The Explorer

We’re off and running! Every new school year brings with it challenges and joys - but our blessings are many:

• The toothless smile of a kindergartner who can’t wait to get a tooth holder from the Health Office.
• The first graders who feel like they have finally made it now that they have made it through kindergarten.
• The second graders who are beginning to read with fluency and very proud of it.
• The third graders who now are officially part of the BIG kids.
• The fourth graders who mature so much during the year becoming more settled, mature, and serious about learning.
• The fifth graders who are suddenly taller than some of our staff and are preparing for their transition to middle school.

This month, there are parent teacher conferences. Conferences play a significant role in a student’s development and academic success. Teachers and parents often see different aspects of a student’s personality - by maintaining an open dialogue it can be helpful for both.

When parents take advantage of conferences and other opportunities to speak with teachers, it allows parents to learn of any challenges - academic or otherwise - their child might be having. Similarly, parents can relay any special circumstances at home that might have some bearing on the student’s performance or behavior. When parents and teachers work together to try and provide the best environment for learning, the child stands to benefit the most.

I look forward to seeing you at parent teacher conferences and let's continue to make this the best year yet!

Mr. Dan Fischer, Principal

• October 4: Classrooms K03, K05, and K06 field trip to Our Farm pumpkin patch.
• October 5: Classrooms K01, K02, and K04 field trip to Our Farm pumpkin patch.
• October 9: No school in observance of Native American Day.
• October 10: No school due to district in-service.
• October 10: Parent Teacher Conferences from 12:30 pm - 7:30 pm.
• October 12: Parent Teacher Conferences from 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm.
• October 17: PTO meeting in the Discovery library at 6:00 pm.
• October 20: PTO Fall Dance from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm.
• October 24: Picture Day retakes starting at 8:05 am.
• October 24: PTO's dine-out for Discovery at Culver's (Louise Ave) from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm.
• October 27: Fall classroom parties starting at 2:00 pm.

To check the balance of your student’s lunch money account, go to https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home or download the MySchoolBucks app. You will need your student’s ID number, which can be found in your Parent Portal (Infinite Campus). In addition to checking your student’s balance, you will have access to:

• view purchases.
• make payments.
• set-up automatic notifications for low balance.
• set-up recurring payments.

Office staff does not have access to students' lunch accounts or balances.

Gizmos, smart watches, cell phones, and similar devices should be turned off and placed in a student’s backpack before entering the school. Students may turn on their device when they are outside after dismissal.

If a student is found with their device - or the device is on and is distracting - it will be taken to an administrator. The first offense is considered a warning and the device will be returned to the student at the end of the school day. Subsequent offenses will constitute an office referral and parents will be contacted.

It’s that time of year again - cold and flu season. Below are the SFSD Health Services guidelines that we follow. Please use this as a guide to determine when your child should be kept at home due to sickness.

• A child with a fever over 100.4 degrees should not be sent to school. If your child has a fever of 100.4 degrees at school, he/she will be sent home. A child should stay at home until the fever has been gone for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

• A child with a mild cold will be permitted to stay in school. A child with a “heavy” cold and a hacking cough should be kept home even if they do not have a fever.

• Children with vomiting and diarrhea should be kept at home. A child should be free from vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school. If your child has illness related to diarrhea or vomiting at school, he/she will be sent home.

• A child with a sore throat accompanied by a fever should be seen by a health care provider. A child with a sore throat and fever should not be sent to school and will be sent home from school if it occurs during school hours.

• Discovery has four designated handicapped/disabled parking spots. Do not park there if you do not have the proper permit and/or license plates.
• Do not make your own parking spot. If there are no parking spots available, you will have to park on the street.
• Please do not block vehicles by parking behind them in the parking lot.
• If you are dropping off or picking up your child in the circle drive, stay in your vehicle.
• If you are meeting your student on the playground or by the recess door, please park in the parking lot or on the street. Do not park your vehicle and leave it in the circle drive.
• When dropping off in the circle drive, please pull all the way up so we can prevent a back-up of traffic on Discovery Ave. Children should exit the car on the passenger side of the vehicle.
• Discovery Elementary is tobacco free. Smoking is not allowed on the grounds, parking lot, or sidewalks surrounding the school.

For a student to be excused from participating in PE or recess, a signed physician’s note stating the purpose of the exemption must be provided. For more information, please contact the school nurse.

Your student’s attendance is very important to their success and achievement. It is difficult to replicate with "make-up work" the learning that takes place in the classroom. Being on time for school is crucial to children starting the school day on track and with a positive attitude. The district tracks attendance closely. At the elementary level, it is tracked by the instructional minute. Students who miss school may be required to make up work during recesses or after school. When children miss excessive days, we work with the student, parents/guardians, and our social worker to ensure every child is at school every day.

Attendance Guidelines:

• A student who reports within the first 30 minutes (8:00 am-8:30 am) of the start of the

school day will be marked tardy.

• A student who leaves within the last 30 minutes (2:15 pm-2:45 pm) of the day will be

marked as “leaving early.”

• Attendance will be tracked by instructional minutes. A student’s scheduled lunch period

does not count towards instructional minutes.

Students are learning about the Zones of Regulation and how their brain works when it’s in different zones of regulation. Dr. Dan Siegel's hand model of the brain helps us understand what happens to our brain and to our body when we "flip our lid".

Students learned that the downstairs brain controls our feelings and reactions - and our upstairs brain controls our thinking and problem solving. When we get in the Red Zone and "flip our lid", our upstairs brain is no longer functioning, and we first need to use a calm down skill to get our upstairs brain working again. Learning this helps us to do our best learning and feel like our best selves.

School-wide, we use an empowering, problem-solving curriculum called Kelso’s Choices that teaches students nine ways to solve small problems. Students learned that BIG problems make us or someone else feel hurt or scared. Small problems they should try solving on their own using Kelso's Choices. Students can try two Kelso's Choices to solve a small problem. If they still need more help, they can ask an adult.

Recently, 2nd grade students reviewed Kelso's Choices by playing Kelso's Choice Memory card game, acting out short skits of "Make a Deal", and learning the difference between a BIG problem and a small problem.

Principal: Mr. Dan Fischer

Email: Daniel.Fischer@k12.sd.us

Dean of Students: Mrs. Kristina Becker

Email: Kristina.Becker@k12.sd.us

Website: https://www.des.sf.k12.sd.us/o/des
Location: 1506 South Discovery Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone: 605-362-3530
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064085161299