Peek at the Week

Please do not send emails via Smore as emails may be overlooked.

• philip.steffes@cms.k12.nc.us (Principal)
• michelleL.bennett@cms.k12.nc.us (Assistant Principal)
• kelli.wallace@cms.k12.nc.us (Assistant Principal)

Instructional Hours: 8:00-3:00

Morning Drop Off: 7:30-8:00

Tardy Bell: 8:00

Latest Time for Early Checkout: 2:15

Afternoon Dismissal: 3:00

School Improvement Team Meetings: 8/19, 9/30,10/28, 11/25, 12/16, 1/13, 2/24, 3/24, 4/22, 6/5 4:15 in the Media Center

• 9th-13th Winter Book Fair
• 10th 1st Grade Winter Performance 6:15-7:00 (Book Fair will be open!)
• 12th 3rd Grade Field Trip to Discovery Place
• 12th Kindergarten Winter Performance 6:15-7:00 (Book Fair will be open!)
• 16th-20th Winter Spirit Week
• 17th 2nd Quarter Progress Reports
• 19th Winter Celebrations 1:15-2:15

Please remind child of their responsibility for properly caring for their assigned CMS device. There has been a significant amount of damages in the last 2 weeks. Remind your child that per the district policy they are responsible for any damages to the device assigned to them, regardless of fault. If a tech fee goes unpaid, the student will lose the privilege to use a CMS device with exception for testing purposes.

All students will have an opportunity to engage in a Winter Celebration on Thursday, December 19 (1:15-2:15).

Per CMS Board Policy food items such as pizza, subs, chic fil-a, soda, and ice cream are not allowed 7:30am-3:30pm. It is recommended that juice, water lemonade with a store-bought snack be provided during the celebration: (cookies, cupcake, chips, popcorn) Peanut items should not be provided for the celebration.

If any prohibited items arrive, they will not be received in the school.

With the holidays approaching, it is the perfect time to give back. We will be collecting donations for patients and families at Levine Children's Hospital from December 5th until December 20th.

If you're not sure what to donate, here are some ideas:

• Coloring supplies

• Card games

• Craft kits

• Teething toys

• Stuffed animals

• Blankets

• Toiletry supplies

• Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars

• Books for all ages

Gift cards are another great option to support patients and families:

• DoorDash

• UberEats

• Panera

• Chick-fil-A

• Amazon

• Target

• Walmart

• Gas cards

• Starbucks

All donated items must be new with tags or in original packaging. Handmade blankets can be accepted, providing they can be laundered.

Thank you so much! Please reach out to palisadesparkptsa@outlook.com with any questions.

• Morning bus riders should arrive at the assigned stop 10 minutes earlier than the designated time. Please be mindful that the bus may arrive 10 minutes prior or 10 minutes later than the assigned time.
• If your bus is not there according to schedule on the first week, please be patient. Do not call the school for information. Bus drivers have to ensure they are receiving students according to the list provided by CMS transportation.
• Afternoon bus riders may experience later arrival times initially as the bus drivers need to take time to ensure students are dropped off at the correct locations.
• It is not unusual for buses to run late the first week.
• If a bus is running later than 20 minutes in the afternoon, a message will be sent to parents via Parent Square. Please make sure you have downloaded the Parent Square application to your phone.

• Please make sure your child has a tag attached to his/her bookbag indicating first and last name.
• Make sure the tag indicates the mode of transportation for going home: bus, bus number, carrider, ASEP, daycare van, or walker.

Palisades Park Elementary is designated as a no-walk zone school. If parents choose to allow students to walk, they must be accompanied by an adult. Walkers are only allowed to arrive on campus by using the steps located on HWY49 (S.Tryon). Parents are not allowed to escort students past the steps. DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF ON HWY 49!

If students are going to be walkers in the afternoon, a parent/guardian must be at the top of the steps with a walker tag. Parents should remain on the sidewalk at the top of the stairs during afternoon dismissal. If you did not get a walker tag during Open House, it will be provided on the first day of school. Parents need to commit to being a walker for the duration of the year. Students will remain walkers on rainy days unless parents notify the school otherwise. Please make sure your child's teacher is aware that your child will be a walker. All walkers will be called to one location and escorted out together by a staff member. You must have a walker tag for a child to be released to you.

Parents choosing to participate in morning carpool may not enter the parking lot before 7:20. If you are on the lot prior to 7:20, you may be asked to leave and drive to the back of the line. Palisades Park Elementary staff must be able to access the parking lot prior to 7:20. DO NOT PARK AND WALK YOUR CHILD UP TO THE SCHOOL.

We will increase the number of cars being loaded/unloaded during arrival/dismissal. Staff will not be opening car doors. Students must be able to open and close doors. DO NOT WAIT FOR A STAFF MEMBER TO OPEN AND CLOSE CAR DOORS. Practice with your child!

If you didn't get a car rider tag during Open House, please get one on the first day. These will be available during morning drop-off. Car rider tags are only needed for PM Carpool pickup.

Please review carpool procedures at the bottom of this newsletter.

Students are expected to be prepared for school each day. The office staff will not be responsible for delivering lunch dropped for students after arrival.

If you need to walk your child into the school, please arrive at 8:00. If you arrive prior to 8:00, wait in your car until the bell rings.

ASEP students will not be released prior to 3:30 PM. ASEP parents should remain in their cars until PM carpool is over.

The back entrance to the school is reserved for buses only. Please do not enter this area during the hours of 6:30am -3:30 pm. DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF IN THIS LOCATION!

Due to the increase in enrollment, there is limited space available to guests during lunch time. So initially guests will not be allowed.

The CMS Board of Education approved a flat fee structure for device damage and

replacement costs. Students are expected to take care of their assigned device. K-2nd grade students are assigned an IPAD and 3rd-5th are assigned a chrome book.

• New Device Fee Structure

o $10 for chargers

o $15 damaged device

o $50 lost and stolen

o $5 Miscellaneous (lost part of device)

All students will be provided free breakfast, but lunch is not free unless a student qualifies. If free or reduced lunch is needed, parents/guardians must apply. Please complete this process ASAP. Breakfast will remain free to all students.

If you have not requested transportation by 6:00pm on August 4th, you may not have it for the first week of school.

Here Comes the Bus is a school bus tracking locator app that can simplify morning routines for parents and students by giving them real-time bus location and alerts to help them get to the bus stop on time. Here Comes the Bus utilizes our GPS data and an easy to use customized map that works on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Sign-up for Here Comes the Bus will be available for download at

https://herecomesthebus.com OR through a mobile app available on Apple and Google Play smartphone platforms.

To sign up, parents will need the district code, 73877, and their student's unique ID number to register.