The Heritage Highlights 8-22-25

August 22, 2025

Families,

We are so excited for Monday to welcome our new and returning Eagles to Heritage Elementary! The staff has been working extremely hard to beautify their classrooms and get everything ready for students. Heritage's custodial crew has the floors shining like glass. The cafeteria staff is ready to make sure your children receive the nutrients needed for a full day of fun and learning. There is awesome new playground equipment for both the K-2 & 3-5 playground along with Buddy Benches.

As the school year begins, please support both your child and their teacher through consistent communication. We are here to help both students and families, and are only a call or email away. Supporting your child's academic and social emotional growth is key to their development. We have resources, skills, strategies, and techniques to help your child be successful at both school and home.

Looking forward to the 2025-2026 school year!

Principal - Adam Domski

Assistant Principal - Veronica Stevens

For students in Grades 1-5, your child’s first day of school is August 25th. Kindergarten students have a “Split Start”. Kindergarten students with the last names A-L will have their first days on August 25th and 26th (and will not attend on 8/27 & 8/28) and Kindergarten students with last names beginning with M-Z will start on August 27th and 28th (and will not attend on 8/25 & 8/26). There is no school on Friday, August 29th and Monday, September 1st in observance of Labor Day, for all students.

Red Clay Families: Get ready for the new Infinite Campus Family Portal!

✅ Aug 22 – Student Portal available in Classlink

Learn more: https://www.redclayschools.com/students-families/technology-support/grading/infinite-campus-family-portal

PLEASE BE SURE TO LOGIN TO PARENT PORTAL

CHECK YOUR CHILD'S TRANSPORTATION

If your child's transportation is not listed or is incorrect, please email Heritage's amazing secretaries.

Juana Esparza - juana.esparzarodrig@redclay.k12.de.us

Kaysha Ashby-Green - kaysha.ashby-green@redclay.k12.de.us

It is essential that all families log in to the new Parent Portal to check Transportation information in advance of Monday. This is essential for all bus riders- to ensure that a bus is scheduled for your child.

The car line entrance begins on the "new" Skyline Drive to Highlands Lane at 8:50am. Thank you for your attention to new traffic patterns, and your cooperation with the crossing guard and school staff who are helping direct traffic.

This entrance streamlines car line arrival and dismissal, and reduces our impact on neighborhood traffic. During arrival and dismissal times, families will need to enter the new car line roadway from Skyline Drive. There will be no entry via Highlands Lane from Barnsley Road.

The car line road is two lanes, in one direction. Please fill both lanes. After stopping, and when turning right onto Highlands Lane, please merge by take turns with other drivers. One from the right lane should enter Highlands Lane, then one from the left lane.

Once on site—coming up Highlands Lane and entering the Heritage parking lot—please follow car line procedures for both arrival and dismissal.

Heritage Car Line Procedures 2025-2026

For safety reasons:

• Students should exit from the passenger side of your vehicle.
• Drop students off onto the curb, within the designated area.
• Use the car line and do not park and walk your child to the sidewalk to ensure everyone’s safety in our busy parking lot.
• You may not pass cars during car line drop off. Please stay in the line--do not pass others to leave quickly.
• All cars will stay in line to exit the lot.
• Please pay attention to any directions that staff may give in or around the car line.

Please drive slowly on the car line road, and all school roads/parking lots. Children are everywhere!

All car rider families will get an updated car tag assigned (2025-2026) and new car tags will be issued to all incoming Kindergarten and new Heritage families. Once again, everyone will need the new car Heritage 2025-2026 car tag.These will be available to be picked up during our Heritage Back to School event (8/21). All NEW tags must be picked up no later than the first day of school so that everyone is prepared for the school year to begin on 8/25. Car tags not picked up will be sent home with students on the first day of school.

Walker Arrival

Students walking to the building should arrive between 8:50AM and 9:05AM. The doors do not open until 8:50, and staff supervision of students begins at that time. If your child will walk to school unaccompanied by an adult, please time their departure from home so that they do not arrive early. If you are walking with them, please remain with your child until staff appear to assume responsibility. We ask families to say their good-byes outside of the building.

Walker Dismissal

Walkers will be dismissed from the front right door, at about 3:45PM. Staff will supervise their pickup by known adults (a parent/guardian, or designee with written permission).

Only students with written permission may walk home alone. Kindergarten students may not be dismissed on their own. They must have a parent pick them up.

If you drive to school to pick up your child, they may not be dismissed as a walker. (Walker dismissal should not be used as a way to avoid the car line.) If you plan on walking up to the walker door and picking up your child, you may NOT park in the parking lot. You should walk from home, or use the car line. Thank you for observing this procedure, out of respect for other Heritage families.

If your child will be a walker on a regular basis, please fill out this form:

Heritage Walker Information

8:50 a.m.- Car rider drop-off begins & bus riders enter the building

9:05 a.m.- Instructional day begins.

Students are considered tardy after 9:05 a.m.

3:15pm - Early Dismissal Ends - Closed Campus to ensure a smooth and efficient dismissal

3:50 p.m.- Car rider and bus rider dismissal begins

4:00- 4:05 p.m.- Buses depart.

The staff at Heritage maximize the instructional time during the day. We ask that you limit late arrivals and early dismissals. Students are considered late after 9:05 a.m.. While early dismissals are discouraged, the latest time that early dismissals will be honored is 3:15 p.m..

