South Elementary School News

Dear South School Families,

We have had a great start to the school year. The students are doing a great job settling into the routine. We are looking forward to a great school year.

Thank you to all of our families for helping us get everyone to and from school safely. Here are just a few reminders to help us get everyone to the person they need to be with.

1. Use the pick-up/drop-off lane for dropping and picking up students. This is a drive through lane. Please do not park in the drop/pick-up lane and do not exit your car.

2. Our afternoon Preschool students dismiss at 3:00 P.M. These families will need space in the pick-up lane to safely pick up their child. If you are picking up a kindergarten or 1st grade student, please do not arrive before 3:10 to park in the pick-up lane. Should you arrive early, please wait behind the fire hydrant until preschool dismissal is complete.

3. If you wish to walk your child to the door at arrival or meet them at dismissal, please park somewhere other than the pick-up/drop off lane.

4. Students need to stay in the car with an adult until 8:40 when staff is on duty. It is not safe for students to wait unattended.

5. At dismissal, please do not stand near the exits. The staff needs to see which person each child is leaving with.

6. Please do not “call your child” out of the line. They are to raise their hand when they see their “big person” and the staff member in charge will dismiss them. The students know and practice this routine.

7. Thank you again for working together as a “South School Family” to keep everyone safe.

As always, contact me through email (murphyt@dovertornadoes.com) or the school office should you have any questions or concerns.

Tracie Murphy, Principal

South Elementary School

Students are expected to display proper behavior during home football games. Do not bring footballs into the stadium. Students are not permitted to play football anywhere in the stadium. Many concerns have been raised regarding the safety of students as well as other spectators that are trying to watch and enjoy the game on the field. Elementary students need to be seated with parents or guardians. Please be sure that your children are properly supervised for the safety and enjoyment of all.

Area school districts are joining those across the state in participating in an effort to identify, locate and evaluate all children from birth through 21 who may have disabilities. Many unidentified children with disabilities are preschoolers and parents may not be aware their child has a disability or that there are programs and services available. Anyone knowing of a child who may have a disability should contact the school.

The Dover Elementary PTG is selling mums. The information went home on August 24th. The money and form are due September 11th. Mums can be picked up at our Fall Festival on September 19th from 3:00-6:00 at Deis Hill. The PTG provides many fun activities such as; field trips, assemblies, parties and much more. Please support our Elementary PTG and our elementary students.

In 2026-27, all K-12 students are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch at school. Per federal requirements, this applies to full meals only. There is a charge if students purchase "extra" or "independent" items. Examples of this might include extra milk, a bottle of water or special drink only, or extra entrees. Please contact Angie Welch, Food Service Director, at 330-364-7103 with any questions.

If you plan to drive your child to school, the drop off lane will be on the Prospect St. side of the building. If you are using the drop-off lane, please remain inside your car. The line moves quickly when drivers stay seated. There will be staff members on duty to direct students where to go. If you plan to walk your child to the entrance, please park in a designated street parking spot rather than using the drop-off lane. Please do not park in or block the alley, and refrain from crossing the street from that area. The alley must remain open for local traffic and safety access. Please avoid using the staff parking lot for drop-off. Vehicles pulling in and out interrupt the flow of the drop-off line, and these spaces must remain open for staff members arriving at various times. Thank you for your cooperation. Following these guidelines will make the morning drop off routine smoother and safer for everyone.

Students cannot enter the building until 8:40 A.M. They will report directly to their classrooms. Please do not drop your child off early as there will not be supervision until 8:40 A.M. We do not want groups of students waiting unattended.

Morning Preschool begins at 9:00 A.M. and the afternoon session begins at 12:30 P.M. Parents will use the preschool side of the building, (Prospect St.) to drop off preschool students. A staff member will come out to get the students.

Buses will drop students off at the front of the building on Shafer Ave. Please do not park in the bus drop off lane. Bus students will enter through the front doors. Staff members will be available to direct students.

As we all know, a strong parent-support partnership is important to a child’s school success. For the safety of all, parents are not permitted to walk students to the classroom. Staff members are on duty throughout the building at arrival to help students find their way. Should you need to drop something off for your child during the school day, you will need to leave it in the office with a label. These labels are provided in the office. We will make sure your child receives the item they need. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe.

Birthdays are very exciting and important days for our students. Teachers are happy to have students share treats for their birthday. We ask that all treats be prepackaged in order to be sure that all students with allergies and dietary restrictions can be kept safe. Please contact the teacher in advance to ask about appropriate treats, allergies and the number of students in the classroom. Also, be sure to let your child's teacher know the day you intend to send in the treat.

Please be sure to send a note to school if your child is going home a different way than is normal for them. Also, should you need to change the way your child is going home during the school day, please call the office by 2:30 P.M.. The end of the day is very busy and we would not want to miss someone. It is best if students know how they are getting home in the morning. Not being sure how they are getting home and where they are going sometimes causes children unnecessary stress and also causes confusion for all. Thank you for helping us in this matter.

