Parent Newsletter

Dear Andersen Elementary Families,

This newsletter contains a lot of information, so please take the time to read. We have some family engagement events coming up in November that we hope you will attend. See all the events and important information below and mark your calendars!

Thank you to all those that took the time to conference with your teachers over the past week. It is so important to meet with your child's teachers regularly to get information on how they are doing socially and academically, what they are learning in class, and how you can support that learning at home.

There are some new sections of this newsletter this month. A Title 1 corner, an ESE Corner, and important 6th grade information. Check out those sections below.

Mrs. Harris

Proud Principal at Hans Christian Andersen Elementary

Tuesday 11/3

ELECTION DAY!

Wednesday 11/4

No chess club

Saturday 11/7

Soccer Jamboree

Monday 11/9

Veteran's Day Ceremony - School & Community Veterans Invited begins at 9am

Tuesday 11/10

Picture retakes

Wednesday 11/11

Veteran's Day Holiday for all

Friday 11/13

PTO Fall Festival 5pm-7pm

NEHS 2pm

Monday 11/16

Book Fair all week

iReady Inform Reading K-6

Tuesday 11/17

Family Thanksgiving Lunch

iReady Inform Math K-6

Wednesday 11/18

Domino's Pizza Spirit Night 4pm- 8pm

Books Alive Night 5:30-7:00

Thursday 11/19

SAC 6pm

Monday 11/23- Friday 11/ 27

Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday 12/1

FAST ELA PM2 grades 3-6 Don't be absent or tardy!

Thursday 12/3

FAST Math PM2 grades 3-6 Don't be absent or tardy!

Tuesday 12/8

FAST ELA PM2 grades K-2 Don't be absent or tardy!

Thursday 12/10

FAST Math PM2 grades K-2 Don't be absent or tardy!

Friday 12/11

NEHS 2pm

Friday 12/4

PTO meeting 2:30 pm- all invited

Friday 12/11

Kennedy Middle School Cambridge presentation to 6th grade 8:45-9:30 Parents welcome

Monday 12/14

5th & 6th grade chorus tour

Tuesday 12/15

Class and Club Picture Day

Wednesday 12/16

Domino's Pizza Spirit Night 4-8pm

Wednesday 12/16- Friday 12/18

Early Release Days

Monday 12/21- Monday 1/4/27

Winter Break

Thursday 1/7

Orlando Science Center Science Night 5:30-7:30

Friday 1/8 2nd quarter ends

Gratitude helps students build strong relationships and feel connected to their school community. When students recognize the people who support their success, they are more likely to stay engaged and 9 motivated. Encourage your child to thank someone who helps them get to school each day. Whether it's a family member, teacher, bus driver, or friend, every positive connection matters. Attendance counts. Appreciation counts too. #BronzeBoost #Gratitude #AttendanceCounts #EveryDayCounts #BPSStrong

Grade level winners

Week 8 - School-wide 93.44% - Winner 2nd grade 96.06%

Week 7 - School-wide 95.08% - Winner 3rd grade 97.31% WOW!!

Week 6 - School-wide 94.71% - Winner 1st grade 95.9% TWO WEEKS IN A ROW!

Week 5 - School-wide 94.98% - Winner 1st grade 97.55%

Week12 School-wide 94.96% - Winner 4th grade 96.77%

Week 11- School-wide 93.88% - Winner Kdg grade 95.56%

Week 10 - School-wide 94.86% - Winner VPK 98.75% WAY TO GO!!!

Week 9 - School-wide 95.61% - Winner 2nd grade & 3rd grade TIE 97.85%

Quarter 1 winners in each grade

Kdg: Ms. Taylor's Class 96.34% average daily attendance

1st Grade: Mrs. Hamrick's class 97.81%

2nd Grade : Mrs. Teran's class 97.80%

3rd Grade:Mr. Beal's class 95.22%

4th Grade: Mrs. Andersen 96.53%

5th Grade: Ms. Enos 96.74%

6th Grade: Ms. Renshaw 94.90%

It is important that your child is at school every day possible. They miss instruction when they are late or absent. Please do your best to instill good attendance habits in your children by reinforcing the importance of attending school each day.

ESOL Tutoring - Reading Support

Every Monday- Thursday

7:30am-8:00am

Starting November 2nd

Invitation letters will be sent to parents of ESOL students

Reading Isn’t a Race!

Have you ever listened to your child read a passage at lightning speed and wondered if they caught anything along the way?

Reading fluency is about much more than speed. It involves reading accurately, smoothly, and with expression. As children become more comfortable recognizing words, they have more attention available to understand and enjoy what they’re reading.

