We R Charles

September 2024

Charles Families,

Once again, the school year at Charles has started amazingly. It is funny when you are the Best Elementary School in the Whitewater Valley that every year starts and finishes wonderfully. This newsletter is loaded with a lot of information for you that has come home from your student's teacher as well as through the district Parentsquare messages. Please make sure you are keeping in contact with your student's teacher. Continue to check their backpack and let us know if you have any questions.

Steve Jones

Principal

sjones@rcs.k12.in.us

(765)973-3441

Reminders:

School Goals:

80% passing IREAD3

69% proficient ILEARN Math

53% proficient ILEARN ELA

96% Attendance Rate

Attendance Policy Change:

On July 1, 2024, the State of Indiana passed an attendance law for all K-6 students. In accordance with the new law, Richmond Community Schools created a policy that once a student has 5 unexcused absences the parents are required to attend an attendance meeting at your student's school. Once a student has 10 unexcused absences, the students and parents are taken to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office for a case review. Please make sure your student is here everyday.

Teacher Contact:

Please make sure that if you have a question or concern about your student, please contact the teacher first. I will be more than happy to speak with you, but my first question will be "have you spoken to your student's teacher?" Start there and if you are not satisfied please feel free to call me.

Healthy Choices:

Please make sure if you are sending water bottles with your students each day, please make sure it has water in it and nothing else. We have had some students bringing pop/soda in their water bottles. Too much sugar and caffeine is not always a good thing. Try to keep snacks, lunches, and drinks healthy.

iReady Diagnostics:

As part of our educational programing, all students in our elementary schools take a diagnostic test in both reading and math. The assessment is taken in the start of the year, the middle of the year, and at the end of the year. This helps us measure the growth our students have made throughout the year. If you have any questions please contact your student's teacher.

Take Charge:

It seems the students are still Taking Charge!! They are all working on being better students and even more importantly being better people. We have less discipline referrals then we had at this time last year. We are heading in the right direction with high expectations.

Take Charge:

Cooperate

Help Others

Act Responsibly

Respect Everyone

Give Your Best

Expect Success

Clothing:

We try to keep a variety of clothes in our clinic for a variety of reasons if a child needs to change. We are currently running low in all sizes. If you would like to make a donation we would greatly appreciate it. We are not asking you to go and buy clothes, but if you have some clothes that have been gently used and outgrown we will be more than happy to take them off your hands.

The student's schedule is the same most weeks. Please make sure your student wears appropriate shoes for those days they have Physical Education (gym). Sandals, flip flops, hard bottomed dress shoes, and Crocs (even in Sport Mode) are not the best for physical activity. This would include recess time.

Toys and cards:

Once again, I cannot stress this enough. Please make sure your student is not bringing toys or cards (Pokemon & Yugioh) to school. These are non essential learning items. We have too many students bringing them to school and either trading them or losing them. We do not need these things for learning.

School Starting Time:

Please remember that students need to be in the classroom by 7:50. After that they are considered tardy. Being on time in everything you do is a good habit. Being on time is actually an employability skills. When your student is tardy or late, they are missing out on valuable learning opportunities. We need all students here on time.

Attendance:

We totally understand if your student is ill or sick. We truly appreciate you keeping them home if they are running a fever, throwing up, or have diarrhea, but if they are just having a case of the Mondays on a Thursday please send them. Every minute of every day is important here at Charles. We need your student here so they can learn. If your student is going to be absent, please call the office to let us know. Our goal for attendance is 96% present.

Medications:

We are aware that it is cold and flu season. Please do not send any medications, prescription or over the counter, with your student to school. These must be brought in and picked up by an adult. There are required papers for each available in the office. Parents are able to sign for over the counter medications but prescription medications must have the form signed by the doctor.

Health Forms:

If you have received any health forms in the mail, please return them to the school nurse.

Transportation Changes:

If you are going to change how your student is going home, please contact the office 765-973-3441. This needs to be done before 1:00 of that day. We would like to ensure all of our students arrive to their destination safely. We have had a number of parents call after 2:15 to make changes. We want to make sure every student get to where they need to be safely. The end of the day gets very busy.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures:

Please remember per Indiana Law, all students need to ride in the backseat if one is available. We also need for parents to remain in their vehicles. If your student needs assistance from you buckling them in, then please start using the walker door (door 3). We want to continue to keep the lines moving as quickly as possible. Also pull up as far as you can unless an adult directs you otherwise and make sure you have your student's name displayed in the window.

Building Entry:

We will continue to keep our students and staff safe everyday. We are still limiting the number of people entering the building. In the event your students forget something, we have a table just inside the main doors you can leave a note on it and leave it on the table and we will deliver it for you to your student. We appreciate your help and understanding in keeping our students safe.

Employment:

Charles as well as many other Richmond Community Schools will continue to look for good candidates for unfilled positions. This includes bus drivers, teachers, and assistants. If you are interested you can apply at werrichmond.com. If you are unable to get online, please call Charles. We can help you.

Upcoming Events:

9/17 End of the Grade Period

9/25 Picture Day

9/26 Title I Night at Elstro Plaza 5-7PM

10/3 Parent Teacher Conferences 10-6