August 2024
Dear High Plain Families,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year at High Plain Elementary School! We hope you have enjoyed a good summer and found some time to rest and recharge. We are delighted that you are part of our learning community. We welcome and value your positive energy and dedication to excellence in education, and we look forward to working with you and your children.
Our devoted staff is already planning and preparing for your children. Our enthusiastic office team is registering new families, ordering materials, and preparing for the return of all staff and students. Our hard-working and conscientious custodians have spent the entire summer thoroughly cleaning the facility. Our much-appreciated PTO is gearing up to welcome families, provide volunteer opportunities, and offer other exciting events and programs. Our School theme this year is… Name Story Dream. We are a joyful and caring community with the common goals of nurturing our students and promoting high-level learning.
The following information may be helpful to you as we plan for our opening.
Opening day is Wednesday, August 28th for Grades 1-5 students. Teachers in grades 1-5 will have a large sign with their name on it for the children to find them on the turf area of the back playground area. Teachers and Staff will meet students on the first 2 days of school. They are planning to spend those days getting to know students well and building caring classrooms.
KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION
Opening day is Tuesday, 9/3/24, for all Kindergarten students and this will be a full day of school (9:00-3:30).
Kindergarten Screenings: Screening schedules were emailed to families to sign up via Signup Genius and will take place at the school on August 28th and 29th.
TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS
Your child’s classroom assignment/teacher was published to the Aspen family portal on August 12th. If you do not have a portal login, or need help, please email infosys@andoverma.us
SUPPLY LISTS
A copy of our supply lists for grades K-5 can be found in the Information and Resources dropdown menu at the top of the High Plain website.
LABELING
Please remember that all belongings, including outer clothing and water bottles, should be labeled with your child’s name.
OPEN HOUSE
The Open House/Curriculum Night for High Plain Elementary will be held on Wednesday, September 11th for all grades. This is an evening for parents to visit the school, meet the classroom and specialist teachers, and learn more about what to expect during the coming year. You will receive an invitation with more information regarding timing via email.
GENERAL INFORMATION
SCHOOL HOURS
Our regular school day is 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Students can begin arriving at 8:45 AM. Early Release days will have a dismissal time of 12:15 PM.
ABSENCES
Please call in all absences to 978-247-8601 (Attendance Line) before 8:45 A.M. and leave a message. Please use this absence line, not the main number.
CALENDAR
The 2024-2025 APS Calendar can be found on the Andover Public Schools website and is also attached to this email.
SCHOOL LUNCH
Breakfast and Lunch are free for all students in Massachusetts again this year. You must order lunch for your child if you want them served at school. Information about the Andover Public Schools lunch program, as well as menus and instructions for online ordering, may be found on the website here: http://www.andoverschoolnutrition.com/
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
NAME/BUS TAGS (For Kindergarten and Grade 1 Students)
Your child’s teacher will give you a name tag necklace on the first day. Please have your kindergartner or first grader wear the nametag until further notice.
SCHOOL BUS
Bus transportation to and from school is provided free of charge to elementary students. Families will receive information about bus routes before school begins, via the Aspen portal.
CAR PICKUP/DROPOFF
Please note that there are differences in morning arrival and afternoon car pick up. In the morning, you may arrive by using the High Plain Rd. entrance or the Cross St. entrance. In the afternoon, you can only arrive through the Cross St. entrance. The High Plain Rd. entrance is closed to allow buses. Both morning and afternoon arrival, all vehicles must turn right when leaving the drop off/pick up line.
Morning Arrival: 8:45-9:00
Morning car drop-off begins at 8:45 at the High Plain main entrance sidewalk. You may use the High Plain Rd. and Cross St. entrances.
The staff will supervise the children as they exit the car in the HPE Circle area.
Please follow the staff’s direction as they will have a series of cars pull up for children to exit.
All vehicles must turn right when leaving the drop off lane in the AM.
There is no supervision before 8:45 AM and students should not be dropped off before that time.
The children will have supervised play on the playground until 8:55 AM.
If you arrive after 9:00, please park and walk your child/children into the building. You will need to sign your child into school. You will find the sign-in book in our school foyer.
Afternoon Car Pick Up: 3:30
Any student being picked up by car should be picked up via the pick-up line.
This line moves quickly and has the support of assigned assistant staff to escort students safely to their cars.
Please enter only through the Cross St. entrance and join the line and stay to the right. The High Plain Rd. entrance is not available for the afternoon.
Please leave an opening at all intersections for buses to pass the waiting car line and negotiate turns into the bus drop off area.
If you arrive before the car line is in motion, please be aware of the Massachusetts Anti Idling Law (MGL Chapter 90 16B, 540 SMR 27.00), as posted.
Drivers should have a visor card with their child’s last name on it, displayed on the rearview mirror.
Visor cards may be picked up at the school office any day and we will have extra for you during the first few weeks of school.
Please turn right after picking up your student and exit through Cross St. so traffic flow will be one way.
Please make your child’s teacher aware, via the PickUp Patrol app, when there are any changes to the default dismissal plan.
WALKERS & BIKE RIDERS:
For morning arrival, a school crossing guard will be at the Cross Street/Brady Loop entrance.
All AM walkers and bike riders should use the Cross St. entrance and the sidewalks that follow the front side of the school.
Bike Riders: Only students in grades 3, 4, and 5 may ride a bike to and from school. A permission form must be completed with the main office.
At dismissal, there are 2 groups of walker students and 1 group of bike riders. All Kindergarten students must be released to an adult.
Walker line 1 and bike riders will be escorted from the Wood Hill cafeteria to the Cross Street/Brady Loop entrance and crossed by the crossing guard.
Walker line 2 will be escorted to the end of the High Plain driveway.
No adult should attempt to pick up a walker or bike rider at the Wood Hill circle or parking lot.
BACK TO SCHOOL FORMS IN ASPEN FAMILY PORTAL
The Andover Public Schools is asking our returning families to verify/update certain pieces of information via a secure online portal called Family Connection.
This information includes emergency contacts, medical information, daily dismissal plans, demographics, technology usage agreement, as well as acknowledging other district policies.
It is important that this is completed before the first day of school, so we have the latest information for your student in case of emergency.
Aspen Family Portal
If you do not know your Aspen Family Portal login information, please email infosys@andoverma.us
Once you have logged into Aspen, click on the link under the Announcements on the Home page that reads ‘Family Connection –Back to School Forms’. You will be redirected to the Family Connection "Verification Form" page which contains directions on how to complete and submit the forms.
Aspen Family Portal Web address: https://ma-andover.myfollett.com
Things you should know:
You will need to be logged into the Aspen Family Portal account with your Family account (fam*****). It will not be available using a student account.
The forms must be completed by a parent or guardian.
If you have more than one student in Andover Public Schools, you must complete the process for each of your students.
Make sure the information you submit is accurate.
A change in residency or a change in child custody will require you to provide documentation to the school. Links to residency requirements are found on the APS website (Proof of Residency). Bring the documentation to your child’s school during normal school hours.
Please complete and submit the forms before August 28th.
We eagerly look forward to greeting students and families. It remains an honor and privilege to serve as your principals. Please stop by and say hello. Together, we know we will make this school year one of growth and achievement for all children.
Warmest Regards,
Sarah Leveque, Principal
Marika Lyons, Assistant Principal