Royal Decree Family Newsletter

The summer has gone quickly, and it's hard to believe that the start of the new school year is only a few short weeks away. We are very excited to meet our new Royals as well as welcome back and reconnect with our returning families. The beginning of the school year is a fresh start full of hope and opportunity.

We look forward to partnering with you and creating an engaging, supportive, and fun learning environment where every Royal can succeed each day!

The first day of school for K-5 students will be Wednesday, Aug. 14. School will be dismissed at 2:15 pm that day.

Welcome back ROYALS!

Mrs. Rychener

You will be able to view your child’s teacher and bus information through Parent PowerSchool on Wednesday, Aug. 7th at 4:00 pm. For new families including kindergarten, a letter was mailed to you containing Parent PowerSchool access information and instructions. If you need any assistance, please contact our office at 309-243-7772.

All Royals and parents are invited to meet their teachers and visit the classrooms prior to the start of school. Buses will be available to meet the drivers. Students are encouraged to bring their school supplies. Please report directly to your Royal's classroom. *Outstanding forms/fees can be dropped off in the office.

Monday, August 12

ECE/Kindergarten Open House

5:30-6:30 pm

1st - 5th Open House

6:30-7:30 pm

1st Grade - Addison Prina

4th Grade - Hannah McMurray

Resource - Jessica Nemeth

Head Cook - Kathy Gullette

Evening Custodian - Brad Roberts

Resource Aide Kindergarten - Suganya Jayakumar

ESL - Katie Norbutas

ECE Speech - Shae Wrage

ECE: Mrs. Weiss

Kindergarten: Mrs. Gunter (KG) and Mrs. Bremer (KB)

1st Grade: Miss Prina (1P) and Mrs. Engelbarts (1E)

2nd Grade: Mrs. Snodgrass (2S) and Mrs. Gonzalez (2G)

3rd Grade: Mrs. Lanser (3L) and Mrs. Kraushaar (3K)

4th Grade: Mrs. Piper (4P) and Miss McMurray (4M)

5th Grade: Mrs. Schneider (5S) and Mrs. Denniston (5D)

Resource: Mrs. Sivertsen

Resource: Miss Nemeth

ESL - Miss Norbutas

PE - Mr. Carter and Mr. Rankin

Art - Mr. Wright

Music - Mrs. Walker

World Language - Mrs. Rivera

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 7:39 am - 2:45 pm

Wednesday - 7:39 am - 2:15 pm

Students can be dropped off starting at 7:25. There is no supervision of the students before this time. Students arriving after 7:39 will be marked as tardy. All tardies are considered unexcused unless the student is arriving late due to a medical/dental appointment.

Please call the office (309-243-7772) or email Mrs. Kamin at lkamin@dunlapcusd.net by 8:15 am if your child is going to be absent.

• New entrance awning
• New shelving in the library
• Painting
• New sidewalk on North side
• Striping in parking lot and blacktop playground
• New windows COMING this fall in the K/1 hallway

Kindergarten and all new students must have a current physical with up to date immunizations before the first day of school. They will also need dental and vision exams on file in the office.

Dental forms for students entering 2nd grade are due on or before Oct. 15.

Medication Forms

• For ALL medications that will be administered to students during the school day, a medication form must be completed.
• All prescription AND over-the counter medications require a physician's signature on the medication form and medications must be in the original package or bottle.

Please contact the front office to obtain a copy of the medication forms or if you have any questions.

During Back to School Night on Aug. 12th, you may drop off completed paperwork with medication or pick up blank medication forms to be completed at the office.

The State of Illinois requires schools to participate in yearly safety drills. The drills are reviewed and practiced with our Royals in a non-threatening and age-appropriate way.

