Quick Reminder: As we return on Monday, Sept. 8th, we are expecting parents/family members to say their goodbyes outside of the building and have students walk in on their own! We will continue to have plenty of staff up front, ready to assist.
Thank you for your help in making our building safe!!
7:40 - 7:55: Students should not arrive prior to 7:40. All students enter through the main doors. Breakfast is served. Students may not enter the building until the bell rings at 7:40.
8:00 am: School begins
2:35 pm: Dismissal for all walkers
2:40 pm: Dismissal for bussers
September-
1 - Labor Day
2-3 - Raider Set Go! Conferences
4 - First Day of School
8 - PTA Meeting @ 7:15 in the Pinecrest Media Center
11 - Back to School Picnic 5:30 - 7:00 at Pinecrest Playground
17 - Picture Day
22 - No School: Staff Development
October
6 - PTA Meeting @ 7:15 in the Pinecrest Media Center
10 - No School: Teacher Workshop
13-14 - Evening Conferences
15 - No School: Conferences
16-17 - No School: Teacher Association Days
22 - Picture Retake Day
Kindergarten Lunch Helpers
There are still spots available to volunteer to help the kindergarteners at lunch for the first few weeks. Please click the link to the right to sign up.
School Safety- Get Your ID Scanned
If you're new to the school or haven’t picked up your child early before, please stop by the office before or after school to have your government-issued ID scanned. This quick step will help make our new pickup process smoother and more efficient.
New Safety Processes
As we begin this new school year, we will be implementing some updated safety procedures designed to strengthen our overall security. One change that will be implemented immediately is our process for picking students up early and dropping off items. If you are dropping off an item, we ask that it is left on the round table in the vestibule. There will be paper and pen to label the item. We will then get the item to your child.
If you need to pick up your child early for an appointment or from the nurse’s office, we ask that you follow the process below:
Please contact the front office if you're planning to pick up early.
When you arrive and have parked your car, please call the office at 651-480-7280. We will then contact the classroom and have your child walk to the office.
Then, we ask that you enter the first set of doors, ring the doorbell to let us know that you've arrived, show your driver's license to the camera, and wait in the vestibule. Thank you in advance for your patience as you wait for your child.
When your child arrives at the office, we will send them out to meet you in the vestibule.
In order to make this process more seamless, it's important that we have your driver's license on file in our security system. If you've never picked up early from school, please stop by the office before or after school so we can add you to our system.
Picture Day
Important Message from Cahill Studios!
Pinecrest Elementary School Picture Day is on:
Wednesday, September 17th
Cahill Studios will be sending you important picture day information from the following email address: no-reply@imagequix.com so keep a lookout. This is where you'll receive your online gallery link as well!
View your 100+ FREE Background options and Picture Day Survival Guide on the Cahill Studios website!
How to Order?
All galleries will be online to view and order 2-5 business days after picture day.
All online orders placed within 7 days of link delivery will have the option of Free Shipping to the school and will receive a FREE Low-Resolution Digital Download in any Package and BYOP bundle so don't forget to order!
Don't like your first day photo?
Wait to purchase photos, and your student can have their picture taken on Retake Day: Wednesday, October 22nd.
Educational Benefits
Did you know "Educational Benefits" are more than Free and Reduced Lunches? By qualifying for benefits, families can access WIC Benefits, the Metro Transit Assistance Program, reduced internet programs (FCC Affordable Connectivity Program), and scholarships or discounts on camps, athletic programs and child care.
All families are encouraged to apply as these benefits also help Hastings schools qualify for education funding, discounts, and other meal programs that benefit all students.
Link to apply: https://frapps.horizonsolana.com/HASS01
Pinecrest Pride
Dear Pinecrest Families,
As part of our school community, we value Pinecrest PRIDE, which stands for: Problem solving, Respect/responsibility, Independence, Demonstrating self-control, and Empathy. During the first month of school our PRIDE acronym will be reviewed and demonstrated in various ways throughout the school day. As the school year progresses, students will have opportunities to earn PRIDE tickets for positively demonstrating PRIDE throughout the school day.
