Welcome from Mrs. Grice!

I am excited to welcome you back to school for the 2016-2017 year at Waite Elementary! The teachers and staff have been busy preparing the school and classrooms for an exciting year of learning and growth. We are looking forward to seeing everyone back at school and meeting our many new students and families that have joined the Waite family this summer! In addition to strong academics, we value and help the students develop strong character values to become outstanding LEARNERS and LEADERS. For the past three years, the students and staff at Waite Elementary have learned about and utilize the 8 Habits of Happy Kids, based off of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey. We will continue to embrace the habits and life-lessons with the ultimate “End in Mind” of enabling our students to: 1. Be Leaders 2. Be confident and independent 3. Work well with others 4. Make positive contributions to the world around them

“Bee” in the Know!

Our school uses three main forms of communication to keep you informed:  EMAIL: Mrs. Grice will email out important dates, upcoming events, and school highlights 1-2 times each month. Please make sure that you have your current email address updated in the “One Call Now” system. 

FACEBOOK: Our school Facebook page was new last year, and over 270 followers! See the daily updates, pictures, videos, and stories of the amazing learning taking place at our school each and every day. Like and follow our Facebook Pages below: o Ralph E. Waite Elementary School o Ralph E. Waite Elementary Art Room o Ralph E. Waite Physical Education o Ralph E. Waite PTO

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WEBSITE: Please be sure to check out our Waite Elementary webpage at: www.medinabees.org/schools/ralph-e-waite-elementary

Be Proactive Begin with the End in Mind Put First Things First Think Win-Win Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood Synergize Sharpen the Saw and Find your Voice Feel free to go to the site below for more information! www.theleaderinme.org/the-7-habits-for-kids I look forward to a great school year! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 330-636-4500. Mrs. Cindy Grice Waite Elementary Principal

See the back of this sheet for IMPORTANT INFORMATION including:

 STUDENT FEES  FORMSHARE (EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFORMATION)

Our website includes important dates and information, events, updates, opportunities for students and families, and great links to support learning!

Welcome from our Office Staff!

Our school secretaries, Mrs. Lynes and Mrs. Schmitt , will be able to help you with any questions you have regarding student registration or fees, medication, volunteer applications and more! Office hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., so please feel free to call 330-636-4500 with any questions. Ms. Amanda Burkhart is our health aide in the Waite Clinic! She is here every day from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. The phone number to the clinic is 330-636-4504.

Upcoming Dates

Wed., August 17th: First Day for Students- Grades 1-5. K students testing appointments only Thurs., August 18th: (Last names A-L) K students attend school Fri., August 19th: (Last names M-Z) K students attend school Mon., August 22nd: All K students attend school! Mon. September 5th: No School! Labor Day Fri., September 16th: MHS Spirit Night! Thurs. September 29th: Early Release- student dismissal 2:30 p.m.

District Email

To contact a Medina City School staff member, their email address the first seven letters of the person’s last name, followed by the first initial @medinabees.org.

IMPORTANT OFFICE PROCEDURES Medication Procedures

ALL medications must be delivered by an ADULT ONLY to the SCHOOL NURSE. Only school health personnel are permitted to receive medication. Students must never possess any type of medication without documentation from a physician allowing him/her to do so. Prescription and non-prescription medication forms are available in our office and on line.

End of Day Transportation Changes

If you need to change your child’s after school transportation arrangements, please send a written note to the teacher. Please do NOT email this information. If the teacher is not at school that day or the email system is down, substitutes do not have access to email so your information will not be received. If an emergency arises and you need to call the office to inform students of a change, please call before 3 p.m. to ensure the message will get to your child(ren). If your child is going home with another student after school, BOTH students need notes. For the first few weeks of school, bus passes will not be permitted in order to allow the bus drivers time to familiarize themselves with their students.

Absences, Late Arrivals, Early Dismissals, Vacations

If your child is going to be absent, please call the attendance line at 330-636-4504 before 9:00 a.m. If your child will be absence three or more days, you can request homework be sent home/picked up when you leave your message. If your child will be arriving after 8:55 (tardy bell), please call the attendance line before 9:00 a.m. When your child arrives to school after 8:55 a.m., you must park in the parking lot and walk your student to the office and sign him/her in on the blue sign in/out sheet. Students are not to sign themselves in or out. If your child will be leaving early, please send a note in to the teacher. Again, please do not email this information. If the teacher is not at school that day or the email system is down, substitutes do not have access to email so your information will not be received. Vacation Request forms must be filled out for any absence other than illness, appointments, or funerals. Refer to page 20 of the Elementary Schools Handbook for details.

School Meals

Breakfast and lunch menus will be available monthly online and in the school office. Lunches are now $2.75 and Breakfasts are $2.00.

IMPORTANT DUE DATES All school fees must be paid by September 30th! THANK YOU!

Kindergarten: $41.50 1st Grade: $50 2nd Grade: $50

3rd Grade: $35 4th Grade: $35 5th Grade: $35

Payment Options: Cash, checks payable to Medina City Schools, or online payment using Pay-For-It. (go to www.payforit.net) Online payments now incur a minimal service fee.

FORMSHARE

MUST be completed by September 30th! THANK YOU! Formshare is our online system which provides the school with the following important information:  Emergency Medical/Contact Information  Permission to treat your child medically in an emergency  Permission for your child to use computers/internet  Permission for your child to be photographed and in the yearbook ALL PARENTS MUST COMPLETE THIS ELECTRONICALLY AND UPDATE AS NEEDED STUDENTS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO ATTEND FIELD TRIPS WITHOUT FORMSHARE COMPLETED.

2016-2017 Early Release Dates: Students are dismissed one hour early from school on the following dates: 9/29 11/22 3/22 2/23 12/16 5/25 10/27 2/23

Early Release Kindergarten Times: AM: PM: 8:45 a.m. – 11:05 a.m. 12:10 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Please note that the P.M. buses will pick students up 40 MINUTES EARLIER

SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS are available online and in the office!

Daily Schedule

Grades 1 – 5 and All Day K: 8:45 – 3:30 8:40 Students permitted to exit cars or buses 8:45 Entry bell 8:55 Tardy bell 3:30 Dismissal of students AM Kindergarten: 8:45 – 11:30 8:45 Entry Bell 8:55 Tardy Bell 11:30 Dismissal of students PM Kindergarten: 12:50 – 3:30 12:45 Students Enter 12:55 Tardy Bell 3:30 Dismissal

2016-2017 Lunch and Recess Schedule

4th Grade: 11:05-11:30 (Lunch) 11:30-11:55 (Recess) 2nd Grade: 11:30-11:55 (Lunch) 11:55-12:20 (Recess) 3rd Grade: 11:55-12:20 (Lunch) 12:20-12:45 (Recess) K/1st Grade: 12:20-12:45 (Lunch) 12:45-1:10 (Recess) 5th Grade: 12:45-1:10 (Lunch) 1:10-1:35 (Recess) We welcome parent visitors during lunch! Please note: We have many students with various food allergies, so we ask parents or guests to not sit at the allergy free tables. If you plan on purchasing a lunch from the school cafeteria, please call or notify the office in the morning. Thank you.

School Safety

Safety is our number one priority. Medina City Schools staff and students practice various safety drills throughout the year (fire, tornado and ALICE: intruder drills). ALICE stands for: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate/Escape. All students have been trained how to barricade, escape (doors and windows), and we discussed options for counter. The evacuation rally point for Waite Elementary is Living Hope Church on Route 3 (Wooster-Pike Rd.), and the students are aware of its location in the event of an emergency. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Grice or Officer Pinkas at [email protected].

Medina City Schools Spirit Night

Show your Medina Spirit at Medina City Schools Spirit Night! Friday, September 16th Tailgate Party 5:30 – 7:00 pm Kick-off at 7:00 pm! Join the FUN with lots of activities, music, and food! More information will be coming home soon! Call 330-636-3012 with any questions.

Parent Volunteers/Visitor Procedure

We welcome parent volunteers with open arms! If you would like to volunteer at school, you must first complete a Volunteer Background Check. Please see the link on our website “Volunteer Application Information” for a list of the necessary procedures. Background checks are good for five years. For any questions regarding this process, please contact Jama Johnson at [email protected]. All visitors at Waite must sign in at the office, and wear a visible visitor sticker. We ask that you please notify your child’s teacher ahead of time if you plan on visiting the classroom. Thank you!

