December, 2019

LET ‘S WORK TOGETHER:

Student Safety is always paramount at Switlik School. We are asking for help in allowing our staff to focus on our shared goal of keeping our children safe and focused on learning. We appreciate your continued support and collaboration with us in ensuring that all students are safe.

ENTRANCE PROCEDURES: Valid Photo Identification is required each time you visit the school. We ask that you wait 20 minutes after student arrival to approach the building to be signed in for your visit. (Exceptions are made for scheduled appointments approved by your child’s principal/teacher/counselor.

All visitors will notify the receptionist using the buzzer by the visitor doors.
At the buzzer, all visitors are required to present their valid photo identification to the camera, state the purpose of their visit and/or specify with whom they have the appointment or which student they are picking up.
At the second set of doors, buzz again for access to reception.
This includes drop off and pick up for morning and aftercare

Please do not hold the door open for others behind you. We realize this feels awkward and against the rules of good manners, but it’s important that each visitor be acknowledged individually through the buzzer system.

If the appointment and/or purpose is verified, the visitor will be buzzed in and must present themselves to the receptionists immediately upon entry.
The visitor’s ID will be held until the visitor leaves the building and the visitor will receive a guest badge. This procedure helps us to know that the visitor has departed by ensuring they leave the same way they arrived.
Please limit “dropped off” items to only those items your child truly needs during the school day (e.g. necessary clothing changes, important schoolwork or lunch/items that are required for that day). Using the buzzer by the visiting door, inform the receptionists these items are on the cart outside the visitor door.

ARRIVAL PROCEDURES: Please be advised at no time should any vehicle be entering or exiting through our bus ramp during arrival or dismissal times. Please review and adhere to the following:

Arrival Time: 8:50-9:05 a.m. We will not have staff on duty before this time.

No child should be left off at the school without a staff member in attendance.

Morning arrival for children is located at the back of the building (gym vestibule entrance).
Parents who choose the “Kiss and Drop” loop should adhere to the following safety procedures:

Stay in the right lane along the curb, pull up to the red line:

Pull up to the gym vestibule entrance doors to drop off your child.
Parents are to remain in their vehicles at all times.
Students must exit from the passenger side door.
Parents will not be permitted to enter the building during drop off arrival time.
Do not pass other vehicles while children are exiting from vehicle, this can create a dangerous situation.

After 9:05 a.m., the start of the school day, parents dropping off their children must park in the main parking lot and escort them inside to the main office receptionist desk in order to sign them in. At this time, children are considered late. Valid Photo Identification is required each time you visit the school.

No child is to be dropped off at the main entrance without a parent/ guardian signing them in.

Parent Pick Up:

Doors at the back of the building (gym vestibule entrance) for parent pick up will open at 3:05 p.m.
Present your valid photo identification to the receptionists prior to signing your child out.
Follow instructions of receptionists as to where to stand while waiting for your child to arrive.
Please do not park in the bus lane during this time.

Child Care:

Parents wishing to pick their students up from childcare may begin to do so at 3:15 p.m. We ask that parents wait until dismissal is complete before signing out childcare students.

EARLY DISMISSAL: will conclude at 2:45 p.m. Any parent who wishes to sign out their child after 2:45 p.m. will wait until dismissal at 3:10 p.m. Please refer to the Switlik School Handbook.

If you will be picking your child up early, we prefer you notify the school as early in advance as you can, but at least by the morning of pick up. This can be done through a note sent in with the child, or an email to the teacher and principal. In the event of a true emergency, please contact the school reception desk by phone (732) 833-4650 extension 4135, prior to arrival if possible. We realize there are often instances where early pick-up is necessary (medical or other appointments), but we respectfully ask that you limit early sign-outs to only times when they are necessary.

December 3, 2019

The final month of 2019 is here! With the holidays rapidly approaching, let us be the first to extend our best wishes for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season. May the New Year enter with good health, prosperity and much happiness.

