It is such an exciting time at White Oak Elementary. Back to school is right around the corner, and we wanted to make sure you are informed and ready. On Wednesday, July 31 we will greet our students and their families for Open House. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to reconnect as a school community after Summer Break. I can't wait to see each and every one of you.
Please review the important procedures for Open House below, or access the printable version here. We are happy to see White Oak families during their scheduled time block based on last name. 8:30-9:00-A-E, 9:15-9:45-F-K, 10:00-10:30-L-Q, 10:45-11:15-R-Z.
Student schedules/homeroom teachers will be accessible in ParentVUE on July 27th. Also, look out for a welcome email from your child's teacher on July 27.
Feel free to bring your child's school supplies to Open House if it is easier than sending them in on the first day of school. If you ordered school supplies through PTA, there will be a table set up for you to pick them up.
I ask for your patience when it comes to parking on July 31. I will have staff outside to help direct traffic and make parking as smooth as possible. One of the challenges we face on big days like this is sharing a campus with Lanier MS. I appreciate your kindness, grace, and understanding.
Please be sure to download the Parent Square app if you did not do so last school year. See more information at the bottom of this message. Parent Square is our comprehensive communication system for our school-wide messages, as well as direct communication with your child's teacher. The App version provides greater functionality and more tools compared to the email/web based version.
Please be sure to check out my welcome message to learn more about our 24-25 initiatives.
If you have questions or need support, don't hesitate to email or call us, 678-546-5550. We want to make Back to School as easy as possible for our families.
PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STEPS BEFORE OPEN HOUSE:
Login to the ParentVue starting July 27th
This will allow you to find out your child’s teacher for the 24-25 school year and know what classroom to visit.
Review the White Oak Student Handbook
The purpose of this student/parent handbook is to provide the White Oak school community with our school rules and procedures. Please refer to this throughout the school year.
Please login to the ParentSquare app: Starting July 23rd
You will be asked to review several documents and sign off in a checkbox format that you have reviewed and acknowledge each document.
Sign with parent name, email address and phone number registered with the school.
Note: If you receive an error message that the name does not match, make sure there is not a space after the last letter of your last name, an extra space between first and last name, or a space after the last letter of your email address.
Please go to www.MyPaymentsPlus.com
Pay fees for general supplies, technology supplies, and clinic supplies. Your contributions go towards running our school and making sure that everyone has what they need to LEARN, LEAD, and SUCCEED.
Parents of new GCPS students will need to create an account using your child’s GCPS student ID number. (If you have more than one GCPS student, you will only need to create one account. You will then link the account to all of your GCPS students.)
School Supply Lists: See the list of necessary supplies for each grade level
Please purchase school supplies prior to the first day of school. We suggest you bring the supplies with you during our Open House.
If you ordered school supplies through the PTA, they will have a table set up to hand out your supplies.
PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STEPS DURING OPEN HOUSE
Upon entering White Oak at your designated times, please go to your students’ classroom(s). If you have any registration documents to give to the registrar, please go to the Media Center first. If you were unable to identify your child’s classroom teacher in the Parent Portal, please go to the Media Center first.
In your child’s classroom. . .
Meet and Greet
Take some time to meet your child’s teacher for the 24-25 school year. Explore the classroom and fill out any teacher specific information. Drop off your school supplies.
Student Information
Review your student’s profile sheet regarding student contact information, addresses, email, etc. If this information is accurate, initial the sheet. If inaccurate, make the necessary updates on the sheet.
Transportation
Review your student’s primary method of transportation(car, bus, walker, day care) for the morning and afternoon. If this information is correct, initial the sheet. If not correct, make the necessary changes on the sheet. This is critical because it will help us to ensure your child gets home safely on the first day of school.
Bus numbers, pick up/drop off times, as well as bus routes, can be accessed in the parent portal (directions linked here). Transportation representatives will also be available in the hallways throughout the building to answer questions and provide bus information.
