Dear Herbert Mills STEAM Families,
We hope you are enjoying your last days of summer break. We are hard at work here at Herbert Mills STEAM getting ready for the new school year! Although this message is long, please read it carefully for important information about this school year.
Back to School
For students whose last names start with the letters A-L, the first day of school is Monday, August 19. They’ll stay home the following day and students whose last names start with the letters M-Z will have their first day on Tuesday, August 20. All students will attend school together on Wednesday, August 21.
School hours are 8:05 a.m. - 2:35 p.m. Morning kindergarten runs from 8:05 - 10:55 a.m. and afternoon kindergarten from 11:45 a.m. - 2:35 p.m.
Class lists for grades 1-4 will be posted on the front windows of the school by 3 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, August 8). Kindergarten parents have received an e–mail with their session assignments (morning or afternoon). Kindergarteners will be assigned teachers after all students are assessed on their first day of school (by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20).
Our Frame Your Future open house for students in first-fourth grades will be held next Thursday, August 15, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Teachers will be speaking in their classrooms at 5:00, 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30 p.m. We will have whole-school stations in the gym for you to meet me and also learn about early literacy, behavior support, English language learner services, intervention services, food services, and your Herbert Mills STEAM Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO).
This year we will also be presenting information about our Herbert Mills STEAM social-emotional learning and restorative practices initiatives in the gym at 5:00 and 6:30. We hope you can join us next Thursday to meet your child’s teacher and visit their classroom! The PTO will be providing light refreshments.
Kindergarten Meet-the-Teacher Night will be held on Tuesday, August 20. Morning kindergarten families will meet at 5:30 p.m. and afternoon kindergarten families at 6:30 p.m.
Please click here if you need this year’s school supply lists.
Student Safety and Building Security
All Reynoldsburg City Schools buildings use Raptor as our visitor management system. Please stop by the office on your first visit to school so Mrs. Russell, our secretary, can scan your ID into the system. If you will be attending Frame Your Future, you can have it scanned then. After your ID has been scanned into the system, you will need to be signed in by office staff and receive a photo visitor badge each time you visit.
The district security policy states, “Upon entering a district building, all visitors will be asked to present a valid state-issued ID, such as a driver’s license, which will be scanned into the Raptor system. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that displays the visitor’s name and photo, the current date, and the purpose of his/her visit…A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those dropping off an item in the office or picking up paperwork. An ID will be required to enter beyond the office or sign a student out. In the event that a person does not have identification, he/she can still be given access to the building after meeting with and receiving approval from an administrator or safety specialist.” We appreciate your cooperation in keeping all of our students safe.
Beginning of School Day
On Monday and Friday mornings, our first-fourth grade Herbert Mills STEAM Tigers meet in the gym at 8:05 (directly upon arrival) for Morning Roar, a brief assembly where announcements are made and we get the day off to an energetic start! Parents are always welcome to attend Morning Roar; we especially invite you to join us for our first Morning Roar of the year on Wednesday, August 21. Please be sure to stop by the office early to sign in and receive your visitor badge before entering the gym. On Tuesday – Thursday mornings, students will go directly to their classrooms when they arrive at school. Kindergartners are met by their teachers at the front door at the beginning of their school day.
Food Services
Lunch prices have remained the same as last year. Breakfast is $1.00 ($0.30 reduced), and lunch is $2.25 ($0.40 reduced). You can securely and conveniently add money to your child’s meal account by accessing Reynoldsburg City Schools’ new online portal payschoolscentral.com (previously payforit.net). Your user name and password have transferred over from the old site to the new online portal. More detailed instructions on using the online payment system can be found here on the district web site.
To apply for free or reduced school meals, please visit the above online portal. Your meal application will be sent from a secure website directly to Reynoldsburg City Schools. Your application will be processed instantly online and you will receive your eligibility determination right away. If your student received free or reduced meals last year, you will need to reapply for this school year. New applications must be submitted and approved by the 30th day of school (October 1) or students will revert to full pay.
Medication Administration
If your student will need to take medication here at school, please click here for our district medication administration forms. Please note that if they will be taking prescription medication (including inhalers and emergency EpiPens), we will need to have the form signed by both parents and doctor before we can give the medication at school.
Welcome Back!
The Herbert Mills STEAM staff encourages you to communicate openly with us and get involved in your child's educational experience throughout the school year. By participating in school activities, parent-teacher conferences, helping your child with homework, and reading with your child at home each evening, you are communicating to them the importance and value of education. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's progress in school this year, please feel free to contact us.
We are looking forward to seeing you at school and wish you a wonderful last week and a half of summer break!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Mary Ellen Weeks, Principal
[email protected]
(614) 367-2160