Bluff Monthly Update--August

Happy New (school) Year!! I hope you have had a great summer and are ready to take on another great school year. In an effort to communicate effectively with Bluff families, I am going to be sending monthly newsletters out. This will go out through messenger on your phone and on Facebook! I hope it is helpful and keeps you in the loop!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Cooley

Please help me welcome our new staff members!

• Deb Dorsey, 3rd Grade
• Audrey Small, PE
• Jessica Carter, 3 year old PK
• Jen Bormann, Shared Elementary LRC Director
• Sheena Sullivan, BD Para
• Alicia Moreno Perez, BD Para
• Hailey Gaboury, MD Para
• Lillie Allen-Berkenstock, MD 1:1 Para
• Hannah Schomer, LV 1 Para
• Jean Thill, PK Para

Monday, August 24th - Parent/Teacher meetings scheduled from 9:00-5:00. Bring your student and their supplies.

Tuesday, August 25th - First day of school! School hours are 7:45-2:45!

Friday, August 28th - Early Dismissal 12:45

Friday, September 4th - Early Dismissal 12:45

Monday, September 7th - Labor Day/NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, September 9th - Applebee's Fundraiser Day for Bluff!

Friday, September 11th - Early Dismissal 12:45

Friday, September 11th-20th- Bluff Apparel Webstore OPEN!

Monday, September 14th-Little Caesar's Fundraiser Begins!

Thursday, September 17th- Navigating Big Feelings Family Night @ Bluff! 4:30-6

Friday, September 18th - Early Dismissal 12:45

Monday, September 21st-25th- Clinton Homecoming Week!

Friday, September 25th - Early Dismissal 12:45

Thursday, October 1 - Picture Day!

Below is a picture of our parking lot for arrival and dismissal. Our goal is to get students out of the car quickly and safely, while also keeping the car line off of the road. PLEASE be sure to watch for staff and follow their directions if they are asking you to pull up! It helps keep everyone safe and the line moving!

ARRIVAL tips:

• Students who are eating breakfast can arrive at 7:15.
• Students who are not eating breakfast can arrive starting at 7:30.
• Students must be in the breakfast line by 7:35 or they will not be able to eat. We need to get students to class. Please make sure you get them in the parking lot with enough time to get in school!
• If your child is not ready to get out of the car, please park in a space and we will help them cross.

DISMISSAL tips:

• Please keep the line moving and pull up.
• All students MUST cross at the crosswalk. Please do not call them across to you at the median.
• Parents should wait at the median and we will get students safely to you.
• If you don't want to park in the lot, you can park on the street by the rugby field.
• Kindergarten will start leaving the building at 2:35. The rest of the students will dismiss at 2:45.

Due to construction on Bluff Blvd, the busses will have to be parked in the front for dismissal. While it isn't ideal, it is the only option we have. We have taken a lot of time to plan how to make this SAFE for everyone, but we need YOUR help!! Your part?? Patience at dismissal and close eyes on everything around you!

The busses will arrive early and park at the very south end of our parking lot by the exit. We have cones where they will park to reserve it for them. The first parent car in the lot will need to stay BEHIND the cones so the busses can park. (Refer to the picture below) Then cars will line up along the curb and wait for your child.

This WILL limit the number of spots we have in the parking lot for parents. You are welcome to park by the rugby field and we will walk them to the crosswalk. You can also park across in the Kwik Star parking lot, but YOU must come over and get your child. We will not let them run across the road if you are calling to them.

A few tips....

1. If you park by the curb, do NOT get out of your car. We will bring your child to you!

2. You can park in the lot and stand at the median and we will bring your child across the crosswalk by the flag pole.

We want to bring you into the school more often this year to celebrate our staff and students and have some FUN! We are going to increase our number of family nights from one to three this year. We have selected topics for our family nights that are also based on our school goals so we can work together! All family nights will include FREE dinner!

Thursday, September 17-Navigating Big Feelings (Watching Inside Out movie!) 4:30-6

Thursday, November 5-Show Up, Glow Up (Glow PARTY!!) 4:30-6

Thursday, January 28-Cozy Cabin Learning Lodge (4:30-6)

Bluff Elementary School

Email: kristine.cooley@csdkq.org

Location: 1421 S. Bluff Blvd
Phone: 563-242-1606
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BluffPTAClintonIA