The Kessler Chronicle

After 39 years in the Longview School District, the last 5 here at Kessler, I am officially announcing my retirement effective July 1, 2021. I feel so fortunate that my final years were at Kessler and feel so honored to have worked with the staff, students, and families  here. The district hopes to have someone hired by Spring Break. That early timeline gives the new principal the opportunity to get to know the climate and culture of the building and a chance to meet (most likely on Zoom) with all of the stakeholder groups. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done between now and July and I look forward to ensuring a smooth transition.

     We are in the middle of our One School, Two Books activities. Hopefully you are enjoying the reading time along with the kid(s). “Charlotte’s Web” will conclude on the 22nd and “The World According to Humphrey” the next day. Just like everything else, we wish we could have an in-person literacy night to finish off the weeks of reading, but that’s not possible at this time.  Every grade level is doing something a little different, so there’s no room to put everything here. We do have guest readers for each chapter that can be found on the announcement page for Google Classroom (4th-5th), and K-2 are under assignments in Seesaw.

     We are also doing a virtual book fair from March 1 to March 14. The orders will ship directly to your home, not to school. It works like any other book fair—the more books you buy, the more money our library gets to buy books. The link to order is: https://www.schoastic.com/bf/kessler

Reading is Fundamental!

FlashAlert—Sign up to have messages delivered to your email and/or mobile device. You may also  download the FlashAlert Messenger App for your cell phone or tablet.

04/05-04/09: Spring Break

Please use the gate closest to the flagpole.  Ring the bell on the fence for assistance and access to the office.  Please wear a mask as you enter the school.

Even in Remote/Online Learning Attendance is important. State law requires students to be regular and punctual in their attendance.  The attendance record becomes a part of your student’s permanent file.  A call or note from a parent or guardian is required when students are absent.

Absences: Please call the school in the morning if your student will be absent.  Give your name, your student’s name and the reason for the absence to school staff.  If you are unable to call in, please email the school office and your student’s teacher.  Include the first and last name of your student, the date and reason for the absence.

There will be an automated message from the school messenger system if you do not report your student’s absence.  If you receive an automated call, please call the school office and let them know the reason for the absence. 

Please arrange your home schedule so that your student will attend the Zoom sessions on time, ready to learn for the day.  If your student will be late to a Zoom, please call the office. If your student is unable to attend a Zoom session, but able to complete the assignments, they will not be marked absent. 

If a student has three unexcused absences, an attendance conference will be scheduled at the school.

Please review the Student Handbook for approved student Absent and Tardy Reasons.

Do you have a child that will be 5 years old by August 31, 2021? 

• Kindergarten Registration opens  March 1, 2021. Register early to ensure your child attends their neighborhood school. Schools have about 60 Kindergarten spots open on a first-come-first-serve basis.
• What do you need? Please bring your child’s birth certificate, immunization records and a utility bill, rental agreement or mortgage statement showing your current address.  These documents are required before your student can start school in the Fall.
• Registration can be accessed from home on the Longview School District website at longviewschools.com/family-resources/student-enrollment or you may pick up a paper registration packet from the school office.  You can upload the required documents for an online registration or drop them by the school office.