Stonehedge News

Dear Stonehedge Families-

I am excited to share the first blog of the 2024-2025 school year. Everyone here has been hard at work getting ready for our students on Wednesday, September 4th. I wanted to check in and share some updates with you.

Our summer mailing went out early this week. If you don't already have your summer mailing, you will any day now! You have also received transportation information by now. If you need to make changes, please contact transportation 315-487-4576 or transportationreg@westgenesee.org. Changes must be received by 3PM, August 27, 2024 or changes will not occur until the 3rd week of September.

As you probably know, Stonehedge is undergoing some construction. As part of our capital improvement project, we will have a new art and music suite, new location for the nurses office, a new kitchen, and two newly remodeled cafeterias. We are excited for the completed project (late 2025). Due to the construction, Art and Music classes will take place in the classrooms. Also, we’ll have our own unique lunch menu. Stonehedge students will have most of the same lunch choices, but they will be subject to change based on our operational needs. We’ll also be offering a bagged breakfast. Students will have the choice of cereal or a cereal bar, chocolate or white milk, juice and fresh fruit each morning.

Another change you'll notice at Stonehedge is WIN Time, previously named TEAM Time. To create a consistent and common language that reflects the purpose of this time, we are now calling TEAM Time WIN time for all students in grades K-8. The excellent instructional practices of providing students what they need has not changed, just the name of the time period!

I am really looking forward to Tuesday, August 27th. We have Kindergarten, UPK and New Families' Orientation in the morning and early afternoon. In the evening, we'll have Popsicles with the Principals. The building will also be open to find your classroom from 4-6 pm during the "pop-in" event.

Enjoy the next couple of weeks. I can not wait to see all of those smiling faces.

Sincerely-

Amanda

Stonehedge Main Office

phone: 315-487-4633

fax: 315-487-4699

email: stonehedgeoffice@westgenesee.org

Stonehedge Health Office

phone: 315-487-4636

fax: 315-487-4599

8/27 - 3:00pm Deadline for Transportation Changes

9/4 - First Day of School for Students

9/9 - PTA Spirit Wear Sale Begins

9/10 - PTA Welcome Back Meeting - 6:30pm - Library

9/10 - Beginner String Night (4th grade) - 7:00pm - WGHS Auditorium

9/11 - Curriculum Night

6:00pm- 6:30pm - UPK, K & 1 6:30pm - 7:00pm - 2nd, 3rd, & 4th

9/16 - Beginner Band Night (4th Grade) - 7:00pm - WGHS Auditorium

9/23 & 9/24 - Stonehedge Picture Days

10/1 - 10/3 - PTA Scholastic Book Fair - 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Blue Gym

As we launch the ParentSquare Communications system over the rest of this month, please be on the lookout for more information to your email, text, and eventually to the ParentSquare mobile app!

• You should have received an electronic invitation to download the ParentSquare app to your phone and to activate your account. (You will also be able to access this information from your personal computer.) If you did not receive this invitation, please email publications@westgenesee.org ,and we will follow-up on sending that email.
• Review your contact information, and you may be asked to verify your information. Please feel free to make corrections as we will be notified and will update our Student Management System (Schooltool). After we update the the Student Management System (Schooltool) the correction will show in your account. If you have any questions, please contact centralregistrar@westgenesee.org
• Receive intermittent posts and information with tips on the use of ParentSquare. (See a tip below about adjusting your Notification Settings.)
• Receive a hard copy instructional page in the mid-August mailing that will come home from your home schools.

Click here to view a quick slide deck with introductory information about ParentSquare.

The ParentSquare application is used throughout the region in many school districts. We believe this will offer authentic communication capabilities within our school community with features that include: two-way translatable messaging; direct messaging with staff; sign-up forms for events (like field trips, parent conferences, etc.); and submittal of attendance notes directly via the app.

Note: Parents who work in other school districts that use the ParentSquare format will have the ability to combine accounts, if desired, for professional use and as a parent.

Please accept our continued thanks for your partnership with strong communication and relationships.

Users can fine-tune their notification settings for posts for each school and district. For General Announcements, you can select Digest, Instant, or choose to turn off notifications altogether (excluding emergency alerts and notices.) You can choose to receive email, text, and/or app notifications.

A secondary parent/guardian contact may want to turn off all notifications except for emergency alerts (This is particularly useful if their partner parent/guardian manages school-related daily activities).

ParentSquare allows users to customize their notifications by notification type and select their preferred delivery method for each school and district.

You can set the frequency of notifications for posts. The Instant setting will send all post notifications in real time. The Digest setting sends direct messages, alerts, and time-sensitive posts instantly, but sends all non-time-sensitive posts at the end of the day, reducing the number of notifications you receive daily. Note: we recommend the Digest setting.

Notification types include:

• Urgent Smart Alerts & Notices - urgent alerts, attendance notices, and auto notices marked as critical notices (cannot be disabled).

• General Announcements & Messages - posts, direct messages and reminders.

• School Alerts - smart alerts and other student notices.

Under General Announcements, you can select how often you want to receive notifications for posts. Select Off, Instant or Digest notifications.

• Off: no notifications about posts will be sent to you. Emergency Alerts and Notices will still be sent. School Alerts will still be sent if turned on.

• Instant: you'll receive an email and/or text and/or an app notification every time a notice or message is sent.

• Digest: you'll receive an email and/or text and/or an app notification once a day in the evening with all posts from that day.

The default setting is typically Digest, so that you receive all notices and post messages in one convenient notification once a day. All emergency notifications still come through instantly, and a school can override settings as needed for an urgent message. If you choose Instant notifications, and have multiple children in multiple schools, that can add up to a lot of messages.

How to Update Notifications on a Phone

Click here for a printable PDF.

How to Update Notifications on a Phone and/or a Web Browser:

Click here for a web article (Note: To see web article and video you will need to be logged in to ParentSquare.)

Here is a great video from ParentSquare to help you with the basics of navigating the ParentSquare app! (About 15 minutes long, but well worth the time…) Note: please pay special attention to messaging and posts. A few other features such as forms, permission slips and sign-ups will be coming after our initial launch.

We are pleased to inform you that West Genesee CSD will be implementing a meal certification option available to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs for 2024-2025.

What does this mean for your child(ren)?

All students enrolled at West Genesee CSD are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge to your household each day of the 2024-2025 school year. A full meal must include a serving of a fruit or vegetable for breakfast and lunch. If a fruit or vegetable is not taken, the student will be charged a la carte for their meal. Milk is included as part of the free meal. Milk is also available for purchase.

No further action is required of you. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at ecullen@westgenesee.org.

Erin's Angels is a local nonprofit organization focused on reducing food insecurity in Central New York. The West Genesee School District is fortunate to work with Erin's Angels to provide Power Packs to students who may benefit from bringing home snacks to eat during the weekend when they do not have access to breakfast and lunch at school. Power Packs consist of foods such as instant oatmeal, granola bars, applesauce, and fruit snacks. Last year Erin's Angels provided school counselors and health offices with over 150 power packs to distribute to students each week.

Please contact your child's school counselor if you are interested in having your child receive a Power Pack. If you would like to donate funds to support the Power Pack program, visit https://erinsangels.com/west-genesee-program.