Grindstone News

We are so excited to welcome our First - Fourth grade Titans back to school on Wednesday, August 20th. To ease some of the back to school jitters, here are a few key reminders:

Arrival: The school day starts at 9:00 AM.

• All car riders should wait in their cars until a Grindstone staff member either opens the door or signals them to exit the car. For student safety, all students should exit and enter their car curb side. All car riders will enter the building through the front doors*

*Students wanting breakfast will be allowed to enter through the cafeteria doors starting at 8:45 a.m.

*Grindstone Preschool drop off is at 8:30AM; please allow for our preschool parents to have access to the drop off area. School age parents should not begin to enter the drop off loop until after 8:40AM. ~ Thank you.

• Walkers will enter the building through the front doors.

• All Bus Riders will be dismissed from their bus at 9:00 AM and enter the building through the cafeteria doors. If your child is a bus rider and wishes to get breakfast, they will be released early from the bus under adult supervision.

• Grindstone staff members and volunteers will be available to assist students to the correct doors.

• The Tardy bells rings at 9:15 AM

Transportation: Is your child eligible to ride the school bus? All families who are eligible are encouraged to take advantage of getting your child to and from school safely on a BCSD school bus. It would certainly alleviate the long car rider line wait.

Dismissal: Student dismissal will begin at 3:40 pm.

Walkers:

• All walkers will exit the building through our front doors. Students will follow the sidewalks and cross at the designated and safe crossing areas.

• Parents coming to walk home with their student: Please do not stand in front of the doors during dismissal, as our car riders will also be exiting the building. It is best that parents stand off to the side to help the flow of student traffic.

Bus Riders:

• All bus riders will be dismissed from their classroom and go to the gym; sit in their assigned bus area and wait to be called to get on their bus.

Car Riders:

• Cars should not arrive any earlier than 3:30 for dismissal. Parents must remain in their car.

• Parents, please be patient as we have a large number of car riders.

Breakfast/Lunch: Breakfast is available from 8:45-9:15 AM.

• Students wishing to eat breakfast can enter the building at 8:45 AM through the cafeteria doors.

• Bus riders who will be getting breakfast will be released off their bus at 8:50 AM.

• All students will have an Student ID badge with a bar code on the back, which can be scanned for lunch. All students are encouraged to learn their student ID# (5 digit code listed in Infinite Campus) which can also be entered if they lose their badge.

• Student badges are kept at school

The classrooms are ready, the halls are all shiny and the smiles are bright. There truly isn’t a better feeling than the excitement of the first day of school! Reassure your child that if they need anything to please talk to one of our staff members. We are here to help and support them!

We are TITANS and TITANS stick TOGETHER!!

Be sure to read through the newsletter thoroughly for important information. If you have any questions about the start of school, please be sure to call the school office at 216-898-8305.

See you soon,

Mrs. Grimm

Ms. Lazarus

Once you have logged in to Infinite Campus select the schedule tab. Families with multiple children will have to select each child individually to see their classroom information.

Kindergarten Families: If you have not signed up for your teacher Meet and Greet or Orientation, please use the link below.

• 2025 Kindergarten Meet and Greet Sign Up

Important Kindergarten Dates:

• Wednesday, August 20 Kindergarten Meet and Greet

• Thursday, August 21 Kindergarten Meet and Greet

• Friday, August 22 First day of Kindergarten

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Grindstone School Office at 216-898-8305.

Grindstone Elementary’s doors will be open to give students and families the opportunity to come and explore the school building, find their classroom location, meet the teacher and drop off supplies.

How do I find my classroom?

• Staff and volunteers will be available to assist students and families locate classrooms.

• The Grindstone Office will also be open to assist any of our families who have teacher assignment questions.

Families who signed up for a car rider tag for the 25-26 school year can pick up their tag in the cafeteria during Little Titan’s Night on Monday, August 18th. If you are unable to attend, stop in the office on Tuesday, Aug. 19th to pick up your car tag. No worries if you are not able to pick up your car tag before school starts; your child will bring home the assigned Grindstone Car Number Tag on Wednesday, August 20th.

Monday, August 18th, from 4:00-5:30 PM, Grindstone Elementary doors will be open to give students and families the opportunity to come and explore the school building, find their classroom location, meet their teacher, and drop off supplies.

Our focus is to build strong relationships and foster an ongoing partnership with you, the parents, in your child's education. The Parent Information Night will provide an excellent opportunity to meet the teacher, greet, and welcome you into our schools. During this parent event, we will share valuable information about your child's learning expectations, grade-level language, and literacy skills, and what they need to achieve by the end of the year. We want to ensure that everyone is on the same page and has a clear understanding of the academic journey ahead.

