Schwarzkoff Welcome Back Edition

Email: officeschwarzkoff@uticak12.org
Website: https://www.uticak12.org/schwarzkoff

Location: 8401 Constitution Blvd, Sterling Heights, MI 48313

Phone: (586) 797-6300

School Hours: 8:25 AM - 3:15 PM (full days) and 8:25 AM -11:29 AM (half days)

Breakfast Hours: 8:05-8:25 AM
Facebook: Schwarzkoff Elementary School

8:05 Main doors open for K-6 breakfast students ONLY

8:15 Inside doors open for classroom lineup

8:15 Kinder students enter via classroom doors (first week ONLY)

8:25 School begins

11:29 Half day dismissal

3:15 Regular dismissal

Now - September 6th

• Complete PowerSchool annual update https://www.uticak12.org/domain/1821

Monday, August 19th

• Emailed your child's bus stop in afternoon

Thursday, August 22nd

• Emailed your child's teacher via PowerSchool

Monday, August 26th

• Cougar Sneak Peak 4:00-6:00 PM
• Meet the Kinder Teachers ONLY 4:00-5:30 PM

Tuesday, August 27th

• First Day of School with dismissal at 11:29

Friday, August 30th

• NO SCHOOL

Friday, September 6th

• Last day to purchase device insurance

This summer my daughter and I traveled to Europe. We visited Florence, the Swiss Alps, Paris, Munich, Salzburg, Venice, and Rome. It was a jammed 2 weeks of adventure. As I marveled at the beauty of mountain filled landscapes, green grape vineyards, and endless cobblestone streets of small cafes, I realized our lives are much too short to be filled with endless worry and stress. The world is an amazing and beautiful place. My favorite memory of the trip was zipping up and down the hills of Rome on a segway. We stopped at the Colosseum, Palatine Hill , and Circus Maximus. At each site after narrowly escaping the crazy traffic, we would pause and see the ancient ruins and then our tour guide would hand us a VR headset so we could step inside virtual reality to see what the site looked like in ancient times. It was truly a marvelous journey back in time and made me realize the best part of life is the time we spend with those we love, soaking in the miracle of being present on earth.

Stepping out of that sunlit land of fresh foods and lengthy lunches left me longing for a fresh start back here in America. I came back determined to be a better person and to spend each day walking confidently towards a future where everyone in the school community has the choice to commit to making each year, "the best year ever". I realized you don't have to go to a new place to START FRESH, but that we could START AGAIN. Together we build a bright future for ALL. This year's theme will embody our emphasis on our shared future. Whatever challenges our students, our teachers, our families have faced..we can make a "FUTURE so BRIGHT we have to WEAR SHADES."

This year, we will be engaging in Staff Teams. Each teacher will be assigned a team (behavior, culture, academics) and these teams will be engaged in problem solving and decision making. The purpose of this structure is a intentional effort on my part to increase buy in and give control of the majority of decisions to staff. This school is only as good as we make it TOGETHER. I invite you to grab your sunglasses and look up into the sunny skies of our shared journey. I can promise you that if you commit to facing forward, there is nothing that will stop this community.

In your service,

Mrs. Fante, Principal

While we understand the appeal of having fast food delivered to school, we prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of our entire student body. Allowing outside food deliveries creates logistical challenges, disrupts the school environment, and can lead to unfair advantages for some students. For these reasons, fast food deliveries during school hours will not be permitted. We encourage all students to either bring a packed lunch or enjoy the free meals provided in our cafeteria.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Students will have the opportunity to go outside with their classmates during designated times throughout the day. Recess helps to promote social and emotional learning and development for all children. Allowing time for our students to engage in peer interactions allows them to role play essential social skills. Recess also benefits our students by increasing their level of physical activity improving their memory, attention, and concentration. Each class will have a recess attached to the lunch program. We go outside whenever possible and stay inside if it is raining or the temperatures are below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Students will have an optional second recess each day with their classroom teacher. Please have children dress for the weather.

All meals are free this year thanks to the Michigan School Meals law. Students that would like to be eligible for benefits, such as pay-to-participate sports, college entrance fees, AP testing fees and more still need to fill out the Education Benefits Form or the School Meals Form. These forms are available at https://utica.familyportal.cloud. Please download and complete the forms to ensure we receive our Title I and other specialized funding from the state. Paper applications will be sent home with the youngest child in the family the first week of school.

024-2025 DEVICE RESPONSIBILITY, DAMAGE FEES AND OPTIONAL INSURANCE

Student Device Responsibility & Optional Insurance - For all Assigned 1:1 UCS Students

Utica Community Schools is proud to deliver 1:1 technology to our students. Depending upon the grade level, your child has been issued either an iPad or a Dell laptop including charging cords and any applicable accessories. Your child is responsible for the device at all times.

