South Elementary School News

Dear South School Families,

It is hard to believe we have already wrapped up our very first grading period! Our classrooms are full of energy as students dive into new learning, build great friendships, and settle smoothly into their daily routines.

A big thank you to all of our families for sending your children to school each day well-rested, on time, and ready to learn. Building these positive habits early on makes a world of difference, and we are so grateful for your ongoing teamwork and support.

We have plenty of exciting events ahead at South School, so please take a few minutes to look through the rest of this newsletter. As always, our doors and inboxes are open—feel free to reach out anytime by phone or email with questions. Thank you for being such an essential part of our school community!

Tracie Murphy, Principal

South Elementary School

On Wednesday, November 11, 2026, South School will be honoring those who have served our country. We are creating a special Wall of Honor in our lobby to celebrate the veterans in your families; please complete and return the Wall of Honor slip sent home with your child by Monday, November 2, so we can ensure your loved one is included.

In addition, we will host a special Veterans Day program in their honor on November 11 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. To ensure our guests of honor receive the recognition they deserve, this assembly is reserved exclusively for visiting veterans and students, and we kindly ask that parents and families help us maintain this special focus. If your child would like to invite a veteran to attend, please return the Veterans Day Visitation Form by November 2. Our PTG will generously provide refreshments, and a photo backdrop will be set up to capture memories. Thank you for returning your forms as soon as possible so we can give our heroes the wonderful tribute they deserve!

Please read the following information regarding attendance carefully, as our attendance requirements have changed to better support student learning and engagement. These updated policies will be reflected in our student handbooks, and we encourage all families to review them to stay informed. Should you have any questions or require further clarifications, please do not hesitate to contact the main office—we are always here to help!

Regular school attendance is one of the most essential factors to your child's academic success and well-being. To support our students and meet Ohio’s requirements, we are updating attendance procedures to align with the state’s new attendance laws (HB410 and HB96), which go into effect this school year.

Below is an overview of the changes and how they could affect your student or family:

• More Focus on Total Instructional Time: Ohio's updated attendance laws shift the primary focus to “chronic absenteeism,” which measures the total amount of classroom time a student misses, regardless of the reason.
• All Missed Time “Counts:” Whether an absence is excused, unexcused, or due to a medical appointment, all missed hours are included when calculating “chronic absenteeism.” Absences are counted in minutes/hours instead of days as part of this change.
• Increased Communication: You may notice more attendance notifications from schools this year. Many of these are triggered by state requirements, even when absences have been properly documented and excused. Again, we know many of the absences are properly excused; the communication is not a judgement of the absence, but a notification requirement of the law.

Frequently asked questions:

What is the difference between chronic absenteeism and habitual truancy?

• Chronic absenteeism includes all absences and applies to any student missing 10% or more of the school year. This includes excused illnesses, family emergencies, and approved medical visits. Its purpose is simply to identify where students might need extra support if they are missing school for whatever the reason might be.
• Habitual truancy is different and applies to accumulated unexcused absences only. Students who reach habitual truancy thresholds may be required to work with the school on strategies to help resolve attendance barriers and improve attendance.

So why do schools even have to classify absences as “excused” or “unexcused” then?

• All missed time factors into chronic absenteeism calculations in order to open discussions about whether your child needs extra structures or support to be successful at school. However, distinguishing between absence types still remains important since unexcused absences could also trigger that habitual truancy level.

What is the actual level of time absent to be considered habitually truant now?

• The habitually truant threshold is defined by law as the absence of 30 consecutive hours, 42 hours in a month or 72 hours in a school year without an excuse.

Will this affect how you keep track of and calculate attendance at school?

• Yes, you will see a shift to using hours for attendance instead of days and half-days. This will actually help many students because the attendance recording will be more precise. When students only miss a small amount of time, that is what will be precisely documented in minutes and hours, as opposed to always converted to half-day units.

What makes an absence “excused” or “unexcused”?

