Caregiver Update

Dear Clough Families,

School Bus Safety Week was last week and it's a good reminder that keeping students safe on and around school buses is a shared responsibility. Students, families, bus drivers, school staff, and motorists all have a role to play. Simple actions like waiting in a safe place, staying visible, following the driver’s directions, slowing down around school buses, and watching carefully for students can make a big difference. This year’s provincial theme is Be Bright, Stand in Sight! — a reminder for students to stay visible and make sure their bus driver can see them. Let’s work together to help every student have a safe trip to and from school.

We are having a bus safety day this Wednesday. Officer Ellard and Principal Garden will be reviewing bus safety expectations with each class and then students will have a chance to practice front door and rear door bus evacuations. We will have a bus parked behind the school for most of the day to make sure that all students K-4 have a chance to practice and show us that they know our bus SOAR expectations. I will send a separate email after the day with some reminders that you can help us with by reinforcing at home and at bus stops.

We have been having challenging behaviors in our school bathrooms. Students destroying property by writing on the walls and stalls. Students pulling toilet paper rolls off the wall and throwing whole rolls into the toilets. Students clogging sinks with paper towels and making water and soap go all over the floors. I actually spent most of my day outside of two of our bathrooms to monitor them. I also discussed this problem on morning announcements. I did share with students that I know this behavior is only a few students making bad choices, but it is impacting the whole school, especially our custodians who work so hard to keep Clough clean and safe. I am hoping parents and guardians can have a conversation with students at home about reviewing SOAR expectations in the bathroom. I told the students that I know we can do better.

Thank to everyone who supported the Scholastic Book Fair last week! We sold so many books and the money earned helps us buy more books for the library and the classrooms.

Looking forward to Cardboard Creation Day this Friday!! It is definitely a favorite day for many of our students. Thank you to those who volunteered to come in and help us on Friday.

Thank you,

Liz Garden

Principal

P.S. We are looking for another part time recess/lunch monitor. See the posting if you are interested and available!

Ride to School in a Police Car raffle

During the 1st-4th Grade Curriculum Nights, the PTO raffled off an opportunity for a student to Ride to School in a Police Car. Mrs. Garden has pulled 2 raffle tickets with no responses. If your family purchased raffle tickets, and placed any of them in for this specific raffle, please fill out the GoogleForm below by 10/31 at 9am. The PTO and Mrs. Garden will pull a new winner.

Fill this form out if you put tickets in to win a ride to school in a police car

Click this button to RSVP to the event.

Cardboard Creation Day!

On October 30th, we are having our annual Cardboard Creation Day! We have been saving cardboard (and will take any donations you want to send in) for this special day. Each grade will have a chance to come to the gym to create whatever they want with cardboard and duct tape. We would love to have parents or guardians come in and volunteer to help with creating, cutting duct tape, designing, and having fun with our students. Sign up here if you are able to come in and help us on this day.

Table Talk!

We tried something new last year during lunch and parents and guardians told us that they loved it and wanted to continue this year! We’re inviting parents and guardians to join us in the cafeteria to eat and chat with students. The goal is to model friendly conversation skills, appropriate volume, and positive lunchtime behavior—while building a stronger sense of community.

Parents/guardians will sit with their child but also engage the other students at the table in conversation. We’ll provide simple conversation starters to keep things fun and meaningful.

We’d love your help as we support students in practicing respectful, confident communication during lunch. We understand that schedules can be tight, but if you’re able to visit during your lunch break, we’d be thrilled to have you join us. This year, there is only one grade at a time in the cafeteria. We will stick with Wednesdays and Fridays like last year. Please sign up on this sign up genius link for your child's grade.

Please make sure you have an approved CORI form on file with us before you sign up.

Mrs. Z's October Literacy Newsletter

Again this year, across the district, we’re asking parents and guardians to help us with a special activity called “A Million Words or Less.” We invite you to tell us, in any length you choose, what makes your child special. You know their joys, challenges, quirks, interests, hopes, and what helps them feel safe and confident. Your insight helps us support them in the best way possible. We had several parents and guardians complete this last year, including many who did it during kindergarten screening. If you already shared information, you don't need to share again. But if you have not completed this, please take some time to help us get to know your child.

You can share in whatever style works for you—a few sentences, a list of bullet points, a poem, a note, even a song! The goal is simply for us to hear your voice.

We’ve created a form where you can type your thoughts. But we know writing isn’t the easiest or preferred way for everyone. You’re welcome to upload a photo, a short video, voice recording, or a document instead—whatever helps us get to know your child. If you would prefer to hand write your thoughts, you are welcome to do that as well and send in the information to us, that works as well.