Hum melstown H erald - Lower Dauphin School District

From Dr. Winner….
Hummelstown Herald
August-September 2013
There will be NO SCHOOL, Friday, August 30th or
Monday September 2nd, 2013.
There will be a ½ day on September 20th, 2013.
Elementary students will dismiss at 12:30 PM.
(MS/HS students at 11:00 am)
Welcome to the 2013-2014 school year! I hope that everyone had a great summer and that you
are excited about getting back to school. Just as there will be many new student faces around
Nye this year, there will also be several new teacher faces. For those of you who were with us
last year, you might remember that Mr. Garrett, our guidance counselor, and Mr. Bartholomew,
a fifth grade teacher, retired. We also had three teachers leave and move on to new things.
They were Mrs. Souders in first grade; Mrs. Kelly in special education; Mrs. Fackler in 4th
grade; and, Mrs. Clark, one of our art teachers. Because of all of these departures, we now
have the opportunity to welcome the following new staff members to our Nye family.
Nye Elementary School
Hummelstown Herald
WWW.LDSD.ORG
PM Kindergarten will have school on their regular schedule.
First, let us welcome, Miss Lauren Smith. Miss Smith will be our new guidance counselor. She will be splitting her time between Nye and Conewago and is very excited about this
new opportunity. In fifth grade, we would like to welcome Mrs. Leslie Moreno. Mrs. Moreno
is coming to us from the Philadelphia area but is originally a Middletown native. She is looking forward to meeting all of our fifth grade students. Our New Art teacher will be Mrs. Lauren Dresch. Mrs. Dresch is eager to come to Nye. I told her a lot about all of our talented students and she is excited to bring her creative skills to our school. Miss Caitlyn Harman will be
joining the Nye team as our new primary SLS teacher. Miss Harman is a talented new teacher
and I am sure she will be a wonderful addition to the Nye staff. And, Finally, it is with great
pleasure that we are able to announce that Miss Kaylee Keener will be returning to Nye as a
permanent part of the team as our new first grade teacher. Miss Keener did a fantastic job last
year when she filled in for Mr. Kerstetter and Mrs. Martin. I can tell you that Miss Keener is
very excited to be in first grade and is really looking forward to working with all of her first
grade friends.
To start the school year, we will have two other teachers with us in long term substitute
positions. As you may remember if you were here last year, Mrs. Martin, in third grade had
just had a baby. And, Mrs. Kullman in second grade had her baby this summer. Both Mrs.
Martin and Mrs. Kullman are still out on maternity leave. During their absence, we are fortunate to have two very talented teachers here to work with our students. In third grade, we
would like to welcome Mrs. Michelle McGowan. And, in second grade, we would like to welcome Mrs. Maria Shaffer. I know that the students in those two classes are in for a wonderful
start of school.
I hope that everyone is excited about the start of school and ready to go. Let's start this
year by developing some good habits right from the start. Make sure you always get a good
night's rest on a school night. Find a good place to do your homework and ensure that you get
it done every night. Always ask questions. And, most importantly,
come to school every day looking forward to making it the best day
ever!
Douglas G. Winner Ed.D.
Principal
Upcoming monthly newsletters can be read online at www.ldsd.org/nyenewsletter. There is a large
amount of important information regarding school calendar changes, classroom highlights and photos,
upcoming testing dates and more.
Blue Attendance Cards:
This is a reminder that, after an absence, the blue
excuse card must be returned with the required
information. In accordance with the LDSD Student
Handbook, cards must be returned within three
days of the student returning to school. Failure to
return blue cards beyond the three day limit will
result in an unexcused/unlawful absence.
Sibling Pick Up:
If you have a middle school or high school aged
student that will be coming to Nye to pick up a
younger sibling, we ask that they are instructed not
to come on roller blades, to walk their bicycles, and
to carry their skate boards while they are around the
school. The movement of these individuals on
skateboards, bicycles and rollerblades creates a big
risk of a collision with a much smaller child.
Arrival at School:
If you have to go to work early, please make sure your child has some means of supervision, so that children
do not arrive at school before the 8:45 AM time that we are able to provide supervision of them.
Lining up at the Beginning of the Day: K-2 children will line up in the courtyard and will enter by either the
courtyard doors or the first grade hallway doors. Grades 3-5 children will line up on the playground basketball court. Staff members will supervise the playground and the courtyard from 8:45 am until the time children are directed to their classrooms. There will be no playground supervision for any students before 8:45
am. During inclement weather, all children will enter by the courtyard door and proceed to the cafeteria.
