Central Elementary School Newsletter
March 15 - 19, 2010

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

March 14
Daylight Savings Time begins

April 5
Easter Break

April 9
Friday School

April 15
Kindergarten Round-Up

Central students can open a savings account with Citizens Bank of Kansas and make deposits every Tuesday at school. If you are interested in opening an account for your child, please call the school.

Occasionally students need a change of clothing at school. If you have any used, but still good, sweat-pants or jeans in sizes 4 through 10, that you don’t need, we could use them at school. We appreciate your help.

Students who live in Burden should not be at school before 7:45 a.m. This will still allow time for them to eat breakfast at 7:50 a.m. Thank you for your cooperation.

EZ School Pay Click Here

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM

Breakfast
Grades K-6:   $1.15 ($23.00/20 meals)
Adults:    $1.75 ($35.00/20 meals)

Lunch
Grades K-6:    $1.70 ($34.00/20 meals)
Adults:    $3.00 ($60.00/20 meals)

Grades K-6:   Reduced Breakfast: $.30 ($6.00/20 meals)
Grades K-6:   Reduced Lunch: $.40 ($8.00/20 meals) Extra milk: $.30

HEAD LICE

Please continue to check your child for head lice weekly/daily.

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION

Central Elementary is collecting Box Tops For Education labels again this year. Our school receives 10 cents for each label. Please help us out by sending your labels to school.

If each person sent just 5 Box Tops a month, our school could receive over $600. On the back of this week's newsletter is information about a chance to win bonus Box Tops. Thanks for your help.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that the number of Free and Reduced meal applications that are approved for Central decides the amount of Title 1, At Risk, Drug Free Schools and other Federal programs’ funds we receive? Each approved application allows our school district to receive additional money for programs that will benefit our students.

Your child does not have to receive Free or Reduced meals even if he or she qualifies. All personal information will be kept confidential. Even if you don’t plan to use this service, please consider filling out an application. Help Central get its fair share of your tax dollars back!

If there is any chance that your family would qualify, please fill out a Free and Reduced application. There is one in the handbook or they are available in the office. Thank you.

Schools are responsible for teaching your child. But schools can’t do their job if your child is absent. Learning builds day by day. A child who misses a day of school misses a day of learning.

TOYS

Please do not allow your child to bring toys from home to school unless it is for show and tell. Students will not be allowed to take their toys to recess.

If your child needs to leave school before 3:55 p.m., PLEASE CHECK INTO THE OFFICE FIRST.

If your child arrives after the 8:10 a.m. bell, PLEASE CHECK INTO THE OFFICE FIRST.

We are starting a new year and some parents may not be aware that the office needs to know if your child leaves. Call the school or write a note for the office before the appointment and we will make the teachers and bus drivers aware that your child will be late or absent. Stop by the office and we will call the classroom for your child. If they have missed part of a day, all day, or just tardy - they will need to get an admit slip from the office.

We appreciate your cooperation. Thank You.

NEWSLETTER/CALENDAR

A school newsletter is sent home with students every Thursday, or Friday if we have school on that day. It has the next week’s menu, events, announcements, and activities that are coming up. A monthly calendar is sent home and a yearly calendar is in the handbook you received at enrollment. If you have any concerns, suggestions, or problems, please call the school at 438-3195.

TITLE I SCHOOL WIDE PROGRAM AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF

As the new school year begins, it is important to provide "Parents Right to Know" requirements to all Central Elementary families as part of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Law.

As a Title I school, Central Elementary is very proud to announce that our staff meets 100% of the professional qualifications required. Under NCLB, parents may request the following information:

*Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;

*Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived;

*The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification of degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree; and

*Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

If you have any questions concerning this notification, please contact the principal, Mrs. Hedges.

Central USD #462 is accepting applications for substitute custodians and kitchen staff. Please pick up an application at the District Office.

MEDICATION CHECK-LIST (FROM CES HANDBOOK)

I understand that it is my responsibility to supply the medication in its’ Original container. Any medication sent unlabeled will not be given to my child. If possible, the school will attempt to contact me if this happens.

