CH School News & More - 12.17.24

Earlier this year we previewed some Smart Technology Policy language. At a recent School Council meeting, the following language was approved and added to our Claypit Hill

Elementary Student and Family Handbook.

Please do not send your student to school with smartphones or smartwatches. If you must send a phone as a matter of safety, it must be turned off and stored in the backpack at all times. Please establish a family policy that states that the phone can only be used in the case of an emergency. Please define "emergency" with your child in a way that is appropriate for their age/maturity. Please let them know that forgetting an instrument, etc. is NOT an emergency. Students can always use school phones to communicate when there is a serious need that is non-emergent in nature.

As it goes with rules, you may see that there are children who wear smartwatches. Please know that we work to understand and meet the unique needs of each child and family and for reasons we will not explain, a very small number of exceptions will be made. Thank you for understanding and supporting a learning environment that is free from these high-tech distractions.

ABSENCE AND TARDINESS

Massachusetts’s school law requires that all school-age children attend school. When a child is absent from school, whether it is for part of the school day, a full day, or several days, it is the responsibility of the school to record the absence in its attendance register. It is the responsibility of the child's parent or guardian to notify the school of the reasons for the absence. Tardiness, since it is a partial absence, is covered by the same policy that relates to general absence. Parents who know that their child will be late in arriving at school should communicate with the school, stating the reason for the tardiness. In this way, the school knows that the parent is aware of the situation and the reasons for it. All cases of continued or excessive absence and tardiness are referred to the Director of Pupil Services, a Truancy Officer, a Public Health Nurse and the principal for investigation.

SAFE-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAM

If your child will be absent or tardy, you must call the Claypit Hill attendance line:

▪ Call (508) 358-3851 or email at CH_attendance@waylandps.org, or share the absence/tardy in Pick Up Patrol (pickuppatrol.net) before 8:00 a.m. if your child will be late or absent from school. You must contact the office even if you’ve notified your child’s teacher of the absence/tardy.

▪ When reporting the absence/tardy, state your child’s name, teacher’s name, and date(s) of absence or late arrival. Feel free to report future scheduled absences/late arrivals ahead of time.

▪ Each morning, we will reconcile attendance records with messages left on the Safe-to-School recorder. If a child is absent and we did not receive a call, we will recheck the child’s classroom, attempt to contact the parents, check with siblings, and call all other emergency numbers before a school designee drives to the child's home. If necessary, we will contact the police.

The lost and found is full! Please claim all items by Wednesday, December 18. Unlabeled items will be donated after that time.

Free breakfast is offered daily at Claypit. Marie recently met with district and school food service leaders to share caregiver and staff concerns. Cheryl Judd and Gayle Gledhill were very open to implementing some changes. Moving forward, all items offered at breakfast will contain 9 or less grams of added sugar. Cheryl and Gayle will be replacing some of the high-sugar items with new healthier choices.

You can monitor the meals your child is accessing in My School Bucks. (www.myschoolbucks.com) Simply click on your child's name and then click on "Cafeteria Purchases". We are always happy to provide meals however, if you would like to prohibit your child from receiving meals at school, you can do so by emailing Chery at Cheryl_Judd@Waylandps.org.

UPDATED FROM LAST WEEK: The Wayland Police Department is requesting that parents dropping students off in the morning NOT turn left onto Adams Lane. The cars who are waiting to turn left are causing a back up that prohibits our buses from passing and proceeding to Plain Road. At this time, left turns are ONLY permissible when there is no wait to turn left AND when there is NO school bus behind you! We recognize that a no left turn policy presents an inconvenience for our residents who live in parts of North Wayland. A sign prohibiting left turns will be posted soon. We appreciate the efforts you will make, even in advance of the posted sign, to ensure a smooth arrival and departure.

Share a special THANK YOU with a teacher or staff member in appreciation of a great start to an amazing school year!

Winter Campaign runs 11/26-12/12

The Wayland Public Schools Foundation HATS OFF! fundraiser is a perfect way to share your gratitude with our wonderful teachers and staff for all they do for our students and the Wayland schools.

Click below to say thank you to the special teachers and staff members on your list!

https://www.waylandpublicschoolsfoundation.org/hats-off

Many educators from Claypit will be present. We'd love to see you there!

The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) provides districts with a testing window. We have scheduled our assessments late in the window to provide for as much time for teaching and learning as possible before the assessments. As a result, there is little time provided for make up tests. It is imperative that travel not be scheduled during the MCAS testing days. Please support our school by planning accordingly.

3rd Grade

ELA - March 25th and March 27th

Math - May 13th and May 15th

4th Grade

ELA - April 3rd and April 8th

Math - May 19th and May 21st

5th Grade

ELA - April 1st and April 4th

Math - May 14th and May 16th

STE - April 30th and May 2nd

• Tuesday, Dec 10 - In School Instrumental Concert, 9:15am, Gym
• Tuesday, Dec. 10 - 4th Grade Town-wide Instrumental Concert, 6:30pm, High School Auditorium

• Wednesday, Dec. 11 - 5th Grade Town-wide Instrumental Concert, 6:30pm, High School Auditorium

• Monday, Dec 23 - Wednesday, Jan 1 - NO SCHOOL - Holiday Break

• Thursday, Jan 2 - Classes Resume