Car Rider Tags
Each family that completed the online transportation form and identified their child as a new car rider for the 24-25 school year will receive 2 car rider tags on their child’s desk. If you were a car rider last year, your number will continue to be the same. You can use the same tag from last year. However, if you need a new set of tags, go to the cafeteria.
If you do not have car rider tags in the classroom and need them, stop by the car rider table in the cafeteria. If you need more than 2 tags, you can purchase additional tags at the car rider table in the cafeteria.
Room Parent Sign Up
Interested in being a room parent? Sign up by using the QR Code on the poster in the classroom or access the form from the classroom computer/iPad. You may also access the form by clicking here.
After visiting classrooms, please exit through the Cafeteria. This will help our traffic flow as we have new groups coming every 45 minutes. It will also give you a chance to buy ice cream and new Spirit Wear, join the PTA, get Clinic information, and find out about Play to Learn, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and so much more!
In Partnership and Service,
Stacey Pickett
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Gwinnett County Schools is committed to providing the highest level of safety for our students and staff. Please review the visitor procedures that we will follow for the 24-25 school year. White Oak visitors will have a three - step process for entry into the school.
1.Primary Door
- Visitors use the intercom to request entry, stating their reason for visiting (lunch, check-out, check-in, classroom volunteer, etc...) These intercoms have cameras, and the audio quality is excellent.
- Receptionist communicates with the visitors to grant access to the entry/vestibule.
2. RAPTOR System
- Once in the entry/vestibule, visitors scan their driver's license, government I.D. or passport.
- Everyone needs to have their identification upon arrival.
3. Secondary Door
- A second intercom is installed in the entry/vestibule area.
- If you are here for lunch, as a classroom volunteer, or for a scheduled meeting, the receptionist will grant entry into the school and provide you with a yellow sticker.
- If you are here for student Check-Out, you will remain waiting in the entry/vestibule area.
Our goal is to provide a welcoming atmosphere when you come to White Oak. We have added some seating, decor, and plants in our entry/vestibule for visitors' comfort. Again, we thank you for your patience as we work together to ensure safety for all.
Student and staff safety are the top priority at White Oak Elementary. For the 24-25 school year, the bus lane and front parking lot will be closed off during active bus unloading/loading. As soon as all buses unload/load, the parking lot will be opened. You are welcome to wait in the middle school parking lot during the time the White Oak lot is closed.
The bus lane will remain closed off between the hours of 7:45-8:15 and 2:45-3:15. If you need to pick up/drop your child off your child, please use the car rider lane. We will be issuing car rider tags at Open House for anyone who needs one. Reminder, the last student check out occurs at 2:30 each afternoon. We appreciate your support and understanding with this process.
Last year GCPS adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with Gwinnett County Public Schools.
ParentSquare is a unified communication platform that offers a whole host of tools that allows district leaders, school administrators, and teachers to communicate and engage
with families and students more effectively. Some features include:
- Mass notifications and Urgent Alerts with two-way communication
- Mobile application for administrators and parents (iOS and Android)
- Attendance notifications (district-managed)
- Teacher and classroom communication
- Direct Messaging with two-way translation
- Social (Facebook and Twitter) and website share
- And so much more!
New families should have received an activation email for their ParentSquare account by the week of July 21. Parents who download the app can interact by viewing photos, downloading attachments, leaving comments, messaging teachers, signing permission slips, and managing their communication settings and preferences.
Wondering about the difference between ParentSquare and ParentVUE? Check out this link to see how these GCPS tools help families support their student's learning.
White Oak Elementary School
Mrs. Stacey Pickett, Principal
6442 Suwanee Dam Rd
Sugar Hill, GA 30518
678-546-5550
https://www.gcpsk12.org/WhiteOakES
School Hours
7:45 AM - 8:10 AM Student Arrival
8:15 AM - 2:45 PM Instructional Time
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM Student Dismissal