Wickliffe Family Update

Dear Families,

What an incredible first week it has been! I am so proud of our students, staff, and families for making the start of the school year such a success. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to create a positive and nurturing environment for our children.

To help expedite the car line at the end of the day, please make sure to:

• Display Information in the Windshield: Include your child's name, grade, and classroom teacher on a piece of paper in the windshield. If you are picking up multiple children, please list all their names.
• Passenger Side Entry: Ensure that your child can enter the car from the passenger side.
• Remain in Your Car: Please stay in your vehicle, and we will assist in getting your child into the car.

Additionally, please avoid blocking the entrance/exit of the staff parking lot to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.

Did you know? If you click on this update and open it in a browser window, you will see a table of contents on the left side of your screen. This is an easy way to make sure you are seeing all the information we are sharing or to search for something specific.

As a reminder, we have school photos on Friday. Please see more information below.

Thank you again for making our school such a wonderful place to learn and grow. Let’s keep up the fantastic work as we move forward into the school year!

Warm regards,

Angela

August 23-Sept. 12: PTO Flower Sale

August 30: Picture Day

September 1: Golden Bear Bash

September 2: Labor Day ~ No School

September 2: UA Arts Festival

September 4: Town Meeting @ 8:30-9:00 (all are invited)

September 13: UA Band Spread @ Wickliffe

September 18: Town Meeting @ 8:30 (all invited)

September 25: Literacy Night @ 6:30

September 27: PTO Flower Sale Pick-Up

Oct. 4: Fun Run, Walk & Roll Fundraiser

Oct. 18-21: Wickliffe to host the Progressive Education Network National Conference

The Elementary Explorations program starts next week and will follow the A-E schedule. We can't wait to begin working with your amazing students. Here is a link to the first issue of the Elementary Explorations newsletter. Future newsletter links will be shared after the completion of each lesson.

The Elementary Explorations Team

School Photographs will be taken Friday, August 30. Photograhy order forms were shared with parents this week. Please send your order forms to school with your students next Friday. You may also visit shopHRImaging.com to order online.

1. Kids got to bring home their new school issued iPad and charger home this week. We talked a lot about responsibility and the need to be careful with the iPads. Here is a video that you should watch with your child. (It was made by one of the school librarians in the district). Please help your child identify a place in your home that can become the designated charging station. This should be a spot where kids can charge their iPad when they get home and then put it in their backpack in the morning. Please help them create this routine. We use iPads most days for creation and some practice. Students need to bring them each day in order to fully participate in class. Chargers can stay at home.

2. Headphones:

• All kids need a pair of headphones that can be used at school. It is ideal to have a pair that can stay at school. The new iPads no longer feature a traditional headphone jack; therefore you may need to buy new headphones for your student. We only recommend the official Apple USB-C headphone adapter: https://a.co/d/01oRJL6N. This is the only one we can guarantee is compatible with our 10th-generation iPads.

• However, these types of adapters may get lost quickly. There are many third-party options available for the USB-C headphone adapter cable. These are some alternatives that our technology department suggested:

  • https://a.co/d/0fUkocjn

  • https://a.co/d/0096Wfpj

iPad Parent Control Information

The UACS Technology department provides 2 ways for caregivers to manage screen time, review web history, manage apps and internet access after school hours. The typical built-in Apple ScreenTime and Parental controls do not work because the district manages iPads for school use at a district level - the typical consumer level settings are not available. Caregivers can review web activity and disable internet access through the Lightspeed Relay Parent Portal. Additionally, caregivers can control app access and set rules through the JAMF Parent app. Questions may be directed to FamilyTechHelp@uaschools.org.

JAMF Parental Controls Manual

JAMF Parental Setup and Guide Videos

Lightspeed Parent Portal

We have received some questions about what stylus, or specifically Apple Pencil, would work with the new iPads that students are receiving for this school year. The answer is that, like the headphones, any USB-C stylus, including the Apple Pencil USB-C, will connect with the new 10th generation iPads. Students can also continue to use any non-USB-C stylus, such as the Apple Pencil 1st generation, but will need to purchase a USB-C adapter to connect the stylus to their new iPad. It is important to note that specifically the Apple Pencil Pro along with the Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) will NOT work with the student iPads.

Please do not apply stickers or write on the iPad keyboard cases, as devices may be reassigned to other students throughout the year. Reassignment occurs when students graduate, transfer, or when devices need repair. The new keyboard cases are district property and durable assets intended to last for several years, not consumable items.

Welcome to the new school year! Our nurses are available to administer first aid treatment, evaluate symptoms of illness or injury, and perform other medical procedures. The nurse will notify appropriate teachers and staff of student health problems that may be of concern in the classroom. We have a passion for working with students and helping them feel their best, so they are ready to learn.

