Fox Hill Elementary Family Update

Welcome Fox Hill Families to the 2023-2024 school year!

School Doors open at 7:20 AM. Students are tardy after 7:40 AM. School dismisses at 2:25 PM.

Mrs. Beard

Principal

March

March 18 - 5th Grade Counselor Visit/Instrument Try-On

March 21- Kindergarten Fox Trot

March 22 - PTO event - Skateland, 5-9

Apr 1 - Apr 5 - Spring Break

Great things happen every day at Fox Hill! Follow our social media accounts to take a peek into school and classrooms.

• Twitter: @FoxHillElem
• Fox Hill Facebook Page

Mrs. Beard

Principal

Thank you to our all Pro Dad Leaders for leading our March meeting on Self-control! Self-control is learning to pause before your react to something or someone. When you have self-control you have learned to think about your behavior and the impact your actions have on yourself and others! Thank you All Pro Dad leaders!

All schools will be closed April 1-5 for Spring Break. We wish our students, staff, and families a safe and restful break. As a reminder, Monday, April 8, will be an eLearning Day in response to the solar eclipse. Students WILL NOT bring home chromebooks for April 8th, instead teachers will send pencil/paper activities or communication on what the assignments are before spring break.

Classes resume in-person on Tuesday, April 9.

Please mark your calendars for our Fox Hill Open House on Thursday, April 11th, 5:30-7:00. Come to Fox Hill to visit classrooms and see some of the accomplishments of your children from the year! There will also be opportunity to hear from our instructional coaches, get learning resources, and interact with our PTO! The 3rd and 4th grade students will also participate in their Spring Concert!

The 3rd and 4th grade students will be singing at the Open House on April 11th this year for our Spring Concert. Please have your child to their classroom by 6:30pm so he/she can perform on the stage at 6:40! Students don't need to wear a certain color, but please dress to impress!

When? This school year Indiana will be in the path of a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Proper eyewear is needed to view the eclipse. This is the first total solar eclipse in 819 years for Indianapolis. The next total solar eclipse will be October 2153. (Source: Butler University Holcomb Observatory). This will also be an E-LEARING DAY for Fox Hill Elementary School.

What causes an eclipse to occur? Eclipses occur due to the special coincidence of the moon and the Sun being the same angular size. The Sun is 400 times wider than the moon, but it is also 400 times farther away, so they coincidentally appear to be the same size in our sky. This is what allows us the beauty of the total solar eclipse. (Source: nasa.gov)

Is it safe to be outside during the eclipse? – Sunlight during an eclipse is no different than normal. You must wear proper eye protection to look directly at the Sun. You should never look directly at the Sun without solar viewing glasses or filters sold by astronomical specialists which block more than 99.999% of visible light and 100% of Infrared and Ultraviolet light. There is no time when it is safe to look directly at the Sun without using a special-purpose solar filter that complies with the transmittance requirements of the ISO 12312-2 international standard. (Sources: Butler University Holcomb Observatory, American Astronomical Society)

Where do I find proper eye protection? - The American Astrological Society (eclipse.aas.org) has listed approved manufacturers/distributors of eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers. The Fox Hill PTO purchased eclipse glasses from American Paperwear which is on the American Astrological Society list of approved vendors and distributed them to families in October for the partial eclipse. Families should use those eclipse glasses at their own discretion.

Where do I find out more information about the total eclipse?

Locally, Butler University Holcomb Observatory offers weekend public programming. Eclipse related information and activities can be accessed via their website: butler.edu/arts-sciences/holcomb-observatory/ Other sites include:

American Astrological Society – eclipse.aas.org

NASA – solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/about-eclipses/types/

Don’t FORGET to wear ISO 12312-2 international standard viewing glasses!

Special Thanks to the FOX HILL PTO for providing students/staff with eclipse glasses that were distributed in October for the partial eclipse. Unfortunately, we do not have extra solar eclipse glasses at this time.

Our next scheduled Dine to Donate is at Arni's on Tuesday, March 26th - 11 am to 9 pm at the 4705 E. 96th Street location. For every flyer turned in, Arni's will donate 20% of the check to Fox Hill PTO!

Reminder for those using the Car Rider Line:
-If your student is a car rider for drop off or pick up and you have a backseat in your vehicle, please prepare your vehicle so that your student can exit and enter the vehicle's backseat on the curbside/driver's side. This helps with safety and efficiency.
-Please be attentive (we recommend you are not on cell phones) and follow the staff directions.
-There is no smoking on school grounds (even in the car line).

