Jamaica Elementary Newsletter

Welcome to the September School Newsletter. I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the school year. We know the first few weeks can be overwhelming, and we appreciate the patience and support you have given to our students and staff as we get the ball rolling this school year. Please continue to support our protocols in place to ensure a safe and effective school day for our students.

Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much. – Helen Keller

Ms. Black

Principal

Jamaica Elementary School

Follow our PTSO social media pages for important updates! Facebook is "Jamaica Elementary PTSO" and Instagram is "jamaicacrocsptso".

Important Dates

• 9/2- No School ( Labor Day)
• 9/11 Open House 5:30 pm-7:00 pm
• 9/16-9/27- Step It Up Fundraiser
  
• 10/2 Day of Awesomeness

Welcome to the new school year! I look forward to working with you to promote and maintain your child’s health.

Screenings:

Hearing and vision screenings are conducted through the school nurse’s office. If a vision or hearing issue is identified, a referral will be sent home so that you may follow up with a medical provider. If you do not wish for your child to be screened or if you think your child will be unable to tolerate the screening process, please contact me for the opt-out form.

Illness/Injuries:

First aid and medical care is provided by the school nurse for illness and injuries that occur during the school day. A notice will be sent home with your child if medications are administered. We cannot call home for every student that visits the nurse’s office; however, you will be notified immediately of any serious injury, head injury or emergency.

Your child’s education is important to us but please remember, school is no place for a sick child. If your child has a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, deep wet cough, undiagnosed rash, strep throat, pink eye, etc… Please do not send them to school. If it is necessary to send your child home due to an illness, you will be notified immediately.

If your child has any type of injury that requires a cast, crutches, etc., a doctor’s note is required stating what the injury is and their restrictions, and a release from the doctor is required in order for them to resume PE and recess activities.

Immunizations:

Arizona state law requires that each child is up-to-date on their immunizations. It also requires that all immunization information be kept on file at school. Without proof of immunizations, your child will not be allowed to attend school.

If your child will be turning 11 years old during the school year, please keep in mind that they must have their Tdap and Meningococcal immunizations after their 11th birthday, but before they turn 12. If proof of immunizations is not submitted by age 12, your child will not be allowed to attend school.

Medications:

All medication must be kept in the nurse’s office and it is required that parents/guardians bring and pick up all medications. Please do not send medications with students. Over-the-counter medication must be in the original labeled container. Inhalers, Epi-Pens, and any other prescription medication must have a prescription label. Medication forms need to be completed and signed before administration.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s health or any of the above information, please don’t hesitate to call or email me.

Kaitlyn Weber, BSN, RN

Jamaica School Nurse

kweber@lhusd.org

928-854-7283

Thank you to all the students for all their hard work starting out the year. I am very proud of them and appreciate the effort they give every time they are in my classroom. Thank you to the parents and families also for ensuring that the students have the proper attire and shoes to maximize their potential in physical education. Reminder, students will receive a reduced grade (5/10) for not having appropriate footwear for that week's lesson. Please no Crocs, sandals, boots, slippers, or flip-flops. I hope that everyone had a very enjoyable and relaxing Summer Break and remember to stay hydrated as the heat is still here. We will be opening with skills used in volleyball and then transition to teaching them the proper way to hold, throw, and catch a football. Personally, I try to stay aligned with the actual sport and season that are currently happening at the middle and high school levels. Again, thank you for all your hard work in helping your son or daughter be successful in class. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.

Andrew Branchik

abranchik@lhusd.org

As the weather is still warm, students are wearing shorts more often. Please be sure that your student is following the dress code. Per the district handbook, Shorts and skirts must be fingertip length. This means long enough so that when standing straight, hands at sides, the hem is at the edge of the fingertips. All bottoms must be free from rips, holes, or tears above the knees. Students are responsible for checking in the mirror before coming to school.

*Dress code will be enforced, and students will be required to change if they do not follow dress code. There will be NO exceptions.

2024-2025 LUNCH APPLICATIONS

The Free and Reduced Meals application MUST be renewed each year. Please renew your applications online at www.linqconnect.com. Hard copies will be available during registration if you are unable to complete this process at home.

All LHUSD students who were approved for the school year 2023-24 will have their benefits carry over until September 12, 2024. We encourage you to get your new application resubmitted as early as possible to avoid any lapse in benefits.

Milk, bottled water, or ala carte items will be available for students to purchase during lunch.

*There has been an increase in meal prices due to USDA Regulations. Breakfast is $1.70, Lunch is $2.95 at the Elementary Schools.

