Paularino Panther News

Dear Paularino Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! For those of you who were able to join for our Meet & Greet today, thank you for coming to campus. The smiles from students and families was energizing and we are looking forward to seeing everyone Monday morning for the start of the school year.

A few updates and information to help with the beginning of the school year:

• First Day Of School: The first day of school is Monday, August 19th. School starts at 8:05 AM and all students will line up on the blacktop by teacher name. Parents are welcome to join on the blacktop, gates open at 7:35 AM. Students will find their teachers name taped to a chair on the blacktop. This is where the class will line up at the beginning of each day, recess, and lunch. Teachers will greet their line at 8:05 AM. Once students start walking to classrooms, we kindly ask that all parents exit campus so we can begin our school day. Dismissal is 2:20 PM for all students. All classes will dismiss through the front gates.

• Teacher Assignments: Your student’s teacher name will go live on Friday, August 16th at 5:00 PM. You can log into your Aeries Parent Portal and under demographics it will show you the teacher name. We will also have staff with clipboards on the blacktop the first day of school with teacher information.
• 1. Go to Aeries Parent Portal
• 2. Login to the portal with your parent email account.
• 3. Hover over Student Info and select Demographics
• 4. On the left-hand side, you will see an area called “Teacher.” Underneath the teacher, you will see your child’s teacher and room number.

• Data confirmation: Please ensure that you have completed the Aeries Data Confirmation for each student. This is the time to update your emergency contact information for phone numbers and email addresses. This information is utilized for site to home communication as well as in the event of an emergency. I will be sending a Friday newsletter at 5:00 PM each week with upcoming events and reminders. If you do not receive a text and email at 5:00 PM on Fridays, please check your Aeries Parent Portal to ensure your email and phone number are correct.

• Parking Lot: Our parking lot is a bit tight – please leave parking spots for staff. For both morning drop off and afternoon pick up we have a valet line. Please wait in the line and pull as far forward as possible next to the curb to ensure a safe ingress and egress for your student. Staff will be out to help your students both morning and afternoon. Patience and kindness are appreciated, especially the first few weeks of school in the parking lot.

• Label Belongings: Make sure all your student’s belongings including backpacks, lunch boxes, and jackets, are labeled with their name to avoid any mix-ups.

• Breakfast & Lunch: Our school offers free breakfast and lunch to all students. There’s no need to worry about packing meals—your child will be provided with nutritious options every day. If your child has any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please ensure that this information is on file with the school nurse and communicated to the teacher so we can make the necessary accommodations. Our NMUSD breakfast and lunch menus can be accessed through this link, as well as the district website.

• Think Together - If you received a confirmation text from Think Together then your child is enrolled in the after school program. If you did not receive a text from Think Together, your child is on the waitlist or not enrolled. Please make sure to pick them up at 2:20 PM for dismissal.

• School Supplies: As a site we will provide all the necessary school supplies for your child. If you would like to purchase optional or additional supplies for your child and their classroom, please see our optional supply list.

I look forward to a wonderful school year, greeting our returning Panthers and meeting our new students!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Schwartz

August 17, 2024: PTA New Family Welcome 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Paularino Blacktop

August 19, 2024: First Day of School

August 29, 2024: Early Dismissal 1:20 PM

August 29, 2024: Back to School Night 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

September 2, 2024: No School - Labor Day

Weekly Spirit Days

*Mondays: College t-shirts - Panthers are college bound!

*Thursdays: Kindness t-shirts (Let's Be Kind or any kindness or positive message shirts)

*Fridays: Paularino Blue or Paularino spirit wear

As we strive to create a safe and secure environment for our students, I want to emphasize the importance of parking lot safety. Whether you’re dropping off or picking up your child, following these guidelines ensures the well-being of everyone in our school community.

• Walking on Sidewalks: Please remind your children to use the sidewalks when walking entering and exiting school. Sidewalks are designed for pedestrian safety, and we encourage everyone to stay on them.

• Avoid cutting through the parking lot: Please avoid cutting through the parking lot to access campus or exit campus. Walking through the parking lot can be risky due to moving vehicles. When dropping off your student, please pull forward to the designated sidewalk so students can safely exit the vehicle.
• Stay in your vehicle: When in the car line, please remain in your car. This will help the line to move faster with children getting in and out on their own. A staff member will be there to assist if needed. Please use kindness and patience when waiting for your student.
• Paularino Avenue Crosswalk: If walking across Paularino Avenue please wait for the crossing guard to assist in the crosswalk. This is for the safety of all walkers and cars.
• Respecting School Staff: Our dedicated staff members work tirelessly to ensure a safe environment. Please model respect and kindness toward them. They play a vital role in maintaining order during drop-off and pick-up times.

Safety is our top priority, and together, we can create a secure environment for our children! Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to our students’ safety.

Attendance matters here in NMUSD. At Paularino, our priority is your child. Our goal is to provide every student with the education and skills necessary to be successful in school and in life. Critical to this success is attendance. We understand that many factors can contribute to missing school and daily instruction. We also know that missed learning days add up quickly and directly impacts your child’s success. Regular attendance in school is a game changer, and it is an essential factor for success.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Starting in kindergarten, too many absences (excused and unexcused) can cause students to fall behind in school.
• Missing 10 percent of the school year increases the chance that your student will not read or master math at the same level as their peers.
• Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.
• Students who are absent two or more days each school month achieve 25 percent lower than their fellow students.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

In our district, we understand that illnesses happen, and we appreciate you keeping your child home when sick. Outside of illness, and when possible, please plan family vacations around scheduled school breaks and schedule student appointments after school. If scheduling an appointment during the school day is unavoidable, your child should attend school before or after their appointment. Every day matters and important lessons and concepts continue to be taught even when your child is ill. It is vital that all students continue to attend class every day that they are healthy.

