January 19, 2010

Dear New Glarus Elementary Families,

Hopefully your New Year is treating you well.  Even though we have started a new calendar year, we are just half way through our school year.  Actually, it is hard to believe this school year is half over already!  As we start a new semester, I just wanted to share a few items with you.

First, I would like to clarify the schedule for this next Friday, January 22. 
*It is a NO SCHOOL day for elementary students ONLY.  Elementary teachers have a full work day on January 22nd. 
*Middle school/High school students have a half day (AM only) of school and will be dismissed just after noon.  The MS/HS teachers have a half work day.
* The reason for the difference is somewhat complicated to explain, but it has to do with number of staff preparatory minutes.  It has been on the schedule for at least the past two years, and will be on the calendar for next January as well. 

On February 1st at 7:00 there is a special school board meeting being planned.  It will feature two items which will be of interest ~ especially to elementary families. 
*One item will be the consolidation study report.  Last year a study was completed by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance on the feasibility of the Belleville, Monticello, and New Glarus school districts consolidating.  The information from this study will be shared at the meeting. 
*The other item will be the state of the district’s facilities.  Although there are no solutions at this time, taxpayers will be asked for their input at some point in regards to the issues facing the district’s buildings and grounds. 
Both of these topics will be addressed on February 1st at 7:00 at the MS/HS building.  Please plan to join us.  The decisions on these topics will definitely impact your children in the future.

Last, but not least, I would like to address some transportation concerns.  Drop off and pick up times tend to be rather hectic and congested around the schools.  We continue to work on how to keep traffic moving quickly and safely.
* Just a reminder – the front parking lot (by the front entrance with the flagpole) is for bus drop off and staff parking ONLY in the morning. 
Thank you so much to those families who park across the street at Veterans Park and walk across the street with their children.  It really helps to keep things moving safely and efficiently.  Our adult crossing guards and student safety patrol members truly appreciate your cooperation and help. 

If you have questions or thoughts about any of the above ideas, please do not hesitate to contact me at 527-2410 ext. 1002 or email laura.eicher@ngsd.k12.wi.us.

All the best,
Laura Eicher

October 16, 2009

Dear New Glarus School District Families,

Next week, October 19-23, 2009 is National School Bus Safety Week.  As part of this event, the elementary students will be participating in a presentation regarding bus safety in the next week and a half.  We will also be practicing safe evacuation from the back of a school bus with the students on each bus route.

I have also attached a copy of the rules that are posted on each school bus.  Even if your child does not ride a regular bus route, he/she will most likely ride a district bus at some point in the year for field trips or extra-curricular activities.  Please read through the rules with your child.

It is critical to draw your attention to rule #3.  The most important reason for no eating on the busses has to do with allergies.  We have several students with severe allergy issues who ride the bus on AM and PM routes.  If another student were to eat something with peanuts or peanut oil in it, touch the seat, and then the child with the allergy touches that same seat, he/she could have a life threatening reaction.  It is not just peanuts or tree nuts of any kind, but it is also milk, chocolate, peas, eggs, and any foods processed with these ingredients or on equipment that has processed other food with these ingredients.  While we don't want to panic, we also want to be very aware of potential hazards and be careful. 

I realize that when athletes travel to a game, they are most likely very hungry.  If students need to eat, they need to be diligent in cleaning up after themselves.  It is our hope that the coaches and the athletes can find away to eat what they need as well as keep our busses clean and healthy.  Thank you to the athletes, coaches, and bus drivers for being aware of these concerns and keeping our transportation safe for all students.

Be sure to thank our bus drivers for the great service they provide our students.  It is a challenge to transport students safely every day, and we are grateful for their efforts.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at laura.eicher@ngsd.k12.wi.us or call me at 527-2401 ext. 1002.

Sincerely,

Laura Eicher

Elementary Principal and Transportation Coordinator

Bus Rules:

1. No standing on the bus – stay seated with arms, legs, and hands inside at all times.
2. No walking while the bus is moving.
3. No eating or drinking.
4. Show respect to the driver and other riders.
5. Show responsibility by taking care of the bus – keep it clean and safe. 