Other items of note:

● Kindergarten teachers will greet Kindergarten students on the first day of school (A-L 8/25 and M-Z on 8/27).

All Kindergarten bus riders and car riders will be guided by a staff member into the building.

● Please note that all early dismissals must take place before 3:15 p.m. and no transportation changes will occur after 3:15 p.m. We encourage you to choose whether your child will be a car rider or a bus rider for the school year and discourage changes except in case of pre-arranged schedules or emergencies.

Office Hours:

On School Days, the office is open from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

On days when school is closed but the office is open, our hours will be 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

The Red Clay Nutrition Department is committed to providing access to nutritious, delicious meals to as many students as possible. All Red Clay elementary students are able to receive a free school breakfast and lunch each and every day school is in session. This is new for Heritage this year and we are extremely excited to be able to offer both meals at no cost!

• FREE BREAKFAST & LUNCH for students in ALL Red Clay Schools this 2025-2026 School Year!
• No paperwork required - every student automatically qualifies! You do not need to do anything!
• A la carte items and second meals/ doubles are not included and fees still apply. You can load funds on your student(s) account and view interactive online menus here: LINQConnect.com
• Please send Cash or Checks in with your student (checks made out to Red Clay Nutrition Services).
• For more information visit: https://redclaycafe.com/?page=lunchapps Please call 302-992-5580 for questions or concerns.

Same as in the past, K-3 students will keep Chromebooks at school, while Grades 4 & 5 will transport theirs to and from home daily. Parents/Guardians must read the Technology Agreement located in the Red Clay Student Handbook. All parents/guardians for Grades 4 & 5 must pay the $20 Protection Plan fee every year. Families will be able to pay this fee inside of the Parent Portal Account. Look for more instructions about this feature soon.

All students will be issued a lanyard and badge. All students will wear this daily and use this to badge on and off of the bus in the AM and PM and also to get breakfast and lunch.

Important Dates

• August 25th - First Day of School for grades 1-5 and Kindergarters with last names beginning with the letters A-L
• August 26th - Kindergarten students with last names A-L and 1st-5th graders
• August 27th - Kindergarten students with last names M-Z and 1st-5th graders
• August 28th - Kindergarten students with last names M-Z and 1st-5th graders
• August 29th - No School - Labor Day Weekend
• September 1st - No School - Labor Day Weekend

Heritage's Mission - To provide an inclusive, enriching environment that nurtures all students to SOAR as learners and good citizens.

Heritage's Vision - Heritage Elementary is an engaging environment where students will SOAR in their love of learning.

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 linked below. Applications and fees should be sent directly to the Philadelphia Insurance Companies. There is no obligation to purchase this insurance.

The Board of Education of the Red Clay Consolidated School District is making available a group Voluntary Student Accident Insurance Plan administered by the Philadelphia Insurance Companies. Please be advised that:

1. The Board of Education in no way accepts responsibility for the program. It simply acts as an intermediary to place a group student insurance plan at your disposal.

2. If you wish to participate in the program, please go to our web page at www.redclayschools.com. See heading “For Families” and then onto “Forms and Publications”. Print out the enrollment forms and send with payment to: The Philadelphia Insurance Companies, 500 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 402, Harrison, NY 10538. DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE SCHOOL. If you do not have access to a computer and printer, copies of the enrollment forms are available in your school office.

3. This insurance provides the following optional plans for the annual premiums listed:

School Time Coverage $12.00

24 Hour Coverage $74.00

Payment by check or money order, made payable to Philadelphia Insurance Companies. DO NOT SEND CASH.

4. The coverage will be effective the first day of school if the application and payment are received by The Philadelphia Insurance Companies before the seventh day of school. Applications and payments received after that date will be effective on the date received by Philadelphia Insurance Companies.

5. You should read the terms of the policy contained in the online brochure and retain the brochure for future reference in the event of a claim. PLEASE NOTE THE LIMITS OF COVERAGE AND EXCLUSIONS, SINCE NOT ALL ACCIDENTS ARE COVERED AND THE INSURANCE MAY NOT COVER THE CHARGES IN FULL. The insurance program is entirely voluntary on your part. Please compare this program with your present coverage and determine whether or not you feel it is necessary to purchase this insurance. This insurance pays covered expenses on a primary basis, which means that it pays regardless of any other family health insurance. You are the sole judge as to the advisability of participating in the insurance program.

6. Virus Exclusion: sickness; disease; bodily or mental infirmity; bacterial or viral infection or medical or surgical treatment thereof; except for any bacterial infection resulting from an accidental external cut or wound or accidental ingestion of contaminated food.

7. The Red Clay Consolidated School District does not provide insurance for student accidents, so you are strongly encouraged to purchase insurance if you do not have adequate coverage with another program. There have been several accidents that resulted in large medical bills for families who did not have any insurance or adequate insurance, which created a financial hardship that may have been avoided with the purchase of student accident insurance.

8. In case of an accident covered by this policy, the child or parents should immediately notify the school nurse to secure the claim form. ALL CLAIM FORMS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITHIN 90 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT.

9. After notifying the school of the accident, should you have any additional problems, your contact should be with Philadelphia Insurance Companies at (800)734-9326.

10. Please retain this letter for future reference if you purchase the insurance.