Elementary School Office
January 2026
Happy New Year!
I hope this message finds you and your family healthy and well following the holiday break. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for your continued support of Sandy Creek Elementary. It takes a whole community to raise our children and that is exactly what happens here in the Sandy Creek School District. We greatly appreciate your efforts at home, whether it be reading a book, helping with math, discussing current events or just asking what they learned in school each day. Your time spent with them contributes to and supports the learning process. Please review the updates and other information below.
Elementary Drop Off Procedures
Student drop off in the morning remains the same as it has always been. There will be a staff member at the door every morning at 7:45 to greet your child(ren) when you pull up to the curb and drop them off.
Front door entrance
Please use the silver button located on the brick wall to the right as you walk up and that will call into the office. They will be able to speak to you back and forth and let you into the foyer between the two sets of doors. Once inside, please go to the office window on your left and have your ID ready for them to scan.
Attendance
Attendance is taken each morning at 8:15am. If your child arrives after 8:15am, they will be marked as tardy for that day. Additionally if your child arrives after 8:15am, a parent or guardian will need to sign them in at the office.
I have included the section from our handbook below for your reference;
Tardy
Any student arriving after 8:15a.m. is considered tardy for that day. Three tardies equate to 1 absence for attendance purposes. When a student is late to school you must:
Sign the student in at the office.
Provide a note upon your child’s arrival to school including his/her name, the date, the reason for being tardy and your signature.
Get a pass from the office for the student to take to class.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served daily from 7:45 am until 8:20 am. Students have the choice of a hot breakfast or cereal each day in the cafeteria. If your child arrives after 8:20 am, we will make sure to offer cereal in the office before they go to class.
Bus notes & phone calls about dismissal
Our office staff works hard each and every day to ensure that each student is dismissed to where they are supposed to be going each day. To help us keep your children safe, please use the PikMyKid app to make changes to their dismissal or call Amanda or Jessie in the elementary office by 10:00am.
We also understand that emergencies happen and sometimes you may need to pick up your child unexpectedly. Please call the office at 315-387-3445 ext 1110 to give us notice so that we can make sure your child(ren) is ready to be picked up when you arrive at school.
Elementary Parent Pick-Up and Dismissal Procedures
We continue to use the PikMyKid app to safely dismiss our students each day. If you do not have the PikMyKid app yet, we strongly encourage you to download it today. The app will allow you to make changes to your child’s dismissal plan by accessing their monthly dismissal calendar.
For parent pick-up at dismissal, you will drive into the elementary parking lot to the right and use the PikMyKid app to announce that you are in line. Please proceed to one of the two car lines that lead around to the doors where our staff will help guide students safely to the cars.
Parents cannot take their child from a bus in the loop, bus drivers are not allowed to release a student unless the office contacts them. If you are in the car line but your child(ren) went to the bus, we will use our radios to call for them and get them to you at parent pick-up. These procedures help to keep all students safe and we appreciate your support and patience.
2 Hour Delays
On 2 hour delays, there is NO breakfast. Lunch begins around 10:40 as it would following a normal schedule.
After School Program
If you are picking up your child from Battle of the Books, After School Program or Homework Help, please drive into the elementary parking lot where our staff will dismiss your child to you as you pull up. We ask that you do not park in the bus loop so that our buses can safely pull up for our students at 4:30. If you are picking up from Good News Club on Wednesdays, it’s ok to park in the loop and come in our doors to sign out your child.
Outdoor Recess
Snow, snow and more snow! Winter is here so please be sure that your child has a hat, gloves, winter coat, snow pants and boots each day. Classes go outside for recess as long as it is above 20F. Students are not allowed to play in the snow if they do not have the proper winter gear.
Lastly, I want to say thank you for all of your support over the past 8 ½ years here at Sandy Creek. My last day as the elementary principal will be on Friday, January 23rd. I have accepted a new position as Superintendent at Belleville Henderson Central School and will begin there on January 26th. I know that I am leaving your children in good hands here as the elementary staff have always worked hard to give all Sandy Creek students the very best education. Thank you to all of you for being a great community that cares and watches out for one another. I wish all of you the very best in 2026 and for years to come.
Respectfully,
Mr. Fili
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