My child has received at least one dose of the medication and has not had any adverse reactions from the medication.
I understand that my child will not be allowed to keep any medication on his/her person. All medications will be kept in the school office in a locked container.

I understand that the school employee who administers this medication to my child in accordance with written instructions from the physician and/or parent/guardian, shall not be liable for damages as a result of an adverse reaction suffered by my child.

I understand that the designated school employee to administer medications will contact me for any questions regarding the medication I have instructed the school to administer to my child.

I understand that the designated school employee and/or school nurse cannot dispense medications without permission or diagnose or treat conditions as this is against the Kansas Nurse Practice Act and the state law.

In the event medications are to be given at school, the following have been completed:

Medication form completed by physician has been received by the school office. (Form on back)
Labeled medication to be kept at the school office had been delivered.

STUDENT TARDINESS & ABSENTEEISM

Students who are late to class not only lose valuable instruction for themselves, they also disrupt class, interfere with lessons in progress, and disrupt other students’ concentration.
Educators agree that prompt and regular school attendance is an important key to a student’s success. Students should be taught to demonstrate respect for staff and for peers, and one way to do this is to practice prompt and regular school attendance.
There may, on occasion, be an illness or emergency that causes your child to be late or absent from school. As a parent, you should call the school office to alert staff that your child will be late or absent. Your child should also be encouraged to make up any missed assignments.
Punctuality is a trait parents should instill in their children. Not only will this be valuable during the elementary and secondary school years, but it will also serve your children will in college and beyond, when punctuality is up to them alone.

(Taken from Cut & Paste.)

CES ABSENCES POLICY

Absences beyond 8 per semester will require a note from a physician or other health agency to be excused. Continued absences after that point could result in referral to the Cowley County truancy officer.

BUS SAFETY

Bus safety is a vital part of every school day. In fact, traveling on a school bus is probably safer than the family car. However, bus safety depends on everyone, including students, parents, and motorists. Here are some tips to keep children safe:

Dress children in bright-colored clothing that is easy for everyone to see.
Be sure clothing and book bags are free of dangling drawstrings that might catch on the handrail or door of the bus. Clothes often have strings on the bottom that can cause a child to fall.
Remind children about their responsibility to behave properly on the bus. If everyone is yelling, the bus driver cannot concentrate on safety. Remind children to be on time for the bus. It is best to have them arrive five minutes early. If the bus had to wait on every child for five minutes or more, imagine how long it would take to get to school.
Talk to children about never speaking to strangers or taking anything from people they don’t know. Remind them to notify the bus driver or an adult they know about any incidents.
Encourage children to stand back from the bus as it approaches.
Encourage them to quickly choose a seat and stay seated while the bus is moving. While most vehicles have seat belts, buses do not, so it is vital that students stay still and calm.
Encourage children to allow anyone to sit next to them so the bus can be loaded quickly.
When it comes to getting off the bus, remind children not to stand or walk until the bus comes to a complete stop.
Remind them to look both ways before crossing the street.
In case of an emergency, remind children to stay calm and listen to the driver.

FOOD BROUGHT FROM HOME FOR PARTIES, ETC.

SRS INFORMATION

The SRS has a program available for energy assistance to qualifying households. For more information and applications, please call the school office at 620-438-3195 or the SRS office at 800-432-0043. They also have many other benefits such as child support, health coverage, food assistance, abuse and neglect protection services, and cash and employment assistance. To access SRS benefits or have questions answered, please call 888-369-4777.

SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS

When severe weather and hazardous road conditions develop, parents should listen to radio and TV newscasts for notification of school cancellations. KAKE 10, KWCH 12, KSNW 3, KFDI, KSOK and KGGR will be called about cancellations. (A complete list is in your handbook.) If school is dismissed early, the call chain will be started, and all students will be dismissed. Please instruct your child on what to do, where to go, and were you will be if school is dismissed after they arrive at school.

COMPUTER LAB

We use disposable baby wipes in our computer lab to clean the headphones after each student, and would appreciate any donations. The Equate refillable baby wipes work great. Thank you for your help!

PROMOTING ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL