September 2025 Newsletter

We are back and looking forward to another great school year! Thank you to everyone who participated in Back-to-School/Meet the Teacher events the last two weeks. We have a lot of exciting changes coming this school year!

• Dr. Alex Ellison joins us as our new Assistant Principal that will oversee Forest Oak, Mote, and First State School.

• Meadowood has expanded to include classrooms at Mote Elementary School and additional classrooms at Forest Oak and MTP.

• MTP has adjusted it's times of the school day to all us to offer an additional transportation option for Year 1 and 2 students. New school hours are 7:15 am - 2:15 pm.

• Nurse Nichole Cunningham is returning to the Meadowood Program and will split time between Forest Oak Elementary and HB Middle School.

• Special Education Coordinators have rearranged their caseloads to accommodate our growing program:
• Pam Severance will be working with students and families who attend Forest Oak Elementary School and HB Middle School.
• Stephanie McManus will be working with students and families who attend Mote Elementary School.
• Sara Benner will be working with students and families who attend McKean High School and MTP.

• Jackie Murphy (formally Ms. Cole) is our first ever school counselor!

• We are exciting to welcome several new staff members to the Meadowood Program:
• MTP: Ken Scarborough (teacher), Marissa Reed (SLP), Samantha Fiorvanti (BCBA), Abby Vanderloo (Psych Intern) and paraprofessionals: Ivarine Ferguson, India McMillan, and Jaymee Salomon
• HB: Maddie Lazarski (teacher), Jamie Neidlein (SLP), Mackenzie Szymanski (paraprogressional)
• Forest Oak: Evelyn Schloer (teacher), Alexa Lankford (teacher), Jessica Walker (OT), Shannon Yacucci (SLP), and paraprofessionals: Katie Thompson, Jalun Trent, Logan Ryan, Gabriella Wiktorowicz, Ima Francis, Kayla Kelsey
• Mote: Taylor Sies (teacher), Rachel Sheehan (teacher), Carinn Castaldi (RBT), Lauren Bredickas (BCBA), Michelle Lewis (BCBA), Kelsey Demonte (SLP), Jia Harn Choo (SLP), Megan Phillips (OT), Sam Marino (PT), and paraprofessionals: Nate Williams, Lydia Poore, Essence Chapman,

• Saturday, September 6th - Red Clay Consolidated School District Block Party at The John Dickinson School
• Monday, September 22nd - No School (Teacher Inservice)
• Tuesday, September 23rd - No School (Rosh Hashanah)

Back-to-School Open House

• Wednesday, September 24th - Forest Oak Elementary School
• Thursday, September 25th - Anna P Mote Elementary School
• Monday, September 29th - HB Middle School
• Tuesday, September 30th - McKean High School
• Tuesday, September 30th - MTP

Red Clay and the State of Delaware are now using a new Student Information System (SIS), Infinite Campus, which is designed to check attendance, access transportation information, update Student Data Cards, share school communications, and so much more. Infinite Campus can be accessed anytime, anywhere from a desktop or by downloading the mobile app. Visit the Family Portal for more information:

If you do not have your original email with the ACTIVATION CODE that was assigned to your family, every FRIDAY the district will send out activation links to those families who have not created an Infinite Campus account. The link will EXPIRE IN 5 DAYS. You can push on that link to activate the steps to set up your account. Once you have an account you will no longer get those emails every Friday to activate an account.

If you have the ACTIVATION CODE from the original email that was sent in August, you can access your account at any time by pushing on the NEW USER button and putting in your code.

If you already made an account but cannot remember your “password” or “username”, you can hit on forgot username or forgot password options to reset your account.

Once you are in your account you should see prompts to update your information. The place to fill out the Student Data Card, is on the right-hand side and says Student Data/Emergency Card Update. Click on this and follow the prompts.

If the student goes between two households, the person who is listed under the PRIMARY household is the only one who can make changes in Infinite Campus. Both households can view the account but only the PRIMARY can edit.

