The Harrison Herald
Volume 4; Issue 1 2023-2024
Harrison Elementary School's october/November Newsletter

Mark Your Calendars

• October 4: Scoopie Night (Milton Ave. 4:30-7:30pm)
• October 16: PTO Meeting at Havana Coffee (6:00pm)
• October 19: PTO Trunk-or-Treat (5:30-6:30)
• October 24: Noodles & Company Night (4:00-8:00pm)
• October 25: Conferences and Book Fair 4-7pm (School in Session)
• October 26: Conferences and Book Fair 8am-7pm (NO SCHOOL)
• October 27: NO SCHOOL - Students and Staff
• November 2: Picture Retake Day
• November 3: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Professional Development Day
• November 13: PTO Meeting at Havana Coffee (6:00 pm)
• November 17: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Work Day
• November 22-24: NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Spring Sings- Friday, April 26

• Kindergarten: 8:45
• 1st Grade: 9:30
• 2nd Grade: 10:15
• 3rd Grade: 12:30
• 4th Grade: 1:15
• 5th Grade: 2:00

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST HARRISON STAFF!

Kristina Kunavich- 1st Grade
Genna Robinson- 2nd Grade
Rachel Rogers- Cross Categorical Special Education
Thomas Ashmus- Cross Categorical Special Education
Christie Wright- Social Worker
Valerie Herzog- Music
Amber Cano- Special Education Paraprofessional
Tonya Eichelt- Special Education Paraprofessional
Trinitie Lissa- Special Education Paraprofessional
Michele Leverson- Special Education Paraprofessional

Color Run Fun!

Huge thanks to our amazing PTO and all of our Harrison families and staff for making this year’s color run such a success!

Congrats to our Hawk Heroes

Each month Harrison Elementary School recognizes the students who have done a fantastic job of demonstrating our three Hawk Habits of being safe, respectful, and responsible here at school.

The following students were recognized as our Hawk Heroes for the month of September:

Kindergarten:

• Noah Frye- Mrs. Maresch’s class
• Morgan Holmstrom- Mrs. Demerath’s class
• Zayden Bobzien- Mr. Martin’s class

First Grade:

• Riley Pitstick- Mrs. Astin’s class
• Aubrey Neumueller- Mrs. Sarauer’s class
• Kalani Rodriguez- Ms. Kunavich’s class

Second Grade:

• Cordell Athow- Mrs. Wormet’s class
• Colton Hanson- Ms. Robinson’s class
• Endyr Eggleson- Mrs. Brewer’s class

Third Grade:

• Jett Eichelt- Ms. Madarik’s class
• Cameron Peterson- Mrs. Tourdot’s class

Fourth Grade:

• Owen Gant- Mrs. Spiering’s class
• Lucas King- Mrs. Whitney’s class

Fifth Grade:

• Anna Baumel- Ms. Schmaling’s class
• Jacob Garnica- Ms. Thorson’s class

 

Child Find Notice

Upon request, the School District of Janesville is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services. A request for evaluation is known as a referral. When the district receives a referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to determine if the child has a disability, and if the child needs special education services. The district locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private (including religious) schools, elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district.

A student with a medically diagnosed disability is not automatically eligible for special education. An outside medical diagnosis is insufficient of special education eligibility. A student must be found eligible as a “child with a disability” under state and federal special education law. A student with a disability is one who requires specially designed instruction as a result of meeting the criteria for at least one of the identified disability categories under state and federal special education law. A student cannot start receiving special education services without a full and individual comprehensive special education evaluation completed by the student’s district. Outside evaluations and other information shared by the parent, such as medical diagnoses, are considered during the evaluation and may provide supporting or new information about the student’s academic and functional skills important for determining the nature and extent of the student’s disability and education needs. 34 CFR §§ 300.8 and 300.301. Wis. Stat. § 115.76(5).

A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child's parent that the referral will be made.

Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides.

Referrals must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability. A referral may be made by contacting Mrs. Kimberli Peerenboom, Director of Pupil Services, School District of Janesville, at 608-743-5061, or by writing her at 527 S. Franklin Street, Janesville, WI, 53548.

"Directory data" includes the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, degrees and awards received, and the name of the school most recently previously attended by the student.

School District of Janesville

CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH CHILD FIND ACTIVITIES

The School District of Janesville is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children, with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find. This agency conducts the following child find activities each year in the form of Early Childhood and Speech and Language Developmental Screenings. This notice informs parents of the records the school district will develop and maintain as part of its child find activities. This notice also informs parents of their rights regarding any records developed.

The school district gathers personally identifiable information on any child who participates in child find activities. Parents, teachers, and other professionals provide information to the school related to the child’s academic performance, behavior, and health. This information is used to determine whether the child needs special education services. Personally identifiable information directly related to a child and maintained by the school is a pupil record. Pupil records include records maintained in any way including, but not limited to, computer storage media, video and audiotape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. Records maintained for personal use by a teacher and not available to others and records available only to persons involved in the psychological treatment of a child are not pupil records.

The school district maintains several classes of pupil records.

