Dear North Star Families:
Happy Fall! October is shaping up to be a busy and exciting month at North Elementary, and we can’t wait to share all the wonderful things happening with you.
Important Dates to Remember:
Picture Day: October 1 – Get ready to see those bright smiles! Picture day will be on the first day of October. Make sure your child comes ready to shine!
SwimRVA for 2nd Graders: We’re excited to kick off our SwimRVA program for 2nd graders. This is a great opportunity for our students to learn important swimming skills. Please check the schedule and make sure your child is prepared.
House Meetings: Our next round of House Meetings will be happening this month. These meetings are a great way for students to build community, strengthen relationships, and support each other as we work to achieve our goals, including improving attendance and behavior.
Red Ribbon Week: We will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week at the end of the month. This national initiative focuses on making healthy choices and living drug-free. Stay tuned for themed dress-up days and activities!
A Month of Great Learning
While we have lots of exciting events, we’re also hard at work in the classroom! October will be full of new lessons, challenges, and learning opportunities for all our students. We ask for your continued support in making sure your child is ready to learn each day by arriving on time and coming to school prepared.
Thank you for being such an important part of our school community. Let’s make this month one to remember!
If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to us.
Candy Llewellyn, Ed.D.
Principal
804-524-3430
IMPORTANT DATES 📆
Tuesday, October 1 --> Fall Picture Day
Wednesday, October 3 --> Kiwanis Terrific Kids Presentations
Friday, October 4 --> 1st Graders go to the CHHS High Tunnel
Thursday, October 10 --> Parent Teacher Conferences (4 pm - 7 pm)
Friday, October 11 --> Student Holiday
Monday, October 14 --> Holiday - Columbus Day & Indigenous Peoples' Day
Friday, October 18 --> End of the 1st Nine Weeks
October 21 - 25 --> Red Ribbon Week (more details below)
Thursday, October 31 --> NES Character Parade
LOOKING AHEAD
Thanksgiving Break --> November 25 - 29
Saturday, December 7 --> NES Santa Breakfast (8:00 AM - 11:00 AM)
Please make sure that you have your car tag if you are picking your child up in the afternoon. We ask that you stay inside of your vehicle. Children should enter the vehicle on the passenger side (closest to the sidewalk) to avoid them being in the way of oncoming cars. If you need to get out of your vehicle to assist your child, we ask that you park and do so in order to keep the lines moving.
If you do not have a car tag, please come to the front office to show ID and complete the paperwork for the car tag.
If you will be walking to pick up your child, please pick them up at the main entrance of the school. Someone will call the children from the building to meet you.
If your child rides a school bus, please make sure that someone is at the bus stop to meet children in grades PK - 2. Students who are in grade 3 or older do not have to be met by an adult at the bus stop.
We ask that if you must pick your child up early you do so BEFORE 2:45 p.m. After 2:45 p.m. it is challenging to get the children up early with all of the other dismissal things going on. If you arrive after 2:30 p.m. you may be asked to wait until normal dismissal.
We’re excited to introduce an easy way to stay connected with North Elementary and the Colonial Heights school community! We encourage all families to download the CHPS App, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play by searching for “Colonial Heights PS.” Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can join Rooms, our new communication tool that allows for two-way conversations between you, your child's teachers, and the school.
Rooms makes it simple to stay informed and engaged. One of the best features of the app is its ability to translate messages into many languages, ensuring that communication between school and home is easy and accessible for all families. Whether it’s receiving updates from your child’s teacher, asking questions, or staying up-to-date on school events, the CHPS app will help you stay connected to your child’s education with just a few taps on your phone!
Attendance
Why Coming to School Every Day is Important
Going to school regularly helps children feel good about school and themselves. It also teaches them that showing up on time every day is important for their success now and in the future. Good attendance helps children do well in high school, college, and work later on.
Did You Know?
- Even in kindergarten, missing too many days can make it hard for kids to catch up.
- Missing 10% of the school year (about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Kids who miss a lot of school in kindergarten may struggle to read by 3rd grade.
- Even missing just one or two days every few weeks adds up and makes learning harder.
- Being late to school can lead to poor attendance habits.
- When a student misses school, it can affect the whole class since teachers may need to slow down to help them catch up.
How You Can Help:
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine to help your child be ready for school.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before to save time in the morning.
- Make sure your child has all the needed shots and paperwork before school starts.
- Help your child meet their teacher and classmates before school begins, so they feel comfortable.
- Only keep your child home if they’re really sick. Stomach aches or headaches could be from worry, not illness.
- If your child feels nervous about school, talk to teachers or other parents for advice.
- Have a back-up plan for getting your child to school, like asking a family member or neighbor if needed.
- Try to schedule doctor’s appointments or trips outside of school time.
Let’s work together to help your child succeed by making sure they come to school every day!
Sources:
Absence Notes & Excuses
It is important for students to be in school every day. However, if your child is ill, please keep them home. We do require a doctor or parent note following any absence - even if you called the school office. We want all of our Stars to be successful and in order for that to happen we need them at school each and every day. If possible, please do not schedule vacations during the school year.
Remember if a child misses more than 2 days of school per month (even for excused absences) that equates to 18-20 days over the course of the school year - making them chronically absent.
School Meals
Breakfast and lunch will be served daily to all students at no cost.
School menus can be found HERE.
If your child will be bringing his/her lunch to school, please help them so they are able to open juice boxes or other containers they bring in their lunch. We have adults on hand to help but if the students can open things themselves, it makes lunch go smoother!
Dress Code
Please make sure that students are dressed appropriately for the weather and for play. Students have recess every day and they should wear shoes that are comfortable and safe (sneakers are preferred).
Shorts, skirts, and dresses should be no shorter than fingertip length (about 3 1/2 inches from the knee). Students are not to wear cropped tops or shirts that reveal their midriff. Tank tops, halter tops, or tops with spaghetti straps should not be worn. Jeans with holes are permitted, however the holes must not be above 3 1/2" above the knee. House shoes/slippers are not allowed.
Students are not to wear hats, caps, or hoods of any kind inside of the building or on the bus.
