North Branch Area Schools NBE News September 2017 Greg Matheson, Principal Dane Terauds, Asst. Principal Dear Broncos, Welcome back! As you have sensed with your children, we are off and running. With support from you, staff have quickly gotten students acclimated to their new schedule and routines so that we can get down to the business of covering the appropriate grade level curriculum. Considering the undertaking we have, I would ask that you continue to stress the importance of education and attending school on time on a daily basis. A successful school year is dependent upon strong collaboration between home and school. Part of that includes keeping you informed. In addition to regular classroom correspondence and information shared on the district/building website, (www.nbbroncos.net), you will be receiving a monthly building newsletter through our Edulink system, keeping you up to date on upcoming events along with other pertinent information. In addition, you can like the NBE Facebook page which is regularly updated with reminders and upcoming events: Contact Information NBE Office: Page 3 (810) 688-3041 (810) 688-3042 Fax: (810) 688-8321 F.A.B.S. (810) 688-4634 Food Service (810) 688-2226 Transportation (810)688-3660 https://www.facebook.com/nbebroncos/ You can also sign up for our building REMIND text messaging system, (click on link below): http://www.nbbroncos.net/userfiles/server As you have found out after the first week, North Branch Area Schools asks that you complete quite a bit of paperwork at the beginning of each year. You can be assured that all of the information you submit is pertinent and necessary. To recap, at this time the following documents need to be completed and returned as soon as possible: Walking Field Trips AUP / Website Form Central Registry Clearance Forms Free/Reduced Lunch Form - (If there is any question regarding your eligibility for free and reduced lunch, please go ahead and fill it out. The number of eligible families at North Branch Elementary helps determine the amount of Title I funding our school receives.) As this year continues, we will be offering numerous opportunities for you to join us in various classroom and building events. We hope you can participate as we work together in providing the best education for your child! Sincerely, Greg Matheson INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Welcome Back! 1 Building Security Measures PAGE 2 LobbyGuard 2 School Lunch 3 School Hours 3 Medication Policy 3 Picture Day 4 Handbooks 4 Student Dismissal 4 Pick Up & Drop Off Welcome New Staff 4 4 PTC News 5 NBE Running Club 5 Upcoming Events 5
REMINDERS - BUILDING SECURITY MEASURES We would like to remind all parents/community members of the building security measures here at North Branch Elementary. Though some of the steps taken may be considered an inconvenience, they are done with one intent in mind; the heightened security of students, staff and parents. Beginning Tuesday, September 5th, the following measures will resume: Office staff reserve the right to ask for identification from anyone entering the building. Office staff have access to video camera footage through out the hallways and outside school grounds at all times. Administration, office and custodial staff have walkie-talkie contact through out the day. Recess supervisors have access as well. Classroom doors are readily secured throughout the day. There is only one entry point into the building; the Jefferson Trail front entrance. Shortly after the morning bell rings at 8:37 a.m. the front doors will be locked. Anyone entering after that time will need to press the bell to our new buzzer system to gain entrance. At the beginning and end of the school day, all adults/students coming in advance to drop off or pick up their children must remain exclusively in the Jefferson Trail lobby in the roped-off area. Exceptions would include scheduled parent/teacher conferences and students going to breakfast or the morning Walking Club in the gym. Between 8:37 a.m. and 3:42 p.m., any adult entering the building beyond the office or lobby will need to check in using our Lobby Guard system, (see description below). F.A.B.S., Little Learners and Head Start parents who are picking up and dropping off students in the middle of the day and go beyond the lobby must sign in utilizing the Lobby Guard system. At no time can parents or other visitors to the building be present outside during any/all recesses. Between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., the back parking lot is designated for busses only. Exceptions include district vehicles and times when there are daytime building-wide events. Any parent or other volunteer working in a classroom or anyone leaving school grounds with a class requires a recent background check. Central registry clearance forms were sent home this past week and additional forms are available in the office. If you have any questions pertaining to the information above, please contact Mr. Matheson or Mr. Terauds at your earliest convenience. Otherwise, we ask that you comply to all of the measures above to assure a safe learning environment. LobbyGuard As an enhancement to procedures already in place, we will be implementing a visitor check in system, called Lobby- Guard. This system replaces our past practice of hand written stickers, and in addition does a basic background check of visitors in our school and help restrict access to those not allowed on a school campus. To check in, visitors will take their state issued ID, scan it at the kiosk in the NBE main office, and if cleared, a sticker will print out to wear when going through the building. For frequent visitors, quick check badges are available for purchase of $10.00. These badges will replace the daily stickers for those visitors, while adding a convenience of a quick check-in process.
