We have noticed many families not following the car rider line procedure lately. As a reminder, you must get into the Kindergarten lane which begins at the back of the parking lot as you turn in off of Gray Road. Please do not drive straight ahead to cut the line. This is very dangerous to our staff members that direct traffic and could create car accidents. Please review the map below to ensure that everyone stays safe.

We will be hosting a Family Night on April 10th from 5:30- 7:00 p.m. We will share more details out as we get closer, but please save the date and plan to attend!

Attendance matters every school day.

Students who attend school regularly achieve at higher levels.

We would like all students to be at school by 9:10 everyday. Also, on time arrival matters! As a

reminder, students who arrive late can disrupt both individual learning and the classroom

environment. Most importantly, they can miss important instruction, along with allowing them to get enough time to get settled in for the day.

During these cold and dark winter days, it is important your family has a good morning routine that

ensures on time arrival. Starting your morning routine a few minutes earlier than normal could ensure just that! Thank you for your efforts!

Our goal is for all students to be at school everyday, but we understand students will be ill. If your child must miss school, please call the attendance line to share the reason for his or her absence, (317) 782-2242 or parent square the teacher.

As we enter cold and flu season, we just want to remind you of Perry Township's district policies on when students are able to attend and/or return to school after being sick:

1. Fever/chills/generalized body aches – May return when temperature is below 100.4 F for 24-hours without fever reducing medication.
2. Eye discharge, crust, or bright redness of sclera (white of eye) – May return after evaluation by physician with return to school note and if indicated, 24–hours of antibiotic treatment.
3. Vomiting or diarrhea – May return once 24-hours symptom free without the use of medication.

Perry Township Schools Child Nutrition Department, Cafe Express, will be implementing a new

special dietary needs protocol beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.

Under the National School Lunch Program and USDA guidelines, Perry Township Schools are

required to provide reasonable meal modifications to accommodate students who are unable to

eat the school meal as is, at no additional charge, due to a disability, impairment and/or medical

necessity (i.e. food allergy) that restricts their diet.

To request special meal accommodations, parents/guardians must complete the “Special

Dietary Needs” form located on the district website under the “Child Nutrition Department”

Special Dietary Needs section. Completed forms will be sent to and reviewed by the Assistant

Child Nutrition Director.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremiahgraykindergarten

EVERY DAY COUNTS!

Starting as early as preschool and kindergarten, regular attendance is essential for students gaining the academic and social skills they need to thrive. Research shows that when students are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of the school year or 18 days over an entire school year), they are less likely to read proficiently by third grade, achieve in middle school and graduate from high school.

In addition to the well-publicized learning losses, students also lost opportunities to develop socially and gain skills in problem-solving and self-regulation, all which are needed to grow and learn. https://awareness.attendanceworks.org/

Attendance Matters! Unless your child is sick, please make sure they are at school, on time, each day!

Busing information for the 2024-2025 school year is now available in your Skyward Family Access account under the Busing tab on the left. If you are having trouble accessing this information please contact your students' school for help. When you review the busing information please verify that you have a bus number and a stop location if you expect your student to be transported. There will be times but they can change as children are added and removed from the route. Please check Skyward again the night before school for accurate times. Please have students on the bus stops 10 min prior to pick up time. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Transportation at 317-789-6221.

Volunteers play an essential role in our school district. Their guidance and influence can encourage students’ academic, social and personal success. Their skills and willingness to assist can help principals and teachers tackle some of the items on their long to-do lists. Perry Township Schools promotes an environment of safety, trust, and respect. Under state law, volunteers must wait until their background screening process is complete to begin their volunteer assignment. Perry Township Schools is utilizing SafeVisitor to complete visitor and volunteer background checks.

VISITORS

All visitors must present a picture ID and scan their ID with the front office staff. This scan will check the National Sex Offender Registry but a full background check is not necessary. The visitor background check is free of charge.

A visitor is anyone who:

• Has lunch with their child
• Has a meeting with the principal
• Has a meeting with the teacher
• Guest speakers are considered visitors

VOLUNTEERS

A volunteer is anyone who:

• Attends a classroom party
• Assists in a classroom such as tutors/helpers/room parents
• PTA volunteers
• Attends a field trip with their student

• A SafeVisitor volunteer background check is $15.95 and is valid for three years. (These background checks can take three to six days to process, so please plan accordingly.) The background check is a national screening process that includes a Social Security and address verification and checks the following: National Criminal Database, National Sex Offender Registry, Statewide Criminal, County Criminal, and Federal Criminal Courts. This background check also includes the Arrest Alert program, which will notify Perry Township Schools of arrests after the initial background check has been approved.

  Once your background check is approved, you will receive an email from info@safevisitorsolutions.com with a badge in PDF form. You can print it and carry it with you, save it to your phone as a picture, or save the email with the approval and the barcode.

ParentSquare is the newest communication tool designed to keep families informed. By providing your email and phone number, you will receive the following information from teachers and principals:

• Weather cancellation/delays
• Emergency notifications
• General announcements

With ParentSquare, you can receive notifications via the ParentSquare smartphone app, text message, email, phone or a combination of these.

Dear Kindergarten Parents/Guardians:

We need additional information for our high ability screening on the academic needs and

performance of some kindergarten students in order to provide instruction at the appropriate level.

Depending on the information needed, your child may be administered one or more standardized

tests. The testing will take place during March 3rd-14th. If you have any questions regarding

testing, please contact Kim Jovic at kjovic@perryschools.org.

Kindergarten registration will begin on January 6, 2025 for those students who will be entering

Kindergarten in the Fall of 2025. The student must turn 5 years old on or before August 1, 2025 in order to register. There is a waiver process for children with a birthdate after August 1 st up to August 15th. The Kindergarten Academy your student will attend is determined by your residence only and not where other siblings may be attending. To determine which Kindergarten Academy your child will attend, please go to the Perry Township website at perryschools.org. Go to the For Parents tab, click on Enrollment, and Boundary Map.

SOUTHSIDE INDY AQUATICS SWIM TEAM & SWIM LESSON EVALUATIONS

Come to Southport High School (Door 8) any time between 6-7 pm on Tuesday, April 1 or

Thursday, April 3 for a quick evaluation in the water for summer swim lessons or swim team.

Please have athletes bring a swim suit and towels, and goggles if they have them. Swim team

practices begin Monday, April 7 and Swim Lessons begin Tuesday, April 8.

Visit www.southsideindyaquatics.com for more information or e-mail questions

to lcox@southsideindyaquatics.com

Website: http://www.perryschools.org/jk/
Location: 5225 Gray Road, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Phone: (317) 782-2240
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JGKALittleGiants/
Twitter: @JGKAPrincipal