Stonehedge News

This page provides thoughts and commentary from Amanda Simmons, the Principal of Stonehedge Elementary School in the West Genesee Central School District.

Dear Stonehedge Families-

We have had an exciting week here at Stonehedge! Several of our students won a trip to the book vending machine after our Wildcat WOW winners were announced. Officer Skardinski has started having pizza celebrations for lunch. Check out the pictures below! Have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs. Simmons

Stonehedge Main Office

phone: 315-487-4633

fax: 315-487-4699

email: stonehedgeoffice@westgenesee.org

Stonehedge Health Office

phone: 315-487-4636

fax: 315-487-4599

10/9 - PTA Meeting - 6:30pm - Library

10/10 - CODE Assembly Grades K, 1 and 2

10/11 - 4th Grade Spirit Day

10/14 - No School - Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day

10/15 - CODE Assembly Grades 3 & 4

10/16 - Wellness Wednesday

10/16 - BOE Meeting - 6:00pm - Split Rock Elementary Cafeteria

10/16 - Open Library Night - 6:30pm - 7:30pm - Stonehedge Library

10/17 - Kindergarten Night - 6:30pm - 7:30pm

10/23 - WGCSD Trunk or Treat - 5:00pm - 7:00pm - WGHS

This week we focused on the character open-mindedness. Open-minded people like to consider new ideas and try new things. They examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions.

3rd-graders from Miss Maltz's class talked about ways to be open-minded.

Important reminders for students dismissing by car. All changes in transportation must be made in writing. There is a 2:30pm deadline for early dismissal, students being picked up after 2:30 should plan on dismissing in the car line. Parents/Guardians should follow the traffic pattern pictured below. For the safety of our students we ask that you remain in your vehicle, staff members will be outside to assist during dismissal. While waiting in the line, please do not block the entrance or exit to the bus loop! All motor vehicles are prohibited from entering the bus loop.

Halloween is almost here and with that, we would like to share a schedule for Thursday, October 31st. If weather permits, we’ll host an outdoor parade welcoming spectators around the route. If the weather does not cooperate, we will have an indoor parade where spectators will not be permitted (decision will be made that morning).

The parade will begin promptly at 9:45 am with classroom parties to follow afterwards or later in the day. For those volunteering to help with parties, classroom teachers will contact you individually with information. Spectators at the outdoor parade do not need to sign in at the office. Please see the parade route and parking suggestions below.

Here are some reminders and guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of all, and to make the day enjoyable for everyone who participates:

1. Please send your child dressed in costume with a bag of regular clothes to change into after the parade and party.

2. All scary, bloody masks, weapons, spears or other dangerous accessories must remain at home. Please respect that our youngest students can be frightened easily and we want all participants to have an enjoyable experience.

3. We ask that those attending the parade dressed in costume also avoid wearing masks of any kind.

4. During the parade, students must stay with their classmates.

5. Please do not bring candy to pass out to students during the parade.

An alternative Fall Celebration will be held in our library during the parade for students who might not celebrate or are sensitive to the celebration. These students will participate in alternative seasonal activities until the parade is over.

Please be advised that no traffic will be allowed past the front circle beginning at 9:15am and continuing through the duration of the parade (see graphic above).

Parking is available in the following areas:

• Stonehedge bus loop (once buses have departed)

• West Genesee Intermediate School bus loop

Please be aware we are not allowing spectators to park in the district parking lot this year. Our UPK program utilizes the district office parking lot for their arrival beginning at 9:30am. We appreciate your compliance to reduce congestion in that area.

Staying connected is key to ensuring a successful school year for our Wildcats. Here are a couple of important ways to stay in the loop:

• Check bookbags and folders nightly: Classroom teachers send home valuable information and communication through this method. We don't want you to miss out on any important updates, so please make it a habit to review these each evening.

• Get ParentSquare up and running: This platform is essential for receiving regular communication from both the classroom and the building. It’s also where you’ll get time-sensitive messages when needed. If you have any questions or concerns about ParentSquare, please email us at stonehedgeoffice@westgenesee.org.

• Daily Routine: Please be sure to send you child to school each day with a water bottle and a snack. Students also need sneakers for gym. Also, be sure to LABEL ALL ITEMS, you will be glad you did!

By staying connected, we can ensure a smooth and successful school year for everyone!

As a reminder, we would like families to review our policy regarding electronic devices. Our elementary policy regarding such devices reads:

"Personally owned electronic games and devices, such as cell phones, CD players, iPods, remote control cars, hand-held video games etc., must be off and away throughout the school day. These items can be lost, stolen, broken and are a distraction. The school cannot and will not be responsible for these items. Please help us by keeping them at home."

Students who violate this policy may be subject to the following disciplinary sequence:

First Report:

The student will receive a warning.

Second Report:

Parents will be notified.

Third Report:

The device will be taken away and a parent/guardian will be required to pick it up.

Please note at this time all apple watches or similar devices are allowed but are not to be used for anything other than telling time and must not be a distraction, during school hours. These watches or similar devices will follow the same reports above if they are a distraction and/or being used inappropriately.

PTA Meeting

Join us for the next Stonehedge PTA on Wednesday, October 9, at 6:30 PM in the library! It's a great opportunity to meet fellow parents, learn about what we do, and discover how you can get involved in supporting our school community. We’d love to see you there!

The PTA District Council will be holding a Winter Coat Drive from October 1st through October 31st to benefit West Genesee families in need. Donations of winter wear can be brought to the school and placed in the designated blue donation bins. Your support is greatly appreciated.

While school lunch and breakfast are provided at no cost, items such as chips and ice cream are not included and must be purchased separately. Snacks and ice cream are an additional cost.

• Chips $1.00
• Ice Cream $1.50
• Milk $.75

For any and all information pertaining to breakfast and/or lunch, including the process of MySchoolBucks please visit the district's food service website!

Officer Skardinski celebrated his first pizza party of the school year with Mrs. Elliott's UPK class. The students were excited to share a fun lunch with him, enjoying pizza and lively conversation. It was a great opportunity for the kids to connect with Officer Skardinski and kick off the year with a memorable experience!

To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, the morning announcements included a special greeting in Spanish—"Buenos días"—to start the day. Additionally, 3rd-grade students should have received a flyer this week with details on signing up for the Spanish Club. Please check with your child if you haven't seen it yet.

The Scholastic Book Fair took place this week, and families enjoyed selecting books together

More around school.