No Dogs:
Due to fears that many students and adults have about dogs, I ask that you please do not bring your pets to
school to meet the students during pick up and drop off. This can be a problem for both the animal,
who may get agitated due to the crowd and for the students who have fears of animals. The excitement of the students and the rush of people is over stimulating even for the most well trained dog.
It’s best to leave our furry friends at home to avoid an unfortunate accident. Thank you for your help
with this issue.
Parent Pick Ups and Changes to Transportation by 2:45 pm:
We realize that there are times when bus-riding students must be picked up at the end of the
day. Some days there are dozens of students with transportation changes. In order to give us
enough time to communicate accurate transportation instructions to your student’s teacher
and your student, phone calls and emails must be made to the office no later than 2:45.
Birthday Treats, Party Snacks, Holiday Goodies
If you are bringing any of the above to school, they MUST be peanut and tree-nut
free! We have several students that have life threatening allergies to nuts. The
importance of reading the ingredient label each time cannot be underestimated.
For a comprehensive list of peanut/tree nut safe foods see:
www.ldsd.org>Nye>School Newsletter>Peanut Allergy Information
From the Nurse: If your child receives any immunizations, please provide a written record to the
school nurse. This will save you time later when boosters need to be documented for school.
Dental exams are required for 3rd grade and physical exams are required for 6th grade. If you are
the parent of a 2nd or 5th graders, you may submit paperwork for exams completed any time during
this school year to fulfill the requirements. Please ask the school nurse for forms prior to the appointment. Contact Ms. Mattis with questions, x2230.
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HUMMELSTOWN HERALD
Bicycle Permission Slips
A Bicycle Riding permission slip is available (for children in grades 4 and 5). Although we are not encouraging children to ride bicycles to school, older children may do so with your permission. Bicycle Information:
1. Only children in grades 4 and 5 may ride bicycles to school.
2. Parents must give written permission before pupils may ride a bike to school.
3. Parents should remind their children the need for following good safety practices while riding a bicycle.
4. All bikes should be locked at school to deter theft.
5. Students MUST wear bicycle helmets while riding a bicycle.
6. At dismissal time, students MUST walk their bicycle to the crossing guard and cross the street before getting on to ride. This rule is in effect because of the motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the area. Children
heading towards Main Street must also walk their bicycles the entire way on John Street due to the hazardous
conditions at that time of the day.
The school district does NOT carry accident insurance, but does offer a Group Insurance Plan. If you would like to purchase coverage, please complete the application found on page five of the brochure located on the district website and
mail it with a check or money order for the correct premium directly to American Management Advisors, Inc. per the instructions as soon as possible.
Please do not send cash. Checks should be made payable to: "AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ADVISORS".
Parents enrolling more than one child must use a separate application, payment and mailing envelope for each child.
Your canceled check or money order is your receipt. If you have any questions, you may call American Management
Advisors directly at (215) 752-7777.
From the Guidance Counselor:
Lower Dauphin School District K-8 Guidance Counseling Program provides student advocacy and resources to promote
developmental, academic, social and emotional growth. The program promotes individual, group and classroom services
to assist students in making appropriate choices, setting goals and meeting life’s challenges. The primary role of the
guidance counselor includes functioning as a facilitator for students, parents and staff; acting as a liaison for those
groups; counseling students; and collaborating with classroom teachers to provide guidance to students.
During the 2013-2014 school year, Miss Lauren Smith will be serving Nye Elementary School as the elementary guidance counselor. One of the specialized methods used by the guidance counselor involves the administration of tests
which assist in planning programs for students who need additional help. These tests include: The Wide Range
Achievement Test, Slosson Intelligence Test-Revised, Slosson Full Range Intelligence Test, Slosson Written Expression
Test, Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL), Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integrations, KeyMath Diagnostic Arithmetic Test and Diagnostic Battery, Test of Nonverbal Intelligence and the Early Screening Profile.
If a situation warrants parental attention, they will be notified and involved in the planning process. Parents are encouraged to contact Miss Smith if they feel these services would be helpful to their child.
