STAR LAKE WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL
from Mrs. Rennie 8/17/23
WE ARE EXCITED FOR SCHOOL TO START ON AUGUST 30TH! FOR ALL STUDENTS K-5
Greetings Star Lake Families!
We hope you are enjoying this beautiful August weather and that your family has had a wonderful summer!
Our front office is OPEN and office staff is available to take phone calls to help families with registration and online verification. The office is open 8:00-3:30, for families to come in to the office if you are needing face to face assistance. Please call our office at 253-945-4000 for more information.
This newsletter is a bit long , but is filled with important information for the start of school. Thank you so much for reading it and please reach out with any questions you may have.
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SCHOOL HOURS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND BUS INFORMATION
Breakfast starts at 8:20
Be sure to drop off your child between 8:20-8:30 so that they are in class at 8:35
If you are in the parking lot at 8:35 your child is TARDY, and being on time is super important!
The first day of school for ALL students grades K-5 is Wednesday, August 30th
(Because Labor Day is late this year we are starting BEFORE Labor Day weekend)
The first six days of school Kindergartners will only attend from 8:35-11:35
(See kindergarten section below for more information)
Students DO NOT need to bring any school supplies, all will be provided by the school district.
Students DO need to bring a backpack. Please contact us if you are needing a backpack as we can provide one.
To get information about your child's BUS STOP and route please go to https://www.fwps.org/departments/transportation/bus-routes then click on "bus search tool" and enter the information asked for to get details.
ON LINE VERIFICATION: MUST BE COMPLETED FOR ALL STUDENTS
Every August, all families must go to https://www.fwps.org/enrollment to complete online verification for each student. This form allows families to update contact and email information (so important) to read and agree to our school district students' rights and responsibilities, to give permission for field trips, and much more.
THANK YOU if you have already completed this process. If not, please do so as soon as possible. After clicking on the link, click on the box that says "verification for existing students--complete annual verification"
When you have completed the online verification process you will then be able to access the name of your child's teacher through ParentVue. (After August 25th when lists are released)
KINDERGARTEN SCHEDULE IS DIFFERENT THIS YEAR! HALF DAYS THE FIRST SIX DAYS
Kindergartners will attend school from 8:35-11:35 ONLY on August 30, 31, and September 1,2, 5 and 6.
August 30th and 31st will be our "kindergarten camp" where students get to learn the routines of kindergarten.
Students will work with all of our kindergarten teachers on those two days.
Kindergartners will be placed with specific teachers on September 1st.
Families and Guardians:
- On August 30th please join Mrs. Rennie in the gym for a kindergarten parent meeting from 9:00-9:30.
- If you choose to drive your child to school on the first day, you will just come to the gym with them at 8:35 for a welcoming activity and stay for the meeting
- If you choose to have your child ride the bus on the first day, there will be Star Lake staff on the bus to ensure kindergartners get to the gym when we arrive at school. Name tags will also be placed on students and wristbands to ensure they know which bus to get on.
- Again, even if your child rides the bus, I hope you can join the family meeting at 9:00 on the 30th.
- Kindergarten families will also attend our ice cream social/meet your teacher event on Monday, August 28th between 4:00-5:30. You will get to visit all the kindergarten classrooms as kindergartners will not be assigned to classrooms yet.
- During the afternoons on Sept 1, 5, and 6 kindergarten teachers will meet with all their students and their families in required WaKids meetings. This is a great opportunity for your child's teacher to get to know you and your child better and for you to ask questions. They will be reaching out to you after August 31st to schedule meetings.
MEET YOUR TEACHER AND SEE THE SCHOOL ICE CREAM SOCIAL MONDAY, AUGUST 28TH 4:00-5:30pm
We would like to invite all our K-5th grade students and their families to come to school anytime between 4:00-5:30 on Monday, August 28th to meet your teacher and see the school! You will have a chance to see your classroom, check out the lunchroom, gym, library, music room, playground, and have an ice cream treat!
Also, our fabulous PTA will be here with information about how to order Star Lake Spirit Wear. Don't forget to stop by their table, and find out how you can support our school through PTA.
Right at School will also be available for families who are interested in before or after school care. For more information follow this link https://www.rightatschool.com/
PLEASE BRING IN STUDENT MEDICATIONS TOO!
If your child needs to take medication at school, please bring it in during the ice cream social and connect with our nurses in the office. Thank you!