Reminder for Families dropping off (AM) after the car rider line has closed:
Please DO NOT drive in or through the bus area during bus arrival (and dismissal) time. Instead, please park in the front parking lot and walk your student across the crosswalk to the school.

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Both online and in-person sales will be accepted through Wednesday, March 27, 2024.

Paper order forms should have come home with your students, but you can also order online.

If you do order at school you can pay with cash or check -- made out to Fox Hill Elementary.

To place an online order use the following link and code:

Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-25 school year opens Monday, August 12. Parents/caregivers of children turning five before Aug. 1 should register. Please visit our website to register as a new student and share this info with your neighbors.

We are excited to meet the class of 2037!
https://www.msdwt.k12.in.us/enroll/#new-students

2024-2025 Registration for the NEW Early Learning Center is now open! Interested families can register online via this link.

• Fox Hill's great teachers deserve to be recognized! We’re proud to partner with Honored Schools again this year to do just that! Go to HonoredSchools.org to tell teachers how they’ve made a difference. They’ll get an email with your Honor Story and we’ll celebrate how fabulous they are!
• We are partnering with Honored Schools to celebrate our teachers all year long! Starting now, you and your child can go to www.HonoredSchools.org and recognize our amazing teachers where each submission serves as a nomination for the Honored Schools Life-Changing Teacher award at the end of the year. The winner will receive an unrestricted cash prize of $5,000 and national recognition!

All ages (adults included) are welcome for state required immunizations for Indiana School Enrollment and ALL recommended immunizations – NO OUT OF POCKET COST. Access more information at this link.

Free to all Fox Hill families
Parent-led, volunteer organization
Support the school community

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Click this LINK to Sign-Up for PTO Emails, Updates and to VOLUNTEER!

Or, scan the QR code below!

Complete the Washington Township volunteer requirements to volunteer at school

Volunteer Requirements (complete each year) - https://www.msdwt.k12.in.us/volunteer-requirements/

Contact the PTO at PTOFoxHill@gmail.com

Spring Semester Programming

PTO General Meeting

Fantastic Fox Grams Fundraiser

Family Dance

Classroom Parties

Pacers Game Fundraiser

Faith Wilson Memorial Scholarship Program

Staff Appreciation

School Bus Driver Appreciation

Testing Treats

Pi Day Fundraiser

Crew Carwash Fundraiser

5th Grade Celebration

Students can enter the school building at 7:20 am.

Students are tardy after 7:40 am

*If a student arrives after 7:40 am, a parent must walk the student to the front entrance of Fox Hill and the student can sign in at the front office to obtain a tardy pass.

School is dismissed at 2:25 pm

Visitors - Upon entering the building, all visitors must report to the office to sign in at the computer and get a visitor’s badge. A valid picture ID will be requested.

Classroom Visits - Visitors during the school day will be limited. Parents who would like to schedule a conference or meeting with their child’s teacher during the school day may do so by contacting the teacher and requesting an appointment. Visits to the classroom without school/teacher notification and approval are prohibited.

**There are NO visitors during student lunch periods.

Volunteers- Parents interested in volunteering (field trips, field day, classroom help, etc.) during the school year should review the MSDWT volunteer requirements. All individuals who volunteer in classrooms, at school events, or chaperone field trips have to complete and pass a criminal background check and view a bullying presentation prior to serving.

A hard copy of the background check form will be provided to interested parents at our Back to School Night/Parent Informational by your teacher or you can access it at the front office.

School Supply List-

Fox Hill Supply List - English

Fox Hill Supply List - Spanish

School Meals -

Student Breakfast Prices: $1.50 (reduced $0.00)

Student Lunch Prices: Elementary $ 2.50 (reduced $0.40)

Secondary $2.65 (reduced $0.40)

Milk Only (regardless of eligibility): $0.50

LUNCH LINES ARE CASHLESS!

All school cafeterias use a pre-pay meal account system. Washington Township Child Nutrition Services encourages parents/guardians to set up a FREE online MyPaymentsPlus account to pay for meals and to view student’s meal purchase history. MyPaymentsPlus is the preferred method when submitting funds for student meals. If you wish to send cash or check please place the money in an envelope marked clearly with your student’s name, their ID#, $ amount and the check number. Students can turn the envelope into their cafeteria or their classroom teacher.

K-8 Student Handbook

Code of Conduct

• Should your student be absent for any reason, please call the attendance line at 317-259-5230 to report the absence. If a child’s absence is not called into the attendance line by 10:00 a.m., the child will be marked unexcused.