What will the nurse do if your student needs Tylenol, Advil, Bacitracin or Benadryl? Where will your
student go if there is an early dismissal due to weather? Unless you have completed your InfoSnap
verification for the new school year, your student can not be given over-the-counter medications;
Nor will we be able to send your student with a neighbor in a weather emergency. These questions
and much more are all answered when you complete InfoSnap each school year.
Don’t forget to complete your InfoSnap registration as soon as possible! In lieu of “First Day” paperwork, parents are required to complete the InfoSnap Student Verification on the homepage
of LDSD.org. Click on the STUDENT VERIFICATION link on the left of the homepage. This process
is due no later than September 9, 2013. Your new SNAPCODE is also part of the Classroom Assignment mailing. If you do not have access to a computer, contact the Nye Office at 566-0300 to
use a computer from our lab.
H U M M E L S T OW N HE R A L D
Page 3
SCHOOL SAFETY GUIDELINES
Your child’s safety is a priority to us as we carry out the school’s mission. We would like to remind you of some
important safety issues that involve parents, in order to help us keep your students safe:
• Arrival and Dismissal Traffic – Remember to drive very slowly past the school when children are arriving and
dismissing. Dismissal is the most critical time since this is the time when the greatest number of children, adults,
bicycles and motor vehicles are concentrated around the building. ** We do not allow any automobiles to be
“parked” at the curb of the parking lot. Use the parking spaces for this and then walk down to the courtyard area
to meet your student.
• Drop-Off and Pick-Up Safety – Traffic signs in front of the building indicate the No-Parking times (8:30 AM –
9:00 AM and 3:15 PM-3:45 PM). These times apply to the curb in front of the building and are enforced by the
Hummelstown Police Department. Please understand that cars may stop along the parking lot curb to discharge or
pick-up a child. (You should pull in next to the curb so other cars have room to pass in the normal driving lane.)
Needless to say, cars should never double park in the driving lane whether it is in front of the school or next to the
pick-up lane. Students should get in and out of automobiles at the parking lot curb only. In addition to the safety
of the children, this practice allows other vehicles to continue down the street in the appropriate driving lane.
• Cross Walk – We have announced to our children that, while arriving at and leaving from school, walkers
should always stay on the sidewalk. In addition, walkers must cross at the corner where the crossing guard is located. We do not allow children to cross in the middle of the block; we want them to learn that pedestrians
should cross at the corners (whether there is a crossing guard or not). PLEASE help set a good example by walking your child to the crossing guard when you wish to cross the street . Please do NOT beckon your child to cross
the street in the middle of the block to reach your car on the other side of the street. Your child’s safety is our
utmost concern!
• Crossing Guards: Crossing Guards will be stationed as they have been in the past at the Nye Building, Main and
John Streets, Hanover and High Streets, and Main and Water Streets. Times are:
School Start
8:30-9:00
End of AM Kindergarten
11:45-12:00 (not Main/Water)
Beginning of PM Kindergarten 12:30-12:45 (not Main/Water)
End of Day
3:30-4:00 (3:30-3:45 Nye)
• Medications – All medications that a child uses at school must be supervised by our school nurse, Ms. Mattis.
Children may NOT bring any medications for themselves or others to the school . See General Information in the
back of the LD Calendar book, Pg 2.
• Weapons – State law mandates severe penalties for students bringing any weapons or look-alike weapons to
school. The school will consider a weapon infraction of the district Discipline Policy as an extremely serious matter. If your child arrives at school and finds that he/she has inadvertently brought something that might be considered a weapon, he/she should immediately notify the teacher or principal.
Call In System
The call in system for absences has worked well for both parents and the school and is a tradition that we feel is important to continue. We feel that this is such an effective child safety procedure that we are asking everyone to
participate again this year. Simply call the office between 8:00 and 9:00 AM any day when your child will
be absent. Some find it more convenient to call the office at 566-0300 before 8:00 AM by using the numbers listed below to leave a message on the voice mail. If you do not call and your child is not in school,
someone will call you to verify the absence. Nye Office Hours below.
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Before 8:00 AM or after 4:30 PM call to leave message on Nye voice mail.
You can also email Mrs. Bell, sbell@ldsd.org and Mrs. Atkins, aatkins@ldsd.org.