There will be a pick up lane for parents that are providing transportation. The pick-up lane is located on the Prospect St. side of the building. To keep our students safe and ensure our drop-off and pick-up process runs smoothly and efficiently we asked that you follow the procedure. The pick-up lane is a continuously moving line. Drivers should remain inside their vehicles at all times. If you need to exit your vehicle for any reason—whether to grab a backpack, help with a coat, or walk your child—please park in a designated parking spot rather than using the pick-up lane. Please do not park in the staff parking lot. This interferes with the efficiency of our moving pick up lane when traffic has to wait to let you out. For a quicker and safer dismissal, please have your child sit on the back right side (passenger side) of your vehicle. This allows our staff to easily and safely assist your child in and out without walking into traffic. If your child is seated on the left side (driver's side) and requires help getting in or out, please park in a parking space to take care of it so the line behind you is not delayed.

One last reminder, our afternoon preschool students are dismissed at 3:00. If you are using the pick up lane to pick up a kindergarten or first grade student, please do not pull into the lane until 3:10 to allow our preschoolers to be dismissed safely. If you arrive before 3:10, please wait behind the fire hydrant until preschool dismissal is complete before pulling up.

Thank you for your patience, cooperation, and support in keeping our dismissal process safe and efficient for all our students and families!

Parents or Guardians are required to call the school office to report his/her child absent. If no call is made, the school will attempt to call you. Parents are responsible for informing the school of his/her child's absence and the reason for the absence. Please call the school office between 8:00 A.M. and 8:30 A.M. Upon returning to school, a written note is required explaining the reason for the absence. Please refer to our Elementary Handbook for our entire attendance policies and procedures.

For your planning, Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day will be April 23rd, 2027 at 2:00 P.M.

In order to protect your child, we have a procedure that asks you to come into the school office to pick up your child while school is in session. Students must be signed out before being able to leave. Please be sure to state the reason for early pick up on the sign out sheet. Students arriving late to school must be signed in at the office as well. Please do not simply drop your child off at the door. You will need to escort them to the office to sign them in.

All doors will remain locked throughout the day. All visitors must use the office door when visiting our school. A monitoring device has been installed on the office door. Please activate it by pushing the button. Office personnel will unlock the door once you have been identified. If you will need to go anywhere in the building other than the office, you will need to provide a photo I.D. This I.D.

will be scanned and a visitor badge will be issued. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping everyone in the building safe.

Parents are reminded to update their child’s Emergency Medical Authorization, (EMA), every year.

This provides us with information about your child. If you haven’t updated this yet...please do so at your earliest convenience by visiting www.dovertornadoes.com.

*Click on the Parents tab located at the top of the web page.

The first day of Preschool for ALL students will be Tuesday, September 1st. The morning session begins at 9:00 and ends at 11:30. The afternoon session begins at 12:30 and ends at 3:00. We look forward to welcoming back our returning students and getting to know our new preschoolers.

Pets and/or other animals are not permitted on school grounds. This includes all exterior areas including sidewalks immediately surrounding the schools during drop-off and pick-up times. This policy is for the safety of all, and with respect to allergies and/or health issues of all

students.

Throughout the school year, we conduct several safety drills. These drills are required and also help

our students and staff know what to do in the event of an unlikely emergency. The following drills

are conducted throughout the school year; Fire drills, evacuation drills, intruder drills, reverse evacuation drills and tornado drills. Teachers review these with students before they are conducted. Our local Police department and first responders are also involved with conducting drills. If you have any questions regarding these required drills, please feel free to contact the school for more information.

For the safety of all, students and families need to wait for the crossing guard to help you safely cross the street during arrival and dismissal. Please do not park across the street and wave your children across. Arrival and dismissal are very busy times with a lot of traffic, it is important to follow all safety rules and procedures. It is also important for us to model the proper procedures for our children. Thank you for your help in keeping everyone safe.

Prompt payment of workbook and supply fees is greatly appreciated. The fee for K-1 st grades is $25.00. As always, thank you for your cooperation. Pre-school tuition must also be paid by the first of each month. Our preschool tuition is currently $150.00 per month. Failure to pay your preschool tuition will forfeit your spot in our program.

Students can enter the building at 8:40 A.M. The first bell rings at 8:40 A.M. Students must be in their seats ready to work at 8:55 A.M. when the bell rings in order to be considered on time for school. Good habits begin early so it is important that children are on time and ready to begin their day. Dismissal for car riders begins at 3:20 P.M. Bus students are dismissed as buses arrive.

Communication between home and school is very important. In order to keep you up-to-date with what is happening, we have several methods of communication.

1. Email Newsletters: Be sure to check your email for monthly newsletters and occasional updates.

Should your email address change, please let us know.

2. Phone Notification System: In the event of any emergency or to share important information, Dover Schools has a phone notification system. Please be sure to update your contact information if you change your phone number or address.

3. Staff Email: Each staff member has an email where they can be reached.

4. Voicemail: Each staff member has voice mail where you can leave a message if needed. Simply call the office and ask for the staff member you need. Mrs. Polce can transfer you to the proper voice mail box to leave your message.

5. Facebook: Check us out on Facebook to see what all is happening at Dover City Schools.

September 7th: Labor Day: No School

September 9th: Picture Day

September 10th: PTG meeting 6:00 PM- East School library

September 11th: Mum fundraiser forms and money due.

September 19th: Elementary Fall Festival 3:00-6:00 Deis Hill

September 28th: Teacher In-service Day: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS