Little Miami E-News

The last weekend of summer is here and we are excited for the start of the 2022-2023 school year on Monday! Students in grades 6-12 will kick off the year on Monday, with students in grades PK-5 to follow on Thursday! Are you ready?

Check our Back to School Information Hub for the things you need to know to start the school year off on the right foot, including: bus route info, building times, traffic maps, school supply lists, and more!

Celebrate the start of the year with us by sending your First Day of School pictures to communications@lmsdoh.org or tagging us online! We can’t wait to see you!

It is now time to complete your student’s annual update of the Secure Online Portal. If you are a brand-new student to Little Miami this school year (2022-2023), you DO NOT need to update the Portal, as your important information was submitted at Registration.

NOTE: We have been made aware of a new error in the Registration Gateway system that is making entering updated contact information difficult or not possible. We apologize for this error and are continuing to work with the vendor to correct it.

What You Can Do Now:

1. Complete what you are able to complete within the Portal.

2. Contact your student’s building secretary with necessary updates, such as: contact information changes, emergency contacts, living with student status, authorized to pick up status, etc.

It is important that your student’s information in the Secure Online Portal is up to date at the start of every year. Families must update key student information, including emergency medical and contact information, acknowledgement of the district policies and handbooks, and the computer/internet acceptable use policy.

How Will I Get Alerts/Closure Information from LM?

Little Miami will be utilizing a new notification system this year, called SwiftK12! The district has chosen this new notification tool in hopes that the new system will be an improvement in communication delivery to our families.

Be sure your current contact information is updated in the Secure Online Portal. You do not need to “sign up” for alerts. As long as your contact information is updated in your student’s profile you should receive alerts. IMPORTANT – if your student would like to receive text or phone alerts, please ensure their mobile number is in the Secure Online Portal as well.

For more information, please click here.

If your student will be riding the bus this school year, please be prepared for the possibility of bus delays during the first few days/week of school. Delays may happen as students adjust to riding the bus and drivers streamline their routes.

We kindly ask for your patience as our Transportation Staff works to get everyone home safely. Thank you!

The safety and security of our Panthers will always be our top priority. As such, Little Miami has implemented a series of safety improvements and updates over the summer. While the details of our safety plans and specific elements related to our buildings are not available to the public, there are many updates that we are proud to share.

CLICK HERE FOR THE DETAILS!

For the past two years, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has offered waivers to Child Nutrition (CN) Programs across the United States, allowing these programs to offer all students breakfast and lunch, at no charge. Unfortunately, these waivers are no longer in effect this school year. This means that starting this school year, 2022-2023, Child Nutrition programs across the nation will return to normal, pre- pandemic operations of charging families for meals at school. Families will once again be asked to complete and submit a current school year Free/Reduced Meal Application to learn if their students qualify.

Meal applications can be completed in two easy ways:

1. Meal applications can be completed online by visiting www.payschoolscentral.com

2. Paper Meal applications can be found and downloaded here. These meal applications must be completed in entirety and returned to the student's home school or the Food Services Department.

Please be aware, Free and Reduced applications are more than just meals! If your family qualifies, you may be eligible for discounts/waivers of instructional school fees, discounted registration fees for AP/SAT/ACT Testing, funds for supplemental Food Assistance for students, and assists with the maintenance of district funding for student programs and special services.

The Little Miami Local Schools Food Services Department is committed to assisting families and making this transition back to normal operations as easy as possible. Please feel free to contact Ron McWhorter, Food Services Director, rmcwhorter@lmsdoh.org, with questions.

Kindergarten and Preschool students are required to have a complete physical before the start of school. Other students are encouraged to have yearly scheduled checkups. This will help to ensure that any physical problems that would prevent your child from doing their best at school are addressed with a physician or specialist. Any physical form from your student’s physician will be accepted, however, there is a standard physical form available online, if needed.

These immunizations are required unless exempted for medical or religious reasons. Ohio Revised Code, Section 3701.13 and 3313.671, mandates that every child be properly immunized in order to attend school. Exemption forms must be submitted each school year. Ohio State law allows a 14-school day period for you to provide a record of your child's immunizations before being excluded from school.

If your student is going into Kindergarten, 7th grade, or 12th grade, please check with your student’s physician for required immunizations.

Vision and hearing screenings are conducted yearly for students in kindergarten, first, third, fifth, seventh (vision only), ninth grades and eleventh (hearing only) as per Ohio Department of Health regulations. Research has shown that the earlier vision and hearing problems are detected and an intervention is made, the better the outcome for the student. It is recommended that all Kindergarten students have a complete eye exam by an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist before the start of school since school vision exams are only a screening assessment. Some eye diseases are only fully correctable if caught before first grade.

Please refer to the Medication Administration page on our website for the Medication Administration Policy of the Little Miami School District. Students are not permitted to take medications at school without the proper authorization forms completed and reviewed by the nurse.

All forms can be submitted to your student's building nurse.

Are you or your child are in need of medical care, a vaccination, or just an annual wellness check? Don't forget those annual sports physicals! Nurse Practitioner Mary Compton is ready to help! Conveniently located at Little Miami Primary (7247 Zoar Rd.), the staff at the Mercy Clinic are available 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays to serve residents of all ages.

Schedule an appointment by calling (513) 215-9277.

Click for more information & necessary paperwork.

DID YOU KNOW? By the age of three, a child’s brain is already 80% developed, and, by the time a child enters kindergarten, they must already know thousands of words in order to succeed in the classroom. Reading aloud to a child and giving them access to books is the best way to ensure they are prepared to enter kindergarten.

The Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library wants to start a new chapter in early childhood literacy throughout Ohio by providing families with books. With the goal of preparing students entering Kindergarten for success in the classroom, the Imagination Library program will send a customized book to your child each month from birth until age five. Sign up is easy and FREE! Give your Panther the gift of reading & enroll today.

Learn more about the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and its partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

View a Book List

You are not alone. Do you need help now?

Text the keyword “4hope” to 741 741 to be connected to a trained Crisis Counselor within 5 minutes.

Any person may need help in coping with a stressful situation. Reach out by text to communicate with someone trained to listen and respond in a method that is private, secure and confidential.

The Crisis Text Line is a free, confidential service available 24/7 via text on mobile devices. Data usage while texting Crisis Text Line is free and the number will not appear on a phone bill with the mobile service carrier. People of all ages can use Crisis Text Line.

For more information about the Crisis Text Line and for supporting resources, please visit the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services website.

August 15th: First Day of School (Grades 6-12)

• Beginning of Year Conferences at LMECC (during school hours)
• Beginning of Year Conferences at LMPR (during school hours)
• Beginning of Year Conferences at LMES (during school hours)
• LMMS Book Fair Begins (August 15-24)

August 16th:

• Beginning of Year Conferences at LMECC (11:30 AM-7 PM)
• Beginning of Year Conferences at LMPR (11:30 AM-7 PM)
• Beginning of Year Conferences at LMES (11:30 AM-7 PM)

August 18th: First Day of School (Grades PK-5)

• LMHS Fall Picture Day

August 23rd: Board of Education Meeting @ Central Office - 7 PM

August 27th: Food Truck Rally @ LMHS 3-8 PM

August 31st: LMMS Fall Picture Day

Full District Calendar

Email: communications@lmsdoh.org
Website: littlemiamischools.com
Location: 95 E. U.S. 22 & 3
Phone: 513-899-2264
Facebook: facebook.com/littlemiamilocalschools
Twitter: @LM_Schools