Harrison
Husky Highlights
It is almost the first day of school! We want to make this the another fantastic year for our Harrison students. This year we are going to focus on making our school the best it can be. We will be working on defining bullying behavior and student disrespect so that we can improve the way our students talk to and treat each other.
If you are receiving this newsletter, but are no longer planning to attend Harrison, please call the school at 208.733.4229
See you soon! ~Mrs. Larson
Bussing
All bussing is set up through Mid-Columbia Bus Company. If your child needs transportation to and from school you must click the link on the Twin Falls School District Website and fill out the google form. If you have not completed this already, your child will not have transportation for the first two weeks of school. The deadline is August 1st.
https://www.tfsd.org/page/transportation-services
If you need assistance, call the bus company at 208-733-8003.
*It is very helpful if you let your child's teacher know that your student will be riding the bus and what bus they are supposed to ride.
School Picture Day!
School Picture Day will be Thursday, September 11th.
Mark your calendars!
Attendance Matters!
We have learned that students who miss even two days of school each month are at far greater risk of academic failure and dropout than students who attend regularly.
We have set a goal that every student in our school attends regularly (has nine or fewer absences in a year). Please send your child to school every day unless he/she has a contagious illness or is running a fever. Please see the attachment below titled “How Sick Is Too Sick” when deciding to keep a student home.
What do I need to do if my child is not feeling well
1) Notify child's teachers prior to the school day beginning
2) If your child saw a doctor for illness, please provide doctor's note when student returns
*Students with chronic absences (students who miss 10% or more days school is in session) will receive attendance letters and communication from the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kenyon.
Possible recommendation to truancy court can take place for chronic absences, especially those that are not verified.
See Below for How Sick is Too Sick to come to school.
AUGUST
August 1 - 11: School Office is open from 8:00-3:00
August 12 - 13: School Office is open from 1:00-3:00
August 14: Open House 4:30 - 6:00
August 18: First Day of School
August 29: Early Release at 12:45
SEPTEMBER
September 1: No School - Labor Day
September 11: Picture Day
September 12: No School for Students - Data Day
September 22: Hearing and Vision Screening for grades K, 2 and 5
Fruit and Veggie Program
Our cafeteria also provides fruits and veggies to our students multiple times per week as snacks. This is part of a grant. The students are given the opportunity to try fruits and vegetables that they may not always get, new things and old favorites. One rule of the program is that the food is not to go home or leave the school. Please encourage your student to try the fruits and vegetables and ask them what it was for the day. It is a great conversation starter!
The Kindness Academy will go into effect immediately this school year. Please talk with your student about keeping their language appropriate and showing respect for others at school.
Our goal at Harrison is to create a culture of respect, responsibility and safety. We want all students to feel respected and safe and to take responsibility for their actions when mistakes occur. As part of this goal, we need your help. Many students on our playground are using inappropriate language, swearing at other students and adults and being increasingly disrespectful to each other and the adults of our building. This is leading to verbal altercations between students, and generally mean and/or rude behavior interfering with every child’s ability to learn and feel safe at school. It needs to stop!
We will no longer tolerate foul language, blatant disrespect or being verbally abusive to others at Harrison. Moving forward we are implementing a Kindness Academy. This academy will serve to educate our students about the importance of appropriate behavior and language and allow them to practice those skills. We will use the Second Step curriculum designed for “nurturing positive relationships, managing emotions, and setting goals”. Kindness Academy will happen from 2:00 to 3:15 on Monday afternoons after regular school hours. As parents and guardians we will notify you of any behaviors that fall into the above categories and discuss your child attending Kindness Academy prior to them attending. This academy is intended to help students understand the importance of being respectful and kind to others and to practice how to manage emotions without resorting to inappropriate language or verbal aggression. We want to help our students feel safe and a part of a culture of positivity. The intent is a one time attendance to the academy, not long term, however, we will work with each individual student and their parent/guardian to determine the best learning path for each situation. Below are a few of the guidelines for Kindness Academy.
All placement at Kindness Academy will be from administration.
If incidents occur on the playground or in class, teachers and aids will refer the student to administration.
Administration will track incidents.
A student’s first offense will be a warning. If it happens again within the same week a student will be referred to the Kindness Academy. Or, if a student has three warnings in the course of a month, they will be referred to the Kindness Academy.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we work together to make Harrison Elementary the best it can be. We strive to make things safe and encourage all students to be respectful and responsible. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Larson at larsonmi@tfsd.org or 208-733-4229.
PARENT RESOURCES
Volunteers:
You are welcome at Harrison! All parents wishing to volunteer in the classroom, help with class parties, or chaperone field trips need to have a background check completed at least two weeks prior to the event.
Click the following link to complete your background check. https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MjYyOmVuLVVT
Connect with Class Dojo
The teachers at Harrison are using Class Dojo to increase communication with our families as well. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you haven't signed up and she will get you the class info.
