Heavilin Elementary

Most of our teachers have been in touch with parents about basics of what they can expect for this year. As you know, we cannot hold our regular Parent Orientation event this year. However, Heavilin teachers will hold Parent Orientation on Tuesday, September 1 at 4:00pm or 4:30pm via Zoom. We hope to take this opportunity to give you some insights on the year, answer your questions, and allow you to connect a bit with other parents in the class.

Teachers will send out information about times and zoom meeting links individually. Keep your eyes peeled for that information coming soon.

We advertised our original school picture date as September 2. We are changing that date and working with our school picture people to schedule another date. We are also looking at options for offering school pictures to our remote learners. More information will come your way when it is available.

Every day, we mark attendance for each of our students. For remote learners this year, you may see a notation in Skyward that says "R-45". This is the code for remote learners. This does not mean they are being counted absent. If a remote learner is counted absent, there will be a code other than "R-45" to designate the absence.

If you have not already, please sign up for Class Dojo. Class Dojo is the messaging system all teachers at Heavilin will use this year to keep you up to date on classroom happenings. Teachers sent home access information for families. (Kindergarten information for Dojo will be coming next week if you have not already gotten it.)

Things are a little different this year, so it may be helpful to make yourself a little checklist at home before you send the kids out the door. Here are the things to remember:

At-Home Health Screening (temperature check, symptom check)

Backpack

Lunch/Snack

Water Bottle

Mask

Gym Shoes

We continue to find ways to tweak and improve our Return to Learn plan. Whenever possible, please have notes from the doctor or dentist faxed directly to the school (219-476-9054). Another great solution for contactless exchange would be to take a picture of the note you receive and send it to Mrs. Funk through Dojo messenger or email it to her at dfunk@valpo.k12.in.us. Thank you!

It is our goal to optimize the learning of each child by assuring classrooms are balanced and cohesive. Last week and this week, we have had so much fun getting to know our new kindergarteners. We have completed some basic assessments, and all the kindergarten and specials teachers have done activities with each student to best get to know them as learners. Today we will make permanent classroom placements for all kindergarten students, and families will be notified if their child will change the initial classroom placement. If a family does not receive a notification, the initial classroom placement will be the permanent classroom placement.

From time to time, teachers will have materials for the remote learners to pick up in order to do lessons at home. In order to streamline and minimize the number of trips that families have to make to pick things up, we have designated Fridays from 10-2 as remote learner packet pick-up days. Not all students will have a packet every Friday. Individual teachers will notify parents if they need to come for a packet on any given Friday.

Packet pick-up is self serve. When you arrive for pick-up, the packets will be outside Door A in bins, labeled by teacher. Just walk up, find the teacher's bin, and then pull the bag that has your child's name on it. If the teacher has asked for you to leave anything, just place those items in the teacher's bin.

Welcome back Heavilin families!

We're excited about the start of school and the PTO looks forward to supporting the students, staff and school as best as we can this year. The PTO will be adapting as we move forward and learn new ways to be of service. As PTO, we hope to have a seamless connection between in person and remote learners. . While things will look different, there will still be ways to be involved with the PTO. Please join us at a meeting to find out how. Our first meeting will be on September 8th.

The PTO is already working on supporting Heavilin through our "class allowance" and "grade allowance," which help fund discretionary items for teachers to purchase for classes and grade specific purchases, such as online subscriptions, books, and other features!

Our plans for the year remain very fluid with the current circumstances. Looking ahead, we will have a spirit wear sale launching very soon, where a portion of the proceeds go to the PTO! Please stay tuned for the online store. We have many spirit wear and PRIDE days ahead!

Please reach out with any questions.

heavilinPTO@gmail.com

Janelle Evans--PTO President

Sincerely,

Your PTO Board Members