Southside Chit-Chat October 2025

Yay! Halloween is on Friday this year! This means class parties and our annual Halloween Parade. The SCO Parent group is asking that each classroom donate 2-3 bags of candy this year for the Halloween Parade (it just wasn't the same last year without candy!). So, when you sign up for the class party, ask your classroom teacher if you can help by donating just 1 bag of candy for our all -school Halloween Parade!

Great Attendance can include perfect attendance, but we also want to focus on why attendance is so important and provide tips, tools, and strategies to help all students be at school as much as possible! Please work with us to improve our attendance rates which in turn improve our academic achievement rates! Together WE SHINE! Mr. Schiller

Please take a moment to review the Student Attendance Matters graphic below. Chronic absences as determined by NAEP is missing 2 days per month or a total of 18 days per school year! Good attendance is only missing 9 or few days each year!

Have you ever been interrupted when you're doing something really fun or important? How did you feel? That's how students can feel when someone is tardy for school or in their classroom. Late or tardy students disrupt the flow of learning. When a student enters the classroom after instruction has started, it can be disruptive in two distinct ways:

1. The lesson stops. The teacher will need to greet the student give them instructions on what materials to have out and ready and then review what was just previously taught.

2. The flow of the lesson is lost as well as valuable time to accomplish all that the teacher intended for the lesson.

At Southside Elementary, all students start their day with schoolwide reading interventions and enrichments. This is a crucial time of the day for our students. During this time they are receiving just-right instruction for their reading needs. At this time we can have 40 or more reading groups across the building at once. When a student is tardy it not only interrupts critical reading instruction, it also means that the tardy student has missed critical reading instruction!

A Message from the School Nurse

To help keep our school community healthy, please keep your child home if they show significant signs of illness — including a fever over 100°F, vomiting, diarrhea, a recent hospital stay, or any serious injury that limits participation in school activities.

Your child may return to school when they have been free of these symptoms for at least 24 hours without over-the-counter medications, have been on prescribed antibiotics for 24 hours, or have a note from their healthcare provider clearing them to return.

If you’re unsure whether your child should come to school, please contact your child’s healthcare provider or call the school nurse at 764-6183. Remember — home is the best place for a child who isn’t feeling well.

If your child is diagnosed with a communicable illness, please notify the school right away. This information helps us protect other students and staff, especially those with weakened immune systems.

As we begin another exciting school year at Southside, we’re putting a strong focus on great attendance across all grade levels. While we understand that illnesses, emergencies, and family needs can sometimes cause absences, our goal is to build a consistent habit of being at school every day — including Fridays!

You might wonder, why is Friday attendance, especially on a half-day, so important?

Every Day Matters

Your child’s presence helps complete our classrooms. Each student adds to the energy, creativity, and community that make Southside such a special place to learn. When students are here, they stay engaged in their learning, connect with classmates, and build the routines that lead to success.

Missing even a short day can make it harder to keep up with lessons, maintain friendships, and stay in the rhythm of school. Consistent attendance supports academic growth, confidence, and a strong sense of belonging.

Why Fridays?

Fridays aren’t just short days — they’re valuable learning days filled with fun and meaningful activities! For instance...

• In 4th grade, students practice multiplication, continue their math lessons, and work in small groups to get individualized support. They also read new chapters in their novel study and collaborate on social studies projects.

• In 2nd grade, Fridays are hands-on and creative! Students explore art, STEM, and social studies through interactive projects that tie together what they’ve learned throughout the week.

These engaging activities help students connect ideas, strengthen skills, and end the week on a positive note.

School-Wide Friday Fun

Fridays also bring special events like awards assemblies and our buddy system, where older and younger students partner up to learn from and support each other. These moments help build community, celebrate success, and make lasting memories.

So let’s make every day count — including Fridays! Consistent attendance helps your child grow, connect, and thrive at Southside.

Positive Learning at Southside: Updates to Our Time to Teach Program

The Southside staff and I are excited to share updates about our Time to Teach program — a schoolwide approach we use to create a positive, respectful, and focused learning environment for every student.

Time to Teach helps us reduce classroom disruptions so teachers can focus on teaching and students can focus on learning. Here’s how it works:

1. Clear Expectations – Every classroom and school area has consistent rules and routines. When students know what’s expected, they feel more confident and secure.

2. Respectful Communication – Teachers use calm, positive language to guide students toward making good choices. This helps keep lessons running smoothly and gives every child the best opportunity to learn.

3. Building Self-Discipline – Students learn to take responsibility for their actions. If a student needs a reminder, teachers use a verbal prompt to help them refocus. If the behavior continues, the student may receive a Refocus Form — a chance to pause, reflect, and get back on track.

A quick note for parents: Refocus Forms are simply a gentle tool to help students “stop and think” about their choices. They are not a major disciplinary action or cause for concern unless a pattern of behavior develops.

The Time to Teach program helps our classrooms stay calm, respectful, and productive. Students benefit from fewer disruptions, more learning time, and opportunities to build important life skills like self-control, responsibility, and respect.

We believe that working together — home and school — is the key to your child’s success. Please take a moment to talk with your child about making positive choices and following classroom expectations. Thank you for your continued support in helping us make Southside a great place to learn and grow!

Our goal is to publish a Southside Chit-Chat at the beginning of each month. The purpose of the Southside Chit-Chat is to keep our parents and stakeholders informed on important events and share some awesome pictures of our students at work and play! Each Southside Chit-Chat will also have a link to items such as the breakfast and lunch menu and other helpful links.