SEM Newsletter: Week 12

To ensure high levels of learning in a safe, respectful environment where all achieve personal and academic success. ALL means ALL.

It’s the final week of October, and it’s packed full of fun and excitement! 🎃✨ We’ve got Red Ribbon Week, our Spooktacular event, Picture Make-Ups, the Book Fair, Word of the Week, Student of the Month, and of course — Halloween! 🕸️👻

We can’t wait for another amazing week of learning, dressing up, and celebrating together here at Seminole! ❤️🖤

Mrs. VanderMolen, Principal

Mrs. Drazick, Assistant Principal

🌟 Every star shines bright when they’re present!🌟

October is Seminole's Attendance Awareness Month and we are wrapping up all the fun festivities this week!

Did you know missing just 2 days of school a month adds up to almost 20 days in a year? That’s nearly a whole month of learning!

Thank you for helping your child shine by making every day count. ✨

Red Ribbon Week is here, and Seminole is showing our stance against drugs with another fun Spirit Week! 🎉

We’re joining schools across the nation in promoting the importance of living a drug-free, healthy lifestyle. This year’s theme — “Life is a Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free!” — reminds us that every choice our students make is a piece of the bigger picture of their future.

Throughout the week, students will take part in engaging spirit days and meaningful activities designed to help them think about healthy choices, positive coping strategies, and the power of standing strong and saying no to drugs. ❤️🧩🖤

Seminole’s Makeup Picture Day is on October 29th! Any student who is newly enrolled or missed the original picture day will be called to have their photo taken.

Parents, please see the schedule below for the Quarter 1 award dates. Each awards ceremony will last approximately 30 minutes. To attend, you must have a state-issued ID and be listed on your child’s parent pick-up list. If you’re unsure whether your child will be receiving an award, feel free to contact your child’s teacher!

This week we’re kicking off our October Word of the Week! 🗣️✨ Each morning on the announcements, students will hear this week’s special word. If they use the word correctly in a sentence, they can enter their name into a drawing for a chance to win a token for our Book Vending Machine! 📚🎟️

We’ll announce 10 lucky winners on Friday, along with our October Students of the Month! ❤️🖤

Did you know you can help our school earn money just by scanning your grocery receipts? It's quick, easy, and every Box Top adds up to support our students and classrooms!

📱 Download the Box Tops for Education app, select Seminole Elementary, and start scanning your receipts today. No clipping required!

✅ Check out the video linked below to learn more about how it works and how you can get started.

Let’s work together to make a difference — every little bit helps!

Download the OCSB App to stay connected and informed!

⭐Check Skyward Weekly

Stay up to date on grades, attendance, and more by logging into Skyward Family Access: 💻 https://www.okeeschools.org/page/skyward-family-access

📲Use our School App to stay connected, get updates, and work together with your students teacher right from your phone!

Parents, we would love for you to be more involved in decision-making at Seminole! Please consider attending any (or all) of our School Advisory Committee (SAC) meetings this school year. This is a great opportunity to learn about what’s happening at Seminole and to help us make important decisions that impact our school community.

October 29th @ 5:00 pm (prior to Spooktacular)
November 18th @ 5:30 pm
January 20th @ 5:30 pm
March 24th @ 5:30 pm
May 19th @ 5:30 pm

FREE Heart Screening for students ages 5 to 20 years, check out the flyer below!

🎃 ITS HERE! Our Spooktacular Event is finally here! Join us for treats, fun activities, and be sure to visit our Book Fair. And of course, don’t forget to wear your costume! 👻🎉

📚 Book Fair Hours: 5:30 – 7:30 pm
🍬 Candy Distribution Ends: 7:00 pm
⭐ Special Note: Anyone who attends our SAC Meeting at 5:00 pm will get first entrance to the event!

Seminole is hosting a friendly competition—the classroom that donates the most candy will win a prize!

Please consider helping us out for our Spooktacular Event. All candy will be distributed during the event. You can send candy in with your child or drop it off at the front office.

📅 Deadline for donations: October 28th

Seminole’s Book Fair kicks off with its grand opening at our Spooktacular event this Wednesday evening! 🎃📚 Come enjoy some candy and pick out some amazing books for your child to read!

The Book Fair will remain open October 30th through November 5th during students’ specials classes. Any student who brings money on those days will have the opportunity to visit the fair and shop for their next great read! ❤️🖤

Students in Mrs. Hubbard's 5th grade class were hard at work this week! ✍️
They’ve been practicing writing by composing letters to their pen pals in California. This fun project helps them strengthen their writing skills through planning and editing!

🌱 Students in Ms. Leclair’s class are exploring the life cycle of a plant in science this week! They had a blast planting the seeds they germinated last week! 🌻

Ms. Coleman has been hosting a college student, and this week they helped students learn about the seasons and how Earth’s orbit around the sun creates them! 🌎☀️🍂

Ms. Vaughn’s class put their learning into action this week! After their BLAST lesson, students used their kits for some hands-on spelling practice! ✏️📚

We have an update to our safety procedures that will impact all school-day events. Only individuals listed on a child’s emergency contact list will be allowed to attend these events.