This week is homecoming, and there are many exciting events planned for the week! Of course, the parade on Friday afternoon is the highlight for everyone. Many students are more excited to be IN the parade than to be a spectator. If your child is planning on being in the parade, there are a few things that you should know:

1. We have a pep rally at the elementary building until 1:30 on Friday. Students will be able to leave for the parade AFTER the pep rally is over at 1:30.

2. Students leaving the teacher's supervision to be in the parade must have a signed note from a parent. Students will need to stay with the class if there is no note from the parent.

3. An adult who will be responsible for the student during the parade must meet the student at the elementary building. We want to make sure that students are supervised at all times and need to make sure that students are not traveling between the buildings on their own.

4. If students need to ride the bus home after the parade, they must return to the classroom prior to dismissal and check in with the classroom teacher before getting on the bus.

The homecoming parade is an exciting event each year. We want to make sure that everyone is safe and able to enjoy the festivities. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Go NGM!

September 18, 2009

Dear New Glarus School District Parents and Guardians;

Since April of 2009, there have been cases of H1N1 (swine) influenza reported in Wisconsin, the United States and globally. Most recently, we have one reported case in our district. With the return to school, we anticipate there will be increased exposure to and infection with H1N1. At this time, there is not enough information to predict what the severity of the H1N1 flu will be this fall.

Symptoms of H1N1 Influenza include:

• Fever

• cough,

• sore throat,

• runny or stuffy nose

• body aches

• headache

• chills

• Fatigue.

If your child is so sick that you would normally seek medical care, please do so. Also, we ask that you keep your child home if he or she is ill. Additionally if you keep your child home due to illness, we ask that you provide details of the symptoms your child is exhibiting when you call the attendance line. The CDC continues to recommend that people with influenza-like illness remain at home at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. If you have specific concerns about your child’s health regarding H1N1 influenza while attending school, please contact your health care provider.

Steps that our school district is taking include:

- providing hand sanitizers in cafeteria lines and entrances to building

- putting up poster reminders and promoting to cover your cough, sneeze and to use good handwashing techniques

- providing cleaning products to classrooms and buses

- monitoring student and staff absence rates

- consultation with local and state public health authorities

Please note that we will not be sending notification letters home for each reported case of H1N1 with students or staff.

Schools will remain open unless there is sufficient absence of staff to significantly compromise daily operations or if ordered to

close by a public health authority. Recent national recommendations identified people aged 5 to 24 years and pregnant women among the priority groups for vaccination against H1N1. The FDA has approved the H1N1 vaccination and we are working with public health authorities to offer a vaccination clinic at our school.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child or about the flu in general, please feel free to call me. You may also follow the links below for the most up to date information on H1N1 influenza.

http://pandemic.wi.gov/

http://www.cdc.gov

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

Our school year seems to be off to a great start.  The students have gotten right back into the routine of school.  Hopefully, things are going as well for you at home this fall.

Just to be sure that everyone has the same information, here are a few reminders:

1.  School starts at 8:00 when the first bell rings.  That is the time that children may go to their classrooms.  Prior to 8:00, they are to go outside to the playground for a little recess until the bell rings.  Parents are more than welcome to accompany their children to the playground prior to 8:00.  Please avoid going to children's classrooms before 8:00.  This is precious time for teachers as they are preparing for their day.  If the staff is here prior to 8:00, it is on their own time, and we want to be completely considerate of their time.  No students should be in the classroom hallways prior to 8:00.  When the second bell rings at 8:05, children should be in their classrooms.  After 8:10, students are counted tardy.

2. There is a no eating rule on our busses.  Not only does food and drink on the bus make things messy, but more importantly it can have some serious health implications for students with food allergies.  We certainly want to avoid ever having to deal with a life threatening situation on a bus because of a snack of any kind.  Most students are on the bus for less than an hour and are able to wait for a snack until they get home.  So please, keep the food in the lunch bag or backpack until after the bus ride.

3.  On Early Release Mondays, the primary grades will start dismissing students around 1:05, the upper elementary around 1:10, and the busses will leave the elementary building at 1:15.  This staggered dismissal is comparable to the spread out dismissal at the end of every other day.

Hopefully, these routine reminders are helpful information as we all slip back into our daily patterns of behavior.  When everyone knows and follows the rules, it makes life more enjoyable for all.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

Thank you,



Laura Eicher
Elementary Principal