Heights Happenings

Hello Eastern Heights Elementary Families!

Welcome to November! This month's newsletter is packed with important reminders to help ensure a successful and productive second quarter for all our students.

🐝 Sticking Together: Attendance Matters

Consistent attendance is crucial for academic success. Missing school, even for a few days, can make it challenging for students to keep up with what they are learning and practicing. Please help us by having your child at school on time every day. If your child has a fever or is throwing up, they must stay home. But once they are fever or symptom free for 24 hours, send them back to school! We thank you for your partnership in making every school day count!

🍯 The 3 Bees: Respectful, Responsible, Ready to Learn

The holiday season brings a lot of excitement, but it's important to maintain a focused and respectful learning environment. We are reminding all students to follow our "3 Bee" expectations:

• Be Respectful: Treat everyone in our school community with kindness and consideration.
• Be Responsible: Come prepared for class and follow all school rules.
• Be Ready to Learn: Stay engaged in lessons and put forth your best effort every day.

These expectations help maintain a positive and safe atmosphere for everyone!

📚 Second Quarter Success

We are now well into the second quarter. We encourage students to continue working hard, completing class and homework assignments, and asking for help when needed. Regular communication between home and school is key to ensuring every student reaches their full potential.

🌎 District EL Family Night

Mark your calendars! The District is hosting an EL (English Learner) Family Night on Wednesday, November 12 from 5-7pm at Hamilton Elementary School.. This is a wonderful opportunity for our EL families to connect with staff, learn about valuable school and community resources, and celebrate the diverse cultures that enrich our district. We hope to see you there!

🥧 PTO Pie Fundraiser Pickup

Thank you to everyone who participated in our annual PTO pie fundraiser! We love those Mama Jo's pies and the funds raised will directly benefit our school programs. Thank you PTO.

Pickup Details:

• Date: Monday, November 24
• Time: TBD
• Location: Eastern Heights Elementary Cafeteria

Pies must be picked up the evening of November 24th! More information to follow.

As always, we thank you for your participation in your student's education. We are grateful for our Eastern Heights families. Please reach out to me at the office if you have any questions or concerns.

Have a wonderful November!

Sincerely,

Brenda Wittman

Principal

The Importance of Attendance in Elementary School

1. Academic Success
Consistent attendance lays the foundation for lifelong learning. In the elementary years, students build essential literacy, math, and problem-solving skills. When children miss school, they miss key lessons and practice opportunities that are difficult to make up later. Even a few absences can create learning gaps that widen over time.

2. Establishing Positive Habits
Good attendance teaches responsibility, punctuality, and commitment—skills that benefit students throughout their education and future careers. Regular attendance sets a routine that supports self-discipline and time management.

3. Social and Emotional Development
Elementary school is where children learn to work with others, build friendships, and develop a sense of belonging. Frequent absences can lead to feelings of isolation or difficulty connecting with peers and teachers, which can affect confidence and engagement.

4. School Connection and Engagement
Students who attend regularly are more likely to feel connected to their school community. This sense of belonging improves motivation, behavior, and overall well-being. Regular attendance helps children feel part of the classroom team and encourages a positive attitude toward school.

5. Long-Term Impact
Research shows that chronic absenteeism in elementary school (missing 10% or more of school days) is linked to lower achievement in later grades and a higher risk of dropping out of high school. Early attendance habits have lasting effects on a child’s academic path.

November 3 ~ Conferences

November 4 ~ No School for Students

November 6 ~ PTO Meeting at 6pm

November 12 ~ EL Family Night at Hamilton ES (5-7pm)

November 24 ~ PTO Pie Fundraiser Pickup

November 26, 27 & 28 ~ Thanksgiving Break ~ No School

Students return from Thanksgiving Break

Monday, December 1st

Connecting For Kids

Connecting for Kids October/November Programs

Second Harvest Food Bank

Upcoming Drive Thru Mobile Pantries List

Second Harvest & Partner Charities

Use the link HERE to get more information about local food pantries and meals

United Way of Greater Lorain County

Use the link HERE to learn about 211 resources

Campus traffic rules are in place to keep all students and staff safe during arrival and dismissal times. We appreciate you honoring these rules to keep everyone safe!

• Drive slowly and stay alert while on campus; refrain from cell phone use while driving on campus
• Drive slowly and follow all building staff directions while driving on campus
• Use crosswalks when walking your children to & from the building
• Cars must not stop in a crosswalk; while cars are waiting to move, crosswalks must be free for people to cross
• Cars should enter campus for drop off and pick up at the Prospect/Cornell entrance and follow the ring road around campus. Using this entrance allows the smoothest flow of traffic.
• There is no parking in the pickup lane during drop off or dismissal; this helps the flow of traffic move smoothly
• Cars should make only 1 lane of traffic on the campus (inside lane closest to the building); do not pull out and pass cars that are in the pick-up lane
• Cars should refrain from entering the bus lane on the north side of the building; this lane is used for all ECS busses as well as all daycare and after school program vans.
• Drop-off & pickup your student using the spaces between the 2 orange cones directly in front of the building

Thank you for helping us make drop-off & pickup safety the #1 priority!

With safety as a top priority of the Eastern Heights Campus staff, we want you to be aware that you may see us outside practicing a drill as we start the school year. Please remember to drive slowly and/or stop to allow the drill to proceed safely. And, be sure to have your student dress appropriately for the weather and know that we practice these drills with all our students to keep everyone safe!

• Learners thrive when school is engaging and personally meaningful
• All Pioneers have a voice in decisions that affect them
• Excellence is achieved through vision, commitment and moral leadership

Email: wittmanbrenda@elyriaschools.org
Website: https://www.elyriaschools.org/Domain/8
Location: 528 Garford Avenue, Elyria, OH, USA
Phone: (440) 284-8011
Facebook: facebook.com/EasternHeightsElem