Larson Elementary School

Here are some things on the horizon at Larson Elementary:

• October 17th: End of 1st marking period
• October 25th: Beyond the Books Halloween Dance (12-2pm)
• October 30: Spooktacular 4:30-6:00
• November 5&6: Parent Teacher Conference; 4-7pm (sign up papers were sent home)
• November 19: Half day for students
• November 26-28: Thanksgiving Break - No School

Dear Larson Elementary Families,

At Larson Elementary, we are proud to implement PBIS — Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports — a proactive approach to creating a safe, positive, and respectful school environment. PBIS helps students learn and practice the behaviors that reflect our district’s core values, while recognizing and celebrating positive choices.

Each month, we honor students who consistently demonstrate these values with our Honorable Hornet Award, Larson’s version of a “Good Citizen” recognition. These students stand out as role models in our community, showing kindness, responsibility, and integrity in all they do.

In addition, every student at Larson has the chance to earn Pillar Points throughout the week. Teachers decide how these points are awarded in their classrooms to encourage positive behavior, effort, and teamwork. Each week, we hold Pillar Point drawings to select a Student of the Week from every classroom — the more points a student earns, the greater their chance of being recognized with a prize!

Through PBIS, we’re building a culture where every Hornet can thrive, grow, and be celebrated for making a positive difference in our school community.

Andrea J. Andera, Ed.S

Principal

The following students were nominated in their classrooms for demonstrating characteristics of our Harrison Community Schools Guiding Beliefs of Honesty, Openness, Respect, Neighborliness, Excellence, Trust, and Stewardship.

First Grade: Jasper Brewer, Amaria Ostrander, Lincoln Coon, Ezra Nieves, Maxwell Zelkowski

Second Grade: Kirby Barton, Iris Mills, Phrankie Huguelet, Paisley Clark, Esmee Smith

Third Grade: Patrick Gruno, Ashlin Shaydik, Charlee Harrington, Sophia Shaw, Vincent Smith

Fourth Grade: Aurora Bacon, Hayden Walker, Leon Schmucker, Kendall Robinette

Fifth Grade: Jameson Zelkowski, Aliyah Dodson, Elijah Botkins, Phred Huguelet

The Larson community is excited to welcome some wonderful new faces to our First Grade team this year!

Kim Thompson may be new to first grade, but she is certainly no stranger to our district. After years of shaping young learners as a beloved Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Thompson has made the exciting move to first grade! Her deep understanding of early childhood learning and her warm, nurturing approach make her an incredible asset to our first-grade classrooms.

Joining her is Katelynn Smith, who is both new to teaching and new to Harrison Community Schools. Miss Smith brings great enthusiasm, creativity, and a love of learning to our team. She is eager to build relationships with her students and their families as she begins her teaching career here at Larson.

Mrs. Brittney Dobbs is a familiar face also in a new role this year. Mrs. Dobbs has been a para at Larson for several years, and is completing her student teaching experience in Mrs. Dennis' first grade classroom. She is a fantastic addition to the team and is already leading learning every day!

Together, Mrs. Thompson, Ms. Smith, and Mrs. Dobbs make a dynamic addition to our first-grade team (joining Mrs. Dennis, Mrs. Taylor, and Ms. Boursaw), and we’re thrilled to see the positive impact they’ll have on our Hornet learners!

Over the past few years, our Beyond the Books volunteer group has been a driving force behind many of the wonderful events that bring our Larson community together. From organizing family dances to planning holiday celebrations and community activities, this group of dedicated parents has helped make Larson an even more special place for our students and families.

As we look to the future, we’re excited to announce that Beyond the Books is evolving into a more formal Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)! This new structure will allow for even greater collaboration between families and staff, and provide more opportunities to support our school through organized fundraising, events, and community-building efforts.

We are now seeking interested volunteers who would like to help lead the Beyond the Books PTO and continue this tradition of family involvement and school spirit.

If you’re interested in taking on a leadership role or simply want to learn more, please reach out to Mrs. Andera or Mrs. Watrous. We’re looking forward to working together to make this next chapter of family partnership at Larson our best yet!

Head lice are a common issue in schools, especially among young children who spend time playing closely together. While lice are a nuisance, they do not spread disease and are most effectively managed with awareness and prevention.

At Larson, students do not share lockers, which helps reduce opportunities for lice to spread. Families can further help by reminding children not to share hats, hair accessories, brushes, or headphones, and to avoid putting their heads close together during play or group activities.

