed. Class lists will not be posted at this time.

Teacher Reveal:

Returning families will receive an email invitation through Seesaw during the week of August 12th which will have your student's teacher listed. For example, "You have been invited to Mrs. Thornton's Seesaw classroom)." Once you accept the invitation, this will give you direct communication with the teacher via Seesaw, our main form of communication in the elementary. New families, we will add you as soon as you complete registration, and you will also receive an email invitation using the same method, but be patient as this may take a couple of additional days. Class lists will not be posted at the in-person registration help session.

Online registration is now open on our school website for the 2024-2025 school year! All incoming students, whether new or returning, must complete online registration each year. Returning students' families should have received a Snapcode via email today (August 1st) to complete registration. If you did not receive this, please feel free to contact us to assist. New students will not need a Snapcode using the New Student Registration.

https://allamakee.k12.ia.us/ - Click on E-Registration for directions and information

Please note that registration using a phone may not work properly, so it may be best to use a computer.

Along with registration, we encourage families to complete a free & reduced application which applies to school fees and meals. Based on income, families may receive reduced or free fees in these two areas. Please note that preschool tuition is not included.

https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ApplicationScreen.aspx?cid=NWY5NTAzMDQtZGI3YS00NDNjLTgwNDYtMDVjZmUyNjk2ZTU1

School supply lists for the various grades can be found in some stores, on the website, and at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IxCQMa2Nb_IEi1mM-FaPlqyM8DC-PJ6e/view?usp=sharing. If you would like a hard copy, please feel free to stop into the East or West Elementary office as well.

If you need assistance, please contact the East and/or West Elementary office.

We hope you are able to attend Meet the Teacher at both East & West Elementary on Wednesday, August 21st! Please feel free to stop in whenever it works best for your family from 4-6PM. Stop in to:

• Drop off school supplies to make carrying things easier on the first day.
• Take those fun back to school pictures that kids love!
• Get signed up for Kids Club and ask any questions you may have regarding this after school program (TK-5).
• Check-in with PSST who will be on-site to meet people, talk about upcoming events, and support the students, families, and staff.
• Drop off any additional forms, fees, or paperwork with the office and/or nurse.
• And most importantly...Meet your new teacher, check out the new classroom, and tell him/her a little about yourself & your family!

Bus arrangements for pick-up or drop-off should be arranged with the bus barn prior to the 2024-2025 school year and can be done so via email or phone.

Please contact the Transportation Director, Justin Piggott at:

jpiggott@allamakee.k12.ia.us OR

Call (563) 568-4580 Ext. #7 to reach the bus barn

Students taking a route in town, please reach out as well to establish this as several of our town stops get full, some even not allowing visitor riders depending on the capacity, and we want to ensure regular students have a spot if needed.

Other Important Notes for the Upcoming Year:

• If riding a different bus home, a student will need a bus pass to give to the school office. This bus pass will be issued when we receive a note (email communication also works) from both guardian's involved (the regular rider and the person in need of a pass). This helps ensure no mistakes are made. No more than 3 guests may ride the bus.
• We encourage families to establish a schedule with their student and inform the classroom of this as well. If changes do arise, we ask that you communicate with your student prior (if possible) and contact both the office and the classroom teacher with changes by 1:30PM. Calling the office directly is always the best option to ensure that messages are received as teachers may be absent or away from their computer throughout the day.

Grades PK-5 --- Immunizations:

Iowa law requires specific vaccinations be up-to-date prior to entering into school. Please contact your health care provider to ensure immunizations are current. If your student does not receive immunizations due to a medical condition or religious preference, you must have an exemption form filled out. Forms need to be file prior to the first day of school or your child will be unable to attend until this requirement is met. Please reach out to the West or East Elementary if you're in need of this form.

PK --- Child Health Physical Form:

Students are required to have a physical form on file which has been completed by a healthcare provider. These forms are available in the West Elementary Office or provider by a physician's office. Visit can be completed no earlier than one year prior to the school date of enrollment and will need to be up-to-date throughout the school year.

PK & K --- Dental & Vision Forms:

There are specific forms for each grade level regarding dental & vision. We are happy to send these to you if needed electronically or you may stop into the West Elementary office to pick them up.

Grades PK-5 --- Additional Health Needs:

If your student has a health condition requiring extra attention (such as asthma, seizures, diabetes, allergic reactions, or others) please reach out directly to one of our nurses.

Kirby Jones, West Elementary Nurse for Grades PK-2

kjones@allamakee.k12.ia.us

Kathy Wood, East Elementary Nurse for Grades 3-5

kwood@allamakee.k12.ia.us

Link to the 24-25 Calendar: https://www.allamakee.k12.ia.us/375719_2

Please note that information regarding picture day and how to purchase photos will be emailed in the upcoming weeks.

In the event of inclement weather, an early out, or other emergency of this type, we use a notification system for alerting families. All families are encouraged to sign-up for this, if you have not already done so. Returning families, this has not changed since last year, so if you were receiving these already, please disregard. Please use the instructions at the bottom of our school website to get signed up, or click the link to manually sign up: https://www.parentsquare.com/community_signups/74706e9f-ce67-4497-8cdd-8ebdfc87d538/new.