FUTURE CAREER GOALS

Dear Little Pirates and Families,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! Whether you are returning to Southside Elementary or joining our school family for the very first time, we are excited to have you on our team. As we begin a new season of learning, we look forward to partnering with you to help every child grow, learn, and succeed.

At Southside Elementary, our mission is simple and powerful: Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts. Every lesson, every interaction, every day, and every opportunity matters in helping our students reach their full potential. Just like a baseball team works together to win games, it takes all of us—students, families, teachers, and staff—working together to create a successful school year.

One of the most important keys to success is attendance. We often say, "We can't teach them if they aren't here." Every day of school provides valuable instruction, social interaction, and opportunities for growth that cannot be fully replaced when a student is absent. Being at school, on time, every day helps students build strong academic foundations, develop friendships, and establish positive habits that will benefit them for years to come.

Another key to a championship season is unity between home and school. Students thrive when the routines and expectations they experience at home align with those they experience at school. Consistent routines help children feel safe, confident, and ready to learn.

Here are a few ways families can help create winning habits:

⚾ Establish early bedtimes and consistent morning routines. Well-rested students are better able to focus, learn, and regulate their emotions throughout the school day. Turning off devices 30–60 minutes before bedtime can improve sleep quality and help students start each day ready to succeed.

⚾ Read with your child every night. Reading just 15–20 minutes each evening significantly increases vocabulary, strengthens comprehension skills, builds background knowledge, and develops a lifelong love of learning. These small daily moments add up to tremendous growth over time.

⚾ Maintain regular communication with your child's teacher. Strong partnerships between families and teachers ensure that we can celebrate successes, address concerns early, and provide the best support possible for every student.

⚾ Support school expectations at home. When students experience consistency between home and school, they are more successful academically, socially, and behaviorally. Predictable routines and clear expectations help children develop responsibility, confidence, and independence.

As we prepare for the first days of school, please help us ensure a smooth and safe start:

✔️ Make sure your child's teacher knows exactly how your student will be going home on the first and second day of school, as well as throughout the school year.

✔️ Be sure your child knows and can explain their dismissal plan, too.

✔️ Practice having your child say their first and last name clearly (rather than a nickname). This is especially helpful for our youngest students and helps us ensure safety during arrival and dismissal procedures.

Our entire Southside team is ready to welcome your children and make this a year filled with growth, learning, and memorable experiences. We encourage you to read the remainder of this newsletter carefully for important back-to-school information, procedures, dates, and resources that will help your family start the year strong.

Together, let's step up to the plate, support one another, and make this a season of Big Swings, Big Growth, and Big Wins!

Thank you for being an important part of our Southside family. We cannot wait to see our Little Pirates back on campus!

With Pirate Pride,

Dr. Monica Weber
Principal, Southside Elementary School
Every Student Matters, Every Moment Counts ⚾🏴‍☠️

We are getting ready for an amazing 2026-2027 school year. Be sure to mark your calendars for our upcoming Back-to-School events:

📅 Meet & Greet: August 7th, 9:30-11:30 (Drop-In)

📅 Open House: September 3rd, Last Name A-M 4:30-5:15 Last Name N-Z 5:15-6:00.

📅 First Day of School: August 10th (Parents may walk their students to class until Friday August 21st.

Stay connected all year long by downloading the Nassau County School District app and selecting Southside Elementary to view calendars, news, events, and important notifications. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT CONTAINS A LIVE SCHOOL CALENDAR OF EVENTS!

📱 iPhone: https://aptg.co/dtLZNY

📱 Android: https://aptg.co/s1V3Sq

Apply for free & reduced priced meals at our new website - LINQ Connect OR downdload the FREE app on your phone - just search Linq Connect

• Make online payments to your children’s cafeteria accounts

• Remotely monitor your children’s cafeteria meal accounts

• Set up automatic, recurring payments

• Set up low account balance email or text alerts

• Submit an online application for free and reduced meals

If there is no bus stop information on your FOCUS account transportation page or in the HCTB app, then we do not have you registered as a bus rider. Submit a bus stop request using the link below.

Bus Stop Request Portal

District HCTB Code:76491

You will need your child's student ID# and our district's school code, 76491, to sign up.

You can download the app from the Google Play or Apple Store or visit Here Comes The Bus. For video tutorials and instructions on how to sign up and use HCTB you can visit the HCTB solutions page at Here Comes the Bus Knowledge Base.

Here Comes The Bus (HCTB) is an easy-to-use website and app that enables you to see the location of your child’s school bus on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. This way, you know when the bus is near your stop, so you can send your child out at just the right time. When the school bus is within a certain distance from your bus stop (you set the distance), you will get an email or push notification on your phone letting you know the bus is almost at your stop.

Please keep in mind the following items when you choose to use this service:

• You must be registered to your correct bus and using your assigned bus stop based on the home address you are registered with at your school. This is the most common reason that the app does not work for a student.

  • If your student or bus does not appear when you sign up, your student may not be properly assigned to the stop or bus in our routing software.

  • Let us know they are not working in HCTB and we will verify that they are properly assigned. Let us know by sending an email to

    • Eastside schools: Evelyn McKie at Email Evelyn McKie

  • If that doesn't correct the problem, then you will have to contact HCTB support through the App.

• Do not rely exclusively on HCTB and make sure you are still at your bus stop at the appointed time.

The FOCUS Parent Portal is a tool designed to enhance communication and involvement in your child's education while they are enrolled in a Nassau County public school. FOCUS can help you monitor your child's progress in school by providing timely access to assignments and grades as the teacher enters them throughout the school year.

Log in to FOCUS

For students currently enrolled in an NCSD school.

Add Child to Existing FOCUS Account

For parents that have a FOCUS account and want to add a child who is already enrolled in an NCSD school.

Reset FOCUS Password

For students currently enrolled in an NCSD school.

After you create your FOCUS account, download the FOCUS app.

Focus Documentation for Parents/Students

• FOCUS Training Videos for Parents/Students

  
  

• FOCUS Parent Portal Registration

• New FOCUS Login Page Layout Information

Thank you for volunteering your time to enrich our students’ learning experiences. Nassau County Schools, in an effort to ensure the safety of all our students, has implemented additional security checks for school volunteers. All volunteers must submit an online application to the district and receive approval from the district before volunteering at any school. F.S. 1012.01 (5)

Online Application Instructions

1. Fill out the online application on any computer. Be sure to use your full legal name and birthdate as it appears on your driver’s license or other government-issued ID.

2. Be sure to select the school(s) where you most frequently volunteer. Also, select the functions you would like to see when you sign in at the kiosk.

3. Once approved, you will receive a response via the email address you provided in your application.

4. The first time you volunteer, have your government-issued ID scanned by the school. Your ID must match the name and birthdate you provided on your volunteer application.

5. All volunteer approvals will expire on June 30 each year, requiring volunteers to renew. Your ID will not need to be scanned again unless your name has legally changed,

6. Link to the Volunteer Application: Nassau Volunteer Application

** In order to attend field trips, all adults must be volunteer approved. This must be completed annually.

Title I, Part A, provides local educational agencies (LEAs) resources that help children gain a high-quality education and the skills to master Florida’s state academic standards. These resources provide additional teachers, professional learning, extra time for teaching, parent involvement activities, and other activities designed to raise student achievement. Two models are used in Title I schools to provide these services. The Schoolwide Program model provides all students with access to services. The Targeted Assistance Program model provides services to select students in Title I schools.