• To: Students/Parents

    From: Jeanine Lampkin, Patricia Eicheldinger 874-8402, ext. 5338

    Date: August 25, 2008

    Re: Beginning of year information


    Hard to believe it’s that time again; opening day is just around the corner! Hope your summer was restful and you are ready for another great school year. Here’s some news and important information to get us all off to a smooth start:

    1. The classroom staff consists of :
    2. Mrs. Jeanine Lampkin, Teacher

    Mrs. Patricia Eicheldinger, my classroom manager!!!!!

    Mrs. Melissa Wall, works with RaShaan Walker and is the LPN for the class.

    Mr. Jim Kelly works with Eddie Oddo.

    Mr. Mike Hoyt works with Andrew Parmele

    Please note, we work as a team, all adults work with all students.

    3. The first day of class is September 3, 2008, which is a full day of school. Please

    Send in a bagged lunch; the lunch room is too chaotic to venture into on the first day. Student hours are 7:45 to 2:15-2:30. No student may be dropped off before 7:45 am or picked up after 2:30 pm. Please insure that your transporter is aware of this schedule, to avoid problems. Your districts are notified of the hours by BOCES, but many fail to notify the drivers.

    1. 2008-2009 Schedule: Scheduling for our class can be a real nightmare with therapies, special classes, community based jobs, internships and community training. In an effort to make things work as smoothly as possible, the following guidelines will be followed when and where possible:

    Monday – TBA classroom activities

    Tues/Thurs – community based job training (ie: Marriot, Blvd. Mall, etc.)

    Wed/Fri – 2x/monthCommunity based instruction/training (ie: Tops/Wegmans, Joanne Fabrics, Art Gallery, Science Museum, Oak St./Southeast/Day Hab Internships, etc.)

    Wed/Fri – 2x/month cooking in classroom (breakfast or lunch) and student assessment

    Workshop Internships/Day Hab Internships will be scheduled on classroom days, not CT days (sites TBA as we work out transportation issues with KTT)

    Therapy Schedule Availability- Mon/Tues/Thursday 8:15 – 2:00, Wed/Fri 8:15 – 9:00 (these times vary as per individual student schedules)

    1. All students will participate in job training. Students ages 15 – 17 need working papers in order to receive a paycheck. Please take care of this through your home district ASAP, to avoid a delay of your child’s October paycheck. Your district office can provide you with the information you need to secure working papers. Please note: Your child and all appropriate paperwork is mandatory at your district location to receive papers. Our school nurse is NOT available for physicals for working papers.
    1. Job sites include: the classroom, the school building, Workshop Internships, Day Hab. Internships, Community Based Job Training Sites, and Volunteer opportunities. Placement and opportunity is based on student ability in a variety of areas to include: ability to remain focused to task, ability to follow 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 step directions, endurance, physical ability to complete designated job, appropriate social skills, and interactions with co-workers/supervisors. Parents are encouraged to visit Workshop and Day Hab. Internships to better understand your child’s work abilities and placements, in order to make informed choices for future programming. Visitations to any job sites should be discussed with myself and the job site supervisor. Some community based job sites and volunteer opportunities are not conducive to visitors. Also please keep in mind that these training opportunities are intended to “cut the apron strings” from parents and myself. They are designed to see what the student is truly capable of, without us looking over their shoulders and prompting.
    1. All students and staff participating in an Internship at a Workshop, Day Hab Program or working in the community at a nursing home or adult day care program, MUST get a PPD screening for Tuberculosis. BOCES will provide this screening during school hours. Scheduled dates TBA. It is mandatory that your child be in school on these days to avoid a delay in programming. I hope the testing is in the AM, but I don’t have confirmation at this point. See attached information. Consent forms will come home soon. Please sign and return ASAP.
    1. All returning students, who received a paycheck last year, are approved by BOCES for work. All new students must secure working papers from their home district to receive a paycheck. New students must also send in their social security card or a photo copy to be turned into BOCES with the first payroll. NO checks will be issued unless these documents are on file with BOCES.
    1. All students need to send in: 2 large or 4 small boxes of Kleenex, colored pencils/markers, (no crayons, I have enough to supply a third world nation!) one spiral notebook, one sketch pad, 10 pencils, a complete change of clothes (labeled with initials, since your child will not ID when asked). DO NOT send in gym clothes and shampoo/soap. Students do not change into gym clothes for PE. Swimming items, including suit, towel, shampoo and soap will be requested at a later time when we have the schedule. All students should have a pair of sneakers or comfortable walking shoes on their feet daily or an extra pair kept in school. Please label everything!

    1. We will prepare a meal in school at least once a month, usually twice. You will be notified via a monthly schedule or a separate note. If your child is planning to join us for the meal, please send in $4.00/meal. This will help defray meal costs as well as any healthy snacks prepared during the month. Please send money in at the beginning of the week that the meal is scheduled.

    1. Birthdays can be celebrated with your child’s classmates at your request. We will no longer sponsor monthly birthday pizza parties as in the past; this became too costly. If you want to celebrate your child’s birthday with his friends, please call and make arrangements with myself or Mrs. Pat.

    1. Important forms and information will come home the first day. Please complete and return ASAP, to avoid a delay in programming. Please make sure all emergency information is filled in. Multiple phone numbers and a designated emergency person are very important. Unfortunately there were several emergencies last year and I was unable to contact a parent/guardian or emergency person. Please make sure we have accurate and complete emergency information on your child. There is nothing more upsetting to myself or staff, when we are unable to communicate with you regarding your child’s care during an emergency.

    1. Starting in October, a monthly schedule of activities and any costs will come home. Mrs. Pat and I try very hard to make this as complete as possible on the first try, but… sometimes that isn’t possible. Please pay close attention to any secondary notes or corrections to avoid confusion. A school calendar will come home soon, designating no school and Staff Development days.

    1. Seniors can have their senior pictures taken by the KE yearbook advisor, Mr. Hannigan. In the past, he has done this at no cost to the student; I’ll let you know if this still applies. Mr. Hannigans’ pictures are studio quality. He gets fantastic shots of the kids because he knows them and is able to get them to smile and laugh. You will receive a disk of the pictures, that you can do with as you please. If you choose to use a professional studio, please do so immediately. The proofs have very specific guidelines and are due in early October. Let me know your plans ASAP, so I can share appropriate information with you.

    1. This Friday we will have a “Welcome Back to School Luncheon”. Our menu will be: Chicken Salad/Fruit Salad/Drink/A healthy dessert TBA. Please send in $4.00 to defray costs.
    1. The following are excerpts from the KE Newsletter, regarding KE policy. Please make sure you read and understand the policies:
    Student Parking and Parent Drop-offs

    Due to safety concerns expressed by the Town of Tonawanda Police, Paramedics and Fire Department - students will be prohibited from parking on school grounds.

    For safety purposes, parents/guardians, etc., will not be allowed to drop off students in the KE parking lot from 7:35-8:05 am and from 2:30-3:00 pm.

    Also please note for your child’s safety, there are NO drop offs/pickups in the bus loading zone on Fries Rd. All visitors MUST sign in at the office.


    The Kenmore East PTSA is again sponsoring school photographs. All students will be photographed on Thursday and Friday, September 4th and 5th during physical education class time. Retakes will be on Friday, October 16th during lunch periods.

    Laminated I.D. cards will be supplied gratis to all students. It will be mandatory that students have their ID with them and faculty and staff display their I.D. cards at all times during the school day. Students wishing to order one of the photo packages must come prepared with the money on September 4th and 5th.

    Photo packages will be sent home on September 3rd.

    NURSE’S NOTES