Clinton Primary Weekly Update

Dear Clinton Primary Families,

Welcome to October! Now that our students have thoroughly mastered our building structures and daily routines, our primary focus in the classroom is diving deep into reading and math skills. You can help support this growth at home by checking your child's folder and planner daily, as well as making time to read together every night.

Did you know that showing up on time, every single day, is vital to your child’s learning and overall well-being? Building strong attendance habits now creates a lifelong foundation for success!

The Impact of Absences:

Missing just 10% of school—which is only 2 days each month—can make it much harder for young learners to:

• Gain foundational early reading and math skills

• Build meaningful relationships with peers and teachers

• Stay caught up with daily classroom learning

Benefits of Regular Attendance:

Developing strong routines now pays off throughout your child's entire school career:

• Helps your child gain confidence and delight in learning

• Fosters social connection and helps children make and keep new friends

• Creates predictability and security in your child's daily life

Tips to Build Strong Attendance Habits at Home:

Work together with your child and their teacher to make attendance a priority—talk about it, sing about it, and make coming to school an exciting adventure!

Set Regular Routines: Establish consistent bedtime and morning schedules.

Prepare the Night Before: Lay out clothes and pack backpacks before going to sleep to eliminate morning stress.

Connect with Other Parents: Share ideas and collaborate on strategies for getting to the bus stop or drop-off line on time.

Help us protect instructional time by ensuring your student arrives ready to learn:

Doors Open: 8:45 AM

Tardy : 9:05 AM

Parent Pick-Up Line Opens: 3:00 PM

Official End of School Day: 3:15 PM (start of bus dismissal)

📝 Early Pick-Up Protocol:

If you must pick up your child early, please send a written note to their teacher that morning. If you arrive unannounced—especially during 3:00 PM car tag pick-up or 3:15 PM bus dismissal—you will experience wait times, as our primary focus during those peak windows is the safe, orderly dismissal of all students.

Remember that Clinton Primary follows a 5-Day Cycle Schedule (Days 1–5) for physical education, art, music, and library classes. This calendar ensures no instructional days for specials are lost due to school holidays or staff development days!

Crucial Traffic Rules:

🚫 NO LEFT TURNS INTO THE LOT: Left turns into the school parking lot are strictly prohibited during arrival and dismissal. Always approach the entrance from the direction that allows a right-hand turn. Making a left turn cuts across the single-file line waiting on the shoulder and creates severe traffic hazards.

🛣️ PULL ONTO THE RIGHT SHOULDER: When queuing along Clinton Street, pull completely onto the right shoulder to keep the active lane clear.

Key Safety Reminders:

🚘 Stay Inside Your Vehicle: Please remain in your car; staff members are on duty to assist students safely in and out of vehicles.

📍 Designated Loading Areas Only: Children should only enter or exit cars when fully stopped in the active drop-off zone—never in passing lanes.

🛑 Drive Safely: Maintain slow speeds, watch crosswalks carefully, and avoid using mobile phones on school property.

🦺 Follow Staff Signals: Always obey the directives of our traffic monitors and duty staff.

This week, our morning announcements and classroom discussions are focusing on Being a Good Friend!

Tips for Parents to Share with Children at Home:

Include Others: Look for classmates or siblings who are playing alone and invite them to join in.

Be a Good Listener: Pay attention when a friend is talking and ask how they are feeling.

Use Kind Words: Offer compliments and say "thank you" or "nice job" when playing together.

Share & Take Turns: Practice waiting patiently for your turn during games or activities.

Ways to Practice at Home:

Role-Play Sharing: Practice taking turns with a favorite toy or game at home, using timer cues if helpful.

Talk About Feelings: Read a story together and ask your child: "How do you think that character felt? How could a friend help them?"

Practice Apologizing: Model how to say "I'm sorry" sincerely when mistakes happen during play.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support in making Clinton Primary a wonderful place to learn!

Kimberly M. McCartan

Principal, Clinton Primary School

Dear families,

School pictures are now available!

To see if your child's pictures are available to view, please log in to your account at mylifetouch.com. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one using your email address.

To locate your child's photos, you'll need their Student ID or Portrait ID and Access Code. If you don't have this information, you can:

• Check your inbox for an email from Lifetouch that may contain your access credentials and a direct link to your child's images.
• Wait for your proof sheet to arrive, which will include your Portrait ID and Access Code.
• Contact the Lifetouch Help Center for assistance

Please note that pictures may not become available for all students at the same time, so check back later if you don't see your child's images yet.

October 1-16 - PTA Fall Fundraiser

October 2 - Chuck E. Cheese Spirit Night

October 8 - Bookfair and Trunk or Treat at Clinton Primary

October 12 - Indigenous People's Day - No School

October 13-16 - Character Counts Week

October 19 - Tully's Spirit Night

November 3 - Superintendent's Conference Day - No School

November 5 - Picture Re-Takes