When a student receives a PRIDE ticket, they will be entered into a drawing. This drawing will take place at the end of each week starting in October. Students from each grade level will be drawn and their name will be read aloud during morning announcements. If their name is drawn, they will get to come to the office to pick from the PRIDE bucket. This year, we will be incorporating a new PRIDE incentive- charm bracelets. During your student’s Raider-Set-Go meeting with their teacher, students were given a charm bracelet and the opportunity to add 1-2 charms to their bracelet. As the year continues, when their name is pulled from the PRIDE drawing, they will be able to choose charms to add or change on their bracelet. We are very excited as a staff to start the year off in such a ‘charming’ way and to have a common incentive for each student to work towards as they showcase their Pinecrest PRIDE each day.
Sincerely,
Pinecrest Staff
Reporting Absences
Absences should be reported prior to the start of the school day. You can do this two ways: call the attendance line at 651-480-7281 and leave a message, or submit an absence request using your parent portal. An absence reported through the portal must be a full-day absence.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING AN ABSENCE REQUEST
Log into your Campus Parent Portal Account (via a computer or using the mobile app)
Select MORE and then ABSENCE REQUEST (or look under "Shortcuts" for the Absence Request link)
Fill in the required information including:
Mark the student(s) who will be absent
Select the reason the student will be absent from the Excuse dropdown list
Select "Full Day Absence" as the Absence type.
Select the date(s) the student will be absent.
Use the comments field to provide additional details on the absence
Click on the Submit button to save and submit your request
End of Day Transportation Changes
When there is a change to your child’s normal dismissal plan, please contact the main office at 651-480-7280 by 1:35 pm if possible so we are able to get a message to your child and their teacher before the end of the day.
Back to School Picnic
Join us for the Pinecrest Playground Back to School Picnic on Thursday, September 11th! There will be hot dogs, chips, water and friends! Bring your family and spend some time with Pinecrest friends and families and meet some of our new Kindergarten families!
To help this event run smoothly, we could use your help. Please consider signing up for a shift below!
Thank you!
Join the Pinecrest PTA! Meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 7:15 pm in the Pinecrest media center. New members are always welcome!
Visit our Pinecrest Elementary Community Facebook Page for more information!
Immunizations
In order to attend school, students must show that they're in compliance with Minnesota School Immunization Requirements (see the Minnesota Department of Health Link below for more Information). Hastings School's immunization policy states that students who are not up to date on their immunizations will not be allowed to start school until they provide the school with documentation that they have received the required immunizations.
Parents/guardians may check their student's immunization status by logging on to the parent portal in Infinite Campus. To see the immunization records, click on the HEALTH tab. If your student's immunization status says "current for grade" in ALL immunizations required by law, then the student is up to date and ready for the start of school. If your student is not current, they will need to get the required immunizations to attend the first day of school. Yearly physicals with their healthcare provider are strongly encouraged for students to have optimal health.
Parents/guardians may choose to decline immunizations for their students by filing a legal exemption with the school. Student Immunization Form
If you have further questions, please reach out to our building nurse: McKenzie DeBuono, mdebuono@isd200.org
Keep Sick Kids Home
If your child is ill, please keep them home from school and school-based activities. People who are ill can spread the disease to others! The Center for Disease Control recommends that people who are sick stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. The fever should be gone WITHOUT the use of fever-reducing medicine.
A student should not come to school (and may be sent home from school) if they have or have had:
a fever of 100 degrees F or more in the past 24 hours
vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
an undiagnosed skin rash
If you have further questions, please reach out to McKenzie in our health office at 651-480-7286.
Hastings Public Schools
The Hastings School District consists of approximately 4,300 students. Please click on the links below to email the building principal or site leader. We've also included the phone numbers to the main offices of each of our district's sites:
Tilden Community Center 651-480-7670
Kennedy Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7221
McAuliffe Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7390
Pinecrest Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7280
Hastings Middle School(5-8) 651-480-7060
Hastings High School (9-12) 651-480-7470
Hastings Alternative Learning Center 651-480-7690
*If you need any assistance in translating this newsletter, contact us at kgorr@isd200.org.
Website: www.hastings.k12.mn.us
Location: 1000 11th Street West, Hastings, MN, USA
Phone: 651-480-7000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hastingspublicschools