The Ohio Department of Health requires vision and hearing screenings for children in kindergarten, first, third and fifth grade and all students new to the district each year. These screenings will be done this fall. Screenings can also be performed at various other times during the year at parent or teacher request. Should you wish to opt your student out of vision and hearing screenings this year, please complete and return this form to us: 2024-2025 Vision and Hearing Screening Waiver.

Students who have difficulty with the initial screening are re-screened. If there are concerns, parents are notified and follow-up by a health care provider is recommended.

Per Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.671, new students (kindergartners and students new to the district) are required to have documentation of certain immunizations on file at their school. Please be sure to submit your child's immunization record to your school nurse as soon as possible. The state of Ohio allows a 14-day period after entrance to school to submit the immunizations. Additional information and exceptions to this requirement can be found HERE. To view the Ohio Immunization Summary for School Attendance, please click HERE.

If your child has a special health concern of which we are not already aware, such as a food allergy, diagnosis of asthma, etc., or an update to a previous health concern, please let us know so we can best serve their needs during the school year.

Many questions arise regarding the administration of medication at school. While we encourage medication to be administered at home, we understand this is not always possible. All prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician as well as written parental permission. (Parents can sign for many common over-the-counter medications.) Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website at: UA Health Forms.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

614-487-5150 x 6536

Janice Walsh, MSN, RN, Licensed School Nurse jlwalsh@uaschools.org

and

Kristin Murphy, BSN, RN kmurphy@uaschools.org

Because the elementary school years are critical to a student’s academic and personal growth, our teachers will increase communication regarding each student’s achievement this year.

In previous years, elementary students have received progress reports three times a year at the end of each trimester. There have also been conference opportunities for families in the fall and the spring.

Beginning this school year, teachers will provide progress reports in January and June. In the fall and the spring, they will provide interim reports for each student. Teachers will go over each student’s fall interim report with families during conferences in October. While spring conferences are optional for families, all students will receive another interim report at that time.

Our goal is to increase meaningful conversations between teachers and families regarding each student’s individual achievement, growth and learning needs. We are excited to launch this expanded reporting system this year and look forward to collaborating with you!

• Please encourage your child to memorize numbers and to leave a voicemail (even just to say "nevermind") so that a panic isn't sent when they see a missed call from their student.
  

• Please check your voicemail before calling the school related to a missed call. Generally, if a staff member (and hopfully your child) contacts you via phone we will leave a voicemail.

• Inside the vestibule, there is a shelf where you can leave things such as lunches, iPads, jackets, etc. Please use the provided post-it notes, markers, and tape to indicate your child's name along with their teacher's name.
• Our educational aides regularly check these shelves and will ensure that the items are delivered to your child's classroom or the lunchroom.

Wickliffe Progressive Elementary School will host this conference from October 17th to 20th of this year, welcoming around 300 progressive educators from across the country to the community. This year's theme is The Space Between: How Progressive Education Fosters Curiosity, Creativity, Community, and Connection. By bringing together so many educators, we hope to build on the common pedagogy vision articulated by progressive education leaders while enthusiastically embracing a commitment to diversity, equity, and justice in our schools.

We would love to invite Upper Arlington businesses and community members to partner with us in presenting this event. We would greatly appreciate your financial contribution to the event through sponsorship or donation. Please follow this link or reach out to conference@progressiveeducationnetwork.org for more information. Thank you, Wickliffe and Upper Arlington supporters!

• Email your child’s teacher and copy wickliffeattendance with ANY attendance-related information

• Avoid scheduling appointments during the school day. If you must schedule during the school day, try to schedule early in the morning or late in the afternoon and avoid recess times whenever possible.

• It can be challenging to find students during recess, so please allow yourself extra time if this is your only option

• Obtain a medical excuse every time you visit a doctor, dentist, orthodontist, therapist, etc.

• Scroll down to the Helpful Links section below for full details about the district's attendance policies and procedures.

Lunch Volunteers

Chef Jim and staff need two volunteers every school day to help with lunch service. This is a fun and fast-paced activity that really helps the lunch periods go smoothly. Plus, it's a great way to see your little one(s) during the day! Sign up here.

Please remember to bring a hat or other hair restraint and sign in at the main office. Be sure to wash your hands once you arrive, grab an apron, and have fun! If you have some lunchtime flexibility and are interested in being a sub, reach out to Andrea Porter at acporter426@gmail.com to be added to the list.

Fall Flower Sale

We are working with Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse again this year for the fall mum sale. The mums that are produced by Foertmeyer are beautiful and help us raise money to support our teachers and school community. The sale will be August 23 - September 12. You'll receive an email with your child’s online link for ordering. The flowers will be delivered September 27. Please be on the lookout for more information about pickup times as we get closer to the date.

2024/2025 Classroom Coordinators

Classroom coordinators aim to help teachers. They are a liaison between the teacher, PTO, and classroom families, helping to bridge communication and community. They help with communication by relaying information to families about announcements, reminders, activities, events, and volunteer opportunities within the classroom and the larger community. If you are interested in pursuing this role for your child’s classroom this year please indicate your interest here or email Anita Bracha at a_rigoli@yahoo.com.