If you need to update the emergency contact list, please visit the office to make any necessary changes. Please note: Only a child’s legal guardian can make updates, and a valid photo ID is required.

Thank you for helping us keep our students safe!

Parents, take a look at the flyer below to learn about early detection of Type 1 Diabetes in children! Early recognition of symptoms can make a big difference in your child’s health, so be sure to review the information and reach out to your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

Diabetes Early Detection Program​ Flyer

We understand that there may be times when it’s necessary to check your child out early for appointments or other important reasons. Please remember that all early checkouts must be completed by 2:20 pm. If your child is leaving for a doctor’s appointment, be sure to send in the doctor’s note so the absence can be excused. Also, keep in mind that 5 early checkouts equal 1 full day absence, which can impact attendance. Thank you for helping us prioritize instructional time and supporting your child’s success!

Accidents aren’t supposed to happen, but sometimes they do—whether during recess, field trips, or everyday activities. To help families be prepared, our district offers Voluntary Student Accident Insurance through Special Markets Insurance Consultants, Inc.

This optional coverage is available for all enrolled students, and families can choose from several plans, including:

• School Time Accident Only

• 24-Hour Accident Only

• Interscholastic Sports

• 24-Hour Dental

  
  

Parents/guardians are responsible for enrollment and payment. Signing up is quick and easy online at www.k12specialmarkets.com. Simply look up our district, review the available plans, and complete the enrollment form.

For questions, you may also call 800-727-7642.

Parents, please use the roundabout towards the back of the school when dropping off or picking up your student. This helps us avoid congestion and issues with traffic back up. Do not use the driveway before the roundabout to turn around. This creates a very dangerous situation for cars that are driving to the roundabout or turning into the school.

Also, please do not exit your vehicle during drop off or pick up times. We have staff that will assist the students exit or enter the vehicles as necessary. This limits pedestrian traffic in the road and near our opened gates.

Thank you!

Parents, we’re happy to share the upcoming Treasure Coast Food Bank distribution dates, times, and locations. Please take a moment to look through the flyers below for details. These resources are available to support our families, and we encourage you to take advantage of them if needed.

Food distribution dates and times:

Coquina Water November 11th, Tuesday

Sunshine Grove November 14th, Friday

Agri Civic Center November 21st, Friday

Coquina Water December 9th, Tuesday

Agri Civic Center December 12th, Friday

Sunshine Grove December 30th, Tuesday

Parents, check out our Parent and Family Engagement Plan! This plan outlines how we work to build strong, supportive partnerships between our families and school community.

Parent Family Engagement Plan English

Parent Family Engagement Plan Spanish

Below is a link to the District Policy on Bullying and Harassment. In order to be classified as bullying, the physical threat or emotion distress must be continuously inflicted towards the student. A one time occurrence of teasing would not fall under bullying.

SEM takes bullying seriously! If your child is being bullied, please have your child tell an adult at school or call the office to inform administration of the situation.

Link to District Bullying and Harassment Policy

At Seminole, we are dedicated to our *Read Aloud A Lot* initiative. Each day, students spend time reading aloud in class to build fluency and confidence. For homework, all students are expected to read for 20 minutes each night. In grades K–2, students should practice the fluency passages provided by their teacher, while students in grades 3–5 should read books of their choice at home.

Stay Informed About Meals at Seminole! 🥞🍎

Access the Breakfast and Lunch Menus on our District Website by clicking here. These menus are packed with delicious and nutritious options to fuel our students for success!

Remember, breakfast and lunch are completely free for ALL Seminole students. Make sure your child takes advantage of these healthy meal offerings every day! 🥪✨

Parents, please check out this wonderful free resource! Even if your family is not eligible to receive books, there are still free resources available to help your child with reading!

Link to New Worlds Reading Website

The Florida Department of Education has recently updated their Just Read, Florida! initiative. Click here to learn more about the updates!

Parents, does your child need additional assistance?

Okeechobee County School District has partnered with Varsity Tutors for Schools! All students now have access to the Varsity Tutors learning resources like live classes, chat tutoring, and more. Some students may have been assigned tutoring by your school, ask your teacher or school office if this has been provided to you. All Okeechobee County School District families can sign up for paid supplemental private tutoring for their students at a discounted rate!

Click here to learn more information about what it is, how to login, and so much more!

October 29-Nov 5th- Book Fair

November 3rd- Quarter 1 Awards 1st Grade @ 8:45 am

November 3rd- Quarter 1 Awards 2nd Grade @ 9:30 am

November 3rd- Quarter 1 Awards 4th Grade @ 1:45 pm

November 6th- Quarter 1 Awards 5th Grade @ 8:45 am

November 6th- Quarter 1 Awards 3rd Grade @ 9:30 am

November 10-21- APTT

November 11th- Veterans Day Assembly