Blanket Permission Forms
A blanket permission form will again be required for every student. The
Doctor or Dentist
purpose of this form is to allow us to include your child
Appointments
on class walks to nearby areas. Teachers may wish to
Students coming late or
take children to such places as the public library, proleaving early for an apvide exercise for the entire class by taking fitness walks
pointment MUST bring
around the block, etc. You will be informed of any
in an excuse from the
“major” walking field trips, and you will have the opporDoctor’s office.
tunity to sign a permission slip for such trips. Please
make sure you sign this form while at
Picture Day is around the corner! Nye picture
Open House on August 22.
day is October 8, photos will be taken of all
students for the yearbook.
BUILDING SECURITY
The Lower Dauphin School District
has taken precautions to make sure
that unauthorized persons do not
enter the building when school is in
session. During office hours (8:00
AM -4:30 PM) all outside doors to
the building are locked. All visitors
MUST enter the building through
the front door on John Street.
OPEN HOUSE:
Just a reminder, our Open House will be on August 22, 2013
from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. This is before students return to
classes. Students in grades 1-5 and parents are invited that
night to come on out and meet their new teacher and ask questions about the start of the year. Our kindergarten students
will have a kindergarten reception on August 20, 2013 from
1:00-3:30 PM This will be for kindergarten students only and
will give them a chance to meet their teachers, see the room
We welcome parents to visit the
and to ride the bus for the first time.
school. Please remember that all
visitors must enter via the school School/Home Communication:
office to register and get a visitor’s We will continue to do our best to keep you informed about
pass. If the visit is for the purpose school happenings. This newsletter is sent out early each
of “dropping off” something for your month. Students in grades 3-5 will receive homework assignstudent, please make sure that the ment books. Flyers will be sent out as events arise. The Eleitem is marked clearly. Your stu- mentary Parent/Student Handbook will be sent home as soon
dent will be notified and it will be as we receive it. The PTO will be posting the Nye on the Net
delivered to the appropriate class- on the PTO link of www.LDSD.org/nye
room as quickly as possible.
Important
Important
Important
Important
Important
Important
REMINDER! Don’t forget to complete your InfoSnap registration as soon as possible! In
lieu of “First Day” paperwork, parents are required to complete the InfoSnap Student Verification on the homepage of LDSD.org. This is due for all students no later than September 13, 2013.
If you do not have access to a computer and/or would like assistance with this process, feel
free to stop by the Nye Office. We have computers available and would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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HUMMELSTOWN HERALD
Lunch and Cafeteria:
Elementary lunch prices have increased this year to $1.90; breakfast will now be $1.20.
Children may pay for lunches on a daily basis or may utilize the debit system in which
parents deposit money. Checks should be made out to Lower Dauphin Cafeteria.
Please write your child’s FIRST AND LAST NAME and pin # on the check. We would like to encourage you
to use the debit system as a way to simplify lunch payment and eliminate forgotten lunch money (instructions
below). Please have your children memorize their pin number (the same every year) for the first day of
school.
Free and reduced lunch applications will be sent home the first day of school.
The first day menu is: Regular: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Whole Grain dinner roll, Steamed Broccoli, Orange Wedges, Milk.
Alternates will be: Chicken Nuggets with Vegetable fo the day or Garden Salad with whole grain dinner roll.
The sandwich will be a Turkey and Cheese Hoagie and always the Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich on
whole wheat will be available.
We will continue to eliminate trading of food at lunch time so that parents can feel confident that what is
packed or purchased for lunch will not be given to someone else.
The debit system provides parents a convenient, easy and secure online prepayment service to deposit
money into your child’s school meal account at any time. This service also provides parents the ability to
view your child’s account balance (at no charge) through a web site called MySchoolBucks.com. By placing
money in each child’s account prior to entering the cafeteria, we find the lunch lines move along much faster
so your child has more time to eat their lunch.
Parents will also have the ability to print out a copy of their child’s meal purchase history report (at no cost)
once you have completed the free registration. This history report will show you all dates and times that your
child has purchased snacks, breakfast or lunch. Access to this information is at no cost. Another benefit of
this free service is the option to set a “Low Balance Reminder” to your email. Click EMAIL PREFERENCES under Parent Resources and select the dollar amount for which you would like to be notified.
To access these services:
1. Simply go to the district web site at www.ldsd.org
2. Click on the Services link. Then click on the Cafeteria link
Click on the MySchoolBucks.com link. From this site you will create your account and add money to your
child’s school meal account. All you need is your child’s name, lunch pin and school ZIP code.
Things to know:

If you have more than one child in the District you can handle all online pre-payments from one online account.
