Helpful Hints for New Families

Helpful Hints for Families New to HCE

1. Get involved —there are so many opportunities to get involved at school. Whether it’s helping out in your child’s classroom or at one of the many PTO events. Your kids love to see you helping out at school. It makes them feel proud to have mom, dad, grandma or grandpa in their space. If you’d like to get involved but don’t know how, contact PTO at hcepto@whitnall.com, or call the co-presidents listed on the contact list.
2. Check your child’s take home folder each day and read what’s coming home. The teacher, the office, and PTO send important information home in the take home folder. Also check the website for the Principal’s newsletter created by Mrs. Komas (Whitnall.com—select Hales Corners Elementary). Expect a Scoops newsletter from the PTO. The take home folder also gives you an opportunity to talk to your child about what he/she did at school that day. Although don’t be surprised if they only want to talk about snack and recess.
3. Back to school night is the time to bring your child’s school supplies to their classroom and meet their teacher. Many teachers have emergency card information for you to fill out. Remember to bring key information with you (i.e. work phone numbers and emergency contact information). Also bring your checkbook for some of the small fees like magazine subscriptions or assignment notebooks.
4. Carpool drop-off and pick-up. For the safety of all children, all families who are not bus riders are encouraged to use the carpool drop-off and pick-up as outlined by the school. K4 teachers and aides are available to help with K4 students at the designated drop-off/pick-up areas. There can be absolutely no parking and crossing from the east-bound side of Janesville Rd. This is a major safety hazard. Please do your part to get your child safely to school and keep all students safe.
5. Safety of all students is first and foremost. If you are entering the school building at any time you need to sign-in in the main office and get a visitor badge. If you’re coming in the morning and bringing a birthday treat or a project, please stop in the office before going to your child’s classroom. Before school is not the time to have an impromptu meeting with your child’s teacher. They are busy getting ready for the school day and supervising our children. If you have a question or concern for your child’s teacher, he or she is very accessible by e-mail or phone.
6. Conferences will be scheduled online this year. Conferences with your child’s teacher take place in November and March. You will be receiving more information about scheduling conferences in late October/early November.
7. Lunch is an important time of the day for all students. If you would like to pick a special day to come have lunch with your child, you are welcome to do so. The school just asks that you notify the teacher by e-mail. If you would like to have hot lunch with your child, let the main office know by 9:00 am so they can add you to the lunch count for the day. Also be aware that the lunch room is pretty packed because of the size of our student body.
8. CLAS Postal Delivery is a fun time for your student to receive mail at school. We encourage you and other family members to send a card or a letter to your child and encourage your child to send mail to their friends. Everyone loves to get mail. Mail dates are in October, December, February, and May. Mail can be put in the mailbox outside the main office up until 9 am on the day of mail delivery. Classroom addresses will be listed on the back of the directory and are also available on the HCE website.
9. Absences can be reported to school on the website at http://hce.whitnallschools.com . Click on the “Contact Us” tab; then click on “Student Absence Reporting” and complete the requested information. If you do not notify school, the school will contact you to verify the absence.
10. Attend HCE social events. Whether it’s tailgate parties, movie night or the ice cream social, these are all great events for you to meet and get to know other families. Look for information to come home about these and other HCE events.
11. Try to attend PTO meetings. We’re all busy with work and family and a million other things. PTO meetings are held once every-other month. They are on the third Tuesday in Sept., Nov., Jan., March, and May. Meetings start at 7:00 pm in the HCE library. All are welcome to share ideas or just come to listen to updates from Mrs. Komas, school and district personnel, and connect with other parents.