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DISTRICT UPDATE
August 16, 2023
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
The new school year is upon us, with staff returning next week to set up their classrooms and new staff attending orientation. We are looking forward to students returning and all the energy they bring with them. Our first official day of school is Wednesday, August 30th, for Grades 1-8. (see below for all grades and start dates).
To ensure a smoother first day of school, we recommend a few tips:
Begin an early-to-bed, βschool nightβ routine a week prior to the first day.
Communicate any changes with the school prior to the first day.
Dress for the weather! It is still summer, and the schools can get hot, so those new jeans may not be the best option if we return on an 80-degree day.
Assure your child they can enjoy free breakfast and lunch at school but feel free to pack a water bottle!
Be extra aware of your surroundings as kids begin gathering (and playing) at bus stops.
Plan ahead for traffic as bus drivers and students learn their new routine.
Greet your kids at the bus stop at the end of the day, if possible (older children really appreciate this one!).
Both building principals and I will send monthly newsletters via email, which will also be posted in the below communication avenues. Please take the time to thoroughly read through these newsletters for important information on upcoming events, transportation, parent portal registration, medication usage, food services, achievements, and more.
We encourage parents and guardians to follow the school and district social media pages, read the newsletters to stay informed, and ask questions for clarification.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Ray
Superintendent of Schools
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL BY GRADE πππ
Please refer to the updated 2023-2024 School Calendar below for school times and important dates, including early release, vacations, etc. The first day of school will be based on your child(ren)βs grade:
PreK: First Day is September 7th
Kindergarten: First Day is September 5th
Grades 1-8: First Day is August 30th
OPEN HOUSES π«ππ
We understand starting at a new school can be anxious for many students and their parents, so we want to ease those fears and limit any barriers to a triumphant return to school. Therefore, all schools have set up open houses to give families and students a chance to meet their teacher(s) and hear some basic information about what to expect as we head into a new school year. If you are unable to attend the open house scheduled, please contact the principal directly.
Fairfield School - Grades K-2:
August 24th from 4:30-6:30pm
Young School - Grades K-2:
August 24th from 4:30-6:30pm
CK Burns School - Grades 3-5:
August 28th from 4:30-6:30pm
Saco Middle School - Grades 6-8:
August 28th from 4:30-6:30pm
Pre-K Visit Day:
September 5 & 6, 2023
UPCOMING DATES TO KNOW π
Wednesday, August 23: School Board at 5pm at Saco City Hall
Friday, September 1: NO SCHOOL
Monday, September 4: NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, September 6th: Our first abbreviated Wednesday. Specific dismissal procedures will be communicated by building principals. As a reminder, the schedule is as follows:
- Pre-K Β½ day AM programming: Dismissal at 10:30am
- Pre-K Β½ day PM programming & Full Day: Dismissal at 1:15pm
- Fairfield and CK Burns: Dismissal at 1:15pm
- Young School: Dismissal at 1:25pm
- SMS: Dismissal at 2:15pm
DISTRICT HAPPENINGS π
STATE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS UPDATE π§
On August 9th, Sacoβs School Board meeting included an updated presentation from Oak Point (see minute 23). Traffic permitting and evaluations have continued throughout the summer with ongoing meetings between the Department of Transportation, the Department of Education, and the contracted services for analysis of current and future traffic impacts. Additionally, we have continued to refine indoor floor layouts and model exterior building designs. In September, we will be meeting with teachers to continue to explore needs for each building and schedule additional public meetings to share progress.
TRANSPORTATION
Coordinating transportation needs is a major undertaking to finalize bus routes, stops, times, and number of runs required and record in our information system. With school starting in two weeks, completing transportation information is extremely impactful to our school administration.. The transportation request link was included in the registration process, additionally, it is available on our website.
Starting August 25th families will receive emails about their childβs confirmed bus number and be directed to the BusRight App to follow their students' bus the morning of school. For more information on BusRight please visit the Saco Schools website at www.sacoschools.org and navigate to Departments β Transportation for detailed information.
