Baltz Bulletin - Family Edition

Dear Baltz Families,

We have a busy and exciting week ahead! Please take a moment to review these important dates and reminders.

📸 Monday, October 19 | Picture Day

It’s Picture Day! Please have your child come to school dressed in their chosen outfit and ready for their school photo.

🧡 Wednesday, October 21 | Unity Day

We’re wearing orange to celebrate Unity Day! Students and staff are encouraged to wear orange as we stand together for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Let’s fill our school with orange and show that kindness matters!

Throughout the day, our Bears will participate in several activities designed to reinforce our theme: “Don't Stand By! Stand Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!” Students will engage in classroom discussions, decorate sneakers with positive messages for a schoolwide display, participate in a special schoolwide UNITY formation that will be captured by a drone, and enjoy other activities over the next two weeks focused on kindness, teamwork, and inclusion.

We are asking all students and staff to wear ORANGE on Wednesday to show their support for Unity Day. If your child does not have orange clothing, a solid WHITE shirt is a great alternative. Our goal is to create a unified display of our school community standing together against bullying.

Thank you for helping us create a school community where every student feels safe, welcomed, and included!

Don't Stand By! Stand Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!

🎃 Friday, October 23 | MTSS Tier Event Day & Trunk or Treat

We’re looking forward to a fun-filled Friday! Students may wear costumes to school. Please remember that costumes may not include weapons or represent violence. Join us that evening for our Trunk or Treat celebration! We can’t wait to see our Baltz families!

📚 Friday, October 30 | End of First Marking Period

The first marking period is quickly coming to a close! We’re proud of the hard work our students have put into their learning.

📅 Looking Ahead |

I want to invite you to join us at our upcoming Bears' Den meeting, where representatives from the Red Clay Consolidated School District will share information about the Reimagining Secondary Education initiative and changes that come with it. This important initiative is focused on expanding opportunities for 6th-12th grade students, strengthening academic programs, and enhancing college and career readiness across our middle and high schools. During the meeting, district representatives will provide an overview of the proposed changes, discuss what they could mean for our students and families, and answer questions. I encourage all families to attend, learn more about this exciting vision for the future of Red Clay, and take part in the conversation. We hope to see you there!

Parent-Teacher Conferences: November 23 & 24

Parent-teacher conferences will take place on Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24. Please be on the lookout for conference sign-up information from your child’s teacher. Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your child’s progress, discuss their learning, and set goals for continued growth.

Thank you for your support!

Together, We Level Up! 💙🐻

Our annual Baltz Trunk or Treat takes place on Friday, October 23, 5:30pm - 7:00pm. In order to make this event a success, it is important for families to provide candy and/or water donations between now and Wednesday, October 21. Please send the donation in with your child or drop off to main office.

Buenas tardes, familias de Baltz:

Nuestro evento anual Baltz Trunk or Treat (Dulce o truco en el auto) se llevará a cabo el viernes 23 de octubre de 5:30 p. m. a 7:00 p. m. Para que este evento sea un éxito, es importante que las familias donen dulces y/o agua desde ahora y hasta el miércoles 21 de octubre. Por favor, envíe su donación con su hijo o entréguela en la oficina principal.

¡Gracias!

I want to invite you to join us at our upcoming Bears' Den meeting, where representatives from the Red Clay Consolidated School District will share information about the Reimagining Secondary Education initiative and changes that come with it. This important initiative is focused on expanding opportunities for 6th-12th grade students, strengthening academic programs, and enhancing college and career readiness across our middle and high schools. During the meeting, district representatives will provide an overview of the proposed changes, discuss what they could mean for our students and families, and answer questions. I encourage all families to attend, learn more about this exciting vision for the future of Red Clay, and take part in the conversation. We hope to see you there!

Planning Ahead: It's cool to come to school on time, every day! Please use our Family Planner when scheduling appointments and other commitments whenever possible. Planning around school days helps protect valuable learning time and keeps students in school and ready to learn.

• October is National Bully Prevention Month

• Monday, October 19 - Fall Picture Day - Mark your calendars! (see flyer)

• Tuesday, October 20 - Choice Open House Virtual Information Meeting (see flyer)

• Wednesday, October 21 - Unity Day, Wear Orange! (see flyer)

• Friday, October 23 - MTSS Kickball event during the day; Trunk or Treat at night 5:30-7:00 PM (see flyer)

• Thursday, October 29 - College & Career Fair (see flyer)

• Friday, October 30 - End of first marking period

• Monday, November 2 - No School for Students - Grading Day

• Tuesday, November 3 - No School - Election Day

• Thursday, November 5 - Bears' Den - Reimagining Secondary Education - District Presentation

• Wednesday, November 11 - No School - Veterans Day

• Monday & Tuesday - November 23 & 24 - Parent/Guardian & Teacher Conferences

Families can access their child's i-Ready scores to better understand their child's current academic performance. The information below provides step-by-step directions for accessing and reviewing your child's report.