Thank you for playing your part in helping your student(s) succeed and make the most out of their educational experience.

The Paularino PTA has a brand new website!! Check it out for all things PTA related.

https://sites.google.com/view/paularinopta/home

If parents of our Panthers are set up correctly in Aeries, you will automatically have accounts in both Schoology and GoGuardian. Each of these programs allows for different functions for our parents to be connected to their child's learning.

Schoology: Parents can access TK-12 class information and 7-12 courses & grades.

GoGuardian: Parents can control NMUSD Chromebooks during non-school hours (ex. Filter, pause internet, view activity).

Please see the images below for start up support.

Safety is always top of mind at Paularino Elementary and throughout NMUSD. While we have plans and processes in place to mitigate and manage emergency situations, please know that school safety is not something we can do alone. The partnership and support that we have with our local law enforcement and our school community is critical.

NMUSD is implementing the The "I Love U Guys" Standard Response Protocol (SRP) districtwide as part of an effort to streamline terminology used in emergency situations. The SRP clearly defines the five actions to take in an emergency: hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate and shelter.

In the event that we were to have an emergency evacuation, parents would pick up their students in the back of campus at our Coolidge Avenue gates. Please make a mental note of this so we can have smooth release of students in the event of an emergency.

Our Friday morning Flag Deck ceremony is a place for the whole school to gather, celebrate student accomplishments, hear school announcements, and build school spirit. If you would like to come to our Flag Deck celebration they are every Friday morning - weather permitting. Parents will wait outside the front office gate until 8:05 AM at the start of school. Once the bell rings parents are welcome to stand in the VIP section, Very Important Parents. At the conclusion of Flag Deck parents exit through the front gate. As a parent observer we just ask you stay in the VIP section.

Breakfast and lunch is served free for all students for the 2024-2025 school year. Menus for breakfast and lunch can now be accessed on the district website. Please see the following link for menu options. Nutrition Services

Grades TK-6 Daily Schedule:

7:35 AM - Gates Open

8:05 AM - School Starts

2:20 PM Dismissal Monday through Friday

Masks are optional for all. Good hand hygiene (sanitizer/washing) will be practiced daily.

Arrival procedures

• Gates open at 7:35 AM. Supervision is available at 7:35 AM once students are on campus.

• Please park and walk your child to the front gates or pull through the Paularino parking lot at the front of the school.

• Bus riders will use the side gate on Coolidge.

• All parents/guardians will remain in their cars while students unload and walk through the gates.

• Please use the sidewalk for safety of students, do not walk through the parking lot for arrival or dismissal.

• Students who arrive after 8:05 AM will be marked tardy.

• Due to safety protocols, parents are not allowed through the gates except for special events or Flag Deck.

Breakfast

• Free breakfast is served daily and available for all students.

Recess

• Supervision is provided to support and reinforce recess and lunch expectations.

Lunch

• Free school lunch is available for all students. If your child does not want a school lunch, please pack them a lunch. Food menus are available on the district website.

• If you would like to send your student with a snack or lunch, please label their lunch bag and water bottle.

• Families who drop off lunch during the day, please bring your child's lunch to the front office labeled with their name, teacher, and grade. We will have sticky notes and pens available. The lunch will then be placed on a cart outside our front office for students to get on their way to the lunch tables. We are trying to preserve the learning atmosphere of the classroom with as few interruptions as possible.

• Supervision is provided to support and reinforce recess and lunch expectations.

Dismissal

• Monday through Friday dismissal is 2:20 PM.

• Students are released outside the front gates, primary in front of the MPR and upper by the marquee. Bus riders will use the side gate on Coolidge.

• All parents remain in their cars.

• Please use the sidewalk for safety of students, do not walk through the parking lot for arrival or dismissal.
  

Attendance

• If your child is feeling ill or has symptoms such as cough, stomachache, fever, or chills please keep them home and consult your physician.

• If your child will be absent, please call the attendance line at (714) 424-7950 and Press 2 and leave a message with your name, your child's name, reason for absence, and a phone number.

Dress code

• Please send your student to school with appropriate clothes and shoes for the school day. Per our dress code, flip flops are not permitted on campus and are a safety concern when students play at recess and lunch.

• During warmer weather please make sure your child is wearing school appropriate clothing.

• Please send your student with a reusable water bottle (no glass). We have bottle filling stations around campus.

Cell Phones and Smart Watches:

• Cell phones and smart watches are not to be used on campus. Students can keep them in their backpack during the day or give them to their teacher for safe keeping. If a student is found using a cell phone during school it will be taken to the office and a parent or guardian will need to pick it up.

Birthdays and Celebrations:

• Please do not distribute birthday party invitations at school.
• If you would like to celebrate your child's birthday during the school day you can send a healthy snack such as apple sauce, fruit, sugar free popsicles, fruit snacks, fruit roll ups, Go-Gurt, and individually wrapped crackers. Items not allowed: cupcakes, cakes, lunch replacements (pizza) and treat bags. Thank you for understanding.

Thank you for your continued support.

Attendance is taken each day. If your child will be absent, please call the attendance line at (714) 424-7950 Press 2 and leave a message with your name, your child's name, reason for absence, and a phone number.

Each time a child is absent from school for a doctors appointment, please bring a doctors note to excuse the absence. If your child has been sick and seen by a doctor, please bring the doctor's note to the office to excuse the absence.

Paularino Elementary

1060 Paularino Avenue

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Phone: (714) 424-7950 Fax: (714) 424-4741

Attendance Line: (714) 424-7950 Press 2

http://paularino.nmusd.us

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