As colder weather approaches and winter is upon us, please pay careful attention to your child’s attire, as students will continue to go out for recess, weather permitting. Our lost and found grows by leaps and bounds. One of the most “found” items are sweatshirts and coats. Please label any items (coats, gloves, hats, etc.) that your child brings to school, so that we can easily return them if they are found. Please remind your child to visit our lost and found box.

American Education and Conference Week: We thank you for visiting us during American Education Week and Conference Week, and for being a part of our school initiatives, programs and fundraisers. On behalf of the Switlik School staff, we thank you for taking the time to meet with your child’s teacher and visiting our school. It was our highest attendance ever! As you continue to work with your children and reflect on their progress, please keep in mind that daily instruction is critical to their academic achievement. While attendance is important on a daily basis, their timely arrival each day is also a significant factor for their success. We will continue to work in partnership with your children each and every day, so they can work and learn to the best of their abilities. Maintaining the home-school connection is the key to success.

Switlik Student Council Holiday Spirit Week:

Monday, December 16th - Holiday Color Day! Wear the color or colors that represent the holiday you celebrate.

Tuesday, December 17th - Deck the Halls for the Holidays! Make Switlik shine with your favorite holiday accessories.

Wednesday, December 18th - Grinch Day! Show off your best Grinch or Whoville inspired look.

Thursday, December 19th - Ugly Sweater Day!

Friday, December 20th - Polar Express Day! Wear your comfiest pajamas and bring your favorite book.

The month of December is always an exciting and activity-filled month at the Switlik School:

December 2-6 PTN Holiday Shop

December 11 – School Store during Lunch Periods

December 11 – PTN Meeting/7:00 p.m. – IMC

December 19 – Winter Festival Parties

December 20 – Shortened Day

December 23-Jan 1 – School Closed – Happy Holidays!

PTN News: There are many ways you can get involved at school – check out our awesome PTN. They do so much to support our school programs with your continuous generosity. Please join us on December 11^th at 7:00 p.m. for our next PTN Meeting. Please refer to the December PTN Newsletter for upcoming events and fundraisers.

Holiday Festivities: will take place on Thursday, December 19^th for all grade levels. Please be cognizant of our entry procedures for our Winter Holiday Celebration:

Visitors will be limited to 1-2 visitors per student.
Visit the Visitor Sign Up Genius Link on your teacher’s class page.
Please understand that if your name is not on the list, you may not be allowed t to enter the class party.
Each guest will receive a ticket that must be presented when you sign in with the receptionists.
Tickets are non-transferrable.
Please refrain from cell phone/camera use while visiting your child’s classroom. Not all parents have consented to have their children photographed.
Any student who plans on being signed out early by someone other than their parent/guardian, must be accompanied with a note stating permission.

All guests planning to attend classroom celebrations are asked to park in the designated area outside of the gym entrance. All guests are asked to enter and sign in with our receptionists located in the gym lobby. It is district policy that a photo identification is presented to our reception area each and every time you enter our school. Absolutely no one will be permitted to participate unless they are signed in and are presented with their visitor’s badge. Your badge must be on you at all times while you are on school premises. We discourage you from signing your child out after the Winter Holiday Celebration, as there will be instruction time for the remainder of the day.

Thank you to all our students, teachers and parent community for helping to continue to make Switlik Elementary School a safe place for the entire Switlik Family.

Report Cards: Please be sure you are ready to access your child’s report card on the district portal website. Report cards will be available on the portal to parents on January 3^rd. Also, please remember that if your Portal log-in does not work, please try the “Forgot My Password” link above BEFORE contacting support, as most issues will be resolved through that feature. Please note that the “Forgot Password” link will work only with parents who have an e-mail as their login ID. For questions or problems with your login ID’s or password (or if you do not have them), please send an email to portalsupport@jacksonsd.org and include your name and phone number, as well as your child’s name, school, grade, student ID number and the problem you are experiencing and we will respond to you as quickly as possible.

As a reminder, Switlik will have an early dismissal on Friday, December 20^th. All students in grades K-5 will be dismissed at 1:35 p.m. School will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

Sincerely,

Kathleen McKiernan