Highview Happenings

September 15, 2023

From the Principal's Desk...

Dear Highview Families,

Happy Friday! We had a successful first full week of the new school year! It is wonderful to see all students building relationships with one another and settling into their academic routines. I am confident it will be a wonderful year of growing and learning together!

This week, we conducted one Bus Safety Drill and three fire drills. The students did an excellent job listening to the adults during these important safety drills. We continue to reiterate to students that our number one priority is their safety and wellbeing. Thank you to all families who are reviewing the bus rules with their children.

Last night was our Meet the Teacher Night. The event was buzzing with excitement, and I know that our faculty and staff enjoyed meeting with parents/guardians to provide an overview of the upcoming school year. Many thanks to our fabulous Elementary PTA, Nanuet Music Partners, and Nanuet Public Library for joining us!

Today, your child is bringing home a paper copy of the K-4 Code of Conduct. There is a simplified version for students and a detailed version for parents/guardians. We are asking that you please review the entire Code of Conduct with your child. Then, we ask that you please sign the form that we sent home acknowledging that you reviewed and understand the Code of Conduct. We ask that you only return the acknowledgment form no later than Friday, September 22. The packet that includes the Code of Conduct is for you to keep at home as a reference.

My hope is that you and your loved ones enjoy a joyful weekend together. Please be sure to read over the weekend so your brain stays fresh for next week. We look forward to welcoming our Highview Knights back to school on Monday, September 18.

Sincerely,

Matthew Lutz

Principal

mlutz@nanuetsd.org

Principal's Pride

Being the Principal of Highview Elementary School brings me, Mr. Lutz, a tremendous amount of joy and pride. I am beyond lucky to be able to work with such incredible students, staff, and families.

I would like to give a huge shout-out to our faculty and staff for working tirelessly to prepare for Meet the Teacher Night. The energy in the classrooms and office spaces was buzzing with excitement and an eagerness to dive into a new school year. Thank you, faculty and staff, for sharing part of your evening with our families.

Many thanks to our parents and guardians as well! We appreciate your partnership and trust as we embark on this new journey with you for the 2023-2024 school year. As always, if you have questions pertaining to your child's school experience, please reach out to your child's classroom teacher.

Check out some pictures from Meet the Teacher Night below!

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Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

During arrival and dismissal, the safety of our students is our top priority. Please review this document, which outlines our arrival and dismissal procedures for the 2023-2024 school year. We thank you in advance for your partnership in following these procedures each day.

2023-2024 Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Bus Information - FINAL Posting

Our Transportation Department will be mailing a postcard via USPS that outlines busing information. It will include specific information related to your child's bus and bus routes. If you do not receive the postcard and plan to have your child ride the bus, please contact our Transportation Department at (845) 627-9819.

As always, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. When riding the bus, students are expected to follow three bus rules:

Be a good listener.
Use a quiet voice.
Stay in your seat at all times.

We conducted our first Bus Safety Drill on Tuesday, September 12 during Specials. During this drill, students reviewed the rules of the bus as well as how to exit the bus in case of an emergency. We appreciate your partnership in reiterating these expectations for a safe bus ride. Please note that unsafe behavior on the bus will result in a loss of bus privileges at the discretion of the Principal, Assistant Principal, or their designee(s).

Chromebook Care, Cases, and Chargers

Please read this document about Caring for Your Chromebook. Nanuet School District provides a Chromebook, charger, and sleeve (case) for each student. Currently, the district fixes and/or replaces devices when necessary but unfortunately, the district does not provide replacement chargers or sleeves to anyone that damages or loses a charger or sleeve. Any student that requires a charger or sleeve after the initial provision will need to purchase a replacement.

Code of Conduct

The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment where students may receive and district personnel may deliver quality educational experiences without disruption or interference. We ask that you read and review the Code of Conduct for Grades K-4 with your child. Our goal is to ensure students are engaged in learning while making positive contributions to our school community.

Digital Backpack

Each week, documents will be loaded to our Digital Backpack, which is linked to the bottom of the Highview homepage. We encourage you to check the Digital Backpack, which is updated every Friday, to ensure you have updated information on important dates, events, and opportunities being offered to students and families.

Lunch and Recess - FINAL Posting

Grade 3 Lunch/Recess is from 12:45-1:30 p.m. daily.

Grade 4 Lunch/Recess is from 11:45-12:30 p.m. daily.

If your child is purchasing meals at school, the account will be charged beginning Wednesday, September 6, 2023.

Breakfast at Highview is $1.65
Lunch at Highview will be $3.00

The district will continue to utilize a CASHLESS system.

Payments are accepted as follows:

A check or money order made out to Nanuet Union Free School District Lunch Room Account
Through the district’s online payment system: www. PayPams.com

An application for Free/Reduced meals has been mailed to all families. We encourage you to complete it. Once the completed application has been received and reviewed, a notification will be mailed to your home. Families that currently receive Medicaid or Snap benefits are automatically qualified through Direct Certification.

Please complete the application as soon as possible so there is no lapse in your child's eligibility. If you have questions, please reach out to MaryAnn Gregor, Director of Food Services, at mgregor@nanuetsd.org.

Meet the Teacher Night 2023

If you were unable to attend Meet the Teacher Night, you can access the Principal Presentation by clicking the link below.

Highview - Meet the Teacher Night - Principal Presentation

Support Staff Presentation (English)

Support Staff Presentation (Spanish)

Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

We are fortunate to have a wonderful Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Here are the Board Members for the Elementary PTA:

Tahisha Lue-Hing, President
Debbie Harris, Vice President for G.W. Miller School
Kathy Musto, Vice President for Highview School
Kristyn Scalise, Secretary
Clare Delongchamp, Treasurer
Michelle Garrido, Delegate

We encourage our parents to get involved with the PTA. If you have questions, you can always reach out to our PTA via email at nanuetpta@gmail.com. Additionally, please check out the PTA's Facebook Page for more information on how to join this amazing group! Thank you to our fabulous PTA for all you do to support the students, staff, and families in the Nanuet School District!

Nanuet Elementary PTA Facebook Page

Safety and Security Protocols

As you know, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority in the Nanuet Union Free School District. In an effort to ensure our building is safe and secure, we have made some revisions to our visitor policies and procedures at Highview School during the 2022-2023 school year. The protocols are outlined in the document below.

2023-2024 Safety and Security Protocols - Highview School

Snack - FINAL Posting

Students do have a snack time daily. Classroom teachers will communicate this to you when they share their specific schedules. We encourage you to send a healthy snack to school with your child. If your child's classroom is designated as Nut Free, you will receive a letter notifying you. Please do not send any products containing nuts. Thank you for your partnership in keeping all students healthy and safe!

Please note that there is a designated Nut Free table in the cafeteria when students are enjoying their lunches.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

This week, our School Counselor, Ms. Lipson, and School Social Worker, Mrs. Weiss, hosted the first Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) assembly of the school year. Students will participate in these assemblies on a monthly basis. Each assembly is tied to one of the five core SEL competencies needed to be successful in life: self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

For this month, students reviewed Kelso's Choices and how to solve small problems independently. Additionally, Ms. Lipson and Mrs. Weiss discussed strategies for building relationships and making new friends.

Next month, the assemblies will focus on self-management and social awareness. Students will begin to explore strategies for recognizing and labeling their emotions, which is tied directly to our RULER approach to Social-Emotional Learning.

Below you will find a letter from our SEL staff as well as some tips for parents on helping students recognize and regulate their emotions.

RULER - Parent Tips.pdf

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