Edgerton Family Newsletter
September-October 2018
Edgerton Elementary School
5145 South 116th Street
Hales Corners, WI 53130
Phone :414-525-8900
Chris D'Acquisto, Principal
Message from the Principal
Dear Edgerton Families,

Welcome back to the 2018-19 school year. It is fun to see our new and returning students and families at Back to School Night and the PTO Picnic. Each school year brings the excitement of a new beginning. On behalf of the entire staff, I hope your child and your family feels a sense of belonging here at Edgerton. Thank you for sharing your children with us and we look forward to an amazing partnership.

At Edgerton, we believe in strong family/school connections and we have a very dedicated and generous Parent Teacher Organization. Please visit the school website under the “Parents” tab to learn more. I would encourage you to join our PTO and seek to learn more about the many initiatives our families support and events they finance and coordinate. We would love to expand on the core of very involved parents and make the PTO even stronger.

Our annual Book Fair starts next week. The PTO also sponsors a spaghetti dinner the evening of October 4th, with extended book fair hours. Detailed Information has been sent home so please join us if your schedule permits. Information about upcoming events will be regularly shared through the weekly Parent Connect, Monthly School Newsletter, and through our Infinite Campus messenger (email).

September has been a busy month. Staff and students have been reviewing school expectations and practicing the important routines that will carry us through the entire year. Students have been working hard on MAP testing and reading benchmarks. This past week, students were introduced to our prize and raffle cart, which they earn through our Falcon Ticket acknowledgement system. Falcon tickets are one way students can be acknowledged for showing the expected behaviors we are all learning or reviewing.

In October, we will host an Open House on Oct. 24th. Students enjoy showing off their classrooms and sharing some of the progress they have made during the opening weeks of school. We hope you can make it. The very next day, October 25th, we'll have our Harvest Parties. Big thanks to our parent volunteers who plan the classroom festivities.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @ChrisDacquisto.

Sincerely,

Chris D’Acquisto
Principal
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the school hours?  K5 through 5 th grade school hours are 8:35 am until 3:35 pm. The K4 morning session is 8:35 am until 11:25 am and the K4 afternoon session is 12:45 pm until 3:35 pm.
 
When should students arrive at school? Students should arrive at school by 8:30 am but no earlier than 8:20 am. They may enter the building any time after 8:30 am and proceed to their classroom. First grade through fourth grade students should enter through door #8 and fifth grade students should enter through door #10 . K4 and K5 students should enter through door #6. Students arriving after 8:35 am should enter through the main entrance as the other doors will be locked. Students arriving in their classroom after 8:45 am will be marked tardy.
 
What to do if your child will be absent from school?  If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please call the attendance line (414-525-8910) before 9:00 am to report that they will be absent or arriving late. You may also leave a voicemail message or send an email using this link.

What should I do if I need to pick up my child early?  Students that need to leave early must be signed out by their parent/guardian in the school office. Please send a note with your student regarding details of the early pick up. Students will remain in their classroom until a parent/guardian has arrived at school. Students returning to school following an appointment must be signed in at the office before returning to class.
 
What is the procedure for changing my child’s dismissal plan?  In the event you need to change your child’s after school dismissal plan, please call the office by 3:00 pm. This will ensure the message gets to the classroom teacher in a timely manner. 

How do I contact the Bus Company? The school office closes at 4:00 pm. If you need information about your child's bus, please contact First Student Bus Company directly. They can be reached at 414-422-2020. Please be sure to have your child's route number handy.
School Pictures
Thank you to all who attended our Back to School night in August. We realize that some families were unable to attend and did not have their child photographed. Our school photographer will return to Edgerton on Tuesday, October 2nd for "Picture Day - Take 2". All students must be photographed for school records. Order forms will be sent home with those students that were not photographed in August. Picture retake day has been rescheduled and will take place on Tuesday, October 30th. If you have any questions about ordering photos, please contact Gilbert Frenn Photography at 414-321-1335.
Meet our New Staff
Welcome to Edgerton's newest staff members Mrs. McKnight, Special Educator and Mr. Devine, Physical Education.

Mrs. Nicole McKnight - My name is Nicole McKnight. This is my 7th year in the classroom. I previously taught special education in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District for three years and in my home state of Indiana for three years. I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and did my undergraduate work at Indiana University; graduating in 2012. I also completed a graduate program for special education certification in 2014 from Butler University. In my free time, I love to sew, take barre classes, and cheer on the Hoosiers and Bulldogs during March Madness! I live in Milwaukee with my husband. We take care of many houseplants, including a cactus that is 22 years old! I am looking forward to serving the families of the Whitnall School District!