REQUIRED FOR ALL: Registration
Every year families are asked to complete the registration process through the InfoSnap Portal. All families were sent a snapcode email at the start of August. We thank the majority of parents who have taken the time to complete this process. If you have not completed the process please do so as soon as possible as this impacts your child's ability to:
Receive transportation services
Attend field trips
Receive medication from the nurse
If you are in need of the registration information again please reach out to your student's school as soon as possible.
FREE MEALS + 2 QUESTIONS = MILLIONS IN SCHOOL FUNDING
In public schools in Maine, youth will again have access to free breakfast and lunch this year which meet nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although there is no charge, parents will be asked to complete the economic status questions during online registration as the data provided is used to determine our school funding, including Title 1 funds for special education programs, before/after and summer school programs; discounts on laptop insurance and internet; and teacher's student loan forgiveness.
HEALTH UPDATE
Please take the time to read the important health information update from the school nurses below to ensure your child(ren) have a smooth, healthy transition and that you have all the information you need to prevent any disruptions to starting the school year. This update addresses everything from required immunizations to medication use to head lice protocols.
DEVICES FOR STUDENTS
Students in the Saco School Department will be assigned a school-owned device for the 2023-2024 school year. The expectation is that students/parents will take proper care of the device and return it in a similar condition.
To begin the year, students in grades K through 5 will be assigned a device that will stay at school, but will be ready to go home in the event of unexpected circumstances. PreK will be allotted a set of devices for classroom use when deemed appropriate.
Students in Grades 6-8 will be issued a device that may go home with them each day (as determined by their teachers/building). Students should bring their device to school each day fully charged. Devices will be assigned during scheduled distribution events on August 22nd (4:30 - 6:30pm) and August 28th (4:30 - 6:30pm) or during the first week of school.
Device Protection Plan:
The Device Protection Plan is strongly recommended for students in grades 6-8. For grades PreK through 5, the Device Protection Plan is not necessary or offered.
The Device Protection Plan can be opted in through the Powerschool online enrollment registration. Post registration, you may contact the school office to opt in and pay the fee by cash/check only.
For problems/issues with devices, students/parents should immediately inform the student's teacher, who will then contact the Technology Department. This will keep the teacher and others at the school aware of the situation and the remedy.
BUS RIGHT
The Saco School Department uses a transportation system called BusRight, a system to improve routes and communication. BusRight allows parents to keep track of their childβs school bus route to and from school directly from their smartphone.
The BusRight app allows users, in real-time, to follow their childβs bus route to and from school, receive notifications when the bus begins and ends its route, view the expected arrival time at the designated bus stop, and receive communication from the Transportation Department.
A guide to the BusRight app can be found here along with the parent Q&A.
PARENTING EDUCATION & RESOURCES
Free Food Distribution
Monday-Friday from June 20-August 18th
Breakfast 8-8:30am; Lunch 11:30am-12pm
Locations:
- McArthur Library, 270 Main St., Biddeford
- Saco Park & Rec, 75 Franklin St., Saco
Additional sites will offer free breakfast and lunch to children 18 years and younger who are ENROLLED in the following programs:
Biddeford Park & Rec programs being held at BIS and JFK from 6/26-8/18/23; Breakfast 8-8:30am; Lunch 11:30am-12pm
Saco Park & Rec programs being held at Fairfield and C.K. Burns School from 6/20-8/18/23; Breakfast 8-8:30am; Lunch 11:30am-12pm
Comfort Inn, Saco, from 6/20-8/18/23; Breakfast 8-8:30am; Lunch 11:30am-12pm
Youth Full Maine Food Distribution - Open to ALL
- 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month (June 28, July 12, 26, August 9, 23) from 10:30-11:30am at CK Burns School in Saco
- 3rd Wednesday of each month (June 21, July 19, and August 16) from 10am-12pm at Rotary Park in Biddeford
- Each Thursday (June 15, 22, 29; July 6, 13, 20, 27; August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31) from 1:30pm-2:30pm at Dayton Town Hall in Dayton
Be sure to check the Youth Full Maine Facebook page or website calendar for changes in the schedule. FMI: info@youthfullme.org or (207) 391-0185.