Welcome Back to School!

Welcome back and welcome to a brand-new school year! Whether you are returning to Meadowood or are joining our school community for the first time, we are excited to have you here. Thank you to everyone who participated in Back-to-School/Meet the Teacher events; it was so great to see so many familiar and new faces. We are looking forward to another great school year!

• Noreen Lasorsa will be supporting our administrative team while Dr. Ellison and Kathie Mattix are out on leave. Kathie Mattix will be out on leave until mid-Septemeber. Any questions for Mrs. Mattix or Dr. Ellison can be directed to Kerry Yount at kerry.yount@redclay.k12.de.us or 302-454-3400 and she will connect you with a member of our team to assist you.

• MTP: Katie Thompson (teacher), Jaymee Salomon (teacher), and paraprofessionals: Ryan Mayville, Ken Njenga, and Lauren Lundberg

• McKean: Paul Nowak (paraprofessional)

• HB Middle: Rylee Dobrowolski (teacher), Andrea Fasciano (teacher), Nikki Margrabia (BCBA), Brittany Quynn (paraprofessional)

• Forest Oak: Jennifer Lanier (teacher), Becca Bowen (teacher), Erica Campuzano-Gonzalez (teacher), Nikki Margrabia (BCBA), Madi Tumini (OT), Anya Glasco (SLP), and paraprofessionals: Alexa Burris, Lorri Avila, Morgan Eastburn, Mackinze Burdett

Friday, September 4th - Monday, September 7th - No School (Labor Day Weekend)
Tuesday, September 15th - No School (State Inservice)
Monday, September 21st - No School (Yom Kippur)

Back-to-School Open House

• Wednesday, September 23rd - Forest Oak Elementary School
• Tuesday, September 29th - HB Middle School
  
• Tuesday, September 29th - MTP
• Wednesday, September 30th - McKean High School

Tuesday, October 13th - SODE Bocce Tournament @ McKean HS

Meadowood and Red Clay specific events can also be found on Meadowood's Website. Under Calendar Tools, expand Meadowood Program to view Forest Oak, HB, MHS, or MTP's parent calendar.

At the beginning of each school year, families are required to update their child’s information to ensure that the district has the most up-to-date information.

🚨🚨Students will not be able to go out into the community for job training or any field trips without completing the annual update.

Teachers in the Red Clay Consolidated School District will be using ParentSquare as our primary platform for school communication. Families receive messages through email, app, voice, or text, helping everyone stay informed and involved. An account is automatically created for each parent or guardian using the contact information in our student information system (Infinite Campus). We encourage you to activate your account by downloading the free mobile app, set your language preferences, and choose how and when you’d like to receive messages.

For more information on how to download and install ParentSquare, please visit:

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
• Brian Mattix, HB Middle School
• Reggie Worlds, McKean High School
• Kathie Mattix, MTP

BoardDocs has transitioned to Diligent, but accessing Board meeting materials remains easy and is available in the same location on our website. Through Diligent, you can continue to access Board of Education meeting agendas, supporting documents, minutes, and other Board-related information.

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.

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. Make sure they are updated for the seasons!

• SUNSCREEN: Please consider placing sunscreen on your child prior to coming to school during the warmer months when students may participate in outdoor activities. Please complete the permission form and return to school.

PLEASE BE MINDFUL! IF YOUR STUDENT IS SICK, PLEASE KEEP THEM HOME!

• A student must be fever free (without medication) for 24 hours before returning to school.
• If a student is out for vomiting or diarrhea, they must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school.

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

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

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

MTP - Sharon Buck 302-454-5349

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.

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.

Step 2: Pay the Chromebook Accidental Protection Plan Fee in Infinite Campus

How to Pay Fees in Infinite Campus - Instructions / Spanish

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.

HB Dress Code Information:

• Clear backpacks only
  
• No Hoodies are permitted
• HB du Pont Middle School shirts (HB spirit wear, HB teams, HB Sports, etc.)
• Polo style shirt (any solid color) with no logo
• Students must wear a polo shirt or HB shirt underneath their HB Fleece, HB Jacket, HB sweatshirt, etc.
• 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 to wear if they are dockers/uniform style (blue, black, or brown/tan only)
• Only Non-Hooded HB du Pont Middle School sweatshirts may be worn. Students are allowed to wear a solid colored sweater, sweatshirt, or cardigan.
• On PE days, dress code clothing appropriate to physical activity is required. Sneakers are required.
• Any article of clothing with rips, tears, or writing on it is unacceptable.

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

Students will attend 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

Interim Assistant Principal Forest Oak/Meadowood Program: Noreen Lasorsa (Noreen.Lasorsa@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)

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: Stephanie McManus (stephanie.mcmanus@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 Coordinators:

Grades 9-11: Pam Severance (Pamela.Severance@redclay.k12.de.us)

Grade 12: 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)

Thank you for offering your time and talents to assist our school community. In the interest of ensuring a safe and positive experience for all members of our school community, volunteers/chaperones, and visitors are required to complete a few requirements. **A reminder that a Visitor/Volunteer Packet needs to be completed by parents wishing to attend Meadowood Mile in the spring.