Additionally, a separate Technology Device Use Agreement that includes an electronic sign-off must be provided to the district prior to device distribution. This agreement includes the procedures for Board Policy 6600 - Acceptable Use of the District Technology Resources, acknowledgement that the Student Device Agreement has been discussed with your child, and you have read Board Policy 5160 – Information & Communication Technology. The Technology Device Use Agreement can be found by logging in to your PowerSchool parent account using a web-browser (found at this link), selecting “Forms” from the Navigation menu, and then selecting “Required to Complete Each Year” from the list. Please note that the PowerSchool app does not contain a link to district forms. Forms are only accessible through a web-browser.

Damage Fees

In the event of damage to an iPad or laptop, district policies and practices require a charge be assessed to cover the repair or replacement cost of the device. The fees described below are based on use of a UCS-provided device and any damage to it, whether accidental or intentional, after it has been issued to the student.

Device Insurance Plan for Accidental Damage – Annual OPTIONAL COVERAGE

An annual insurance plan has been designed to help families if there is an accident that causes damage to the school issued device. When participating in the district’s insurance plan for $20.00 per year, any accidental damage reported will be covered as described below. Insurance coverage will repair/replace the device for accidental damage with no cost incurred by the student for the first incident (claim). Subsequent damage repairs during the covered year will have a deductible assessed per instance. Insurance will cover a maximum of 3 damage occurrences during the covered year. The deductible fee schedule for each damage occurrence is outlined below. Please note, if insurance is not purchased, actual repair costs (not to exceed the cost of the device) will apply.

2024-2025 INSURANCE FEES

Insurance plan purchase

• $20.00 per device, per year

Device Damage/Occurrence Fees (WITH INSURANCE)

• First Occurrence - NO CHARGE

• Second Occurrence – not to exceed $75 (iPad) / $150 (laptop)

• Third Occurrence – not to exceed $150 (iPad) / $300 (laptop)

• Thereafter – full repair/replacement cost

ITEMS NOT COVERED BY THIS OPTIONAL PLAN:

ACCESSORIES – INCLUDING POWER/CHARGING CORDS - ARE NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE

• Accessories include, but are not limited to, a USB power adapter, charging cable and/or protective iPad case.

• Replacement of lost or damaged accessories is the responsibility of the student. Utica Community Schools requires Original Equipment Manufacturer replacements.

INTENTIONAL DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE

• Any damage reported due to misuse, neglect or any other form of intentional damage will result in fees up to the full cost of replacing the device, regardless of your participation in the annual insurance plan.

STICKER REMOVAL IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE

• Stickers, decals or other items affixed to the device will be assessed a fee for removal and is not covered by insurance.

DAMAGE DUE TO REMOVAL OF THE PROTECTIVE CASE IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE

• Utica Community Schools has selected a protective iPad case for all district issued iPads. Students must NEVER remove the case.

• If the assigned laptop is provided with a protective case, students must NEVER remove the case.

• Any damage that occurs due to the removal of an iPad case or a laptop protective case is considered INTENTIONAL DAMAGE and is not covered by insurance.

LOST OR STOLEN DEVICE

• Lost devices are NOT COVERED under this optional insurance policy.

• In the case of theft of an iPad or laptop, a copy of a completed police report MUST BE RETURNED to Utica Community Schools. A stolen device IS COVERED by the purchased insurance ONLY IF a police report is filed and a copy provided to the district.

The initial fee to purchase device insurance can be paid online using your checking account, debit card or credit card through PaySchools. The link to PaySchools is the same for ALL schools: https://www.payschoolscentral.com/

Just follow these easy steps:

• Log in to your account from your computer or tablet at: www.payschoolscentral.com (Important - it is not recommended to use the app as it does not properly support UCS content).
• Search for Technology Device Insurance

Note to new kindergarten families and families new to the district - You will need to first create the PaySchools account for your family.

• Complete the account registration by selecting register, enter your profile details, setting up your password via the email link that will be sent to you, then logging in.
• Add your children to your account using their student ID numbers. ID numbers are found in PowerSchool, and on their report card available through PowerSchool.
• If you like, enter credit card and/or banking information as forms of payments to use with your PaySchools account.

Need help with your PaySchools Central account?
8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET (M-F)
psc_help@payschools.com
877-393-6628

PaySchools is PCI-compliant and maintains industry-standard SSL certificates, ensuring all your family’s data is safe and secure.

Any prospective volunteer of Utica Community Schools including those who will be supervising students, working with students, chaperoning field trip, etc. must complete a Criminal History Check Form and be cleared prior to any volunteer services.

Volunteer background checks must be completed annually. If a parent has students in more than one school, only one volunteer form must be completed.

Click on the link below the photos, complete the form and return to Schwarzkoff Office

Reminders:

• All medications that are dropped off at school required a Health Care Plan.
• All OTC medications must be in brand new packaging and still required a Health Care Plan.
• All allergies require a food allergy form.
• If you are requesting dietary substitutions for school breakfast and lunch program, you must have the UCS Special Dietary Statement Plan completed by a doctor and updated each year.
• Health care plans must be updated annually and signed by a doctor after 7/1/24.
• Please email Heather.gibala@uticak12.org with questions or to request a meeting BEFORE school starts.