Welcome to the Bulldog Blog
Union Pleasant Elementary school
April 2024 Edition
A Message from your Admin. Team
Mrs. Dehlinger
Principal
mdehlinger@hcsdk12.org
UPES
Leadership Team
Mrs. Wilson
Assistant Principal
swilson@hcsdk12.org
“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.”
-Hodding Carter, Jr.
As parents and as educators we have the privilege of nurturing each of our children into the next phase of their development. It is something we take to heart here at Union Pleasant and know that we are in this together with our parents and caregivers.
Parents and staff work each day to provide our kids with roots - a deep sense of belonging to a family or group. These roots are grown by showing kids love whenever possible, stability, and consistency. Roots provide kids with a stable attachment to the adults in their lives and allows a solid foundation to grow.
Examples of growing roots are:
Daily/nightly routines,
Clear behavioral expectations,
Dependable reinforcement of appropriate behaviors,
Consistent consequences for inappropriate behaviors,
Established patterns of physical and nutritional wellness.
Wings can be a little trickier… They mean allowing for our kids to experience failure and encouraging them to persist afterwards. Wings foster character development and grit that will serve our children well as they move forward in their lives. While we never want our children to struggle, it is critical that, when they do, we provide comfort, but do not fix it for them.
Examples of growing wings are:
Don’t do for them what they can do for themselves.
Support them through their academic, social, and athletic challenges.
Let them take opportunities to stretch, to do things outside their comfort zone.
Make sure they have a support system of friends, family, and caregivers that love them.
Be proud of them, be brave with them, and encourage them always.
The next few months of school will provide us all with opportunities to help those wings grow. There are assessments, field trips, celebrations, and milestones right around the corner. As always, UPES is here to support our families in any ways we are able. Please know that our doors are open and we are here to deepen those roots while our kids spread their wings.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Wilson & Mrs. Dehlinger
April Calendar of Events
April 1 - 8 Spring Recess
April 8 Total Solar Eclipse
April 9 6:30 PM Board of Education Meeting at Hamburg High School
April 11 5:30 PM PTSA Meeting LMC
April 12 Class Color Day:
Kdgn. - Red
Grade 1 - Orange
Grade 2 - Yellow
Grade 3 - Green
Grade 4 - Blue
Grade 5 - Purple
April 15 NYS ELA Assessments - Grades 3 - 5
Mr. Morton's Backyard Buddies visit Kindergarten
April 16 NYS ELA Assessment - Grades 3 - 5
3:00 PM Garden Club - Group A
6:30 PM Board of Education Meeting at Armor Elementary
April 17 NYS ELA Assessment - Grades 3 - 5
April 18 - 19 NYS ELA Assessment Makeups - Grades 3 - 5
April 18 3:00 PM Garden Club - Group C
April 19 Gr. 2 Agriculture Field Trip at the Erie Co. Fairgrounds
April 23 8:00 AM Tuesday Morning Garden Club
3:00 PM Garden Club - Group B
7:00 PM Gr. 4 & 5 Musical, "The Niagara Falls Spectaculaire" in the Union Street Auditorium
April 25 3:00 PM Garden Club - Group D
7:00 PM Grade 3 Chorus & Recorder Concert
April 29 NYS Mathematics Assessment - Grades 3 - 5
April 30 NYS Mathematics Assessment - Grades 3 - 5
8:00 AM Tuesday Morning Garden Club
3:00 PM Garden Club - Group A
*Play practice for the UPES Musical will be every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3:00 - 4:15 PM. This will be the schedule until April 18.
**Walk Across America is at 8:30 AM, every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday through May 16, 2024.
Kindergarten Registration for September 2024
If you have a child turning five years old on or before December of 2024 and they are not already attending the Pre-K program at Charlotte Avenue Elementary, registration is now open. To begin, just click on the link below to begin the process. A list of documentation is outlined through this link: Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Screening will take place June 10 - 13. Information on Kindergarten screening will be sent closer to the date to the parents of all students registered either in our Pre-K program at Charlotte Avenue or through our online registration this year.
Examples of Previous Uniquely U at UPES Submissions:
Let's Celebrate the Great Choices Our Children Are Making Outside Of School!
