Please help keep our students (and all pedestrians) who walk to and from school safe by following driver safety laws. Although most students use the crosswalk at the stop sign on Wilson St. to cross the road, it is important to be alert for students crossing anywhere near school grounds. You have an important role in keeping our students safe by following these law tips.

• Drivers must come to a complete stop at stop signs.
• Pedestrians have the right-of-way in a crosswalk, so drivers must yield.
• Drivers cannot park within 20 feet of a crosswalk. This means if you pick your child up and are in the car line near the crosswalk, you are obligated to leave this much space.
• Drivers cannot park within an intersection. Again, if you pick up your child, wait patiently until cars move forward to avoid getting caught in the intersection.

Our local law enforcement partner with our school to assist with safety and will ticket if necessary to protect our students. Modeling expected driver safety is essential and contagious! Be a role model for our children and other drivers.

Drop Off & Pick Up:

• To help promote a safe and productive start to your child’s day, please be sure to drop your child off no earlier than 8:15 a.m. because students are not allowed to enter the building until that time, and there is no adult supervision outside prior to then.
• Students may enter the building through the bus loop doors beginning at 8:15 a.m., walk directly to the cafeteria (no stops to classrooms or other areas please) before the first bell rings at 8:25 a.m., and wait until they are dismissed to their classroom by the bell. Students arriving after the tardy bell, but before 8:30 a.m., may also enter the bus loop doors, and go directly to their classroom. Students arriving after the tardy bell (8:30 a.m.) must enter the building through the main entrance and be accompanied by a parent or guardian to be signed in at the office.
• Please drive up as far as possible in the loop to drop off or pick up your child. Any where there is a painted blue line on the sidewalk area is where students should get in and out of vehicles.
• Please do not drop your child off or pick your child up in the front of the building unless you are parking and entering the building with your child or to pick your child up.
• Please do not drop your child off or pick your child up in the road. This is extremely dangerous and our local law enforcement patrols our street frequently to support school procedures and enforce the law for student safety.
• Please do not park your car to drop your child off or pick your child up unless you are entering the building. Parking is limited at Scott School, and this creates challenges for staff to get to work on time and creates more sight line barriers for pedestrians and drivers after school.
• Students who are picked up after school are to wait on the sidewalk area located on the south side of the building where the parent driving loop is. Adult supervision will be at the loop after school daily to supervise students and assist with safety.
• Although our students quickly learn the procedures for being dropped off and picked up, your help in following our guidelines will help ensure and model safety for our students.

Parking Lot & Other Safety Requests:

• Please avoid parking in the parking lot to drop off or pick up your child. Use the loop - that's what it's designed for. Parking should only occur when a parent/guardian must enter the building.
• Please resist the urge to drop your child off or pick your child up on Logan Street (across the bridge on our playground). Drop off and pick up locations other than the area that is designated (driving loop) for this creates safety concerns. We care about your child!
• Please drive the speed limit (25 mph) and come to a complete stop at the stop sign on Wilson St. Our 2nd and 3rd grade walkers and bikers often cross here and trust that you are watching for them.

Even though it's normal for students to experience some anxiety at the start of the school year, students who rely on school staff to help find their classroom become independent more quickly and settle in faster. Please help this process by trusting our school staff to assist students the first week and throughout the year instead of walking your child to class. However, please communicate with us if your child continues to experience significant anxiety and stress about transitioning to school. We are happy to help!

Scott School staff adopted the slogan, "When you focus on the good, the good gets better." this year. I hope you can join us with this same positive outlook on everything you do - - - whether it be at school, work, or home, our attitude and perspective on things really does make a difference in our lives but also our children and student lives!

Construction is wrapping up at Scott School, and nearly all spaces that are new additions or remodeled ones are complete. The office and library have both opened and our Makerspace will be ready for use soon. Thank you for understanding and being flexible throughout the construction process. It has been a large undertaking but was much needed and well worth it. We appreciate our community passing the bond that made it possible.

From time to time, students are allowed to bring something from home to share with their classmates, and sometimes they ask to bring their dog or cat. Although we would love for students to be able to share their furry friends with us, we ask that pets are ones that are live in cages (ie. bird, guinea pig, etc.) to reduce anxiety for both students and animals and because of allergens from fur and dander in animal saliva. Although our therapy dog, Buddy, visits Scott School, we prohibit his access to classrooms assigned to students who are allergic. Please communicate with your child's classroom teacher if this is the case for your child, or if you have other concerns about our therapy dog that may affect your child. Buddy is planning to start visits with his owner/trainer, Lolie, to Scott on Mon., 9/16.

Please recognize there are some Scott students who have health-threatening nut allergies in our building. Medical needs of students are being thoroughly reviewed at this time. More information about whether Scott School will or won't be 'Nut Free' this year, will be communicated to families before the start of the year. In the case that Scott School is not 'Nut Free' throughout, please know that there are 'Nut Free' classrooms and procedures put in place such as using baby wipes to wipe tables and other items and a 'Nut Free' table in the cafeteria. We strive to help all students build self-awareness by teaching safety and advocacy to protect our school community and the people in it. Please always contact your child's teacher if you have a concern about an allergy or other health condition that they should be aware of. Also, don't forget to update your child's Medical Management Plan by completing and submitting the district forms to the office at the start of the year.

In order for Scott School personnel to administer medication to your child, you must:

• Submit a completed district medication form to our office.
• Be sure all medications are brought to and stored in our office.
• Be sure prescription medication is in its original container accompanied with a physician’s signature.
• Be sure non-prescription medication is in its original container accompanied by a parent’s signature.
• Please communicate with your child's teacher if he/she takes medication daily at school.
• If your child has a medical condition, please be sure to complete a Medical Management Plan for your child and turn it in at the office.

Medication and other medical forms can be found on our DeWitt Public Schools website.

Looking for a way to get involved and volunteer for DeWitt Public Schools? Become a DeWitt PTA member, and you can do just that. The beauty of this organization is you can do as much or as little as you wish, but your membership alone contributes in many ways to our elementary schools. Check out the DeWitt Elementary PTA website and consider joining a team of wonderful individuals who collaborative and do so many things that support students in DeWitt.

Scott School loves to have helpful parent/guardian volunteers and chaperones. If you’re interested in helping in your child’s classroom, the building, or a class trip, you MUST complete an ICHAT (volunteer background check) first. This background check is only good for one year, so if you completed one last year, you’ll need to complete a new one again this year. Staff and students appreciate all our families do to support learning at Scott!

Our school social worker, Mrs. Schwarz, is always willing to assist students and families in any way possible. In addition to working closely with your child's teacher, consider reaching out to her if you have questions or need support. She is truly amazing at what she does! She can be reached at 517-668-3446 or schwarzdea@dewittschools.net.