Larson Elementary School

Here are some things on the horizon at Larson Elementary:

• September 11: Patriot's Day (Wear Red, White & Blue)
• September 12: Dot Day Celebration, 4:30-6 (see below for more info)
• September 17: Half Day for Students (teacher inservice)- Dismissal @ 11:40
• October 17th: End of 1st marking period
• November 5&6: Parent Teacher Conference; 4-7pm (more info coming soon)

Dear Larson Elementary Families,

Welcome back to school! We just had a fantastic first few weeks, and we're excited to share what’s coming up.

School starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 3:05 PM. If you need to drop off your child early, our latchkey doors open at 7:35 AM. Students may head to their classrooms at 7:55, and will be marked tardy after 8:00. We say The Pledge of Allegiance daily at 8:05am, followed by our "School Pledge"!

Whole school newsletters will be published monthly, and sent home through email, posted on our Facebook Page, posted on our website, and the link to the newsletter will be texted to families as well. Paper copies will be available in the main office. Classroom teachers will send their own updates regularly, and updates are also available on our school website, linked below. You can also stay up to date with photos and current events happening at Larson by following our Facebook page: Larson Elementary HCS.

Our district uses Skyward as a "Student Information System". You can access your child's grades, attendance, and discipline data with your own Skyward login. Information specific to your child was sent home in the teacher placement letters. If you are new to Larson, please call Mrs. Holley or Mrs. Mason in our main office and they will give you your login!

We know this year is going to be amazing at Larson Elementary. With all the hard work from our teachers and the support from families, we’re looking forward to a year filled with fun, learning, and new achievements. Thanks for being a part of our school community!

Andrea J. Andera, Ed.S

Principal

At Larson Elementary, one of our favorite back-to-school traditions is celebrating International Dot Day—a day inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ beloved book The Dot. The story encourages students to “make their mark and see where it takes them,” reminding us all that creativity, courage, and community can begin with just one small dot.

This year, we invite all families to join us on Thursday, September 12, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. at the South entrance of Larson for our Dot Day celebration. Families will have the chance to come together, connect, and “make their mark” with colorful sidewalk chalk creations. It’s always a wonderful time to kick off the school year, celebrate being together, and share in the joy of our school community. Light snacks will also be provided.

Before the celebration officially begins, families are welcome to attend a special session from 4:00–4:30 p.m. to learn more about our Annual Report and our Title I program for academic intervention.

And the fun doesn’t stop there—after Dot Day wraps up, head over to cheer on our Hornets at the Varsity Home Football game at 7:00 p.m. It’s a full evening of community, connection, and school spirit!

We look forward to seeing you and your family as we come together to celebrate creativity, learning, and the start of another great school year.

We are excited to share some wonderful news with our Larson Elementary community—please join us in welcoming Mrs. Krystal Watrous as our new Assistant Principal!

While this is her first year serving in this administrative role, Mrs. Watrous is certainly no stranger to Harrison or to Larson. She is a proud Harrison alumna and has been part of the Larson teaching staff for the past three years, teaching both first and third grade. Prior to joining us, she also gained valuable experience teaching and leading in other settings, building a strong foundation as an educator.

Mrs. Watrous brings with her a true passion for education and a deep commitment to our students’ success. She believes in fostering a welcoming, supportive school culture where every child can thrive academically and socially. Her experience in the classroom, her understanding of our school community, and her enthusiasm for helping students succeed make her an incredible asset to Larson Elementary in this new leadership role.

We are thrilled to have her on our administrative team and know that our students, families, and staff will benefit greatly from her leadership. Please help us in congratulating and warmly welcoming Mrs. Watrous as our Assistant Principal!

Harrison Community Schools is dedicated to creating and maintaining a positive learning environment for all students. All members of our learning community—including students, educators (including teachers, secretaries, custodians, aides, paraprofessionals, and other school personnel),and parents/guardians —must assume a responsible role in promoting behavior that enhances academic and social success.

The above behavior matrix outlines the expectations for all areas of our school. The picture above is also linked to the parent letter that went home in back to school folders.

Clear and consistent expectations will promote a positive climate for our learning community. With expectations comes responsibilities which include, but are not limited to, the following:

Students:

1. Take responsibility for your learning and recognize that it is a process.

2. Attend school regularly, arrive on time, and be prepared to learn.

3. Respect yourself and others in class, on school grounds, on buses, and at any school-related activity. 4. Respect the rights and feelings of fellow students, parents, educators (including teachers, secretaries, custodians, aides, paraprofessionals, and other school personnel), visitors, and guests.

5. Work within the existing structure of the school to address concerns.

6. Know and comply with school district rules and policies.

7. Participate in your learning communities, including helping formulate rules and procedures in the school, engaging in school-related activities, and fostering a culture of respect for learning and for others.

Parents/Guardians:

1. Take responsibility for your child(ren)’s development as learners by, as much as possible, providing a home environment suited for learning and developing good study habits.

2. See that your child(ren) attends school regularly and on time.

3. Provide for your child(ren)’s general health and welfare as much as possible.

4. Teach and model respect for yourself, your child(ren), and all members of the school community.

5. Support the school’s efforts to provide a safe and orderly learning environment.

6. Know and support the school and district rules and policies and work within the existing structure of the school to address concerns.

7. Advocate for your child(ren) and take an active role in the school community.

8. Attend your child(ren)’s parent/teacher conferences.

Educators:

1. Take responsibility for students’ development as learners, including their academic success and positive social-emotional development, recognizing that children should be subject to behavior management and discipline policies appropriate to their ages and levels of understanding.

2. Model and provide a mutually respectful and accountable atmosphere for learning that includes all members of the school community.

3. Cooperate and schedule conferences with students, parents/guardians, and other school personnel in an effort to understand and resolve academic and behavioral problems. Make every effort to accommodate families whose work schedules, access to transportation, or distance from school limits their ability to meet or participate.

4. Keep parents/guardians informed of their students’ challenges, effort, and success.

5. Encourage students to participate in classroom, extracurricular, and other school-related activities.

6. Know and enforce the rules and policies consistently, fairly, and equitably.

7.Participate in training and professional learning communities provided by the district that supports providing a positive culture and climate and promotes student learning.

Our Larson library runs on volunteer support! We need folks to help kids check out books, and reshelve our books. We use an online scanning system so it's pretty easy! We would need a background check on file! The library is open daily, so we will take all of the help we can get! Call or stop in if you are interested. We are so thankful for our amazing volunteers!

SCHOOL STARTS AT 8:00am

Arrival - doors open at 7:35. There is no supervision for students before 7:35; please stay with your children. DO NOT let children out in the middle of the driveway to cut in front of traffic. Pull over to the curb when children are exiting. Safety is a priority for all.

When arriving in the traffic loop in front of the building, please pull up as far as you can (up to the flag pole) so we can accommodate as many cars as possible in the loop.

Dismissal begins at 3:05. Please line up in the traffic line. Avoid Spruce Street and line up down Hornet Drive. Having trouble with SDM? Give us a call, we are happy to help. Our dismissal procedure safely dismisses approximately 500 students in a 15 minute window of time! Thank you for your cooperation and kindness as we continue to strengthen procedures.

Building opens at 7:35 for latchkey.

Phone Number: 989-539-3259

Principal: Andrea Andera

Assistant Principal: Krystal Watrous

School Secretaries: Tina Holley & Carol Mason