Principal's Message
Tina Ziegler , Principal

Summer, 2012

Dear Parents:

Welcome to Sunset Hills! We are glad you’re here and look forward to having you become part of the Sunset Hills Learning Community.

The first day of school is Wednesday, August 22, 2012.

Classroom Assignments – Popsicle Posting Party The class lists for all students will be posted near the gate as you enter the school on August 20th at 4:00 pm. The PTA will be providing Popsicle treats from 4:00-5:00 pm. I will be out in front greeting all of our families during this time. The class lists will remain posted until the start of school on the 22nd.

School Hours will be as follows:
8:30 am – 2:50 pm - M, T, W, F (Line-up Bell rings at 8:25 am/School starts at 8:30 am) 8:30 am – 1:10 pm -Thursday (Time-Banking Day)

Before School Supervision
The playground will be open to students in the morning beginning at 8:10 am. No supervision will be provided prior to that time. *Note- Students may not remain at school following dismissal unless they are enrolled in ESS or enrichment classes.

Kindergarten Transition Days
*** To ease your child’s transition into a full-day Kindergarten program, all students will be dismissed at 1:10 pm through September 28, 2012. Students will have an opportunity to experience their first full day on October 1st. ESS (see below) will be available if you require afternoon childcare during this time.

Kindergarten Playground
Kindergarteners have a separate playground at the back of the school. This is where they line up at drop off time. After school, parents must pick up Kindergarteners from their teacher on the blacktop of the big playground. Kindergarteners cannot walk out to the drive-through pick up line unless an older sibling picks him or her up from the teacher.

School Office Hours are as follows:
The office will be closed from June 20th through August 6th. Beginning August 6th, the Office will be open daily from 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

The Kindergarten Student-Teacher “Meet and Greet”
Please save August 21st from 2:00 pm- 3:00 pm for you and your child to meet the Kindergarten teacher and get acquainted with the classroom. Please meet in your child’s classroom. You will be provided a student supply list at that time.

School Tours for new families will be hosted on Tuesday, August 21st, from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm. The tours will be given by our PTA.

Back To School Night
A special night for parents to meet their child’s teacher and learn about the curriculum will be held on Thursday, August 30th: PTA Meeting- 6:00 pm-6:30 pm 3rd-5th: 6:30 pm-7:15 pm K-2nd: 7:15 pm-8:00 pm This is an adult only event.

Closed Campus
Once students arrive, they may not leave campus without being signed out in the School Office by a parent or other authorized persons. To ensure the safety of our children, you may be asked to show identification when picking up your child. All visitors must check in the front office prior to entering the school.

Visitation and Volunteers
Parents are always welcome and encouraged to visit and help in the classroom. Visits should be scheduled with the teacher ahead of time. The Sunset Hills volunteer program provides opportunities for parents and community members to help children support teachers and enrich lives. Volunteers can work directly with children or on a variety of other tasks or projects. *** You must have the Megan’s Law Clearance and a current TB test(negative reading) and signed “Volunteer code of Conduct” on file in the office in order to do any work with students (i.e. classroom volunteer, driver on field trip).

School Lunch
Students have the option of buying lunch at school. Please prepay if possible. Lunch envelopes are provided in the office or you can pre-pay on MyLunchMoney.com. Lunch, which includes milk, is served daily in the cafeteria for $2.50. If your child brings a lunch be sure to include only as much food as your child eats. Lunches should have the student’s name and room number on the sack or lunch box. Free and reduced prices are available for those who qualify. Please ask in the office for the appropriate paperwork.

Medications at School
If your child takes medication during the day, a “Physician’s Recommendation for Medication” form must be obtained from the school, completed by the physician, and returned to the school. No medication will be given at school without this form. An adult must bring the medication to the School Office in the original container the medication is dispensed. Children may never have medication in their possession at school. This includes aspirin, inhalers, cough drops, etc.

Attendance
The absence reporting phone number is (858)679-2639. State law requires that attendance be verified. Please call the absence line if your child will be absent from school. In addition, please also call if they will be tardy more than 30 minutes.

ESS
Sunset Hills provides an ESS program, which is a fee-based before and after school childcare program. ESS is open from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm. All students planning to participate in ESS must be registered at our ESS building. Please call our coordinator, Cheri Gracey (858)484-2982, for information regarding registration and fees. We look forward to seeing you on the first day of school.

Sincerely,

Tina Ziegler