2023-2024 Supply List - PDF Version to Download and Print, Salida WalMart also has a printed copy available.
TeacherLists - Preloaded carts with your student's supply list to purchase through your favorite online vendor
November 21, 2023
Longfellow Families,
Families of Longfellow Elementary-
With snow coming to our area and a chill in the air, it is the perfect time to curl up with a good book. By this time in the year, our school library has literally had thousands of books checked out and returned. As these books come home, take time to encourage your child to read. Students who read just 20 minutes per day are exposed to 1.8 million words in a year. Reading helps with their cognitive development, increases their language skills, improves imagination and creativity, and can help them relax. When comparing brain scans of students who read versus those who spend a large amount of time on screens, scientists discovered a significantly higher amount of development in the areas of language and literacy development among readers. Reading lays the groundwork for their future years of learning.
If you are reading with your student, choose books that are slightly above their reading level. If they hit a word they struggle with, don’t skip over it, and don’t have them guess. Help them sound it out and if they still struggle, supply them with the word. The mind is an amazing thing and over time it can connect those letters with the word and the word with the meaning. For our beginning readers, have them choose decodable books. The Salida Library has a collection and can help you find one for your beginning reader. If your child is reading independently, ask them about their book. Who is their favorite character and why?; What is the most exciting part of the story? Describe it to me.; and…What do you think will happen next? How would you write the rest of the story?
Two of the best parts about reading is it gives you time to connect with your child when you are reading together and it gives you a little break when they are independently reading. Thank you for all you do and thank you for supporting your child as they grow and blossom throughout the years.
Cory Scheffel
LES Principal
Upcoming Events:
4th Grade Winter Choir Concert, December 7th, 6:00-6:45, Longfellow Gym
School Supplies- Supplies lists are available at the top of this page. You can also find supply lists at teacherlists.com. On this site, the lists are pre-loaded into carts with retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Staples. Finally, you can find hard copies of our supplies lists at our local Walmart store.
Before and after school supervision–Please do not drop off your student before 7:50 or pick them up after 4:05. We want your child to be safe and our outside supervision does not extend beyond those times. Breakfast starts at 7:50. As you drop them off, if they are eating breakfast, watch them as they enter the building. If they aren’t eating breakfast, watch them enter the playground. If it’s after 7:50, once they enter one of those two areas, we have eyes on them.
Attendance– If your child is going to be absent, please contact our attendance secretary at 719-530-5261. Absences for reasons other than illness will be marked as unexcused. We will have our attendance dialer on to automatically notify you if your student is absent. You will get a call letting you know that you have a message from Salida Schools. We are utilizing this system to let you know as soon as possible that your child is absent. If you get a message and your child is here, don’t panic. Call the office at the number above. Often it can be a mistake on the attendance entry. These situations are our highest priority and we don’t stop working on it until we confirm the child is safe.
Communications–Throughout the year our primary form of communication will be email. If you hear of someone having difficulty, please have them contact the office so that we can make sure their contact information is up to date. For emergency situations and school closures, we will be communicating via the school messenger app. You can find information on downloading the school messenger app on the district’s homepage, salidaschools.com
Visiting the School–Anytime you are visiting the school, whether for a meeting or to pick up a child, please enter through the first set of the front doors and speak to the secretary through the service window. They’ll have you sign yourself in or sign your student out. This allows us to keep track of everyone who is in the building.
Lunch and Breakfast–Please be sure your child is on time if they plan on eating breakfast. Breakfast is served from 7:50-8:10. This year, meals are free for all. Even if you don’t need assistance, we ask that everyone fill out the meal assistance form (free and reduced lunch form.) This is crucial for a couple of reasons. First, it is still unclear what rate the state will be reimbursing the schools for each lunch. The meal assistance form will allow the federal government to backfill any amount not covered by the state. Second, some of our federal funding is based on the return rate of these forms. We understand that it has been difficult for some to fill out these forms through Infinite Campus. If you need help, please come by the office and we can assist you through the process.
Buses–Herding up to a hundred students to the buses can be a logistical challenge. At this point in the year, we are feeling extremely successful. If you have a change in the route plans for your child, please contact our transportation supervisor Evalyn Parks at 719-530-5231, the front office at 719-530-5261, and your child’s teacher so that we may ensure that your child arrives home safely.
Circle Drive–The circle drive is for immediate drop-off of students only. If you need time with your child, or you’d like to walk them to class, please park in the parking lot or along the street. We also ask that bikes avoid the circle drive as it adds an extra layer of danger for drivers as they are working to keep eyes on their student and all the other students in the area.
Bikes–Bikes should be walked when on the school campus (both students and parents.) They should be locked up throughout the school day. Please do not ride bikes in the bus area while they are picking up or dropping off students or in the circle drive.
Cell Phones–Cell Phones and smart watches are increasingly becoming an issue at school. Our policy is that phones and smart watches should be off and in their backpacks. If you need to communicate a message with your child, please do so via the front office or text them after 3:30 to minimize classroom disruptions.
Volunteering in the classroom– In early September, we will be sending out information on how to complete background checks in order to volunteer in the school.
School Services
School Nurse- Missy Tanner [email protected]
Please contact our school nurse if you have any questions about Medications/Care plans, Immunizations, Allergies, if your child is well enough to send to school or anything that may be affecting your child’s health.
School Counselor- Kelly Hamilton [email protected]
Please contact our school counselor if you have any questions about counseling, counseling groups, our Positive Behavior System, or any issues that might be affecting your child’s emotional wellbeing.
Partner Organizations
Longfellow Parent Association–provides grants, events, and support to the students, staff, and school throughout the school year. Please become a member. Application forms can be picked up in the front office.
Boys and Girls Club- provides after-school and Friday child care as well as enrichment opportunities. For more information, contact Kiki Lathrop at [email protected].
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Cory Scheffel
Principal
Longfellow Elementary School