This year Student Data Cards are to be completed using the Infinite Campus Family Portal. Your family's contact information in Infinite Campus is used to communicate urgent notifications such as weather delays, closings or emergencies. It is essential for parents/guardians to maintain current contact information including preferred email and phone numbers.

🚨🚨Students are required to have a completed Student Data Card to go out into the community for job training or on any field trips. Your student will not be able to participate in these activities if the Student Data Card is not completed.

Please use this guide/Spanish if you are having difficulty updating the Student Data Card or call Meadowood's Main Office at 302-454-3400.

• Remind is a messaging tool that helps teachers engage parents and students over the age of 13.
• Communication can be sent through SMS text messaging, email, the web, through the Remind app, and voice calling.
• Teachers are able to share links, class photos, videos, files, and voice clips with their families.
• Remind phone numbers and contact information are automatically updated from our district's Student Information System.
• Update your contact information with your school's main office in order to receive all messages from your child's teachers and school. Be sure to update your preferred language as well, if you would like to receive and send messages in a language other than English.

Please make sure that you have been receiving the communications from your student's Principal at the school they attend. Important information is sent often emailed throughout the year. If you have not received any communications, please make sure that we have the best phone numbers and email address to contact you in the Student Data Card.

• Ann Marie Swift, Forest Oak Elementary School
• Lauren Young, Mote Elementary School
• Brian Mattix, HB Middle School
• Reggie Worlds, McKean High School
• Kathie Mattix, MTP

Students have received their Chromebook in school. Parents, please sign the Technology Agreement and pay the yearly insurance fee ($20):

Step 1: All families should review the section titled, "Acceptable Technology and Associated Network Use Policy- On and Off School Grounds" of the Student & Family Handbook.

• The section is located on page 30 of the English Version of the Student & Family Handbook.
• The section is location on page 31 of the Spanish Version of the Student & Family Handbook.

How to Pay Fees in Infinite Campus - Instructions / Spanish

Back-to-School reminders from the nurses:

• Don’t forget to talk with your school nurse if your student needs to take daily medication, emergency medication, has food or environmental allergies or requires treatments in school. Nurses will need parent permission forms, doctor written emergency action plans, and doctor’s orders. Remember any medication sent into school, needs to be in the original container with a pharmacy prescription label.
  
• Every year, vision and hearing screening is done on each student as part of Delaware State Regulations. Postural screening is done yearly from 5th grade through 9th grade. Screenings typically start at the end of September into October. If you have any concerns with screenings, please contact your school nurse.
  
• If your student requires use of glasses or a hearing aid, please send these in with your student to school every day. Vision and hearing are very important for your child to be successful in school.
  
• Please send in an extra pair of clothes to keep in your student’s locker/classroom just in case it is needed for accidents or spills.
  
• SUNSCREEN: Please consider placing sunscreen on your child prior to coming to school during the warmer months when students may participate in outdoor activities.
  
• Some school have two nurses. Although Meadowood students are normally served by the first nurse listed, the secondary nurse might also be in contact with you about your child.

Forest Oak - Collen Sauder 302-454-3416 & Nichole Cunningham 302-454-3417

Mote - Sheri Conrad 302-992-5568

HB Middle - Nicole Ewing & Nichole Cunningham 302-239-3423

McKean HS - Jennifer McGrath & Lori Hoffman 302-992-5526

MTP - Sharon Buck 302-454-3400

Nemours Children's makes it easier for school nurses to be a part of your child’s care team with our Student Health Collaboration (SHC) program. Using our secure, Web-based electronic medical records system, Nemours Link, a school nurse can see your child’s plan of care and information on almost every visit to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware or a Nemours Children's Health location in Delaware. They can only view records if you, as a parent or guardian, have signed an authorization form allowing them to do so. They can also communicate with the Nemours care team through secure messaging.

The Red Clay Consolidated School District offers a voluntary low cost accident insurance for your student. Families can choose either during the school day or 24-hour coverage. The brochure is attached. Applications and fees should be sent directly to the Philadelphia Insurance Companies. There is no obligation to purchase this insurance.

Starting as early as preschool and kindergarten, regular attendance is essential for students gaining academic and social skills, problem solving skills and self regulation, all of which are needed to grown, learn and thrive!

