Hamilton schools plan for start of classes

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Hamilton School District students will begin classes Sept. 2. The district has compiled information to assist parents and students in preparation for the big day.

Registration — People who are new to the district may register their children at the school they will attend. Call the individual schools to learn their office hours. School phone numbers are:

            • Willow Springs Learning Center (4-year-old kindergarten), (262) 255-6190;

            • Lannon Elementary, (262) 255-6106;

            • Maple Avenue Elementary, (262) 246-4220;

            • Marcy Elementary, (262) 781-8283;

            • Woodside Elementary, (262) 820-1530;

            • Templeton Middle, (262) 246-6477; and

            • Hamilton High, (262) 246-6471.

If you are unsure of your school attendance area, call the district’s Public Information Office at (262) 246-1973 x1100.

Kindergarten — The district offers kindergarten programs for students who are four and five years old. The program for 4-year-olds is at Willow Spring Learning Center, and the program for 5-year-olds is at neighborhood elementary schools.

To be eligible for the optional 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) program, a child must be four years old by Sept. 1. The program runs a half day — an 8:45 – 11:15 a.m. morning session and 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. afternoon session. Willow Springs Learning Center will have a brief 4K bus orientation Aug. 28 at 5:30 p.m. for morning kindergartners and at 6:15 p.m. for afternoon kindergartners to familiarize them with riding the bus. School buses will pick up 4K students and parents at their elementary school (Lannon, Maple Avenue, Marcy or Woodside) and travel to Willow Springs. Classes at Willow Springs begin Sept. 5. The school will hold Jump Start to 4K family conferences Sept. 2, 3 and 4 with students and parents.

Each elementary school offers a kindergarten program for children who turn five years old by Sept. 1. Most 5-year-olds participate in the full-day program that follows the same schedule as elementary grade school students. Some parents choose to enroll their 5-year-old in kindergarten for only the morning half of the school day.

Transportation — The bus company sends yellow postcards notifying bus riders of their routes. Postcards will be mailed the week of Aug. 25.

Breaks and last school day — Students will not have classes: break – Oct. 24; parent-teacher conferences – Nov. 26; Thanksgiving break – Nov. 27-28; winter break – Dec. 24-Jan. 2; teacher work day – Jan. 23; staff in-services – Feb. 13, Mar. 13; spring break – April 3-10; break – May 22 and Memorial Day – May 25. Their last day of school is June 10.

School hours — Elementary school students in grades 1-5 and full-day kindergarten begin school at 8:35 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m.; Templeton hours are 7:25 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.; and the high school runs from 7:20 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.

Immunization — Wisconsin law requires parents to provide updated records on their children’s immunizations including: Polio, Hepatitis B, MMR and Varicella. Students in grades 6 through 12 are also required to have had one dose of Tdap. Students must be in compliance with the required immunizations as of the first day of school. Parents should make their child’s school aware of any recently received immunizations. The schedule for required immunizations can be found at: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p4/P44021.pdf. Questions about the immunization schedule should be directed to the child’s physician or the Waukesha County Public Health Department.

School lunch program — Hamilton food service staff members are committed to producing quality meals that are nutritious and appealing to children. Lunches consist of five food items — meat, bread, two or more servings of fruit or vegetables, and milk. To reduce waste, children are offered an entire lunch but may refuse one or two items. The price for lunch remains the same whether a child takes the entire lunch or refuses an item.

Lunch menus will be listed in school newsletters, local newspapers and on the district website. Parents are asked to go over the lunch menu with their children to help them decide what to eat each day. Children should be encouraged to take at least a portion of an unfamiliar or unpopular food item.

Lunch prices for 2014-15 are: $2.40 for elementary students; $2.80 – middle school and high school students; $3.50 – adults; and 35 cents for milk.

Fees —

            The following are fees for the 2014-15 school year:

            Pre-kindergarten and half-day kindergarten — $25;

            Elementary grades, full-day kindergarten and ungraded — $55;

            Middle school — $65;

            High school — $80;

            High school padlock — $5;

            Drivers’ education behind-the-wheel training and theory-simulation — $175 each;

            Templeton sports — $40 per sport;

            Hamilton sports — $50 per sport

            Hamilton family athletic-activities pass – $75;

            Templeton extra- and co-curriculars — $10 and $35;

            Hamilton extra- and co-curriculars — $45;

            Hamilton transcript – $5

            Retake ID (during the school year) — $2; and

            Parking — $125.

Parents may pay all their children’s school and lunch fees through the Infinite Campus portal on the district website.

District website — The district website is at www.hamilton.k12.wi.us and is updated often with supply lists, newsletters, calendar, lunch menus, news releases and other information.

For more information about the Hamilton School District, contact the individual schools or the district’s Public Information Office at (262) 246-1973 x1100.