🚗 Arrival & Dismissal Reminders

Thank you for continuing to follow our arrival and dismissal procedures. These routines help us dismiss our students safely and efficiently each day. Students are dismissed through their designated dismissal area: the walker line, independent walkers for our older students, or the car line. Students are not dismissed from the Main Office. Our Main Office needs to remain clear during dismissal for important transportation and safety communications. Please follow all traffic guidelines and the directions of our crossing guards and Baltz staff members directing traffic. If you are in the car line, please do not pull out until a staff member directs you to do so. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!

🐻 New to Baltz? Welcome!

We’re happy to welcome our new families! Our QuickStart Guide will remain posted at the bottom of the bulletin for the first few weeks of school in the recurring information section. It includes important information about arrival and dismissal, transportation, meals, school procedures, and more. If you’re new to Baltz, please take a few minutes to review it.

Thank you, families, for your patience and cooperation as we get our arrival and dismissal routines up and running for the new school year. Please review our full arrival and dismissal procedures posted below. A few reminders will help us keep everyone safe and keep things moving:

Students will not be dismissed from the main office. At the end of the day, students will be dismissed as a bus rider, walker, or car rider.

• Walker pick-up takes place at the side of the building. Families picking up walkers must line up in the designated walker pick-up area and have their transportation tag and photo ID ready.

• Car riders are dismissed through carline. If you are arriving by car, please remain in the carline rather than parking and attempting to pick up your child from the office or walker area.

• Please continue to have your photo ID and transportation tag available at dismissal so that we can verify authorized pick-up.
  
  

• Students arriving after the start of the school day must be walked into the building and signed in by an adult. Late arrivals take away from valuable learning time, so please make every effort to have your child at school on time.
  
  

• If you are driving your child to school, carline is the safest and fastest way to drop off. Once carline gets moving in the morning, traffic flows quickly!
  
  

• Please follow the designated traffic flow and parking areas. Our upper parking lot is closed for routine parking during arrival and dismissal so that we can safely accommodate our van services.
  
  

• If you need to visit the school for an appointment or other school business, please plan to do so after arrival and before dismissal.
  
  

• Please help us keep Olga Road and Sanders Road safe and accessible for everyone. Please avoid stopping in the roadway to drop off students. Olga Drive is not a designated student drop-off area. If you are arriving by car, please use the Baltz car line.

• For bus updates, check Where's the Bus App (see below). Boarding is faster when students wear their badges. Please support your child and encourage them to keep their badge in an accessible place in their backpack so they can use it to board the bus quickly.

School Hours:

School Day: 8:45 AM – 3:50 PM

Instruction Begins: 9:05 AM daily

Students should not arrive on campus before 8:45 am. There is no student supervision on site until 8:45 am.

Bus Routing Information:

Bus routing information for eligible bus riders was emailed directly to families by the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

Student Safety & Dismissal Identification:

Every Baltz student is assigned a transportation number from our main office, regardless of how they travel to and from school. This number helps us safely identify students during dismissal. Returning families should continue using last year's transportation number and display their car tag during dismissal.

For the safety of our students, please have a valid photo ID (driver's license or state-issued ID) available during dismissal. Staff will verify identification before releasing a student to an adult they do not know.

Student Safety Zone:

To help ensure the safe arrival and dismissal of all students, the upper parking lot is closed to vehicle traffic Monday through Friday from 8:45–9:05 a.m. and 3:15–4:15 p.m. During these times, the parking lot is reserved for authorized student transportation, including school buses and designated student transportation vehicles. The front circle is reserved for buses, emergency vehicles, and authorized deliveries. Visitor parking is available on the side of the building near the main entrance during school hours outside of these designated arrival and dismissal times.

Free Breakfast & Lunch:

Free breakfast and lunch will once again be available to every Baltz student. Please review the Child Nutrition information and menus posted below.

School Supplies:

As a Title I school, we work hard to provide students with the materials they need to be successful. We also appreciate the support of our families whenever possible. Below you will find a suggested school supply list by grade level.

Chromebooks:

Every Baltz student in kindergarten through fifth grade has access to a Chromebook to support learning at school. New this year, Chromebooks for students in Grades 4 and 5 will remain at school and will no longer be sent home each day. This change helps ensure devices are available, charged, and ready for daily instruction.

Cell Phones:

Students may bring a cell phone to school; however, all devices must be turned off and stored away during the school day.

Celebrations, Food Allergies & Latex Safety

We love celebrating our students' birthdays! If you would like to send something for your child to share with classmates, please coordinate a date with your child's teacher to send a non food item, such as pencils or stickers. Baked goods may not be brought in for birthday celebrations due to potential allergens.

Baltz is a latex safe school. Balloons of any kind are not permitted at school, or school events.

Personal Items & Toys

Please help us keep personal toys and other items at home unless specifically requested by a teacher for a classroom or school activity. This helps prevent items from becoming lost or damaged and keeps students focused on learning.

Student Dress Code:

Please review our student dress code flyer before the first day of school. Students should wear comfortable clothing that allows them to fully participate in learning and recess each day. Sneakers are encouraged.

