SEM Newsletter: Week 4
2025-2026
Welcome to Week 4!
🌟 Welcome to September! 🌟
We’ve made it through the first three weeks of school, and our first round of Progress Monitoring Testing is officially wrapped up (minus a few makeups)! Thank you for your hard work and patience as we kicked off the year strong.
This week may be short with no school on Monday—enjoy the well-deserved three-day weekend!—but it’s packed with exciting events. 📸 Wednesday is Picture Day, and Friday is our Grandparents Day celebration. Be sure to check out the details below so you don’t miss anything important for our special visitors.
We’re looking forward to another great week together. See you all on Tuesday!
Mrs. VanderMolen, Principal
Mrs. Drazick, Assistant Principal
Grandparents Day is almost here! Mark your calendars for September 5th!
We’re so excited to welcome grandparents (or a special loved one filling that role) to come and share a reading time with their grandchild during that grade level’s specials block. Grandparents are encouraged to bring a favorite book to read, but don’t worry—we’ll also have plenty of extra books to choose from!
A quick reminder: for safety reasons, anyone attending must be listed on the child’s emergency contact list in Skyward. If they are not listed, they will not be able to participate.
Check out the flyer below for the schedule of times for each grade level. We can’t wait to see you there!
Insurance is available for $30.
Why get insurance? It protects you from paying a much larger fee if your child accidentally damages their school-issued Chromebook, such as a cracked screen or broken charger.
Please note that insurance does not cover purposeful damage, like throwing a device or removing keys from the keyboard.
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!
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!
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!
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, 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.
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.
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, 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!
September 9th- New World Reads Night 5 pm
September 10th- Progress Reports
September 12th- Early Release Day
September 12th- AVID Day! 🎓
September 15th- Teacher Work Day- No School
October 2nd- National Custodian Appreciation Day
October 10th- End of 1st Quarter
October 13th- Teacher Work Day- No School
October 20th- Report Cards