• These are determined by law in Ohio. Excused absences include personal illness, medical/dental appointments, home quarantine, family illness or death, religious holiday observations, and pre-approved family vacation days. In contrast, unexcused absences might include oversleeping, missing the bus, car trouble, student refusal to attend, or unapproved/extended vacations.

Our goal at Dover City Schools is not to penalize students or families for legitimate illnesses or emergencies, but to ensure every student gets the full benefit of their education and to be in compliance with Ohio law. If your student begins accumulating missed hours, our team will contact you with support services, resources, and collaborative planning to help get them back on track. In advance and as we begin a new year, we thank you for your ongoing partnership in making every school day count!

Parent-teacher conferences are just around the corner, scheduled for Thursday, November 5, and Wednesday, November 11, from 4:15 PM to 7:45 PM. These meetings are by appointment only and offer a wonderful opportunity to connect one-on-one with your child’s teacher to celebrate growth and discuss their academic progress. If you have not yet reserved a time slot, please visit our conference sign-up page and select your child’s teacher to choose a time that fits your schedule. We truly value our partnership with you and look forward to seeing you there!

We are excited to celebrate with our annual Costume Day and Parade on Friday, October 30th! Students are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes to school for the day. To keep things running smoothly, students must arrive at school already dressed in their costume, as changing at school will not be permitted, and outfits should be comfortable enough to sit in all day. Please keep costume guidelines in mind: no face masks, face paint, colored hair spray, handheld props/toy weapons, or attire featuring offensive graphics/logos (such as alcohol, tobacco, or skulls).

Weather permitting, our festive parade will circle the block, with each class carrying a sign so you can easily spot your child. The preschool parades will begin at 10:00 A.M. and 1:30 P.M. Kindergarten and first grade students will parade at 10:30 A.M. Families are invited to cheer on the marchers from the school perimeter—please keep the sidewalks clear so our students have plenty of room to walk. A local coffee truck will also be on-site with warm drinks available for parade watchers. We can’t wait to see you there!

Parents or Guardians are required to call the school office to report his/her child absent. If no call is made, the school will attempt to call you. Parents are responsible for informing the school of his/her child's absence and the reason for the absence. Please call the school office between 8:00 A.M. and 8:30 A.M. Upon returning to school, a written note is required explaining the reason for the absence. Please refer to our Elementary Handbook for our entire attendance policies and procedures.

For your planning, Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day will be April 23rd, 2027 at 2:00 P.M.

There will be no school for Preschool students Tuesday November 24th-November 30th for Thanksgiving break. Preschool classes resume on December 1st.

Kindergarten and first grade students will not have school November 25th-November 30th. Classes resume for Kindergarten and first grade on December 1st.

Pets and/or other animals are not permitted on school grounds. This includes all exterior areas including sidewalks immediately surrounding the schools during drop-off and pick-up times. This policy is for the safety of all, and with respect to allergies and/or health issues of all

students.

Throughout the school year, we conduct several safety drills. These drills are required and also help

our students and staff know what to do in the event of an unlikely emergency. The following drills

are conducted throughout the school year; Fire drills, evacuation drills, intruder drills, reverse evacuation drills and tornado drills. Teachers review these with students before they are conducted. Our local Police department and first responders are also involved with conducting drills. If you have any questions regarding these required drills, please feel free to contact the school for more information.

Prompt payment of workbook and supply fees is greatly appreciated. The fee for K-1 st grades is $25.00. As always, thank you for your cooperation. Pre-school tuition must also be paid by the first of each month. Our preschool tuition is currently $150.00 per month. Failure to pay your preschool tuition will forfeit your spot in our program.

Students can enter the building at 8:40 A.M. The first bell rings at 8:40 A.M. Students must be in their seats ready to work at 8:55 A.M. when the bell rings in order to be considered on time for school. Good habits begin early so it is important that children are on time and ready to begin their day.

November 5th & 11th: Parent/teacher conferences

November 10th: PTG meeting 6:00 at East School

November 11th: Veterans Day

November 24th: NO Preschool classes

November 25th-30th: Thanksgiving Break- No School

December 1st: School Resumes