School-Based Health Center (Christiana Care Partner):

Baltz is proud to offer a School-Based Health Center that provides healthcare services to students at no cost to families. We encourage every family to take advantage of this valuable resource. Representatives will be available during Meet the Teacher to answer questions and assist with enrollment.

YMCA Before & After School Care:

The YMCA continues to provide before- and after-school child care at Baltz. Before care service is available from 7:00 AM-9:00 AM, and after care service is available from 3:45 PM-6:00 PM. Families interested in enrolling should contact the YMCA directly or call the Baltz main office for additional information.

Student safety is our highest priority. Doors open and Grab & Go Breakfast begins at 8:45 a.m. Students should not arrive on campus before 8:45 a.m., as there is no student supervision prior to that time. During regular morning arrival, students will enter the building through designated student entrances as outlined below. Families arriving after the start of the school day should report to the main office using the front entrance to sign students in. Every Baltz student is assigned a transportation number to help ensure a safe and efficient dismissal. Returning families should display last year’s transportation car tag during dismissal, and new families may pick up their transportation number and car tag during Meet the Teacher & Baltz Team. Please have a valid photo ID available whenever picking up a student if requested by a staff member. If you need to visit the school or conduct school business, please plan to arrive after 9:05 a.m., when all students have safely entered the building, and before 3:15 PM. After 3:15 PM, the campus is secured until all students have been safely dismissed. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe, orderly, and efficient arrival and dismissal process.

To ensure the safety of our students, the front circle is reserved for school buses, emergency vehicles, and authorized deliveries only. Parent drop off and pick up in the front circle is not permitted.

Families visiting the school during the school day should use the designated visitor parking area located on the side of the building near the main entrance. Please do not park in the front circle or in areas designated for buses.

The first week of school, we will begin dismissal a few minutes early to ensure all students are in their appropriate dismissal locations.

Morning Arrival:

Car Riders:

Parents of Car Riders will join the car line on the district side of the building to drop off in the back parking lot. Please have your child ready to exit the passenger side of the car. Staff will be present to open your car doors and assist students as they get out of the car. Please be patient and avoid passing stopped vehicles. Car duty staff will direct traffic to ensure the safety of all.

Walkers:

Walkers will enter the school building through the entrance located down the hill near the small playground. Families may walk students to the gate; however, for the safety of all students, parents and visitors are not permitted beyond the gate. A staff member will greet students at the door as they enter the building.

Bus riders:

Bus riders will de-board the bus in the front circle and enter the school through the entrance located down the hill near the small playground.

Van riders:

Van riders will de-board vans in the upper parking lot and will enter the school through the entrance located down the hill near the small playground.

Late Arrival – Important Note:

Students arriving after 9:05 must be signed in by a parent/guardian in the main office and will receive a late slip to proceed to class. It is very important that students arrive on time to maximize their academic and social-emotional learning opportunities.

Afternoon Dismissal:

Dismissal begins at 3:50 pm.

Walkers:

Family members who are meeting walkers should get in line by the gated area near the little playground. Parents of walkers in grades K-2 will need to check student(s) out at the gate with your family’s assigned number. Students in grades 3-5 are considered independent walkers, therefore will not need to be checked out by families/dismissal staff. Students in 2nd grade can be considered independent walkers with a signed parent consent that will need to be turned in to the office:

Car Riders:

Car riders will join the car line on the district side of the building to pick up in the back parking lot. A staff member will be present to take your number and guide your car to the appropriate pick-up lane. Please note that the first 24 cars will be parked in lanes 1 – 6. Your order will designate your lane, so please stay in the lane that you have been directed to park in to ensure a timely pick-up. As lanes are dismissed, additional cars will be parked. The process may seem slow at the beginning of the year; however, the car line moves very efficiently once routines have been established. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Bus riders:

Bus riders will be escorted to their assigned bus by the bus dismissal staff. As a reminder, Kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop by an adult, or they will be returned to the school.

Please encourage your child to wear their badge each day as they get onto the bus. Having their badge ready on their lanyard will help students to scan and board quickly and safely.

Please discuss safety on the bus with your child.

Riders need to:

• Follow all directions from their driver & sit in assigned seats.
• Talk in quiet voices to those around them.
• Sit in the seat with their bookbags on their laps and their "back against the back and their bottom on the bottom" of the seat.

Would you like to track the location of your child's bus? Sign up for the free Where's the Bus App!

Visit www.WheresTheBus.com.

1. Click Create Account
2. Select Red Clay School District (DE) from the school drop-down list.
3. Add the student info (Last Name and Student ID) for the student you want to signup
4. Finish the account set up by entering your email and creating a password

Questions about Transportation? Call 302-322-0251.

Bus transportation is a privilege, not a right. Repeated violations may cause bus service to be suspended. The parent is responsible for providing transportation during any bus suspension.

Expectations for student behavior while riding the bus are included in the section about Discipline.

Pautas: Los estudiantes deben usar ropa limpia que no tenga agujeros ni roturas y que sea apropiada para la estación.

2026-2027 Academic Calendar – English
2026-2027 Academic Calendar – Spanish

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