Frequently Asked Questions

First grade is a big year of transition.  

Below are the answers to some questions you may have about our building and first grade.

Contacting Me 

The best way to contact me is through e-mail at jbrubaker@northernyork.org

You can also call the school office at 432-8691 Ext. 1700 and leave a message for me.

Please remember we are very busy in first grade and I may not be able to respond until the end of the day.

To & From School

1.   Not riding the bus today? Please send a note, email or make a phone call to the school office if your child will not be riding the bus. If we do not hear from you, your child will be put on the bus.

2.   Change in routine transportation?  No child will be permitted to leave school without the consent of his/her legal guardian.  Please send a note to inform the school of any changes.

3.   Picking up your child before the end of the day?  When you arrive to pick up your child, go directly to the office.  The secretary will contact the classroom teacher to send your child to the office.

4.   Early dismissal? District excuse blank must be filled out and given to the teacher the morning of the early dismissal.

Sickness/Absence

1.   Sick?  Call the office to advise that your child is ill or is going to be late.   Call 432-8691 ext. 5557 prior to 9:00.

2.   Medication?  The nurse must approve all medicine.  This includes cough drops, aspirin, throat lozenges, etc.

3.   Returning after absence?  An excuse blank needs to accompany your child when they return to school. 

4.   Vacationing during the school year?  Request a Pre-arranged Absence Form prior to taking a trip to avoid an unexcused absence. This form can also be downloaded from www.northernpolarbears.com.  You will find it under the Parents Tab. Please try to avoid having your child miss the first or last 2 weeks of school.

Miscellaneous

1.   Lunch Money?  Send a check made payable to Northern Food Services with  your child's lunch number written on the check.  Place the check in an envelope marked with your child's name and lunch number.  Your child can deliver the envelope to the office, cafeteria, or classroom. Northern also has an on-line service called MealPay which you can access through the district website: www.northernpolarbears.com. Choose click on the Parents Tab, then choose Lunch Menus. Click on My Payments Plus from the list on the left.

2.   Belongings? Mark all belongings with your child's name.  Please send a backpack with your child every day. Also, the temperature in our room fluctuates.  It is a good idea to keep a sweater or sweatshirt in his or her backpack in case they are feeling chilly.

3.   Book Orders? Scholastic Book Order information will be sent home several times a year, depending on interest. Book orders are due approximately 1 week after the day they are sent home.  (There will be a note attached to the flyers.) If you are paying by check, please make one check payable to Scholastic Book Clubs for the total amount of all the orders. Return the check and order form(s) to school. You can also order online at Scholastic.com at any time during the school year and your order will be shipped to the school.  Our class code is HNPMZ.   

     (If the books are a gift and you do not want them sent home with your child, please put a note with your order and I will give you a call when they come in.)

4.   Backpacks - Please send your child with a backpack each day and include their purple take-home folder and their orange assignment folder.

5.   Conferences?  A conference to discuss your child's progress will be scheduled in November.  Conferences will be scheduled in the spring, as needed.

6.  Birthday?  Treats can be dropped off at the office or sent in with your child.  The best choices are cookies, mini cupcakes, or small bagged treats (fruit snacks, cheeze its, etc.).  Due to allergies, treats should not contain nuts, peanut butter or red food dye. Please don't send anything that needs to be cut and served. Napkins would be appreciated if possible.  As of September, we have 22 students in our class.

   PLEASE DO NOT SEND PARTY INVITATIONS TO SCHOOL UNLESS THERE IS ONE FOR EVERY CHILD.  While sending invitations through backpack mail may seem convenient, it can lead to hurt feelings for students who are not invited. Any invitations sent to school will be returned home!