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September 19, 2024

The following are some important reminders of parent/guardian tasks to do at the beginning of the school year:

Did I update/verify my child's Emergency Card is up-to-date? Here is the link to do this online: https://secure.aacps.org/webapps/SEFP/OSS/Ecvr
Did I apply/reapply for Free or Reduced Meals for my child/chidren? Here is the link to do this online: https://www.aacps.org/page/apply-for-free-or-reduced-price-meals
Did I setup an account to pay for school meals automatically? Here is a link to do this online: https://www.aacps.org/page/purchasing-school-meals
Did I review the Student Code of Conduct with my child and return the Acknowledgement of Review of Student Handbook page? You can complete this form through ParentPortal or ask your child's teacher to send home a paper copy of the form.
Did I register for ParentPortal to help me monitor my child's progress and attendance? Here is te link to do this online: https://www.aacps.org/page/studentparent-portal

Volunteer Orientation

September 26, 2024

3:00-3:30pm

PTA sponsored Paint Night on Sept. 27

Dress for the mess and join the Nantucket Elementary PTA for a Family & Friends Paint Night on Friday, September 27th at 7 PM.

Paint Night will be led by a former NES art teacher Ms. Salapong and our very own Mrs. Waite. We will be doing a fall theme painting!

A parent or guardian must accompany a Starfish to this event. Space is limited. All interested families must complete this form by Wednesday September 18th. Attendees will be randomly selected in a drawing and notified by September 20th.

Click the link below to register for Paint Night! https://forms.gle/jF2ZoTsRjc2pvf4JA

School Hours

Our instructional hours are 8:00am- 2:25pm. Students may start entering the building at 7:45 am. Please note that there is NO adult supervision prior to 7:45 am. Students must be in the building by 8:00 am in order to not be marked tardy. Any student who arrives after 8:00 AM must enter through the main entrance. Dismissal will begin at 2:25 pm. Please note: Tardies and early dismissals are recorded on a student's PK/K progress report/ Gr. 1-5 report card.

Please review our arrival and dismissal procedures found on our website.

Car Rider Arrival Reminders:

Car Riders must be able to independently be able to enter and exit the vehicle. Drivers should not get out of the car.
When dropping off your student, you should pull up as far as you can go before your student gets out of the car. Do not stop to be close to the door.
Follow the direction of the adults on duty who are guiding you to move your car forward.

Parents always have the option of parking in a parking lot and using the crosswalk to walk their student to the sidewalk instead of being a car rider.

School Meals

Breakfast is available in the school cafeteria each morning. Breakfast cost is $1.50 full price and is free for students qualifying for the free/reduced priced program.

Lunch may be purchased at school for $2.75. Milk may also be purchased during lunch for $0.55. You may pay for lunch in advance and use them as you like. This is encouraged as it avoids “lost” or “forgotten” monies. Checks/cash (payable to Nantucket Elementary Cafeteria) will be accepted in the school’s cafeteria or Meal Pay Plus offers you a convenient, easy, and secure way to make prepayments using your bank account or your Visa or MasterCard. Visit mealpayplus.com for more information and registration.

Application forms for free or reduced lunches need to be filled out online at the beginning of the school year. Families may qualify according to the federal income eligibility guidelines. All applications are kept confidential and are accepted at any time during the school year.

Health Room News

Greetings from the Health Room!

Welcome back! Nurse Lauren and Mrs. Gina are excited to be back at Nantucket! Nurse Lauren splits her time with another local elementary school but is accessible by email nurse3282@aacps.org . Mrs. Gina, our Health Assistant will be here to care for our day-to-day needs. Our phone number is (410) 451-6135.

If your child requires medication during the school day, or for emergency purposes, please remember to have the student's doctor complete the Parent Request to Administer Medication at School form. A copy of the form can be found here. If you have a student with other healthcare needs or you have any questions, please reach out to our Nurse Lauren via email. Please check your student's take-home folder, we may be sending things home that may require your signature and need to be returned. Please remember that students may not carry medications at school without express consent from the health room. Medication drop-offs need to be an adult-to-adult transfer, please have a trusted adult bring the medication to the health room.

Be sure to send an extra set of clothes for your child to be kept in their locker. This helps ensure a quick return to class for students of any age. Spills, trips, and mishaps happen! Please help us and your student be prepared to face life's unexpected challenges.

Birthdays at Nantucket

Nantucket Elementary recognizes that birthdays are a special day for our students. In order to maintain a safe environment for all of our students, food items WILL NOT be accepted to distribute to classmates. Parents may send in small non-food treats to be distributed to students at the end of the day. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping all of our students safe at Nantucket Elementary.

Additionally, please note that teachers and staff are unable to participate in distributing communications/invitations or email addresses related to birthday celebrations. All planning for birthdays needs to happen outside of school so that it does not take away from the purpose of instruction.

Recess Happens Daily

All students participate in 30 minutes of recess daily. Please make sure your children come dressed appropriately for the weather. If the temperature is 32 degrees or below or if the wind chill makes it feel 32 degrees or below, the students will not go outside for recess. If the weather dictates indoor recess, students will participate in 30 minutes of indoor recess in their classrooms.

During recess, students are not permitted to engage in any form of tag-like game playing or football playing. These games tend to lead to misunderstandings that result in big emotions.

School Attendance

Regular school attendance is very important to your child’s academic progress and success in school. Please try to schedule dental/medical appointments and other commitments for after school hours whenever possible. Please read the Attendance Section in our Family Handbook for more information regarding Attendance.

At our Attendance Committee Meeting in September, the committee will discuss all students who have 2 or more cumulative lawful and unlawful absences and 4 or more tardies and/or early dismissals.

Chronic absenteeism includes students who miss 10% or more of enrolled instructional days. AACPS recognizes a direct correlation between attendance and other academic measures, including grades and state test scores, so monitoring, communicating, and supporting families is necessary for improvement. Even if your student has had lawful absences and you have provided doctor's notes, you may be contacted about your child's chronic absenteeism.