Who is Mr. Waite?

The students at Waite Elementary have the privilege to know the man after our school is named, Mr. Ralph E. Waite. Mr. Waite has been very involved in all school activities since our school opened in 2009, and he celebrates the students’ accomplishments every month. Mr. Waite is a life-long resident of Medina and is an inspiring role model to all of us. See the link on our website titled “Who is Mr. Waite?” to find out more!

Special Thanks!

A special thank you to Rusty Nottingham, assistant pastor, and friends from Cornerstone Chapel who helped with our landscaping needs on their annual “Serve Day 2016” this summer! A special thank you to Eagle Scout, Kellen Brubaker, for constructing our awesome new “Friendship Benches” on the playground!

Highlighted PTO Events and Programs: Father-Daughter Dance The girls look forward to a special event each year to dance the night away with their dad or special guest. The girls and dads enjoy refreshments, dancing, and photos. The Father-Daughter Dance will take place in February.

Pictured from left to right: Amber Netherton (Vice President), Leslie Cook (Treasurer), Lorna Lindsley (President) and Stefanie Nubbie (Secretary)

Waite PTO Mission Statement The Waite PTO is an organization whose purpose is to strengthen, enhance and encourage the educational and social environment at Waite Elementary. We strive to encourage parent volunteerism and community involvement in our school. Our purpose is to:  Foster a sense of school pride.  Promote team atmosphere among parents, teachers and administration.  Utilize our fundraising efforts to enrich students’ educational experiences (technology, assemblies, etc.)  Provide assistance to teachers in the classroom  Host events that support family and school interaction

Meeting Dates and Times The Waite PTO meets the second Tuesday of every month (September-May) from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Waite Elementary. Child care is available during the meetings. We welcome new people, creativity and new ideas! We hope to see you there!

Superhero Challenge Fundraising Event Waite PTO’s largest fundraising effort is the Superhero Challenge which takes place in the fall. The Superhero Challenge is an afternoon of exercise, games and fun to raise funds for our school! The Superhero Challenge funds many student activities throughout the year. Look for more information coming home soon!

Additional Funds PTO also receives money from the collection of Box Tops, Campbell’s Soup labels, Our Family labels, and by endorsing our school at various local stores such as Giant Eagle and GFS! With this money, we were able to purchase many great supplies for playground use! Thank you in advance for your support!

Like Us on Facebook See many great Waite PTO updates and photos on our PTO Facebook page:

Ralph E. Waite PTO

Mother-Son Event Each year, moms and sons enjoy a special event of their own! In the past, we have a night out at Buckin’ Ohio, a fun day of sledding at Allerdale Park, and most recently, a great afternoon at Pinnacle Sports. Look for more information coming out regarding this year’s mother/son event! Donuts with Dads and Muffins with Moms Start your day off right by sharing a special donut or muffin and with your child.  Donuts with Dads takes place in the fall, and Muffins with Moms takes place in the winter. Family/Community Fun Night Carnival games, dunk tank, food trucks, petting zoo, inflatable fun, fire truck, police cars, Bookmobile, over 30 local business vendors! This event takes place each year on a Friday night in May and celebrates our school-community partnerships! Garden Club Check out our AMAZING school garden (next to the playground)! Our Garden Club meets year-round and has had outstanding success in our first year. Look for more Garden Club updates on our website!

Other PTO Contributions to Waite: Framed Artwork PTO provides 3 framed pieces of student artwork each year! Student Agenda Planners PTO provides all students (Grades 2-5) with an agenda planner! Kidscripts and Science Assemblies PTO provides a yearly Kidscripts assembly each year for the students, which highlights Waite student writers! Also, the students enjoyed a hands-on, interactive science assembly in the spring! Books for Students and Classrooms PTO provides all students who complete the Summer Reading Challenge with a book, as well as $100 of books for every classroom! Encore Supplies PTO supplied the art room with a full set of drawing boards, a complete set of handbells for the music room, and new exercise equipment for the gym. New Indoor Recess Games for Each Classroom! New Friendship Benches The PTO funded the two new Friendship Benches on our playground as well as many other supplies to fund our student Leadership Teams.