Try This at Home: Choose a short passage and take turns reading it aloud. Model smooth reading with expression, then invite your child to try. You can even use silly character voices to make it fun!

Remember: Every reader develops at their own pace. Celebrate the effort, confidence, and progress along the way!

We are very thankful for our Title 1 funds! One way we've used them is to purchase Math Manipulatives for our teachers and students to use. Our teachers now have access to brand new class sets of Fraction Tiles to use for instruction. We love finding ways to make learning fun!

It's that time of year again! The application window for EPO, ELO, and Choice programs will be opening soon. All programs will participate in open enrollment during the same application window, December 1 through January 16.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pMPtlAPP0BqoF_67w8dTns-ELztNXKW0SZ716amzlq8/edit?tab=t.0

We encourage teachers, parents, and community members to provide feedback on the math programs under consideration for adoption.

School hours are 8:30-3:00pm. (8:30-2pm on early release Fridays) We open the gates for breakfast at 8:00 and instruction starts at 8:30. Be on time. Every minute counts!

We dismiss at 3pm. The car line takes a little longer at the beginning of the year, but it will get faster day by day. If you are late picking your child up, your child may be sent to aftercare and you will be charged the registration fee + the daily rate. The car line is typically done by 3:20-3:25, so please be in the car line on time to pick up your child.

Office hours are 7:30-3:30.

Car Drop off: Use the South Car loop (side by cafeteria) only to drop off your child in the mornings and afternoons if you are arriving by car. Please stay in your car. No one is allowed to cross the car line or walk their child to the gate. We will have adults and safety patrols there to assist your child opening the door. Pull all the way forward until the traffic line stops. When it stops you may allow your child to exit the vehicle on the PASSENGER side of the car. Parents should not get out of their cars or have the child exit from the rear driver's side. Only use the right lane of traffic in the mornings. Only VPK parents, daycare vans, and buses are allowed in the front parking lot between 8:00-8:30 am. VPK parents can drop off and pick up all siblings with their VPK sibling. Grades K-6 drop off and pick up are in the South (side) parking lot. **This is a change from previous years' procedures.

Morning Walkers:Walkers will enter through the gate located on the North side of campus closest to the traffic light on Fiske. The gate does not open until 8am. Do not allow your child to arrive earlier than 8:00am. We do not have supervision. This is too close to Fiske for the students to be waiting by themselves or play around before 8:00am. Time your child leaving your home so they arrive between 8:00am-8:25am. Thank you in advance for helping to keep your child safe.

Late Students: If you are dropping your child off after 8:30 you must park and come into the front office to check them in. At 8:30 we close the student entrance at the car loop so you must come to the front office. It is very important that students get to school on time. Instruction starts in the classrooms promptly at 8:30. If your child is late they are missing instruction. I know exceptions happen, but we want all students here on time every day so they don't miss instruction. Thank you for doing your best to ensure your child is on time to school.

Car Pick up: Car pick up is on the South side of campus weaving through the side parking lot. You will enter using one lane and then split into two lanes right before the last turn. An adult will be at the last turn calling names using your car tag. Have your car tag hanging from your rear-view mirror clearly displayed so it can be read until your child is in your car. Your child will be called to a numbered pick-up location. You will move your car forward to that numbered gate. You don't need to hear the number, just pull up until the car line stops. Watch the teachers and they will direct you. The lane closest to the building will be lined up first, then the left lane will be lined up. Both lanes will wait until all students are loaded before being released. Upon release, both lanes of traffic will go, arranging yourselves either to turn left or turn right out of the parking lot.

Crossing Guards: The City of Rockledge employs crossing guards to direct traffic and keep drivers and pedestrians safe. Please follow their lead. They have entry and exits timed and coordinated so traffic can move smoothly in and out of the school. Slow down when you are in the school zone, stay off phones, and be kind. We love and care for our crossing guards and appreciate them taking care of our students.

Walker/Biker Release: Walkers & bikers will be released at 3:00pm. They exit campus through the North gate closest to the traffic light on Fiske. The intent of walkers is for them to walk off campus. If you use a car to pick up your child, you will need to use the car line. ONLY PreK cars are to come to the front parking lot in the afternoon (and morning). Parking is limited on the side streets next to the school. It is a public road, but it is a residential street. Be mindful not to block driveways, park in the grass, or block the street. Please show all the neighbors our kindness and be respectful of their property. Parking across the street is also limited. Do not park in the business parking lots as those are reserved for their customers and could be towed.

*You may not park in the school parking lots to walk to the gate to pick up your child. This includes kindergarten parents. Cars may not enter the front parking lot or park in the front grass area for dismissal purposes. Only daycare vans, buses, and VPK parents are to use the front parking lot. Walkers must walk off campus. This is for the safety of our students loading buses and vans.

