ASFL Elementary Principal Notes

Progress Reports go home on February 10, 2025

ACAP / Alabama Literacy Act Zoom meeting for 3rd Grade Parents - Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 5:30 - Teachers will send the Zoom link to 3rd Grade Parents

PTA Valentine's Dance - Thursday, February 13, 2025 - 4:30 - 6:00

1/2 Day for Students on Friday, February 14, 2025 - Students dismiss at Noon

President's Day, Monday, February 17, 2025 - No School

1/2 Day for Students on Friday, March 7, 2025 - Students dismiss at Noon

March 10 - March 14 - Spring Break

Dear Parents-

(Link for sign up at the bottom of this email!)

We're excited to introduce a new reading partnership for our first grade classes called Parent Partner Reading! This program invites parent volunteers to read with and listen to our students, helping them build confidence and fluency.

Here's how it works:

-When- Fridays, 12:30pm-1pm

-Where- Mrs. Bailey's/Jones' classrooms (please sign in at the office first)

-Volunteers needed- 4-5 each week

What to expect:

-Reading materials will be available outside the classroom in labeled plastic bins.

-Volunteers will work with students in small groups of 2-3 and also one on one.

-Students will read their Accelerated Reader (AR) books to volunteers. You and the student will take turns reading, aiming for a total of three reads during the session.

February Focus:

In February, we will focus on strengthening key skills to make our first graders even more successful. These include:

-Reviewing spelling patterns

-Practicing sight words

-Building oral reading fluency

-Enhancing phonics skills

-Strengthening vocabulary and high-frequency word recognition

Your support as a volunteer will be vital in helping our students achieve these goals!

Thank you for your assistance and participation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact :

-Mrs. Jones

-Ms. Bailey

-Mrs. Phillips, Parent Coordinator

We look forward to working together to support our students! Use this link to sign up!!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4AAFAF22A2F4C61-54405782-parent

Dear Parents,

As the winter is upon us and your students may need medication at school please be aware that it is NEVER okay to send medication with a student to school.

1.The medication must have an order (Prescriber/ Parent Authorization) signed by the Dr. including over the counter medications (unless it will be taken for less than 2 weeks then no MD signature is required),

2. You need to sign in the medication with the nurse.

3. We must fill out a school Health Plan.

This process will take approximately 30 minutes. I can accept medications from 8am-2:00 pm unless there are unforeseen circumstances and I am unavailable.

If you have any questions please call 256-428-7000 and ask for the nurse.

Thank you,

My name is Rachel Phillips and I’m the new Parent Coordinator here at ASFL! I am so excited to build relationships with all of you. I wanted to include a little information about myself to get the ball rolling. I am a single mom of two daughters, they are my best friends. I am raising second generation ‘Swifties” and we love jamming out to music in the car! We love rock climbing, rollerskating, camping, and spending time with our family and friends. We attend and absolutely love ASFL. The staff is so warm and supportive and the School’s mission statement resonates with me personally. I am so grateful for the opportunity to contribute to ASFL’s good reputation. I look forward to introducing myself in person to all of you this year. If you see me in the hallways or during after-school functions, come up and say hi!

Enter the carline through the neighborhood – cars should line up on Porter Street. You can get to Porter Street by turning onto Greenhill Dr NW off of Pulaski Pike or by turning onto several streets off of Sparkman Drive.

Reminders:

Please place the cartag with your child's name and grade level on the passenger side of your dash/window so that can be easily seen.

Please do not enter carline from Mastin Lake – you will need to enter through the neighborhood behind the school and get in the line with the other cars.

Please note that there is a sign above the turn lane on Mastin Lake that prohibits Left Turns onto Porter Drive.

Please do not block the entrance and exits on Porter Street.

Please do not block driveways when you are waiting in the afternoon carline.

Parents should not exit cars to walk up and pick up children in the carline area. Please remain in carline so that we can keep the line moving as quickly as possible.

Please practice with your child so that they can exit your car independently.

• Parents should remain in their vehicle and students should exit on the passenger side.
• Students should have belongings (backpack, lunchbox, etc.) ready to exit the car.
• Please pull forward as far as possible.
• Do not allow students to exit if you are not in the carline lane.

If your child needs extensive assistance to exit your car, please park in the parking lot, help them exit, and walk them to the front awning.

Students should not be dropped off before 7:30 a.m. There is no supervision for your child before 7:30 a.m.

These procedures need to be followed so that carline is safe for all students and adults.

Thank you for your patience as our students and families get back into the habit of carline routines. The carline will be finished by about 3:20 - 3:25. Please make sure you are here to pick up your child before carline ends.