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 ParentSquare 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.

The Class of 2027 senior portrait scheduling page is now active and open for 2027 Seniors!

Upcoming seniors can access the scheduling site either through the customized link provided or by visiting the Legacy Studios website and searching by school. Both the school customized link and a link to the Legacy Studios website are provided here:

· https://seniors.legacystudios.com/

· https://seniors.legacystudios.com/thomas-mckean-hs

For assistance, contact customer care at:

· Call: 716-512-6336

· Email: customercare@legacystudios.com

· Chat: https://seniors.legacystudios.com

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

Parents can schedule an appointment at the School Based Health Center/Wellness Center for their child to complete their DIAA Sports Physical. Students need to be registered at the School Based Health Center/Wellness Center. Visit their website here for more information.

Join SODE for Fall 2026 Zoom Fitness with Nikki! Every Thursday from 5:30-6:15 PM, September 3 through October 29 (no class September 24), we'll work on flexibility, mobility, cardio, and strength from the comfort of home. Open to SODE athletes and families, with exercises adaptable for all fitness levels.

Sign up today and receive the Zoom link: https://ow.ly/FN2550ZEWHu

Do you have a Community Navigator through DDDS? Have questions about day programs, respite, housing, or employment?

🗓️ Q&A About Affordable Supportive Housing

September 22, 2026

7:00 - 8:30 PM

Many children and youth with CHARGE syndrome are also diagnosed with autism. Is this additional diagnosis appropriate and useful? Three experts on both CHARGE and Autism will share their perspectives and address this question from their various experiences. Each panelist will speak for about ten minutes, and then the floor will be opened for questions from the audience.

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z5raId3jSAG2v9_SGltSTw?fbclid=IwY2xjawUGhzFwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6ekbcpGlxGEAHWR16kHHmcs4DBBC8wLROoen7KWHIh__iXOahfSJ00xgCR1g_aem_RE09X8FCrn1kqJLk-U03-A#/registration

Sept 25 @ 6PM

Wilmington Amusements

RSVP here

Oct 24 | 11AM & 1PM

Wilmington Western Railroad

More Info

ICYMI - Autism Delaware has partnered with Cloud Nine. When you shop with them, your purchase will help raise funds for us!

Cloud Nine began with an anxiety hoodie with discreet sensory tools built right in for kids, adults, and anyone whose nervous system needs a little extra support. Today it's worn by thousands of neurodivergent people, their families, and the therapists who support them.

Visit https://www.cloudnineclothing.ca/ and enter discount code AD1998 at checkout to donate 10% of your order to Autism Delaware!

Our Center for Special Health Care Needs at Wilmington Hospital recently celebrated their new space with an Open House! Patients, caregivers and community members had a chance to connect with the staff, learn about improved resources and take tours.

The Center offers 6 exam rooms, a procedural space, accessible bathroom, infusion bay, private consultation room, and a team room for caregivers. Overhead lifts are also available for patients with limited mobility. As patients and families wait for their appointments, they’ll enjoy a sensory-friendly waiting room designed to minimize sensory input and improve comfort.

We are grateful to our leaders and caregivers for creating an accessible, welcoming and innovative space designed especially for our patients. We look forward to continuing to meet the needs of the Delaware community

The Center for Special Health Care Needs is a dedicated space for providing primary care to individuals 18 and older with complex medical and social conditions. The Center also offers specialty care for:

• Cerebral Palsy

• Cystic Fibrosis

• Down Syndrome

• Gastroenterology

• Hemophilia/Von Willebrand

• Sickle Cell

• Transition Care Practice/Primary Care

• Urology

• Women’s Health

Our team of medical experts help provide a flexible, innovative and individualized approach to care. The new office, located to the left of the lobby, will officially open to patients in the coming weeks. Primary care will be offered here as well as at 2 nearby long-term care residential facilities, Mary Campbell Center and Exceptional Care for Children. Learn more:

Family Voices and the Center for Transition to Adult Health Care for Youth with Disabilities are excited to share Moving to Adult Health Care: Leading Your Health Care Visits and Interactions. This toolkit helps young people understand how to take charge of their health care visits. Visit movingtoadulthealthcare.org/toolkits to learn more.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) now offers a new online application process to request an Autism Warning Street Sign.

Before submitting your application, you'll need:

• A completed medical certification form signed by a medical professional.
• A letter of support from your homeowners association (HOA) or property management company. If you do not have an HOA or property management company, you can request a letter of support from your local Delaware State Senator or State Representative.
• Both documents can be uploaded when completing the online application.

For more information and to apply, visit: https://deldot.gov/Programs/autismWarning/