"Progress records" include grades, courses the child has taken, the child's attendance record, immunization records, required lead screening records, and records of school extra-curricular activities. Progress records must be maintained for at least five years after the child ceases to be enrolled.

"Behavioral records" include such records as psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, written statements relating specifically to the pupil's behavior, tests relating specifically to achievement or measurement of ability, physical health records other than immunization and lead screening records, law enforcement officers' records, and other pupil records that are not "progress records." Law enforcement officers' records are maintained separately from other pupil records. Behavioral records may be maintained for no longer than one year after the child graduates or otherwise ceases to be enrolled, unless the parent specifies in writing that the records may be maintained for a longer period of time. The school district informs parents when pupil records are no longer needed to provide special education. At the request of the child's parents, the school district destroys the information that is no longer needed.

"Pupil physical health records" include basic health information about a pupil, including the pupil's immunization records, an emergency medical card, a log of first aid and medicine administered to the pupil, an athletic permit card, a record concerning the pupil's ability to participate in an education program, any required lead screening records, the results of any routine screening test, such as for hearing, vision or scoliosis, and any follow-up to the test, and any other basic health information, as determined by the state superintendent. Any pupil record relating to a pupil's physical health that is not a pupil physical health record is treated as a patient health care record under sections 146.81 to 146.84, Wisconsin Statutes. Any pupil record concerning HIV testing is treated as provided under section 252.15, Wisconsin Statutes.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and section 118.125, Wisconsin Statutes, afford parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") the following rights with respect to education records:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of receipt of the request. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal [or appropriate school official] a written request that identifies the records(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The school district will comply with the request without unnecessary delay and before any meeting about an individualized education program, or any due process hearing, and in no case more than 45 days after the request has been made. If any record includes information on more than one child, the parents of those children have the right to inspect and review only the information about their child or to be informed of that specific information. Upon request, the school district will give a parent or eligible student a copy of the progress records and a copy of the behavioral records. Upon request, the school district will give the parent or eligible student a list of the types and locations of education records collected, maintained, or used by the district for special education. The school district will respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records. A representative of the parent may inspect and review the records.

The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask [Name of] School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in the student's education records, except to the extent that federal and state law authorize disclosure without consent. The exceptions are stated in 34 CFR 99.31, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations; Sec. 9528, PL107-110, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; and section 118.125(2)(a) to (m) and sub. (2m), Wisconsin Statutes. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Also the district discloses "directory data" without consent, unless the parent notifies the district that it may not be released without prior parental consent.

The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605.

The Harrison Herald
Volume 4; Issue 2 2023-2024
Harrison Elementary School's December/January Newsletter

Mark Your Calendars

• December 4-5: Seal-A-Smile Dental Visits
• December 12: Scoopie Night at Milton Avenue Culver’s (4:00- 8:00pm)
• December 22-January 1st: NO SCHOOL (Winter Break)
• January 2: School Resumes
• January 5: Virtual Bingo Night (6:00pm)
• January 8: PTO Meeting at Havana Coffee (6:00pm)
• January 15: NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
• January 19: NO SCHOOL (Teacher PD Day)
• February 2: Family Movie Night (6:00pm)
• February 19: PTO Meeting at Havana Coffee (6:00pm)
• February 20: Scoopie Night at Milton Avenue Culver’s (4:00-8:00pm)
• February 22: End of Trimester 2
• February 23: NO SCHOOL (Staff work day)

Reminders:

• Students go outside for recess if the "feels like" temperature is zero degrees or above. Please make sure your child has all of the winter clothing items s/he needs to stay warm each day.
• The school-side of Princeton Rd. is "stop, drop, and go" only. Adults parking on this side of the street should remain in their vehicle and pull ahead as cars move up to help with the flow of traffic. If you would like to get out of your car to walk your child to the playground, to talk with his/her teacher, or to give him/her one last hug, please park on the opposite side of the street.

Too Sick for school?

Making sure that your child is at school regularly is important for their learning because they miss important instruction each day they're absent. However, when your child is too sick to come to school, the best place for them to be is at home. So how do you know when your child is too sick for school? Just take a look at that School District of Janesville's "Too Sick for School" guidelines any time your child isn't feeling well.

RED LIGHT: I need to stay home if…

• I have a fever over 100.4 ℉
• I have vomited in the last 24 hours

• My eyes are stuck shut, bright red, oozing yellow or green. Contact your doctor.

• I am having diarrhea.

• I have a continuous cough or cough with fever, loss of energy, lack of appetite, vomiting after cough.

• I have an achy throat and swollen glands, fever, headache, less energy than usual. Contact your doctor.

• I have a stomach ache associated with vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and no interest in play.

• I have a rash with another symptom ie. fever, itching, vomiting, low energy.

 GREEN LIGHT: I am ready to go back to school when...

• My temperature is below 100.4℉ for 24 hours without any fever reducing medication.

• I have not vomited in the last 24 hours and I have energy.

• The white part of my eyes are only slightly pink and I have no drainage or have been on antibiotics for 24 hours.

• I have not had diarrhea for the last 24 hours and have energy.

• I only have sporadic cough and no other symptoms of illness.

• I have been on antibiotics for 24 hours or symptoms improve and I have my normal energy level back. 

