February 2010

The WatchDogs are Here!

Dear Englewood Elementary families:
It seems every time I begin to write the newsletter it snows!  Hopefully, we will be experiencing warmer weather soon.
Our WatchDog program was a huge success!  Many, many thanks to Lisa Wertz for planning, organizing and developing the program.  She did an outstanding job!  Also, many thanks to all who volunteered to help in any way with the program.  Our first Watchdog dad is set to begin on Monday, February 1st.  We are looking forward to an exciting partnership with our Watchdog volunteers.
Measurement Day, developed and organized by Mrs. Teena Paul, was also a huge success!  Many thanks to everyone who volunteered to help our students with the measurement activities. A special thank you to our parents and fifth grade students for helping.  It was such an exciting morning!
Conferences will be held on Monday, February 8th and Wednesday, February 10th.  This is an opportunity for parents and teachers to discuss your child’s progress. You will be receiving specific conference dates and times within the next week.  Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions.  Thank you!

Information from Mrs. Roberts, our school nurse

New Vaccine Requirement for Students Entering Seventh Grade

Beginning in the Fall of 2010, all students entering the seventh grade are required to have one dose of the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) Vaccine. The Tdap contains a booster of the whooping cough vaccine not found in the Td vaccine that is typically given at this age. It was recommended that the Tdap be given in place of the Td for adolescents aged 11-18 years in June of 2005. Northmont Nurses will be sending home a letter with all sixth grade students sometime in February.  This letter will have a space for your doctor to sign stating the date that your child received the vaccine. Your child may have had the Tdap vaccine but we do not have record of this at school. If you have any questions, please call your building school nurse.

Northmont School District Child Find

The Northmont City School District is conducting an awareness campaign in accordance with the requirements of the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA), the Ohio revised code and the State Board of Education’s rules for the Education of Handicapped Children.
Each public school district, Ohio’s special educational regional centers, and the Ohio Department of Education are working to identify children with disabilities, birth through age 21, who may be in need of special education services.  For children birth to three, a disability means an established condition known to result in a delay or a documented deficit in one or more of the following developmental areas: communication, vision, hearing, motor skills, social/emotional behavioral functioning, self-help skills, or cognitive skills.  For school age students, a disability means that a student has been identified as having one or more of the following conditions:  autism, deaf-blindness, hearing impairment including deafness, mental retardation (CD), multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and/or visual impairment including blindness.

Once the school district is notified regarding a child who is suspected of having a disability, the child’s parent(s) are contacted and informed of their rights as required by the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA) and arrangements are made with the parents to evaluate the suspected disability.

Questions regarding Child Find should be directed to Student Services at Northmont City Schools at 832-5000.

IDEA-B DOLLARS
All school districts receive Federal dollars (IDEA-B Funding) to be used for special education purposes.  The dollar amount varies from year to year based upon actions taken by the Federal Congress and the Ohio Department of Education.  Currently Northmont uses the dollars received for special education personnel, technology and intervention.

If you would like additional information or have questions regarding these dollars please contact Student Services at Northmont City Schools, 832-5000.

         2009-2010 Englewood Elementary Yearbooks

It’s that time of year to order your child’s yearbook!  The cost per book is $12.50 and the money is due no later than Thursday, February 4, 2010.  You may pay by CASH, CHECK or MONEY ORDER.  Please make your check or money order payable to ENGLEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  If you need an order form please call the school office.  We will send one home with your child.  THANK YOU!