Eaton Parent Newsletter

October 14th, 2022

Dear Eaton Families,

We hope all of our Eaton families had a great fall break. We have enjoyed welcoming our Olympians back this week.

Virtual Curriculum Night:

On Tuesday, October 18th, we will host a virtual curriculum night using the same format as last year. We will release a document with links to access curriculum and grade level specific information on our website, as well as share through email.

Wednesday, October 19th, is Unity Day. Please wear orange to show unity for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

Make Up School Pictures will be on October 26th.

If you still have an Attractions coupon book, please make sure to return it to school or submit payment. Families can pay for their Attractions books using this form:

https://www.attractionsbook.com/ezpay/checkout-form/

The code is Eaton.

Perfect Attendance

Beginning this quarter, students with perfect attendance will be recognized with a certificate at the end of the quarter.

NHCS Attendance Policy:

According to NC Compulsory attendance law GS 115C-378 and School Board Policy 8212, school are required to send letters home informing parents of unexcused absences. Letters will go home with students after 3, 6, and 10 days of unexcused absences.

Battle of the Books:

There will be an informational meeting after school on October 20th for students in 4th and 5th grades who are interested in participating in Battle of the Books. More information to come after Fall break.

Fall Festival

Our Fall Festival is November 4th, 4:00pm-6:30pm. We need volunteers to make this a fun and successful event for our students and families. Volunteers are needed to:

Help set up/clean up
Run a station (30 min increment)
Provide tokens/rewards for games, and store-bought baked goods for our cake walk

We will share a sign-up link two weeks out from Fall Festival. Please let us know how you can help. We value and appreciate your time.

Our Fall Festival will feature an inflatable obstacle course, touch-a-truck with many exciting vehicles, food trucks, and fun games!

Ice Cream Volunteers

Ice cream is offered in our cafeteria on Thursdays. If you are a Level 2 volunteer, and are interested in assisting with ice cream on Thursdays, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0F4BACA823A5FD0-eaton

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Please review our procedures to avoid any confusion. Procedures are in place to ensure safety of students.

Morning drop-off and afternoon pick up is located in the front of the school at the Gordon Road light. Please follow the flow of traffic, which lines up in front of the school and circles through the gravel lot.

If your child needs assistance with their seatbelt, please pull over into the parking spots to the left and assist your child so that traffic can continue to flow.

Please make sure that children enter and exit from the passenger side of the vehicle.

MORNING ARRIVAL:

The bell will ring at 7:20am. Once staff members are in place to safely monitor students, students will be invited to begin exiting cars. Please be sure that your child is ready with their backpack when they reach the sidewalk drop-off area.

The tardy bell rings at 7:45am. Students must be in their classrooms by this time to be considered on time. If students are not in their classroom when the tardy bell rings, they will need a tardy slip from the front office to enter their classroom.

Please be mindful of the time you arrive, especially if your child is eating breakfast in the cafeteria.

If you arrive after the tardy bell there will not be staff members outside. You must park and walk your child into the building to sign them in at the front desk.

We encourage our families to use the parent drop off line in front of the school. Please do not walk up to the front door.

MORNING WALK-UP DROP OFF:

If you walk your child to the side door, located off Ogden Park Road, please ensure the following:

Park on the grass behind the school parking lot on Ogden Park Road. Cars are not permitted to park across the street, as this is a major safety concern.
Parents/Guardians must walk their child through the grass (NOT through the parking lot) to the covered area leading into the school. Children must always walk with an adult.

AFTERNOON PICK-UP:

All families are given two signs with their last name and assigned number. Please have your sign displayed on the right side of your front window/dashboard. Leave the sign visible until after your children have entered the car.

Only vehicles that have your sign will be allowed to pick up your child or children without going to the office to show identification. Please be mindful that if you give someone your sign, you are giving them permission to pick up your child.

If you need sign replacements please contact Ms. Harrison at the front desk.

Please remember to remain in your car when you are picking up your student in the afternoon. If your student needs support opening the door we are happy to help.

We encourage parents to teach students to learn to buckle their safety belts. However, if your child is not yet able to do this, please pull up past the mailbox and/or park in a spot to assist your child. This helps to keep our carpool line moving smoothly.

We do not allow parents to park at the side of the building and walk up with a sign to pick up children. You must use the pick up line. The only exception will be for families who walk from their home to pick up children and/or circumstances approved by administration.

Thank you for your help to ensure safety during our arrival and dismissal times.

All transportation changes (different than how your child normally goes home) must be submitted in writing. Emails with transportation changes are not permitted. Our teachers are busy working with students and may or may not have a chance to check emails prior to dismissal. Please send a note with your child, or come by the front desk with your transportation change.

If you need to pick up your child early from school, you must do so by 1:45pm. Please know that you will need your drivers license to sign your child out of school. We only allow individuals listed as emergency contacts in PowerSchool to check out students.

Volunteer Information

All volunteers must complete the training orientation each school year, as well as complete and turn in a volunteer application form each school year. Volunteer application forms are linked below, and are also available in the front office.

All field trip chaperones must become a Level II volunteer, which requires a background check through NHCS. Background checks are good for three years. You can log into your account to check your expiration date, or contact Mrs. Allen. The NHCS background check system is linked below.

If you attended training last year with Mrs. Allen, there is an option to attend a self-paced training online and submit a quiz. Please contact Mrs. Allen for more information.

All volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

Level I

Parents, family, or community members volunteering to assist students in a supervised setting are not required to undergo a background check if they are continually supervised by school personnel during the school day.

Level II

Parents, family, or community members volunteering to assist students in an unsupervised setting away from school personnel are deemed Level II Volunteers. We also ask that all chaperones become Level II volunteers, as well as those interested in assisting in our media center and cafeteria at Eaton Elementary. An applicant designated a Level II Volunteer must complete the online application and the criminal background check. Applications must be completed at least two weeks prior to the time you wish to begin volunteering. The cost of background checks are $20.

Volunteer Resources:

Community Partnerships & Engagement: All Hands On Deck Portal

https://www.nhcs.net/community/all-hands-on-deck#anchorapply

NHCS Volunteer Handbook:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1634132383/nhcsk12ncus/ed4c6dvdop1jnbdvxq4d/VolunteerHandbook.pdf

Volunteer Application Form:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1633532320/nhcsk12ncus/s5yvc0l2bes6nrqwpltg/VolunteerApplicationForm.pdf (You may complete the form online, save it, and email it to Mrs. Allen, or you may print it, complete it, and turn it into the front office)

Level II Volunteer Background Check:

https://bib.com/secure-volunteer/NHC/home

Eaton Volunteer Coordinator: Mrs. Allen, Assistant Principal

crissie.allen@nhcs.net

Updates from the PTA

If you still have an Attractions coupon book, please make sure to return it to school or submit payment. Families can pay for their Attractions books using this form:

https://www.attractionsbook.com/ezpay/checkout-form/

The code is Eaton.

We need volunteers for Fall Festival!

Please consider joining the PTA:

https://eatonwilm.memberhub.com/store

Eaton's PTA Website:

https://www.eatonpta.com/