School attendance is mandated by state law and regulations of the Delaware State Board of Education. Every parent, guardian, or other person having legal responsibility of a child between the ages of 5 and 16 is required to send such child to school. Attendance standards are applicable to all students enrolled in the Red Clay Consolidated School District. - Red Clay Student & Family Handbook

We understand that students attending the Meadowood Program will need to miss school for illness, doctor's appointments, lack of nursing care, etc. Please communicate these absences with your child's teacher with a note, email or Remind message and include the reason for the absence and the date(s) so the days maybe excused.

District policy states that students with 3 unexcused absences, should receive a letter in the mail reminding parents to send in excusal notes for absences. Failure to communicate with your child's teacher may result in a referral to the Visiting Teacher for truancy after 10 or more unexcused absences.

If you receive an attendance letter that you feel is an error, please contact Kerry Yount, Senior Secretary, in the Meadowood Office at 302-454-3400 so your child's attendance can be corrected.

Students will receive information regarding transportation closer to the school year. Parents with students riding Red Clay school buses are encouraged to download the Where's The Bus App for real-time updates on student’s bus location and timing.

• Students and parents are encouraged to download the Dart Transit App at either the Apple Store or Google Play for real time updates and bus information. For more information or questions, contact Dart at 1-800-652-DART (3278) or https://dartfirststate.com/
  

Dress Code Guidelines:

• Appropriate and safe footwear (sneakers) must be worn at all times, especially for gym and therapies. Sandals, slides, house slippers, Crocs, etc. are not recommended.

• Students should wear clean clothes that are free of holes/rips, are weather-appropriate for the season, and fit properly (not too tight, too short, too revealing or midriffs). Inappropriate decals, slogans or pictures are not acceptable.

• Hats, headbands, and head coverings are not to be worn in the building during school hours.

• Items not specifically covered in the above-listed regulations will be at the discretion and good judgment of the principal.

*Additional Information for HB students:

Clear Backpacks only

Tops:

• HB Middle School shirts (HB spirit wear) or a polo style shirt (any solid color) with no logo

• No Hoodies - only non-hooded HB Middle School sweatshirts may be worn or a solid color sweater, sweatshirt, or cardigan. Students must wear a polo shirt or HB shirt underneath their fleece, jacket or sweatshirt.

Bottoms:

• Dockers/uniform style pants (blue, black, or brown/tan only) or corduroy pants (blue, black, or brown only). No denim. No skinnies. No ‘rips’.

• “Reasonable length” shorts will be considered acceptable wear if they are Dockers/uniform style (blue, black, or brown/tan only)

*Families who would like to donate their new or gently used Forest Oak, Mote, HB, McKean , or MTP spirit wear to the Meadowood Program can contact Katie Kravitz (katherine.kravitz@redclay.k12.de.us)

We hope everyone has enjoyed a restful and fun filled summer! As we transition back into the school year we will be learning about our school expectations and our RC Cash reinforcement system. Below you will find each school sites behavior expectations. Feel free to review these at home to prepare your child for their upcoming school days.

This September we are learning about Emotions. Students will be learning about how emotions feel, how to identify others emotions, how certain scenarios make us feel, and how to categorize emotions with our Zones of Regulation. We will be focusing on a different Zone each week, and students will be identifying how they feel utilizing a Zones Chart. We encourage families to utilize the language we are using at school to discuss emotions and feelings.

McKean High School offers a Unified Sports throughout the school year. Interested students must complete a DIAA Physical Form. Sports offered:

Fall - Flag Football and Cheerleading

Winter - Basketball and Cheerleading

Spring - Track & Field

Seniors, schedule your Senior Pictures now! Portraits will be taken in the Aux Gym on the following dates: October 17th, 30th, and 31st and November 24th. Visit seniors.legacystudios.com. to make your appointment. Call or email with any questions: 716-512-6336 or customercare@legacystudios.com

Navigating the shift from pediatric to adult healthcare can be overwhelming. We're here to help! 💙

🗓 When: September 24, 2025

🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

💻 Where: Online via Zoom

🎙 Hosted by Family SHADE & Family to Family of Delaware

🌟 This virtual event is packed with expert panels, lived-experience stories, and tools to empower youth, families, and professionals during this important life transition.