*It is important to note that a new application must be filled out each year.

Meal accounts can be set up online at linqconnect.com.

You can log in online or download the app to your phone. Meal accounts can be funded, and you can check balances and also set up to receive low balance alerts for your student. There is a $2.60 service fee per transaction.

· Food Service will also accept personal checks made out to LHUSD and cash.

· LHUSD has a “NO CHANGE” policy for meals. Any money given to a cashier for any purchase that has change coming will be put on the student’s account. No change will be given back.

· Any meal that a student picks up will be considered “charged” to the meal account. It is then the parent’s responsibility to pay the meal debt. If you do not want your student to participate, you must inform your student to not go through the meal service lines.

To ensure a successful and safe start to the new school year, we would like to share some rules for the Parking lot. Please look these over and follow the procedures that we have put in place to keep ALL students safe. We are all in this together.

Parking Lot General Rules

1. SAFETY is our #1 Priority.

2. The inside lane is the circling lane, no pickup. You must park.

3. Outside lane along the sidewalk, may not park. This is the pickup lane. No stopping along the sidewalk until you have pulled all the way up by the playground to the end of the sidewalk.

4. DO NOT ask your child to cross in front of traffic. You may see your child, others may not.

5. Right Turns ONLY out of the parking lot.

6. Please refrain from parking in the handicapped parking spaces unless you have the proper permit. We do have families that need to use these spaces.

Before School Options

1. Park in a lined space and walk your child on the sidewalk using the crosswalk.

2. Drive up and around the outside lane to the sidewalk in front of the playground. Drop off as far up as you can to avoid backing up traffic. Your child can safely walk on the sidewalk up to the school. Do NOT park in this lane. Please only stop briefly for drop-off/pickup if you see your child in view.

For special needs (SDC) Families ONLY

1. Pull up to the Kinder gate. DO NOT go past the crosswalk into the striped area. (Busses will be pulling up there to drop off students)

2. Parents may stay in their cars. We will have staff to assist your child getting to class.

3. Reminder: this is for SDC families only. (This is a change for kindergarten. Kindergarten will no longer use this area for drop-off).

After School Options

1. Park in a lined space and meet your child on the sidewalk using the crosswalk. Return to your parked car using the crosswalk.

2. Park in a lined space and your child can use the crosswalk to walk to your parked car.

3. Drive up and around the outside lane along the sidewalk in front of the playground. Pull up as far as you can in the pickup line in a safe manner. Do NOT park in this lane! Please only stop briefly for drop-off/pickup if you see your child in view. Otherwise, please circle around. Stay in this lane to exit the parking lot. Please do not try to move around cars to get out sooner.

Breakfast starts at 7:30 am, and students need to be finished eating by 7:55 am. Please remind your child that if they are having breakfast at school, they need to be coming in as soon as they arrive. Students that get to the office at 7:55 am with plans to have breakfast will not have enough time to eat.

We welcome you to come to have lunch with your student. We even have a special table just for you to eat with them. Per district policy, you may only bring food for your student.

Friendly reminder that the first bell is at 7:55 A.M. daily and students must be in class by 8:00A.M to not be considered tardy. If your student is tardy, an adult MUST come in and sign them in. Please do not drop them off and have them come in alone. Safety is our top priority.

Please ensure your students are promptly picked up at the release of school.

If you are running late, please contact the front office immediately.

Each Monday we will randomly pick 2 lucky winners of an In-N-Out gift card based on perfect attendance from the week before. Will it be you?

All visitors during school hours must sign in at the front office and also be issued a visitors pass. Please ensure that you sign out upon your departure.

PTSO is offering the Birthday Marquee Fundraiser. $10 will get your child’s name on the marquee for their birthday week. We can also do ½ birthdays as well! Forms are in the office. Cash only.

At Jamaica, we take the safety of our students, staff, and guests seriously; therefore we are a closed campus.

1. It is critical for safety that all guests, including parents and guardians, check in at the front office and sign in for a visitor’s badge. We ask that you do not go into the classrooms without an appointment.

2. The gates are staying locked in the mornings until 7:45 am. This is for the safety and security of our students in the mornings. Students should wait near the building and away from the drive-through lane. Parents, please drop off and pick up outside the gates.

3. In the parking lot, please use the crosswalk and do not walk in front of traffic. Thank you to our many parents who follow this rule to help model for our students. (This includes Jamaica Blvd. please do not cross where there is no crosswalk)