1-10-25 Walnut Ridge News and Updates
Suzanne MacDougall
January 10, 2025
Dear Walnut Ridge Families,
This is the Walnut Ridge School News Page--thank you for reviewing upcoming events, updates, and reminders that are posted here each week.
Upcoming events:
January 15 OR 29 (one session per class): Wash the Germs Away Program
Sussex County Dept of Health will be giving a short presentation of “Wash Away the Germs.” The presentation will include a story and a discussion about germs. Students will be able to see what germs look like under a UV light.
January 20th: School Closed for Martin Luther King Day
Important Reminders:
Please continue to keep your child’s colored tag on his/her back pack for the month of January.
Please label your child’s lunch box and backpack--writing your child’s name on the inside will help. At times, one of these items is left on the bus, and this will help us get it back to your child quickly.
Our classrooms are Peanut/Tree Nut Responsible. To ensure the safety of all students, please send a pre-packaged snack or a snack with a clearly labeled list of ingredients for your child. Snacks must not contain peanuts or tree nuts. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe environment!
Reminder for student pick up:
Please remember to log into the Genesis system if you are picking your child up instead of him/her taking the bus AND/OR someone else is picking your child up. For a step-by-step guide, watch this instructional video.
Calling students for Parent Pick-Up will begin at 3:20pm. Parents are encouraged to arrive earlier so they can sign their child out and then wait for their child to come out to them when called. Over the last two weeks, our system has become more streamlined and parents should be able to get to Cedar Mountain or Rolling Hills if needed to pick up siblings on time.
**We kindly ask parents to avoid picking up their child early unless it is absolutely necessary. Early pickups can disrupt the classroom’s end-of-day routine, which includes packing up, lining up, and transitioning to the all-purpose room. Please keep in mind that most classrooms have only one aide, and maintaining consistency is important for a smooth dismissal process.
Unlike many schools, our preschool students are personally walked down to their parents at the end of the day, ensuring a safe and secure handoff. Your cooperation helps us provide the best experience for all children. Thank you for your understanding and support!**
Breakfast/Lunch Updates and Reminders:
The students seem to enjoy eating in the all purpose room/cafeteria. They are doing a nice job at taking care of their lunch boxes, water bottles, and do their best to open and close their containers and food wrappers.
All students who would like to have a school breakfast or lunch must use the google form to order each day. Scroll up to find the links to the google forms on this WR webpage. Parents can order for a month,week, or day week at a time. Please note, orders must be received by 8:00am.
If your child is absent, please email abarnable@vtsd.com to prevent being charged for your child’s meal.
Other News and Updates:
Walnut Ridge Parent/Caregiver Survey Understanding and Improving School Attendance: To ensure that our school can best support your child and improve student attendance, we kindly ask that you complete the following survey. Your feedback is essential in identifying reasons for student absences and developing strategies to encourage regular attendance. All responses will remain confidential. Please click here to access the survey.
SCA News:
Please click on the links below for information on current fundraisers:
Please complete this brief interest survey:
Walnut Ridge SCA Interest Survey
Preschool and Kindergarten Registration:
Preschool: All current students who are preschool age (meaning NOT 5 by October 1) will automatically be enrolled in the preschool. There is nothing parents need to do.
New preschool student registration date will be some time in March--date will be announced shortly.
Kindergarten: Current preschool students going to Kindergarten will automatically be moved up to Kindergarten. No registration necessary. Please stay tuned for information on Kindergarten orientation and parent information sessions.
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year--looking forward to 2025 with all of you! As always, feel free to reach out with any questions—we’re here to help!
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacDougall