Windermere Family Update

Happy September! Happy FriYAY! Happy Labor Day weekend. It’s been a great week at Windermere with lots of learning and students and staff stepping right into a great routine.

Today we practiced one of our mandated drills. As I share with students we practice our safety drills so we know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency. Here is what Officer Hendershot announced to students this morning:

“Pardon the interruption and good afternoon Windermere Hawks. Officer Hendershot here. We are going to be practicing a secured perimeter drill. For this drill, movement outside the building is restricted and the exterior doors will remain locked. Access to the school will be restricted. Regular school activities will continue as normal. Throughout the year we are required to practice all 3 of our response levels. This drill should only last for a few minutes. Thank you everyone and have a great Friday.”

• Safety preparedness: Safety is our top priority for all students and staff in our schools. We make every effort to be prepared for every possible type of emergency by regularly conducting safety drills and collaborating with our school resource officers and the Upper Arlington Police Division. Collaboration with families and local safety officials are critically important, and we are grateful for the strong partnerships in place in our community. You can learn more about our safety preparedness and prevention efforts at www.uaschools.org/safety.

• Reporting concerns: We also reinforce with all students and staff members the importance of reporting any suspicious or concerning activity. We encourage all students, staff members and family members to share their concerns either by phone or email. Students and family members can also file a report through our STAY SAFE, SPEAK UP! reporting system. In addition to the link in this email, you can also find the SPEAK UP! system linked to our website and available in ClassLink on all student iPads. Reports filed through this system can be made anonymously. If your safety concern requires immediate attention from law enforcement, please call 911

Warmly,

Our Windermere Best Buddies Chapter is kicking off the year with a chalk mural activity during Start With Hello week! On September 23, all students are invited to create artwork that represents friendship during their lunch recess. We will be sharing this information with students on our morning announcements. Want to learn more about Best Buddies? Here is a link to a video. This activity is open to anyone and everyone. Look for more exclusive activities for those who signed up to be members of our Windermere Chapter. Use this link to sign up!

Please take time to read this month's Counselor Connection Newsletter for parents. You will find updates about monthly counseling lessons, upcoming small groups, resources for parents on the upcoming summer transition, Syntero Resources, and more!

During the school year, any changes to your child's dismissal routine MUST BE communicated to the front office by 2:00 PM. If your child is going home a different way, other than what is on the dismissal form, please notify their teacher and Ms. Maria (windermereattendance@uaschools.org).

The safety of our students is always our top priority. When visiting the school—whether you are volunteering, picking up your child for an appointment, or signing them out for the day—we kindly ask that you bring either a valid photo ID or have the School Safe app ready on your phone.

Please know that for security reasons, we are not able to release students without one of these forms of identification. We truly appreciate your cooperation in helping us keep our school a safe place for every child.

Transportation is requesting a brief stop on additional riders on the buses until after the first week of October. Thank you for your cooperation.

If your family has a vacation or trip coming up, please be sure to complete a pre-planned absence form and turn it in to the office. This also applies if you are signing your child(ren) out early for a trip. This helps ensure your child’s absence is excused. District policy requires that all absence forms be submitted at least 10 days in advance of the planned trip. Thank you for helping us keep attendance records accurate and up to date!

Hello Windermere families! Whether you are a returning family or new, I'm so excited for a wonderful year! My name is Shannon Hemmelgarn, and I am your very proud Library Media Specialist at Windemere. It is truly an honor to be part of your child’s journey through Windermere. I want every child to feel that the library is their place, a place where they feel welcome, curious, and inspired. Our goal is for every reader to find a story that makes them feel seen, a book that sparks new wonder, and a character or idea that helps them make a meaningful connection to the world around them. Consider exploring our school library catalog with your reader(s) to see what they are excited to check out from our shelves and our digital reading platform, Sora.

We've already checked over 1,200 books in the first 15 days of school, and we are not slowing down! As we look into September, in our collection and on our daily morning show, Wake Up Windermere, we will feature Labor Day, Rosh Hashanah, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Yom Kippur!

On November 3, residents will vote on a combined operating levy and bond issue that would maintain the district’s current educational programming and fund the second phase of the facilities master plan, which calls for rebuilding Hastings Middle School and Burbank Early Childhood School as well as renovating and rebuilding Jones Middle School.