 Payments may be made with a major credit or debit card.
 Payments are generally processed by Credit or Check Card within 24 hours. However, if the payment option selected is an eCheck, processing may take anywhere from 4 to 7 business days. If you opt to pay via
eCheck, please allow a minimum lead time of one week before the funds are made available in your
child’s account.
In order to use the online prepayment service, a small convenience fee for each transaction will be assessed
to cover the bank fees. The convenience fee is $1.95 per deposit transaction. Parents placing money into
multiple meal accounts will only be assessed the $1.95 fee once per deposit transaction, regardless of the
number of student’s accounts. Lower Dauphin School District does not profit from the use of this site.
The District requests that all students maintain a positive balance that covers at least one week’s worth of
lunches, which is $9.50.
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HUMMELSTOWN HERALD
Bus Information:
If your student is a bus rider, you will find a separate letter from the transportation office with your bus route information. Please note that the route listed with
the designation time is the morning bus route and the anticipated pick-up time.
(Kindergarten bus information lists an approximate drop-off time for mid-day
bus riders.) Special Note to Parents: PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD AT THE
STOP LOCATION AT LEAST 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE SCHEDULED TIME. The bus
route listed without a time is the afternoon bus route. It is very important for each child to remember this afternoon route number so that he/she gets on the correct bus at the end of the school
day.
Medicine & Class Trips If your child is to receive any medications or use an
inhaler while on a class trip, a current medication card must be on file with the
nurse. Medication dosages will be given as it is in school. Any changes or additions must be signed by you and your doctor for prescription medications; this
includes medications that need to be taken because of extended field trips that
go beyond the normal school day (i.e.: grades 4 & 5). If you have any questions,
please call the school nurse at least one week before your child’s scheduled
field trip.
Reminder: We ask that all students arrive in the courtyard no
later than 8:50 AM. This way
they are able to line up in the
courtyard or on the playground
and enter school with their class. Please
help us with this by assuring that your
child is at school on time to start their day.
Children who come in the front door after
the bell has rung are documented as unexcused tardy.
WARM WEATHER CLOTHING
As the warm
weather continues, students should dress comfortably
so that they can continue to concentrate on their work
while at school. Shorts and short sleeve shirts are acceptable at school. Bermuda style shorts (i.e. approximately knee length) are appropriate. Children should
not wear short shorts, halter tops, muscle shirts,
etc. In addition, appropriate shoes must be selected for
playground activities; open toed shoes invite scrapes
from the macadam. Flip Flops should not be worn to
school. Shoes with proper support and coverage help
prevent foot injuries. Please help us in maintaining a
“positive and safe atmosphere” for the remainder of
the school year.
Every Student, Every Day! Over the past several decades, research has documented
strong relationships between student attendance and academic success. Lack of academic advancement can be directly related to poor attendance patterns. These initial
cognitive differences, which are substantial at school entry, increase as children progress through school. Student attendance is paramount in helping us create successful students.
Help us by making sure your student is in attendance every day.
H U M M E L S T OW N HE R A L D
Page 7
August-September 2013
PTO Open House August 22 6:00-7:30
Sunday
18
Monday
Tuesday
19
Wednesday Thursday
20
21
22
26
1
27
28
2
3
29
4
First Day for
All Students!
1
3
5
4
6
5
1
3
10
4
Beg. Instrument PTO Dinner for
Demos Gr 4 9:30
Dollars
Mum orders and
money due
15
16
2
School Store
22
23
24
30
31
1
6
2
17
3
11
5
12
6
2
1
Beg. Instrument PTO Mtg Library
Screening Gr 4
7:00
9:00
18
4
19
5
Parent
Instrumental Mtg
7:00 Cafeteria
24
13
Page 8
30
6
1
1
14
Hummelstown
Arts & Crafts
Festival / PTO
Bake Sale
20
6
21
Half Day
Elementary
Dismissal 12:30
25
3
26
4
27
5
Mid-Marking
Period
29
7
Gr 2 Hershey
Gardens 9:30-12:45
Schools and
Offices Closed
Labor Day
9
23
Schools Closed
2
8
Saturday
Nye
Open House
6-7:30
Kindergarten
Visitation 1-3:30
25
Friday
2
2
3
Book Fair Family
Night 6-8
PTO Book Fair September 30 - October 4
3
4
4
28
LIKE us on
Facebook
for up to
the minute
events at
Nye!
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