The Wickliffe spirit wear team is trying out a presale this year by partnering with The Awesome Company. The Awesome Company is a screen printing and design studio centered around empowering and employing adults with Autism. The presale will run through Saturday, August 31. Click here to order your UA and Wickliffe gear today!

Wickliffe Family Directory

To safeguard students' privacy, the school does not share class lists - however, families can add a student's teacher assignment to the Wickliffe family directory. Once others update the teacher assignment for their children, you will be able to connect with the families in your child's class. Please take a moment to add your child's teacher assignment to your family's directory profile by clicking here (or use the PTO website menu option My Account / My Forms / Step 1: Family Information > Next Step to Step 2: Student Information).

The online directory can only be viewed by current Wickliffe families. The Wickliffe Family Directory is a secure, password-protected online directory that allows Wickliffe families to easily update their own contact information and find the contacts of the parents of their student's classmates and friends. Find out more in the Directory FAQs.

Volunteers - Always Needed and a Great Way to Connect with your Wickliffe Family Community

We always have opportunities to volunteer and all are welcome! If you are interested in volunteering on a committee or in a specific role, please fill out the survey to indicate your interest and we will be in touch! If time constraints limit your availability, please be on the lookout for sign up geniuses for various needs throughout the year!

I have had such a wonderful start to the school year meeting so many new faces! In the next few weeks I will be visiting all of your student’s classrooms to introduce myself and explain a little bit about what a school counselor does and how they can come see me. Please look for letters home in your child’s folder each time I visit their classroom for information on the lesson. If you need anything please find my contact information below. Thank you all for giving me such a warm welcome into the Wickliffe community!

Take good care,

Kaitlyn Karam (Mrs. K)

Kkaram@uaschools.org

487-5050 ext. 6717

My name is Emily Morris and I work for Syntero. I started with Syntero quite late into the 2023-2024 school year, and ended up joining the Wickliffe team around spring break. This will be my first full school year in Upper Arlington and I could not be more excited! Syntero has a partnership with UA Schools, through funding from the ADAMH board, to provide School-Based Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention Services free of charge to students and parents. Prevention services are strategic skill-building opportunities intended to increase skills and decrease risk through a variety of different methods such as small groups, individual sessions with linkage to higher level of care as needed, and classroom lessons. I work closely with school counselors and staff to support the work they are already doing with social emotional learning and support.

If you are interested in learning more or have questions please reach out to Kaitlyn Karam at kkaram@uaschools.org or myself at emorris@syntero.org.

I am so excited to be at Wickliffe and continue to get to know you and your students!

We wanted to share a link to the video message from Superintendent Bob Hunt played during our open house event. Captions can be displayed by clicking on the closed captioning (CC) box. The captions can also be translated into a language of your choice by clicking on settings, selecting "subtitles" and then "auto-translate."

A new state law that was signed in May requires reducing cell phone-related distractions in classrooms. While UA has current policy and restrictions in the student rights and responsibilities handbook, we will request input on any potential needs for updates to our policy–this will include engaging staff, students and families in the next few months. This information was previoously shared with you in Dr. Hunt's last Family Update.

Attendance Information - Click link for full details

• If your child will be absent from school, please email wickliffeattendance@uaschools.org. Please state a reason for your child’s absence. If you are emailing your child’s teacher regarding attendance, simply copy the attendance email - no need to send separate emails.

• There is a link to the attendance email in the Upper Arlington Schools app

• District Attendance Policy

• Please obtain a medical excuse for ANY visit to a doctor, dentist, therapist, etc that occurs during a school day.

Planned Absence Form - Forms should be completed 10 school days in advance of the first date of the planned absence whenever possible. Otherwise, the absence may be unexcused.

District Website Link

• 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

• A-E Calendar

Drop off/Pick up information

Instagram Account ~ @wickwolves

Lunch Menu

Lunchroom Helper - click here to Volunteer

Nurse Notes

Any prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician as well as written parental permission. Per Ohio Revised Code, the Prescribed Medication must be received by the health office in the container in which it was dispensed by the provider or pharmacist (we cannot accept medication in baggies). Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website at: UA Health Forms. Should you have any questions, please contact the Wickliffe Health Office at 614-487-5150.

PowerSchool Parent Portal: https://ps-uar.metasolutions.net/public/home.html

If you need assistance logging into PowerSchool, you may reach out to: familytechhelp@uaschools.org

Technology Family Support

• Check out this resource for K-5 families.

• WOSU Digital Wellness

• CommonSense Media Activities

Transportation Services

Email: schoolbusquestions@uaschools.org

UA Flyer Connection

Wickliffe PTO

Links to Previous Updates:

All of our updates can be found on the Wickliffe website under “school news”.