Submissions are open again through April 19, 2024. Here is the link to the form.
1st Day Student Supply
Kits for 2024 - 25
For parents who are interested in ordering their child(ren)'s school supplies from 1st Day School Supplies for the coming school year, you may do this using the QR Code below or can go to 1st Day School Order form . If Union Pleasant received 100 or more orders, First Day School will donate supplies to needy families in our building. The link will be accessible until July 1, 2024.
This will allow you to purchase the supplies for the student's particular grade level. In late August, once you receive your child's teacher assignment, check the Union Pleasant website for any additional supplies needed for child's individual teacher.
Parent Volunteers - New this Year:
All volunteers must complete the online training each year, even if you have been trained in the past. This includes class field trip volunteers and helping with holiday parties. Instructions are now found in the Form Library of your Operoo account. This includes the link to the training along with information on registering for an account. We will need this done this well in advance of the date(s) you are planning to volunteer, as they must also be Board-of-Education approved before being a volunteer. Thank you.
PTSA
END OF YEAR EVENTS
There are several end-of-year events that parents can participate in and volunteer for. A reminder if you are volunteering or attending an end-of-year field trip, YOU MUST complete the volunteer training EVERY year. Information is listed below for how to complete this. If you are interested in volunteering please email ltn46@hotmail.com and your information will be shared with the committee chair for each event.
Field Day - May 31st with a rain date of June 6th
Kindergarten Celebration - June 7th
5th Grade Maid of the Mist Field Trip - June 7th
5th Grade Cave of the Winds - June 14th
5th Grade field day/pizza party - June 20th with a rain date of June 18th
5th Grade moving up day and yearbook signing after - June 21st
VOLUNTEER TRAINING
Reminder, in order to volunteer for school events such as field day and Cave of the Winds you MUST complete volunteer training every year. Volunteer training this year can be found in your Operoo account under the "Form Library" tab. Training MUST be completed AT LEAST one month prior to the event for approval to attend the event or volunteer.
School Spirit Days
April 12 – Class color day
Notes from the Nurse
ATTENTION PARENTS OF 5th GRADE STUDENTS!
According to New York State Law, students entering 6th grade who are
10 years or older must receive their Tdap booster prior to admission to sixth grade. You will be receiving a letter from me after Spring recess explaining it further. Please call your pediatrician's office to schedule an appointment.
UPES School Nurse:
Mrs. Sarah Insley
Phone: (716) 646-3287
Fax: (716) 646-3237
Email: sinsley@hcsdk12.org
Staff News:
Congratulations to Mrs. Gibson! She will be retiring at the end of June. We wish her well on her future endeavors.
Mrs. Lotocki welcomed her new baby daughter, Grace, on March 26. Congratulations, Mrs. Lotocki!
We welcomed Miss Luba, as a substitute for Mrs. Lotocki, while she is on her maternity leave.
Attendance Reminder
Anytime your child is absent from school, a paper note must be sent to school with your child upon their return, stating the reason for the absence. If you do not turn in the note, the absence will become an unexcused absence. Parents, please check your child's report card for any unexcused absences and send in a note for those date(s). If you are uncertain of the date(s), please contact Margaret Duszynski in the Attendance Office in the morning at (716) 646-3288.
Please call the Attendance Office each day that your child is absent. Our phone number is (716) 646-3288. A message can be left at anytime school is not open. Please do not call the main office or email the teacher to report an absence.
If your child(ren) will be absent because of a vacation, please fill out a vacation form two weeks prior to your departure. These forms are available in the main office, on our district website or click on this link: Family Vacation Form .
Facebook: UPES PTSA FB Page
Instagram: @upes_hcsd
X: @upeshcsd
Union Pleasant Elementary School
150 Pleasant Avenue Hamburg, NY 14075
Main Office Phone: (716) 646-3280 option 1
Fax: (716) 646-3237
Attendance Office: (716) 646-3288
Nurse's Office: (716) 646-3287
To email the main office, contact Mary Beth Murray at mmurrayhcsdk12.org or Jenny Carrig at jcarrig@hcsdk12.org.