As residents consider Issue 7, we are providing opportunities to get a first-hand look inside each of these schools. All three buildings will be open on Wednesday, September 23 and Thursday October 8, with tours beginning at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

To learn more about the building tours or Issue 7, please click here.

The fall survey window is September 21st - October 2nd. The district office will email parents/caregivers links to survey questions and to topic alignment with our Profile of an Engaged Learner. Families will also receive the link to opt their student(s) out of the survey if they so choose. The opt-out form will accept responses through September 17th.

Welcome to the new school year! Our nurses are available to administer first aid treatment, evaluate symptoms of illness or injury, and perform other medical procedures. The nurse will notify appropriate teachers and staff of student health problems that may be of concern in the classroom. We have a passion for working with students and helping them feel their best, so they are ready to learn.

The Ohio Department of Health requires annual vision and hearing screenings for children in kindergarten, first, third, and fifth grade, as well as all students new to the district. These screenings will be done this fall. Screenings can also be performed at various other times during the year at a parent's or teacher's request. Students who have difficulty with the initial screening are re-screened. If there are concerns, parents are notified, and follow-up by a health care provider may be recommended. Should you wish to opt your student out of vision and hearing screenings this year, please complete and return this form to us: 2026-2027 Vision and Hearing Screening Waiver.

Per Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.671, new students (kindergartners and students new to the district) are required to have documentation of certain immunizations on file at their school. The state of Ohio allows a 14-day period after the start of the school year to submit the immunizations. Additional information and exceptions to this requirement can be found HERE. To view the Ohio Immunization Summary for School Attendance, please click HERE. We will reach out to you if there are any questions about your student's record.

If your child has a special health concern of which we are not already aware, such as a food allergy, diagnosis of asthma, etc., or an update to a previous health concern, please let us know so we can best support them during the school year.

Many questions arise regarding the administration of medication at school. While we encourage medication to be administered at home, we understand this is not always possible. All prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician and parent. (Parents can sign for many common over-the-counter medications.) Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website at: UA Health Forms.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

614-487-5060 x 7003

Janice Walsh, MSN, RN, Licensed School Nurse jlwalsh@uaschools.org

and

Kristin Murphy, BSN, RN kmurphy@uaschools.org

Dear students and families,

As we prepare for our first Friday night football game of the season, we wanted to share an update on access to the bleachers at Marv Moorehead Memorial Stadium following the August 11 windstorm and information about general expectations for our students and adults attending the game.

Bleacher access

We are pleased to share that the majority of the bleacher seating at Marv Moorehead Memorial Stadium is now open to spectators. Following full inspections for structural integrity, the visitor bleachers, band/endzone bleachers and most of our home bleachers have been approved for use.

A small section of our home bleachers will remain closed for the next several weeks. This section is supported by a concrete pier that suffered significant damage due to the windstorm on August 11. The damage to that pier is being repaired this week, but it will take as long as four weeks for the concrete to fully cure. Until that time, this section of seating will remain blocked off and unusable.

Game expectations

If you plan to cheer on your Golden Bears this season, please keep in mind the following important rules. These expectations will be enforced throughout the football season in order to create a positive and enjoyable environment for Golden Bear fans of all ages.

• If you choose to participate in a tailgate, please be aware that state law prohibits the possession or use of alcohol or controlled substances on school grounds or at school-related events. This includes any school parking lot.

• If you have a young fan in your family, please remember that elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by a supervising adult throughout the entirety of the game. These students should sit in the stands during the game unless they are using the restroom or waiting in line at the concession stands. There should be no loitering at the concession stands, restrooms or under the bleachers.

• Footballs and other sports equipment are not allowed at the game and will be confiscated. Students should not throw these or other items, spit or touch each other.

• Elementary and middle school students are not permitted on the field after the game until the visiting team is off the turf and the alma mater has concluded.

• Students must leave the stadium within 20 minutes of the conclusion of the game.

• Finally, the turf practice fields will be off limits during varsity football home games.

We encourage you to reinforce these expectations with your student(s). If a student is not able to meet these expectations during the game, a parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up the student immediately.

We appreciate your continued support and are looking forward to a great fall season ahead for all of our Golden Bear student-athletes.