Mr. Dustin Devine - Hello, my name is Dustin Devine and I am teaching physical education at Edgerton Elementary. Before coming to Edgerton I was a long term substitute at a couple of different placements in the Franklin School District. I received my undergraduate degree from Carroll University in physical and health education while also receiving my adaptive license. Outside of school I love to spend time with my family and friends. I really enjoy being outdoors and being active. I also am a huge Green Bay Packers fan, GO PACK GO!!! Being a former student at Edgerton Elementary I am really excited to be back in the Whitnall community. This year I am looking forward to working with the amazing staff and families here at Whitnall. I am so excited to start off this school year and l can’t wait to get to know our kids and help them grow!!

In addition, Nancy Swokowski is the new face in the EES kitchen and Shannon Verdegan is our new noon hour recess supervisor. We welcome them to the Edgerton family! We are also thrilled to have Mrs. Larsen, our school counselor, back this year.
Book Fair and Spaghetti Dinner
The Edgerton PTO will be sponsoring its annual Book Fair from October 1 - 5, 2018. This year's theme is "Enchanted Forest - Let Your Imagination Grow!" Every Edgerton student will receive a coupon for a free book courtesy of the PTO. Students will visit the book fair during their regularly scheduled library time. Information about the book fair was recently sent home with your child.
The book fair will also be open on Thursday evening, October 4th during the annual Spaghetti Dinner. Registration forms were recently sent home with students.
Special Guest Coming to Edgerton!
We are excited to welcome "motivational ninja" Joe Beckman to Edgerton Elementary on Wednesday, October 10th. For the the last 15 years Joe has spoken in educational settings all over the world with one simple mission… to reclaim human connection. Joe will spend a half day here at EES delivering a fast paced interactive program dealing with the topics of growth mindset, bullying and kindness. Thanks to generous grants from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Edgerton PTO for making this event possible.
All School Open House
Our all school open house is scheduled for Wednesday, October 24th from 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Please stop by and visit the classrooms and check out the Edgerton PTO offerings in the gym. The annual cupcake sale will also be back to help raise funds for the grade 5 camping trip to take place this spring. We'll be sending a sign up if you're interested in donating some cupcakes!
Edgerton PTO News
  • PTO meetings are generally held on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Edgerton Library. All parents are invited to attend the meetings. The Edgerton PTO is a group of parents and teachers striving to enhance learning in our school. Participating in the PTO is a great way to meet other Edgerton parents and learn more about the school and its educational offerings. Please join us. The next meeting is October 11, 2018.
  • The first box top drawing is scheduled for Thursday, October 18, 2018. Keep sending in those box tops!
Safety Procedures
In order to enhance the well-being of students and staff, Whitnall School District has partnered with Raptor Technologies in implementing new check-in/out procedures for the 2018-2019 school year.  All visitors that want to go beyond the front office must check in using the Raptor system. All first time visitors to the District since the implementation of Raptor, must sign in using their driver’s license or other valid form of identification. The Raptor system does not scan the ID, it collects First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth, Partial ID# and picture. First time visitors or first time users of the Raptor Visitor Management system should expect a few extra minutes to scan ID. Student safety is our number one priority. Thank you for your cooperation in following these new procedures.
Important Dates 
  • September 28 - No School / Staff Professional Development
  • October 1-5 PTO Book Fair
  • October 2 - Picture Day - Take 2
  • October 4 - Spaghetti Dinner 5:00 - 7:00 pm
  • October 5 - WHS Homecoming Parade
  • October 9 - K5 Classes Field Trip to Elegant Farmer
  • October 11 - Grade 4 Field Trip to School Forest
  • October 11 - PTO Meeting 7:00 pm
  • October 12 - Coffee with the Principal 8:45 am
  • October 12 - Fire Safety Programs (all except grade 3)
  • October 18 - Fire Safety Programs Grade 3
  • October 18 - PTO Box Top Prize Drawing
  • October 24 - All School Open House 6:00 - 7:00 pm
  • October 25 - Grade 2 Field Trip to Boerner Botanical Gardens
  • October 25 - Harvest Parties
  • October 25 - Sky Zone PTO Fundraiser 4:00 - 9:00 pm
  • October 26 - No School for Students / Staff Professional Development
  • October 30 - Picture Retakes and Activity Pictures
Welcome Back! It's going to be a great year!