Hello ZQuest Families!
This is your OFFICIAL first email for the 16-17 school year😁 If you are receiving this email and you have graduated all of your ZQuesters to high school or you have moved on to a different school, please email me and let me know that you are still receiving emails (unless, of course, you LOVE getting a gazillion emails from me!). New families, we WELCOME you to ZQuest and the 16-17 school year! This is my main method of communication. I email weekly (sometimes a few times a week, but try to keep it at weekly) to give friendly reminders of whole school activities/events/need-to-knows. It saves paper, although when something SUPER DUPER important needs to make it home, it is emailed and sent in hard copy form! Please make it a habit to have your child empty his/her binder/folder each evening so you don't miss things that are going on (returning ZQ parents, please make sure you continue or start this habit with your child/ren as well!!!). Your child's teacher will also email almost weekly and it is our goal to make sure that you aren't waiting more than 24 hours for a response. In many cases you will hear back from whoever you email by that evening, but for sure by the next day👏 Below are the forms that I sent home via snail mail to our new families and also in returning ZQ kids' backpacks during the last week of school. I've been getting many emails asking about these things and I'm hoping that kids have handed these things over to you, but if not, please search backpacks and binders for them (the packet was stapled and starts with a gold paper). I wanted to make sure that you had everything you needed before August 1. I'm attaching everything again just to make sure you have what you need to start school in just 2 short weeks!
A few additional reminders...
*School starts on Monday, August 1 at 8:30am (for everyone)! Doors will open at 8:20am each day and your child can start their day with a short recess! We will dismiss at 2pm. Entrance to school each day is through the main entrance, and you may use either the EAST or the WEST parking lot to drop off kids (the entire year). Dismissal is at the WEST doors. Please park in the WEST lot (between ZQ/Roosevelt and Creekside) and come up to the gathering area to pick up your child/ren (this is for the entire year as well).
*On the first day of school, we WELCOME you to come down to your child's classroom, snap a few photos of them with their teacher and friends, for the first 30 minutes. At 9:00am, we will ask that you say your "see you laters" so that your son/daughter can begin their day of learning!!!
*ZKids begins in August for our families who need child care, grades Kinder-5th grade. If you haven't already signed up and need to, please visit the following website http://www.zps.org/z-kids-childcare/. You can also email ZKids Director, Cheryl Kraker, at ckraker@zps.org. Please make sure that this is in place before sending your kids!
*Be sure to add your name to the ZQuest Parents facebook page. I will be checking is frequently the next few weeks to accept your request to be added! Many things are posted on this page as reminders as well! In addition, I often times snap some pictures of the kids on occasion and share them on our ZQ Parent's page--a fun little sneak peek at what your little ones (and big ones) are learning!
*Incoming kinder parents~ Please see Mrs. Cobb in the main office on Monday, August 1 to ensure that you have turned in everything needed for your child's enrollment. If we do not receive everything we need, they will not be able to return to school until it is all handed in. If your kinder is waiting for their health appraisal with their pediatrician, please let Mrs. Cobb know the date you have it scheduled, so that she has that on record. These are all state mandated rules, we don't want to keep your children out of school, however we have to be in compliance with the state on these important documents!
*Money for our online portfolio access, planners, field trip t-shirts (for new families and old if you wish to order a new one) and camp are due by August 15. If you need extra time or need to make a couple small payments, please don't hesitate to email me and ask. I keep track and will send you monthly reminders until you are set. If you know you absolutely cannot make certain things happen financially, please make sure to let me know as well, as we have a fabulous PTO and many parents who add a few additional dollars onto their fees to help cover those who struggle in this way. We DO NOT want any child to not participate or have what he/she needs because of finances and we definitely DO NOT want parents to feel badly if in this situation.
*The 2016-2017 calendar is attached. Please note that the district made some changes in the starting time of the traditional school times. There is a 5 minute shift with Kinder-6th grade starting at 8:40am and 7th and 8th grade starting at 7:35am. NOTE: Our summer hours have NOT changed!
*Reminder that there is not transportation or lunch service during the month of August. Lunch service begins for all on September 6. Transportation for in-district families also begins on September 6. Kindergarteners who are in-district will get information on a special ride to school in order to see the bus route. This is with a parent. More information to come.
*Be sure to mark your calendars for our Parents' Guide to Your Child's Curriculum on August 10. This is also in the packet sent (and attached). Times are staggered for those of you who have multiple grade levels to visit. We ask that kids in Kinder-4th grade remain with a sitter on this evening in order for you to get the most out of the short amount of time. Students in grades 5th-8th are strongly encouraged to attend with parents, as these are grade levels where having the students and the parents hearing the same message is extremely helpful!
*New this year, we are implementing a Student Responsibility Center. This will be an after school time that is assigned to your child when their behaviors at school are less than responsible, as well as other responsibilities that are ignored during the school day. The discipline is designed to have students reflect on the issue at hand and how to make more responsible choices in the future. Our hope is that by implementing this weekly, we will lower the number of student behavior infractions and increase the number of students who are taking ownership for their learning! More information on this will be addressed once school begins.
*New this year is our be nice. initiative! We are super excited to have a combined teacher-student-parent team with Roosevelt. There will be many things that our team does together as 2 schools and things that we do as separate schools! We LOVE the enthusiasm that our students are bringing to the be nice. team and can't wait to get some fun events on the calendar that promotes be nice. There will also be more information when school begins addressing be nice.
*Students in Grades 7th-8th~~ Your Washington D.C. trip is just around the corner! Start to look back over your packing guide and the information that Miss Marcy sent to you via email (slideshow meeting). This will give you a TON of information needed. We will be sending another reminder before school starts! Those kids in 7th or 8th grade who elected not to attend the trip will be excused from school on August 3 and 4, HOWEVER there is an online assignment that is mandatory for you to complete. This assignment goes along with what your peers are learning while on the trip. You will need to complete this in order to participate in the project that will happen upon our return from D.C. Again, information on this will be given out Aug. 1 and 2 in your class!
*Parents~ Just an FYI...I will be out of the building with the middle school group as they travel to Washington D.C. on August 3 and 4. Everything should run smoothly in my absence, however if something should come up, teachers can get in touch with me via email or text. If you have an emergency and need to speak with me, please use email to contact me. I will do my best to check email each evening before bed. I thank you all for allowing me the time away to learn and experience this first BIG trip with our middle school kids!
I'm sure I may have missed something...I will send another reminder next week! If you have any questions, I will be working from home and school starting next week, so you will be able to catch me on a pretty regular basis!
Have a great last few weeks off and stay cool the next few days🏖🌞
ATTACHMENTS:
- 2016-2017 ZQuest Calendar
- 2016-2017 Class Lists
- 2016-2017 Welcome Packet Information
- Zeeland Quest School Supplies List 2016-2017
- Zeeland Quest Summer Literacy Challenge 2016
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