• If your student has a required appt during the school day, remember he or she can/should still attend school before and after the appointment. We would rather have a student come in tardy than miss a full day's instruction. Please provide a signed statement from the doctor, dentist, etc., upon the return to school in order for the office to code the missed time appropriately.

• Please notify your classroom teacher of dismissal changes in writing, or call the front office before 1pm with transportation changes.

• The front office does not dismiss car riders from the office area during school dismissal time, 2pm-2:25 pm. Please notify the front office of any last minute changes by 1:30pm and report to the car line if your child will be a car rider. (*We do understand that there may be unforeseen circumstances, emergencies, or appts that may result in a deviation from this process.)

• Early pick ups from school - before 2:15pm- are coded in our FH Skyward system as afternoon tardies.

• **The State of Indiana requires that we send letters of notification to the families of children with excessive tardies (6 or more) and/or absences (4 or more unexcused). These letters will be sent on a regular basis.

At times, we recognize families will send treats or snacks to school for classrooms of students. Please remember these MUST be store bought and individually wrapped. All snacks must have an ingredient list and will be reviewed by the nurse before served to a class due to allergies.

At times, we also understand that families like to send birthday snacks/treats for the class. At this time, we do still allow for this. However, you MUST confirm that you are doing this with your classroom teacher ahead of time, and food items (cookie, bag of chips, etc) must be dropped to the front office for review by the nurse before it is served to the class.

All snacks must be store bought, individually wrapped, and have an ingredient list. And the birthday snacks/treats will be passed out at the discretion of the teacher.

Our school day DOES NOT allow for birthday parties or large birthday celebrations at school. Please DO NOT send items such as cake that must be sliced, gallons of ice cream that must be scooped, balloons, or large gifts to school. We also DO NOT allow for families to visit classrooms for birthday parties or celebrations. We ask that you have these types of birthday observances outside of school time.

If your student is a car rider:

*The Car Rider line starts at 7:20 am and will close at 7:35 am.

• Parents/Guardians dropping off after the car rider line has closed, must park in the front parking lot and an adult must walk his/her student across the crosswalk to the entrance of FH. If it is after 7:40 am, please have your student get a tardy pass from the front office.

Cars should NOT enter the bus area during arrival and dismissal times!

Please DO NOT drive in or through the bus area during bus arrival and dismissal! Remember you are also in a school zone - an area with children. Please do not speed through any area on school grounds.

Car Rider Line:

Arrival 7:20-7:35am: Parents should follow the “U” shaped line up formation on the west side of the school building. Students will stay in the car and should have items ready to go (backpack, lunch bag, etc.). Students should WAIT for the FH staff member to release them from their car. When the adult signals, student(s) should exit their car and walk on the yellow line into the entry door and go directly to class.

**Students will enter through the 4th Grade Doors - Students should Follow Staff Direction as they walk into the doors!

Families dropping off after the car rider line has closed, must park in the front parking lot. Parents must walk their student to the foyer of FH to sign in.

Students are tardy after 7:40 am.

Dismissal-. Car Rider Dismissal will begin at 2:20 p.m. (Bus riders dismiss at 2:25pm.) Parents will line up in the same "U" shaped formation as the AM process. Watch for staff direction - We will line up 2 lanes of cars and merge the cars into one lane as you approach the school curb. FH staff members will call for students based on your car tag - Please make sure to have ID in case it needs to be checked. (***The first few weeks-everyone will need to show ID.) Each student will have a number that corresponds to the car tag number of the parent. Parents are expected to get out of car, if needed, and help their students get into the car. *If you have a car tag from last year, you can discard it.

Important Note: If you are dropping off or picking up from the car rider line, and your vehicle has a backseat, please prepare your vehicle so that your student can exit and enter the vehicle's backseat on the curbside/driver's side. This helps with safety and efficiency. Thanks!

Life-Threatening Allergies – If your child has a life-threatening allergy or serious medical condition, you MUST report this to the nurse and meet with the nurse prior to your child starting school. You can call the office to schedule your appt with the nurse at 317-259-5371.

Medication – A parent or guardian must fill out a permission form for prescription (blue) and/or non-prescription (yellow) medication to be administered at school. All medication must be stored in the clinic and children MAY NOT transport medicine to and from school. It must be brought into the school by an adult.

District Websites:

• ​www.msdwt.k12.in.us
• Washington Township Schools Facebook
• Twitter: ​@msdwt

• Fox Hill Facebook Page

Website: https://fh.msdwt.k12.in.us/
Location: 802 Fox Hill Drive
Phone: 317-259-5371
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fox-Hill-Elementary-School-643527989006604/
Twitter: @FoxHillElem