Windermere Family Update

Dear Windermere Families, as we start our school year, you may have heard your child talking about "The Windermere Way," which is our proactive approach to building a safe, supportive school culture using the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework. Built around our motto—“We are Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn!”—this process sets consistent behavioral expectations for all students across every setting in our building. By explicitly teaching these habits, our goal is to boost academic growth, enhance school safety, and create a joyful environment where every child can thrive. Our staff supports students daily using positive feedback, explicit praise, and Windermere Way stickers, paired with clear, constructive reteaching and support when rules are broken. We reteach these expectations at the beginning of each year and when we return from long breaks, and invite you to reinforce them at home using the same encouraging language to support your child's daily routine. Please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher if you have any questions as we partner together for a wonderful school year!

The Elementary Explorations team is excited to spend another year exploring with your

students! Our mission is to provide all elementary students with opportunities to engage the

whole child and explore cross-curricular content, improving

well-being, and creating engaged learners through project-based learning.

We will see your student once every two weeks and will be working with your student in their

classroom on a variety of projects that include topics on STEM, art and design, robotics, literacy,

physical education, and well-being.

The theme for this week’s lesson is ...

"Building Community - A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals."

Students will...

- Learn about the Elementary Explorations program and the daily expectations.

- Design, create, and DIP a personalized name tag that will be used during each Explorations lesson.

- Apply the design process in an extension lesson called the Red Line Challenge.

Attention parents! The deadline for the Golden Bear Summer Discovery Project is fast approaching on September 30. Be sure your student turns in their completed form to Ms. O'Keefe to claim a special prize for all their hard work this summer!

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

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.

Elementary parents are invited to attend one of two Elementary Gifted Services Parent Information Nights in the coming weeks. These sessions are designed to help answer questions regarding gifted services, including gifted qualifications, gifted clusters and Written Education Plans (WEPs). The same presentation will be provided on both nights, so please select the date that works best for you.

**Please note the corrected date for our second presentation.**

• Monday, August 31: Jones Middle School auditorium, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, September 2: Hastings Middle School auditorium, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Join the Upper Arlington Education Foundation, Upper Arlington Schools and the Short family for the dedication of the Hope Garden at Upper Arlington High School on Friday, September 4, at 5:30 p.m.

The brief ceremony will be held at the garden, located near the south entrance of Marv Moorehead Memorial Stadium, between the high school building and the tennis courts. This space is a peaceful, welcoming space where students, families, staff and community members can pause in times of heartache, find hope in difficult moments and honor the memories of those they have lost.

Made possible through the generosity of donors to the Hope Garden Fund through the Upper Arlington Education Foundation, the garden honors the life of Sam Short and other Upper Arlington students who passed away during their time in our schools. Sam, the beloved son of Mike and Tori Short, was the first graduate of Upper Arlington High School's 100th class. His courageous spirit and enduring optimism inspired his family to create a place that not only celebrates his life but also provides comfort, hope and remembrance for members of the Upper Arlington Schools community who have experienced the loss of a student.

• 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.

State law does allow a student’s parent or guardian to request up to three religious expression days for each school year without any academic penalty. Religious expression days may be used to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system or participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization.

Parents/guardians must submit this form within the 14 school days after the start of the school year (September 1, 2026) to request up to three religious expression days for the 2026-2027 school year. Requests received after 14 days from the start of the school year will not be approved. For additional information, visit 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.