Jamaica Elementary Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

For those who participated in the November Reading Challenge, please remember to return the reading calendars to your child’s teacher by the end of the week so they can receive credit for completing the challenge. Be sure to write your child’s name on the calendar before sending it back.

December is always an exciting month as we head into the holiday season. STAR Cinema has generously offered a free showing of An Author Christmas at 6 PM on December 11th—a wonderful opportunity for a fun family night out. Our annual Spelling Bee will take place on December 12th at 1 PM for students in 4th-6th grade (who returned their permission slips). We also invite you to join us for our annual Christmas Music Showcase on December 15th at 6 PM & 7 PM.

The week before winter break will be Spirit Dress-Up Week for our students and staff:

Monday, Dec. 15: Mad About Plaid – Wear your favorite plaid shirt, pants, or dress

Tuesday, Dec. 16: Winter Wonderland – Wear blue, white, snowflakes, or snowmen

Wednesday, Dec. 17: Festive Footwear – Wear your favorite holiday socks or shoes

Thursday, Dec. 18: Ugly Sweater Day – Wear your tackiest or most festive holiday sweater

Our Jamaica STUCO also has several fun activities planned, including a door-decorating contest and helping decorate the inside of the school.

December 18th is our end-of-quarter awards ceremony in the morning, followed by our PBIS assembly right after lunch. This is also an early release day at 1 PM and the last day of school before winter break. There is no school for students on Friday, December 19th. School resumes Tuesday, January 6th.

Thank you all for an amazing first semester. I wish everyone a joyful and restful holiday season!

Mr. Rodney Weeden, M.S. Ed

Jamaica Elementary Principal

(928) 854-7280

rweeden@lhusd.org

Follow our PTSO social media pages for important updates! Facebook is "Jamaica Elementary PTSO" and Instagram is "jamaicacrocsptso".

December Events:

12/11: Star Cinemas Jamaica Family Night 6 PM *Free event for all families*

12/12: Spelling Bee 4th-6th Grade 1:00 pm

12/15: Holiday Music Showcase K-2nd SDC 6 pm & 3rd-6th 7pm

12/17: Chipotle Fundraiser

12/18: QTR 2 Awards Assembly- 4th-6th 8:15 am/ 2nd-3rd 9:30 am

12/18: Croc Assembly

12/18: Early Release 1:00 pm

12/19-1/5: NO SCHOOL

1/6- School Resumes

Upcoming Events:

1/16: Mother Son Dance

1/19: MLK JR Day-No School

1/20: 100th Day of School

1/21: In-N-Out Fundraiser 4:30-8:30

Just a quick reminder: On days when school dismisses at 1:00 PM, picking up your student before then counts as a half-day absence. This includes taking students home early after events such as an awards assembly. Even on early-release days, leaving early will affect their attendance.

We appreciate your help in making sure students are present for the full school day.

Please note that the front drop-off area is designated for SDC student drop-off and pick-up only. To ensure safety and efficiency during arrival and dismissal, we kindly ask that all other families refrain from using or parking in this area.

• No parking is permitted in the front drop-off zone during drop-off.

• Please do not park in handicap spaces unless your vehicle has a valid handicap placard or plate.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and orderly process for all students.

https://jamaica.lhusd.org/o/jes/events?view=cal-month

To ensure a successful and safe start to the new school year, we would like to share some rules for the Parking lot. Please look these over and follow the procedures that we have put in place to keep ALL students safe. We are all in this together.

Parking Lot General Rules

1. SAFETY is our #1 Priority.

2. The inside lane is the circling lane, no pickup. You must park.

3. Outside lane along the sidewalk, may not park. This is the pickup lane. No stopping along the sidewalk until you have pulled all the way up by the playground to the end of the sidewalk.

4. DO NOT ask your child to cross in front of traffic. You may see your child, others may not.

5. Right Turns ONLY out of the parking lot.

6. Please refrain from parking in the handicapped parking spaces unless you have the proper permit. We do have families that need to use these spaces.

Before School Options

1. Park in a lined space and walk your child on the sidewalk using the crosswalk.

2. Drive up and around the outside lane to the sidewalk in front of the playground. Drop off as far up as you can to avoid backing up traffic. Your child can safely walk on the sidewalk up to the school. Do NOT park in this lane. Please only stop briefly for drop-off/pickup if you see your child in view.

For special needs (SDC) Families ONLY

1. Pull up to the Kinder gate. DO NOT go past the crosswalk into the striped area. (Buses will be pulling up there to drop off students)

2. Parents may stay in their cars. We will have staff to assist your child in getting to class.

3. Reminder: this is for SDC families only.

After School Options

1. Park in a lined space and meet your child on the sidewalk using the crosswalk. Return to your parked car using the crosswalk.

2. Park in a lined space and your child can use the crosswalk to walk to your parked car.

3. Drive up and around the outside lane along the sidewalk in front of the playground. Pull up as far as you can in the pickup line in a safe manner. Do NOT park in this lane! Please only stop briefly for drop-off/pickup if you see your child in view. Otherwise, please circle around. Stay in this lane to exit the parking lot. Please do not try to move around cars to get out sooner.

During school hours, all visitors must sign in at the front office and be issued a visitor pass. Please make sure that you sign out when you leave and return your visitor pass.

Meal accounts can be set up online at linqconnect.com.

You can log in online or download the app to your phone. Meal accounts can be funded, and you can check balances and also set up to receive low balance alerts for your student. There is a $2.60 service fee per transaction.

· Food Service will also accept personal checks made out to LHUSD and cash.

· LHUSD has a “NO CHANGE” policy for meals. Any money given to a cashier for any purchase that has change coming will be put on the student’s account. No change will be given back.

· Any meal that a student picks up will be considered “charged” to the meal account. It is then the parent’s responsibility to pay the meal debt. If you do not want your student to participate, you must inform your student to not go through the meal service lines.

Breakfast starts at 7:30 am, and students need to be finished eating by 7:55 am. Please remind your child that if they are having breakfast at school, they need to come in as soon as they arrive. Students who get to the office at 7:55 with plans to have breakfast will not have enough time to eat.

We welcome you to come to have lunch with your student. We even have a special table just for you to eat with them.

Per district policy, you may only bring food for your student. Please remember that only your child is permitted to join you at the parent table. All other students must sit with their class.

Friendly reminder that the first bell is at 7:55 A.M. daily, and students must be in class by 8:00 A.M to not be considered tardy. If your student is tardy, an adult MUST come in and sign them in. Please do not drop them off and have them come in alone. Safety is our top priority.

Please ensure your students are promptly picked up at the school's release.

If you are running late, please contact the front office immediately.

At Jamaica, we take the safety of our students, staff, and guests seriously; therefore, we are a closed campus.

1. It is critical for safety that all guests, including parents and guardians, check in at the front office and sign in for a visitor’s badge. We ask that you do not go into the classrooms without an appointment.

2. The gates are staying locked in the mornings until 7:45 am. This is for the safety and security of our students in the mornings. Students should wait near the building and away from the drive-through lane. Parents, please drop off and pick up outside the gates.

3. In the parking lot, please use the crosswalk and do not walk in front of traffic. Thank you to our many parents who follow this rule to help model for our students. (This includes Jamaica Blvd. Please do not cross where there is no crosswalk.)