Additionally, Parent Information Night will serve as a platform to provide essential information related to various aspects of the school experience. We will cover topics such as the assignment process, classroom behavior expectations, technology integration, curriculum details, and assessment procedures. This will help you stay informed and actively engaged in your child's progress throughout the year.

Communication is a vital aspect of our school community, and during these sessions, we will explain the various methods of communication we have in place. This includes email, dojo, student planners, as well as Infinite Campus parent portal for grading and reporting. We want to ensure that you have access to all the necessary tools to stay involved and informed about your child's academic journey.

This is designated as a Parent ONLY event. All parent meetings are being held in your child’s classroom. We look forward to seeing you next Thursday, September 4th during Parent Information Night!!

Online registration and OLR annual updates must be completed on a desktop or laptop.

Existing Families

Important Chromebook Information for Parents and Students

1. All clothing should be neat, clean, and safe.

2. Shorts are permitted on warm days only.

3. Coats are encouraged on cooler days and should be worn by students during outdoor recess.

4. The following clothing is not allowed:

● That which exposes too much or is too tight, including but not limited to tank tops, spaghetti strap tops, halter tops, cut-off T-shirts, bare midriffs, short shorts, and spandex (biking) pants or shorts.

● That which contains messages that are obscene, profane, drug-related, gang-related, or inflammatory or depicts weapons or violence.

● Sagging pants. 5. Parents are encouraged to send a change of clothes to be kept at school for their child.

Disclaimer: Any new “fads” in clothing, or anything not specifically covered in the above guidelines, determined to be inappropriate dress or disruptive to the learning environment, shall be dealt with at the discretion of the Berea City School District Elementary Schools’ Administration. Any student not adhering to the above will be referred to the office where parent contact will occur.

RECESS:

“When the temperature, including the wind chill, is 20 degrees or above, students will go out for recess and need to be dressed for the cold weather. The administration reserves the right to hold indoor recess based on the conditions of the playground/blacktop areas.”

• The school day starts at 9:00 a.m. All car riders should wait in their cars until a Grindstone staff member either opens the door or signals them to exit the car. For student safety, all students should exit and enter their car curbside.

• For all our Titan Friends who walk to school and arrive before the first bell, it is imperative for your child’s safety that they are waiting in line like a Super Titan; being respectful, responsible, and safe. Students should not arrive at school too early as there is no supervision before our first bell rings at 9:00 a.m.

• Students coming for breakfast may enter the building through the cafeteria doors beginning at 8:45 a.m.

School Fees will be added to student accounts on October 1, 2025. Payments may be made in person at Grindstone using Cash or Check , or through Infinite Campus. Instructions are provided below.

Families are asked and encouraged to complete the Income Eligibility Verification Application to access additional benefits, including increased state and federal funding for staff, equipment, and supplies; discounts on fees for academic assessments; and access to local scholarships, tuition assistance for dual credit and AP courses, and discounts on college application fees. By completing the application, you help the district continue to provide valuable resources and opportunities for every student.

Online payment is our preferred method for parents and guardians to pay for school fees, cafeteria payments, and more.

The Infinite Campus Online Payment system is a payment processing

solution that allows you to submit food service and school-related fees 24/7

via the Parent Portal. Payments can be made for one child or the entire

household.

The Fees tool provides a list of all fees assigned to you. Fees may include things like a lab fee for a science course, a fee for a field trip or the cost of an athletic activity. Fees that are still owed and fees that were paid appear in this list, followed by the ongoing balance for all fees.

View the Fee Payment tutorial

If you are unable to use the online payment system, please contact the

treasurer's office at (216) 898-8300.

8/18 - Grindstone School Visit and Supply drop off - 4- 5:30 p.m.

8/20 - First Day of School for Grades 1 - 12

8/20 - 8/21 - Kindergarten Meet and Greets

8/22 - First Day of Kindergarten

8/22 - PTA Family Event - Hot Diggity Dog 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

8/29 - Kindergarten Night at Titans home FB game

9/1 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

9/4 - Parent Information Night

9/8 - School Picture Day

9/10 - PTA Meeting 6:00 PM

9/19 - PTA Fun Run Fundraiser

9/27 - BCSD Well-Fest 2025

8:50 a.m.-9:10 a.m. Breakfast students may enter through the cafeteria door
9:15 a.m. Tardy bell rings
3:40 p.m. Car Riders, Walkers, and Right at School After Care Students dismissed
3:45 p.m. Dismissal bell for bus riders

Email: tgrimm@bereaschools.org
Website: www.bereaschools.org
Location: 191 Race Street, Berea, OH, USA
Phone: (216)898-8305
Facebook: facebook.com/GrindstoneBCSD
X/Twitter: @GrindstoneBCSD