Classes will be canceled Jan. 13 for a professional development day for teachers. Schools also will be closed Jan. 16 for the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Please mark your calendar and plan accordingly.

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Information night for incoming kindergarten parents is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at Gockley Elementary School. Parents of all kindergarten-aged children (5 years old by Aug. 31) who will be enrolling for the 2017-18 school year are invited.

Parents will have the opportunity to learn about a typical kindergarten day, enrollment procedures, transportation and curriculum and tour the kindergarten classrooms and school. Staff and administrators will be available to answer questions.

More information will be sent home with students. Share this with any family and friends who reside in the Whitehall-Coplay School District.

A snow date is Jan. 26.

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The modified kindergarten schedule in the event of school delays is as follows:

Morning kindergarten starts 10:50 a.m. and ends 12:40 p.m.

Afternoon kindergarten starts 1:25 p.m. and ends 3:15 p.m.

For the modified kindergarten schedule, the bus for afternoon children will arrive approximately 50-60 minutes later than the regular pickup time for school.

Due to weather and traffic conditions, the school transportation office cannot predict the times for the different bus stops. Please do not call the office.

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Reminders for required absence notes for students: Parents or guardians must provide a written note within three days upon returning to school after an absence. The best method is to write a note promptly on the day of return. Remember to include the date, child’s name, teacher’s name, a specific reason for the absence and signature.

If no excuse note is received within this three-day period, it is considered an illegal absence. When there are three or more illegal days without notes, parents or guardians will be required to appear before the Whitehall magisterial district judge on truancy charges. This is a school district policy.

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A reminder from the health rooms for elementary parents and guardians: All medicine for students, including inhalers and EpiPens, must be delivered to the school nurse in the health rooms. This is for safety reasons.

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The elementary schools continue to participate in General Mills’ Box Tops for Education program. The products from this company have a special box graphic marked “Big G Box Tops for Education.”

Each Box Top is redeemed for a cash reward, which is used for students’ activities, and each school has its own goals. Just cut out the BoxTops and send them to school with your child.

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Do you have any school news? This column is a compilation of upcoming school events in the Whitehall-Coplay School District. Teachers, administrators, parents, students, coaches, PTSAs, club advisers and any other community members are invited to share their upcoming activities. Email me at jamb87@hotmail.com with “Whitehall-Coplay School News” in the subject line at least a week before an event.