Fire Drills:

• August 16, 2024

• August 20, 2024

• August 23, 2024 with the Dunlap Fire Dept. present

Lock Down/Safety Drill:

• August 27, 2024

Severe Weather Drill

• August 22, 2024

• February 28, 2025

Bus Drill:

• October 2024

Due to congestion in the parking lot in the mornings, it is important to maintain consistent flow and drop off procedures. Please note these morning procedures:

• All buses will drop off in the back parking lot. Parents will drop off in the circle parking lot in the front of the school.
• All bus riders enter the building through the gym doors. Car and bike riders should enter through the main entrance in the front of the building.
• Students who ride bicycles are to put bikes in the bike rack when they arrive at school. It is strongly recommended that all bikes be locked to the rack. The school is not responsible for bikes left at the rack.
• The earliest students should be dropped off to school is 7:25 am.
• Students should be ready with their materials for the day upon pulling up to the entrance and immediately exit the vehicle. It is suggested that students exit vehicles on the passenger side. Parents should remain in their vehicles.
• Please do not pass other vehicles that are dropping off students. This is for the safety of our students.
• Please pull forward when dropping off and picking up students. This may include pulling forward past the entrance of the school building. The areas marked “No Parking” should not be parked on for extended periods of time or when the driver exits the vehicle, but can be crossed as a loading zone.
• If a student requires adult assistance to get out of the vehicle or with supplies (instruments, classroom projects, etc.), please park in a designated parking spot and walk the student across the parking lot to not hinder traffic flow.
• Please be cognizant of other drivers and families that may be behind you. If your student requires additional time to exit the vehicle, please pull forward into a parking spot.
• Front doors will be locked beginning at 7:39 am. Students arriving after that time will be marked tardy.
• Illinois State Law prohibits cell phone use on school grounds while operating a motor vehicle.
• When students arrive to school, they will proceed immediately to their classrooms.
• Being on time to school is an important lifelong trait to develop and being on time sets the tone for a positive and productive day for children. Please make every effort to have your child here at school on time each and every day.
• Once a student has arrived at school, he/she may not leave the school grounds without the permission of the office.

Thank you for your assistance in ensuring effective and efficient morning drop-off procedures.

Bus riders will be dismissed through the front doors.

Royals that are being picked up will go with their teachers to the gym and line up. If your Royal is being picked up, that will be done in the rear of the building per the diagram below. To help expedite the process, we encourage you to write your child's names on a piece of paper to show staff at the gate so they can be called. Adults should stay in their vehicles.

If your child requires assistance with a car seat or seat belt, please pull to the side so that we can dismiss the remaining vehicles.

To promote a positive, safe, and healthy lifestyle and classroom learning community; birthday celebrations at school will not include treats or favors from home. Teachers will choose to celebrate students in their classroom in grade and age appropriate ways.

We are so fortunate to have an awesome and active Parents Club that always has the school's best interests in mind. Without our Parents Club, many of our school services and events would not be possible.

The Parents Club meets once a month, and they are always looking for new friendly faces to join. Commitment and volunteering can be as little or as much as your schedule allows. The first meeting will be in-person on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 7:00 pm.

In an effort to maintain the safest environment possible for our children, security measures have been implemented in all buildings throughout the district. All school doors, including the front entrance, will be locked during school hours. Visitors to the school will need to press the buzzer located on the post to the right of the main entrance and wait to be let in by office staff. Upon entering the building, visitors will be asked to present a US government issued ID such as a driver’s license, which can either be scanned or manually entered into our electronic sign in system. Once entry is approved, a badge will be issued that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. Upon exiting the school, visitors will be asked to give their visitors badge to the office staff when checking out. Any classroom visits should be pre-arranged and approved with the classroom teacher ahead of time. We hope our families understand and appreciate our efforts in maintaining a safe school environment.

School volunteers are important to the success of our school district. All volunteers that work with our students, participate in special school events as a volunteer during the school today, or that wish to attend field trips need to have a background check. This needs to only be completed one time during your time in Dunlap. To complete this process,

1. Go to https://www.dunlapcusd.net/employment

2. Click on "Job Openings"

3. Select "Volunteer" on the left hand side.

4. Complete the application for volunteering.

5. After you submit the application, you will be emailed a form from the district office. You must print this form and take it to Accurate Biometrics to be fingerprinted.

Picture Day has been scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 29. Additional information on ordering will be sent home with the students.

Kindergarten 10:45 - 11:15

First Grade 10:55 - 11:25

Second Grade 11:30 - 12:00

Third Grade 11:35 -12:05

Fourth Grade 12:10 - 12:40

Fifth Grade 12:15 - 12:45

Right at School is an after school option at each school for those parents who choose to take advantage of it. Information regarding how to register for the program is available on the Right at School website at www.rightatschool.com. There are other aftercare programs in the community as well.