STAR LAKE PARKING LOT AND PARENT LOOP MAP : Please check out the map below for details
Parents who drive students are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to use the pick up/ drop off parent loop. We have an efficient plan to keep the pick up/drop off process moving quickly, and after we work out the inevitable "kinks" the first week of school, our parent loop should clear after school within 12-15 minutes. I always tell families that you actually will get through the loop faster if you come later...say at 3:00 or even 3:05 to join the line, because we do not start loading students into cars until 3:05, as students are not dismissed until 3:05. Kindergartners do come out at 3:00.
Please take a look at the attached map for details. Here are the most important highlights:
1. Students may NOT be dropped off before 8:20 AM and there MUST be a school adult present for you to drop off your child at the designated drop off sign. Otherwise they need to remain in your car.
2. There will be NO student drop off or pick up along the road on 40th, nor in the bus loop. These are unsafe areas for students.
3. Parents who choose to park in the parking lot instead of using the loop will need to get out of the car and walk their children to the entry. For safety, students will NOT walk into the parking lot without an adult.
4. Student "loading" into cars will start at 3:05. Please follow the directions of school personnel.
5. We will work hard to make this process as efficient and smooth as possible, please always be kind, safe, and productive in our parking and parent loop!
6. We have 360 students to dismiss at the end of the day. If you are walking up to the school to pick up your child, please look for signage to wait in the parent waiting area and NOT on the sidewalk by the parking lot as we need to allow students headed to the bus to walk in that area.
IF YOU HAVE STUDENTS AT BOTH STAR LAKE AND EVERGREEN
It is important to remember that while we are on the same campus we are two separate schools. This means, Evergreen students and Star Lake students ride DIFFERENT busses at different times. And, if you drive your students to school you will need to drop off and pick up separately as our start and end times are 40 minutes apart and there is no supervision for students waiting for siblings before or after school. So, this means parents will drop off an Evergreen student in their parking lot and then come over to Star Lake and wait in the drop off area for our drop off time of 8:20. While we understand that this is an inconvenience, for the safety of our students, we can't have them waiting outside the building for 40 minutes without supervision. If families are interested, we do have "Right at School" before and after school daycare, and you can drop students off early before school to be supervised in that location. This is a paid service. Please click here for more information https://www.rightatschool.com/
STAR LAKE DRESS CODE POLICY and PHONE POLICY
Star Lake’s student dress code policy for 2022-2023 is as follows:
To support a safe, kind and productive environment, we expect all scholars will come to school dressed in a manner showing they are ready to learn and participate in school activities and that does not distract from the learning of others.
• Tops with sleeves are suggested. If tank tops are worn the shoulder strap should be at least 2 inches wide.
• Shirts must cover the belly and torso
• Shorts, skirts, and dresses must be at least finger-tip length when standing up straight (we suggest students wear shorts or leggings under skirts, but they are not required)
• Students may wear jeans, leggings, and pants with elastic waists (we suggest students wear longer shirts with leggings)
• Pants must be worn around the waist, no sagging
• Hoods, stocking hats, beanies, scarves and gloves may be worn outside only. “Baseball-style” hats need to stay at home and are not brought to school.
• Heavy coats may be worn outside only. Light jackets, sweaters and sweatshirts may be worn in class, NO hoods on inside
Per district policy student phones MUST be turned off or silenced and placed in student backpacks while students are on school grounds. This includes during bus rides to and from school, while waiting before and after school and while in class. If students need to use their phone to connect with a parent before or after school they need to check with an adult and will be given permission. If students need to connect with parents during the school day, they WILL NOT use their cell phone but rather check with their teachers and call from the office. Parents please do not text or call your child on their cell phone during the day, if you need to contact them, please call our office at 253-945-4000. Smart watches with texting and calling capabilities follow the same policy and need to be placed in backpacks each day as well.
Thank you for your help with this to ensure students are focused on school when they are here!
FWPS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FREE MEALS TO ALL STUDENTS
FWPS will continue to offer nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost to all scholars for the 2023-24 school year through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
Free and reduced applications are no longer required under CEP. However, your family may qualify for additional benefits by completing the family income survey. By completing this survey each year, you can also ensure our school qualifies for federal and state funding as determined by parent income levels.
Please ALL FAMILIES, complete the survey at: www.fwps.org/lunchsurvey.
WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL!
I look forward to our partnerships, please don't hesitate to call, email, or stop by with questions, concerns, feedback and compliments!
Best Regards,
Kris Rennie, principal
253-945-4007