Sincerely,

Spencer Smith

Director of Student Life

Upper Arlington High School

The Food Rescue Team is a group of Windermere students who help reduce waste in our lunchroom. We collect unopened food to help our planet and people in need. The food we collect goes to NNEMAP Food Pantry. We are also exploring options for biodegrading and composting food scraps! All grades welcome. Please see the attached flyer for the signup and to learn more! Contact adas@uaschools.org with any questions.

• Any prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician as well as written parental permission. New forms are required for each school year. Per Ohio Revised Code, the Prescribed Medication must be received by the health office in the container in which it was dispensed by the provider or pharmacist (we cannot accept medication in baggies). Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website under UA Health Forms. Should you have any questions, please contact the Windermere Health Office at 614-487-5060.

• Our health clinics track communicable illnesses and work with local public health agencies to mitigate potential outbreaks. If your student is diagnosed with or treated for a communicable illness/condition (strep, pinkeye, influenza, COVID-19, lice, etc.), please report those to the school nurse at windermerehealthclinic@uaschools.org or windermereattendance@uaschools.org. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure Windermere is a healthy learning environment for all of our students!

Based on changes in Ohio law and Upper Arlington Schools Board of Education policy, new attendance requirements will be in effect beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. These changes affect how schools track student attendance, when families receive notifications, and when districts must intervene to address attendance concerns.

The biggest change is that all missed time is counted — includes tardies, medical absences, pre-planned absences, non-school-sponsored activities and competitions, and Religious Expression days — toward chronic absenteeism. Parents/guardians may find information about the changes in attendance policy on our website.

• At Windermere, the safety and well-being of our students remain among our top priorities. To create a more secure, efficient, and orderly end to the school day, we will be implementing a new dismissal procedure for the 2026–2027 school year. Our goal is to reduce congestion and ensure all students transition safely from school supervision to their verified adult or transportation.

  Please note that this new procedure applies only to dismissal and will not impact morning arrival or drop-off routines.

  We will communicate these changes multiple times throughout the summer and again at the start of the school year to help families understand the updated process. We know any new routine takes time to learn, and we greatly appreciate your kindness, patience, and partnership as we work through the transition together.

  What’s Changing?

  We kindly ask that you fill out this Dismissal Google Form to indicate how your child will go home daily prior to school starting. During the school year, any changes to your child's dismissal routine MUST BE communicated to the front office by 2:00 PM. This allows dismissal to operate in a smooth and timely manner. We are aware this is a change from previous years and appreciate your understanding.

  Dismissal Locations & Procedures

  Students will exit through specific "neighborhood" doors based on their dismissal type:

  • Main Front Doors on Windermere Road: Dedicated to Bus Riders & Day Care Only. (No car pick up will be allowed on Windermere Rd . Car pick up will only be allowed on Haviland.)

  • Main Back / Playground Doors: Car Riders and Caregiver Pick-Up Only. (Haviland pick up loop)

  • 1st Grade Neighborhood Door Corner of Haviland & Windermere: Walkers and Bikers. Students who walk home without adult supervision. (Our bike racks have been relocated to this courtyard area for easier access.)

  The Color-Coded Identification System

  To help our staff quickly identify each student's dismissal category, every child will be assigned a color-coded tag or bracelet for their backpack. Please ensure this remains visible every day:

  • 🟡 Yellow: Bus/Day Care (includes bus number)

  • 🔵 Blue: Parent Pick-Up (Car & Walkers with adult supervision)

  • 🟢 Green: Walkers & Bikers (Students who walk home without adult supervision)

  • 🔴 Red: SACC

  Important Reminders for Parents

  • Dismissal Changes: Any changes to your child's dismissal routine must be communicated to the front office by 2:00 PM.

  • Ex: if someone else is picking up your child or if your child's dismissal routine has changed for the day, you must email your child’s teacher and the main office (Miss Maria) by 2:00.

  • Car Line Efficiency: Student dismissal will start at 2:45. We will be moving cars through the loading zone in groups of 10 to keep the line moving quickly.

  • Bus Riders → Front of the building

  • Car Riders & Parent Pick-Up → Back playground doors

  • Walkers/Bikers → 1st grade neighborhood doors

  We appreciate your partnership and patience as we transition to this new system. These changes are designed to keep our "Hawks" safe and make the end of the day a positive experience for everyone.

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Flyer Connection is our online “bulletin board” of opportunities for students and families in our schools from nonprofit organizations in our area.