✅ Free to attend – Registration is open now!

🔗 Register Here

Students will attend either Anna P. Mote Elementary School or Forest Oak Elementary School

Forest Oak Elementary School

55 S Meadowood Dr.

Newark, DE 19711

Main Office: (302) 454-3420

School Hours

8:50 am - Doors Open

9:05 am - Classes Begin

3:50 pm - Dismissal Begins

Assistant Principal Forest Oak/Meadowood Program: Alex Ellison (alexandra.ellison@redclay.k12.de.us)

Meadowood Program Principal: Kathleen Mattix (kathleen.mattix@redclay.k12.de.us)

School Nurses:

Colleen Sauder, RN (colleen.sauder@redclay.k12.de.us)

Nichole Cunningham, MSN, RN (nichole.cunningham@redclay.k12.de.us) Float Nurse

Office phone number: 302-454-3417

Special Education Coordinator: Pam Severance (Pamela.Severance@redclay.k12.de.us)

Anna P Mote Elementary School

2110 Edwards Avenue

Wilmington, DE 19808

Main Office: (302) 992-5565

School Hours

8:35 am - Doors Open

9:00 am - Classes Begin

3:40 pm - Dismissal Begins

Assistant Principal Mote/Meadowood Program: Alex Ellison

Meadowood Program Principal: Kathleen Mattix (kathleen.mattix@redclay.k12.de.us)

School Nurse: Sheri Conrad, BSN, RN (sheri.conrad@redclay.k12.de.us)

Office phone number: 302-992-5568

Special Education Coordinator: Stephanie McManus (stephanie.McManus@redclay.k12.de.us)

Students will attend Henry B. du Pont Middle School

735 Meeting House Road

Hockessin, DE 19707

Main Office: (302) 239-3420

School Hours:

8:05 am - Doors open

8:15 am - Classes begin

3:00 pm - Dismissal begins

Assistant Principal HB/Meadowood Program: Julia Tulloch (julia.tulloch@redclay.k12.de.us)

Meadowood Program Principal: Kathleen Mattix (kathleen.mattix@redclay.k12.de.us)

School Nurses:

Nicole Ewing, MSN, RN, NCSN (nicole.ewing@redclay.k12.de.us)

Nichole Cunningham, MSN, RN (nichole.cunningham@redclay.k12.de.us) Float Nurse

Office phone number: (302) 239-3420

Special Education Coordinator: Pam Severance (Pamela.Severance@redclay.k12.de.us)

Students will attend Thomas McKean High School

301 McKennan’s Church Road

Wilmington, DE 19808

Main Office: (302) 992-5520

Main Office Fax: (302) 992-5525

School Hours:

7:15 am - Doors open

7:25 am - Classes begin

2:10 pm - Dismissal begins

Assistant Principal McKean/Meadowood Program: Julia Tulloch (julia.tulloch@redclay.k12.de.us)

Meadowood Program Principal: Kathleen Mattix (kathleen.mattix@redclay.k12.de.us)

School Nurse: Jennifer McGrath, DNP, RN (jennifer.mcgrath@redclay.k12.de.us)

Office Phone: 302-992-5526

Special Education Coordinator: Sara Benner (sara.benner@redclay.k12.de.us)

Students will attend Meadowood Transition Program

55A South Meadowood Dr.

Newark, DE 19711

Main Office: (302) 454-3400

Main Office Fax: (302) 454-3403

School Hours:

7:15 am - Doors open

2:15 pm - Dismissal begins

Principal: Kathleen Mattix (kathleen.mattix@redclay.k12.de.us)

School Nurse: Mrs. Sharon Buck, MSN, RN (sharon.buck@redclay.k12.de.us)

Office phone number: 302-454-5349

Special Education Coordinator: Sara Benner (sara.benner@redclay.k12.de.us)