Parents should not exit cars to walk up and pick up children in the carline area. Please remain in carline so that we can keep the line moving as quickly as possible.

PTA Membership - http://asflrockets.memberhub.store

We wanted all of our families to know about our new M in STEM program. It was created to expand our students' knowledge, enjoyment, and understanding of mathematics. Last year the PTA through the work of Latoya Adams was fortunate to obtain a grant to establish this program. Students, parents, and teachers are able to check out math manipulative tools from the school library. We hope this will encourage fun memories, collaboration with families and a zest for learning.

Please make sure that your child is at school before 8:00 a.m. and that they are picked up on time after school or after tutoring. Our school dismisses at 3:00 p.m and tutoring dismisses at 4:30.

Alabama State Law requires that “every child between the ages of 6 and 17 years of age shall be required to attend a public school, private school, church school, or be instructed by a competent private tutor for the entire length of the school term in every scholastic year…” •

Parent(s)/guardian(s) must provide a written explanation of the reason(s) for each absence within two school days after each absence (or consecutive absences). If the written explanation is not provided within the two-day period, the absences will be unexcused. A student must be in attendance one-half day to be counted present.

• A student may have a total of 7 excused absences for illness without a doctor’s statement. After an accumulation of 7 excused absences for illness without a doctor’s statement, the student will receive unexcused absences for illness unless absences are documented with a doctor’s statement.

• If a student arrives to school after the start of the school day, the student is considered tardy. After 10 unexcused tardies, parents will be invited to the disctrict Early Warning Meeting.

For more information, please refer to the HCS Student-Parent Information Guide.

Personal Electronic Devices (“PED”) have become a common means of communication and information access in today’s society. However, these devices have the potential of disrupting the orderly operation of the District’s schools.

For the purposes of this policy, PED means a privately-owned device that is used for audio, video, or text communication or any other type of computer-like instrument. PEDs may include but are not limited to:

• Existing and emerging mobile communication systems and smart technologies (cellular phones, iPhones, Smartphones, internet-enabled phones, smartwatches, etc.)

• Personal Digital Assistants (“PDA”) (Palm organizers, pocket PCs, etc.)

• Handheld entertainment systems (video games, CD players, compact DVD players, MP3 players, iPods, etc.) • PED accessories (earphones, earbuds, etc.)

• Portable internet devices (mobile messengers, iPads, etc.)

• Current or emerging wireless handheld technologies or portable information technology systems that can be used for word processing, wireless internet access, image capture/recording, sound recording, and information transmitting/receiving/storing, etc.

A. PEDs may not be used by students for any disruptive purpose including telephone calls, text messaging, taking photographs and videos, or any other functions during the regular school day.

Students may possess PEDs, but they must be powered off and out of sight in backpacks, purses, or lockers. It is not permissible for PEDS to be on “silent” or “vibrate” during this time.

Students are permitted to possess and use PEDs only as follows: 1.) Before and after the regular school day 2.) As directed by a teacher or administrator

B. PEDs shall not be used in any way that threatens, humiliates, harasses, or intimidates students, school personnel, or visitors, or otherwise violates District policies and regulations or local, state, or federal laws. Students are prohibited from sending, sharing, viewing, or possessing pictures, text messages, emails, or other material of a sexually explicit nature on their PEDs while on school premises, at school-sponsored activities, or on school transportation. Further, students are prohibited from using the camera, video, or recording functions of their PEDs on school premises or at school-sponsored activities where another student or individual has an expectation of privacy, including, but not limited to, locker rooms, counseling sessions, restrooms, dressing areas, etc.

C. Students are responsible for the security of the PEDs brought to school. The District is not responsible for lost, stolen, damaged, or unauthorized use of PEDs. Further, the District is not liable to any student or his or her parent/guardian for any claims, losses, damages, suits, expenses, or costs of any kind arising out of or related to the use or possession of a student’s PED.

D. Temporary confiscation of a student’s PED is appropriate for violations of this policy. Any building staff person who confiscates a PED will hand it to the building administrator immediately. The building administrator will hold the PED until such time as the student’s parent or guardian makes an appointment to pick up the item.

Please see the attachment below for more information about AlaphaBest and to register for afterschool care or use the following link: Alphabest.

HCS Lunch Menu

Please note that the lunch menu is subject to change if the items on the menu are unavailable.

We encourage our students to follow our PBIS Rock Behavior:

• Respect yourself and others,
• Own your Actions,
• Come Prepared,
• Keep making good choices.

Email: paula.thompson@hsv-k12.org

Website: ASFL Elementary
Phone: (256) 428-7000