• I am back to my normal activity level and I don’t have stomach ache symptoms.

• I have a note from my doctor if I have a contagious disease. I have a skin rash with no other symptoms.

School Communication

Did you know that you can report your student’s absence right from the Infinite Campus Parent Portal App?

• Click the menu button (three lines)
• Click ‘Absence Requests’
• Enter the absence information (date/time/reason)
• Click ‘Submit’

As before, you can always report a student absence on our attendance line- 608-743-6430

Did you know that we have over 40 phone extensions at Harrison?

If you have a missed call from the school, please take a moment to check your voicemail first. The message left for you will likely include the name of the staff member who is trying to reach you, as well as their direct extension. Having this info when you call us back will help our office staff be able to assist you more efficiently.

Congratulations to our Hawk Heroes!

In October, Harrison Elementary School recognizes the students who have done a fantastic job of demonstrating growth mindset.

The following students were recognized as our Hawk Heroes for the month of October:

Kindergarten:

• Owen Brellenthin- Mrs. Maresch's class
• Piper Ramsey- Mrs. Demerath's class
• Mordecai Bingham- Mr. Martin's class

First Grade:

• Miracle Hardin- Mrs. Astin's class
• Ivy Brill- Mrs. Sarauer's class
• Logan Widner- Ms. Kunavich’s class
   

Second Grade:

• Hudson Visgar- Mrs. Wormet's class
• Sawyer Iler-Brecklin- Mrs. Brewer's class
• Generoso Miller- Ms. Robinson’s class

Third Grade:

• Henry Houchin- Ms. Madarik's class
• Thiana Ostria Hernandez- Mrs. Tourdot's class

Fourth Grade:

• Maggie Swenson -Mrs. Spiering's class
• Antonio Torres- Mrs. Whitney's class

Fifth Grade:

• Jaxon Reid- Ms Schmaling's class
• Russell Tourdot- Ms. Thorson's class

In November, Harrison Elementary School recognized the students who have done a fantastic job of demonstrating self control.

The following students were recognized as our Hawk Heroes for the month of November:

Kindergarten:

• Graciela Torres- Mrs. Maresch's class
• Joseph Lenders- Mrs. Demerath's class
• Arriana Nelson- Mr. Martin's class

First Grade:

• Sophia Lima Bonilha- Mrs. Astin's class
• Emery Bates- Mrs. Sarauer's class
• Ellie Webb-Ms. Kunavich’s class

Second Grade:

• Harper Zweifel- Mrs. Brewer’s class
• Walter Mongiat-Ms. Robinson's class
• Otis Marko-Mrs. Wormet’s class

Third Grade:

• Genesis Castellanos- Ms. Madarik's class
• Marri Parker-Mrs. Tourdot's class

Fourth Grade:

• Dominic Ipsen-Mrs. Spiering's class
• Lauryn O’Flahrity-Mrs. Whitney's class

Fifth Grade:

• Corinne Best-Ms Schmaling's class
• Elinor Braun-Ms. Thorson's class

 

Kindergarten Enrollment

2024-2025 School Year

School District Residents

If you have a child turning 5 (five) years old prior to September 1, 2024, and they are not currently enrolled in a School District of Janesville Preschool for Janesville (P4J) or Early Childhood (EC) program it is time to enroll in the Janesville Public School District. Enrollment will take place from December 1, 2023, through December 15, 2023, at the Educational Services Center located at 527 S. Franklin St. (administration building) in the New Student Enrollment office by appointment only. Please call (608) 743-5011. If you cannot attend during the enrollment period please make an appointment as soon as possible to enroll after December 15, 2023.

When you enroll, you will need your photo identification, proof of residency (Utility bill, current term lease, or government issued statement), your child’s birth certificate, and immunization records.

Transfer Requests for 2024-2025 School Year

The window for Requests for School Transfer/Placement within the School District (yellow forms) for incoming kindergarten students are available from December 1, 2023, through December 15, 2023, and should be submitted during the enrollment process. Current proof of residence and a photo ID are required when submitting a transfer request.

If you have questions regarding the transfer process contact Deen Hartley at 608-743-5152. The status of requests will be determined by January 15, 2024 if they are turned in by December 15, 2023. If you have a student currently attending a school under a School Transfer/Placement within the School District, it does not automatically qualify your kindergarten student for attendance at the same school. You must submit a transfer request during the Kindergarten Enrollment time frame.

If you know of a child in your neighborhood or from community activities that would be entering kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year, please pass this enrollment information on.

Non-District Residents

If you are a non-resident of the School District of Janesville and have a child turning 5 (five) years old prior to September 1, 2024, and would like your child to attend the School District of Janesville you must also apply for OPEN ENROLLMENT. The timeline for Open Enrollment is February 5, 2024, to April 30, 2024. Currently, open enrolled non-residents in a P4J or EC program do not need to re-apply. If you have questions regarding the Open Enrollment process, please contact Deen Hartley at 608-743-5152.

From the staff at Harrison Elementary, we wish you a restful and rejuvenating Winter Break. We hope you take time to make some beautiful memories with your families during this season! We can’t wait to see you in 2024!