Daycare and Bus Pick up: Daycare and Bus riders will be released also at 3:00pm to load in the front parking lot. If your child is absent from school- please notify the day care. It saves us and them time locating your child who is not at school.

Rainy Day Dismissal: Rainy day dismissal will be called if the rain is more than a sprinkle where the students would get significantly wet were they to walk home OR if we hold students due to lightning

in the vicinity. If we hold students due to lightning in the vicinity, we will release them when it is safe according to their rainy-day plans. Please communicate now with your teacher how your child will be going home if rainy day dismissal is called. The office will send out a text notification if we hold students due to lightning or if we will be dismissing according to their rainy-day plans. Please discuss with your child so they know. The teachers will be consulting their lists when rainy day dismissal is called.

**If we are in a Shelter in Place due to lightening, which means we are holding and delaying dismissal, NO students will be dismissed. It is unsafe for students, staff, and parents to be outdoors in the lightening. Please do NOT come to the front office to check out your child. Stay at home, in the car line, or in your car and students will be dismissed according to their rainy day plan when it is safe to do so. Example: If your child is normally a walker and we shelter in place due to lightening your child will NOT be dismissed until the shelter in place is lifted. This is for your child's safety. When the shelter in place is lifted we will dismiss according to their rainy day plan. If your rainy day plan is for them to walk then they will exit out the walker gate. you can meet them there. If you choose for their rainy day plan to be a car rider then you will get in the car line and wait there until the shelter in place is lifted and they will be waiting in the car line for you. Again- NO check outs will be allowed during a shelter in place.

Rainy day plans for a walker could be:

1. My walker/biker will be picked up in the car line. or

2. My walker/biker can ride/walk home in the rain (or after threat of lightning is over)

https://www.brevardschools.org/o/bps/page/code-of-student-conduct

Please click the link to become familiar with the student code of conduct. Administration will review the Student Code of Conduct with all the classes and be sharing the student responsibilities. We will continue to follow BPS discipline plans, included here for your review.

All students should follow the code of conduct so that there is an atmosphere of learning at school. We look forward to pushing all students to be successful. Please review the student and family responsibilities and the Code of Conduct as a family, so your child is set up for success.

Breakfast is free in all BPS schools. Lunch is free for all students here at Andersen. You are encouraged to set up a MySchoolBucks account to add funds so that your child can purchase a la cart items or snacks, if you allow.

Family members can eat with your students on Thursdays beginning August 20. You must first come to the front office and check in. Then you may drive your car around to park in the side parking lot. You will use the gate closest to the cafeteria. You may only eat with your child. The picnic tables outside are there for you to eat together. When the student's assigned lunch time is over, he/she will go to their teacher's line as they come out from the cafeteria. They must be released to the teacher at the end of their lunch period. Family will then exit out the same gate. Families may not accompany their student to the playground, class, or have them stay longer at table.

Click here to view the BPS wellness policy and classroom party information : https://www.brevardschools.org/o/bps/page/food-nutrition-services

Birthday Treats

All birthday treats need to be prearranged with the teacher. For student safety, all treats must be store-bought. Did you know you can order class/birthday treats from our cafeteria and have delivered to the class? Click the link above. Orders must be submitted 10 days in advance.

The following teachers are considered "Out of Field".

ESOL Out of Field

Sandra Keller - Currently working toward ESOL endorsement

Donald Ogden - Currently working toward ESOL endorsement

Cherish Teran - Currently working toward ESOL endorsement

Steven Beal- - Currently working toward ESOL endorsement

We appreciate your continued support as these educators work to expand their qualifications. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our school office. 321-633-3610 or andersenelementary@brevardschools.org

Our partners at Faith Baptist Church have a food pantry available in the summer for families in need from our Rockledge community. Please call the front office at 321-633-3610 to get connected with a representative at the church.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Hans-Christian-Andersen-Elementary-PTO-149345531760536/

Website: www.andersenpto.org

The FortifyFL app is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows anyone to instantly relay information to law enforcement and school officials. Students, staff, families, and members of the community can use the app to report school safety concerns anonymously and easily. Click the photo for more information.

The SpeakOut Hotline (800) 423-TIPS is designed to help you anonymously report any threatening behavior or situation that endangers you, your friends, family, community, or your school campus. Reporting isn't "snitching,” reporting is when you need to keep yourself or someone you know safe from threats, harmful behaviors, or dangerous situations. By guaranteeing a caller's anonymity, SpeakOut allows the caller to give information without the fear of retribution.

Please be sure to like and follow us on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/AndersenElementarySchool