School Lunch Free/Reduced lunch forms were recently sent home with students. If you feel you may qualify for free lunch, please fill it out and return it as soon as possible. You only need to fill out one form for all of your children that attend North Branch Area Schools. A new form is required each year even if you received free or reduced lunch last year. The sooner you return the forms, the sooner we are able to process it. 2017-18 Prices Lunch - $2.60 Breakfast - $1.60 Milk - $.50 For your convenience, you may pay ahead on your child s lunch account. You can prepay however as much as you would like. All checks need to be made out to North Branch Area Schools or NBAS. You may check your child s lunch balance on family access at anytime. 8:00 a.m. - Jefferson Trail office is open 2017-18 8:15 a.m. - Breakfast is available to all students School Hours 8:37 a.m. - School begins - (Grades BK - 4, AM Preschool, AM E.C.S.E Program) 11:45 a.m. - Dismissal - (AM Preschool, AM E.C.S.E Program) 12:45 p.m. - School Begins - (PM Preschool, PM E.C.S.E. Program) 3:42 p.m. - Dismissal - (Grades BK - 4, PM Preschool, PM E.C.S.E Program) 4:15 p.m. - Jefferson Trail office is closed Medication Policy Due to the number of students requiring medication, the following guidelines are enforced for the safety of the students: A doctor s written order needs to be provided for any type of prescription medication. In addition, the doctor must complete a form or write a letter stating the student must take the medicine during regular school hours. A parent or guardian must bring the medicine to the office personally and once delivered, it will be stored in a locked location. Students are not allowed to bring medications to school. Prescription medicines need to be in their original container. Medications must have the student s name and dosage required clearly marked on the container. Over-the-counter medications must be in a new, unopened bottle. Parents will need to sign off on a consent form for the medication to be administered.
Handbooks are here! The student/parent handbook is now on the NBE website as well as the link below: http://www.nbbroncos.net/userfiles/servers/server_20244996/file/nbe/handbook/nbe%20student%20handbook%202017-18.pdf Hard copies are also available in the office upon student / parent request. Please take the time to review it with your children. If you have any questions pertaining to the content, please contact the office at your convenience. NBE News REMINDER! Picture Day is Thursday, September 14th. Don t forget your smiles! Picture envelopes will be coming soon and need to be returned with payment on or before picture day. Yearbooks are also ordered at this time and delivered towards the end of the year. STUDENT DISMISSAL Just a reminder, our end of the day dismissal time is 3:42 PM. If you are picking up your child at the end of the day, please attempt to be here by 3:40 p.m. If for some reason you are running late, simply give us a call and let us know. We appreciate your cooperation. If you need to make different take-home arrangements for your child, It is very important that you send a note or call the office prior to 3:00 p.m. There are many changes and requests at the end of the day and it is helpful to have as much time as possible to get the message to your child. Once busses begin leaving the school, they will not be asked to stop or return to the school. Pick Up & Drop Off Lane In Front Of School We would like to remind everyone that our drive along the front of the building is for quick drop off and pick up of students. Please do not leave your vehicle unattended along the front drive at any time as it acts as a fire lane. Welcome to & Welcome Back to North Branch Elementary! Mrs. Rose Mrs. Lewis Literacy Coach Math Coach Mrs. Dhooghe Mrs. Weathers Mrs. Bower Secretary Paraprofessional Resource Room Mr. White Ms. Reed Mrs. Moray Music Enrichment Introduction to Spanish Physical Therapy
New School Year- New Parent-Teacher Club (PTC) Welcome! Whether you are a returning parent or new to the school, we re excited to be able to provide fun family events for you and your child this upcoming school year! If you haven t already done so, please visit our Facebook page @ NBE PTC and Like us to stay current on up-to-date Parent-Teacher Club planning, meetings, events, and information. It s a new school year and our PTC would love to have your help in order to make our events run as amazing and effectively as possible. Our first PTC meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 5 th at 6:30, in the media center. Look forward to seeing you there! Upcoming Events Family Fun Fair- Friday, September 22 nd, 5:00-8:00. Pre-sale tickets are 5 for $1 and will be sold in the lobby Fridays before and after school through the morning of the fair. If you would like to help or donate items, please contact Samantha at 810.358.5559. Donuts with Dad October 18 th & 19 th, 7:50am-8:35am Volunteers will be needed to help run this event. More information to come, follow our Facebook page! Parents of 2nd - 4th Graders, North Branch Elementary Running Club Does your child enjoy being outdoors? Do they like to have fun? If they do, we have the perfect sport for them, Cross Country! It is a sport in which anyone can compete as long as they are willing to dedicate a little time and effort to their running. We are excited once again to offer an introduction to the sport of Cross Country. This opportunity will be available for 2nd - 6th graders at North Branch Elementary on the paved pathway surrounding the playground. The first practice will be Thursday, September 7th from 6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. The students will use the pathway and cross-country trail behind the schools. Families are encouraged to park in the bus lot behind the elementary school and run and/or walk with their children and cheer on our young runners. Students will learn running form, stretching techniques, and pacing goals. If your son/daughter is interested in the North Branch Running Club, please complete and send in the permission form that was sent home, (copies are also available in the office), along with $10.00 to your child s school by Wednesday, September 6th. Please make checks payable to North Branch Area Schools. All forms will be collected from the elementary building your child attends. The money will be used to order club t-shirts to be worn at our meet and entry fee into the Bronco Mile Fun Run. If you have any additional questions, please contact Holly Berridge, NBE 3rd grade teacher, at 688-3042 or by email: hberridge@nbbroncos.net. Upcoming Events Sept. 5 First Day - Little Learner Preschool 6:30 p.m. - PTC Meeting - Media Center Sept. 6 (Deadline - Submit Permission Form - Sept. 7 NBE Running Club) 6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. NBE Running Club Sept. 14 Sept. 18 Sept. 19 Sept. 22 Sept. 26 Sept. 28 Picture Day 6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. NBE Running Club Constitution Day 5:30 p.m. K-6 County Invitational Race 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. PTC Family Fun Fair (Refer to flyer that was sent home) 6:00 p.m. - Community All-Star Reading Event - (High School Football Field) 6:00 p.m. 6:45 p.m. NBE Running Club