It’s important to know that head lice do not jump or fly—they spread through direct head-to-head contact or by sharing personal items that touch the hair. Cleanliness or hygiene have nothing to do with contracting lice, and anyone can get them.

Some helpful prevention tips include:

• Keep long hair tied back or braided.

• Use hair spray or styling products, which can make it harder for lice to attach to hair strands.

• Vacuum regularly, including car seats and furniture where heads may rest.

• Check hair and scalp often, especially after sleepovers or group activities.

If you need help with treatment options or have questions about preventing the spread of lice, please contact the school office. Together, we can keep our classrooms healthy and comfortable for all students!

Harrison Community Schools is dedicated to creating and maintaining a positive learning environment for all students. All members of our learning community—including students, educators (including teachers, secretaries, custodians, aides, paraprofessionals, and other school personnel),and parents/guardians —must assume a responsible role in promoting behavior that enhances academic and social success.

The above behavior matrix outlines the expectations for all areas of our school. The picture above is also linked to the parent letter that went home in back to school folders.

Clear and consistent expectations will promote a positive climate for our learning community. With expectations comes responsibilities which include, but are not limited to, the following:

Students:

1. Take responsibility for your learning and recognize that it is a process.

2. Attend school regularly, arrive on time, and be prepared to learn.

3. Respect yourself and others in class, on school grounds, on buses, and at any school-related activity. 4. Respect the rights and feelings of fellow students, parents, educators (including teachers, secretaries, custodians, aides, paraprofessionals, and other school personnel), visitors, and guests.

5. Work within the existing structure of the school to address concerns.

6. Know and comply with school district rules and policies.

7. Participate in your learning communities, including helping formulate rules and procedures in the school, engaging in school-related activities, and fostering a culture of respect for learning and for others.

Parents/Guardians:

1. Take responsibility for your child(ren)’s development as learners by, as much as possible, providing a home environment suited for learning and developing good study habits.

2. See that your child(ren) attends school regularly and on time.

3. Provide for your child(ren)’s general health and welfare as much as possible.

4. Teach and model respect for yourself, your child(ren), and all members of the school community.

5. Support the school’s efforts to provide a safe and orderly learning environment.

6. Know and support the school and district rules and policies and work within the existing structure of the school to address concerns.

7. Advocate for your child(ren) and take an active role in the school community.

8. Attend your child(ren)’s parent/teacher conferences.

Educators:

1. Take responsibility for students’ development as learners, including their academic success and positive social-emotional development, recognizing that children should be subject to behavior management and discipline policies appropriate to their ages and levels of understanding.

2. Model and provide a mutually respectful and accountable atmosphere for learning that includes all members of the school community.

3. Cooperate and schedule conferences with students, parents/guardians, and other school personnel in an effort to understand and resolve academic and behavioral problems. Make every effort to accommodate families whose work schedules, access to transportation, or distance from school limits their ability to meet or participate.

4. Keep parents/guardians informed of their students’ challenges, effort, and success.

5. Encourage students to participate in classroom, extracurricular, and other school-related activities.

6. Know and enforce the rules and policies consistently, fairly, and equitably.

7.Participate in training and professional learning communities provided by the district that supports providing a positive culture and climate and promotes student learning.

Our Larson library runs on volunteer support! We need folks to help kids check out books, and reshelve our books. We use an online scanning system so it's pretty easy! We would need a background check on file! The library is open daily, so we will take all of the help we can get! Call or stop in if you are interested. We are so thankful for our amazing volunteers!

SCHOOL STARTS AT 8:00am

Arrival - doors open at 7:35. There is no supervision for students before 7:35; please stay with your children. DO NOT let children out in the middle of the driveway to cut in front of traffic. Pull over to the curb when children are exiting. Safety is a priority for all.

When arriving in the traffic loop in front of the building, please pull up as far as you can (up to the flag pole) so we can accommodate as many cars as possible in the loop.

Dismissal begins at 3:05. Please line up in the traffic line. Avoid Spruce Street and line up down Hornet Drive. Having trouble with SDM? Give us a call, we are happy to help. Our dismissal procedure safely dismisses approximately 500 students in a 15 minute window of time! Thank you for your cooperation and kindness as we continue to strengthen procedures.

Building opens at 7:35 for latchkey.

Phone Number: 989-539-3259

Principal: Andrea Andera

Assistant Principal: Krystal Watrous

School Secretaries: Tina Holley & Carol Mason