Welcome Back Wolf PAC

We hope that you are enjoying your summer vacation and starting to think about gearing up for the new year. It is with great excitement that we welcome you back to another successful and exciting year of learning at Patuxent Appeal Campus. We hope your summer break was relaxing and enjoyable. Soon it will be time for our families to begin preparations for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year!

This year, our motto continues with “One PAC, One Goal.” Our goal is “Success for all.” Success by focusing on providing outstanding academic experiences for our students that are rigorous, relevant, and foster great relationships. As your principal, it is important to me that we continue to have students and families who are excited to be a part of our PAC family. We want your children to leave us smiling and looking forward to coming back the next day!

• Ms. Shelly Amstutz, Assistant Principal in the Patuxent Building
• Emma Nash, 1st grade teacher
• Lillian Thomas, 2nd grade teacher
• Amanda Cusick, 3rd grade teacher
• Claire Libby, Physical Education Teacher in the Appeal Building

We still have a few positions to fill and will share our new additions when they join the PAC family!

• August 12- Updated Bus Numbers in HAC
• August 19- Last day for parents/students to access 2023-2024 data in HAC.
• August 20- Home Access Center (HAC) will show 2024-2025 data including class placement for students.
• August 26- PAC to School Event- Grades 1-5 * New this year and will take place of Open House.
• August 27- 1st day of school for grades 1-5
• August 27- Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten conferences- PAC Pups to School Event- * New
• August 28- Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten conferences- PAC Pups to School Event- * New
• August 29- Staggered Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten first day
• August 30- Staggered Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten first day
• September 2- Labor Day- Offices and Schools Closed
• September 11- 2-hour early dismissal for students.
• September 24- Fall pictures
• September 25- PAC Community Fair- * New event this year. More information to follow.
• September 27- Schools Closed for students and staff
• September 30- 2-hour late arrival for students

• School supply lists can be found on our website. Home - Patuxent Appeal Elementary (calvertnet.k12.md.us)

• School hours are 9:25 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. Kiss and Go line will close at 9:20 a.m. Morning openings begin promptly at 9:25 a.m. Students are expected to be in class and ready to go by 9:25 a.m.
• Dismissal begins promptly at 4:05 p.m. We ask if you are arriving early to sign your child out before the end of the school day, you must arrive prior to 3:50 p.m. In order to minimize disruptions during the end of the school day, students will not be called for an early dismissal after 3:50 p.m.

• Households are encouraged to submit a meal benefit application each year to see if they qualify for free or reduced-price meal benefits. Both free and reduced-price meal benefits provide meals at no cost to families. Click on the button above to apply.

Register your child's lunch account on Linq connect (by clicking the above button) to place money on the account for breakfast, lunch and or snacks.

This application allows you to view student grades, assignments, and attendance in a real-time environment. Grades will typically be visible in HAC within two weeks of the assignment due date. Additional time should be provided in the case of assignments that may take longer to grade (e.g., projects, research papers, etc). Parents/Guardians who have never logged into HAC must self-register to create a HAC account. If you have an existing HAC account and can’t remember your HAC credentials, please use the “Forgot my Username or Password” link. If this does not work for you for some reason, please contact the main office.

We hope you will consider joining PTO this year. Our PTO supports our students, staff and school in many ways and sponsors events throughout the year. We would love to have your support and involvement. Information will be sent out on how to join our PTO at a later date.

The daily arrival and dismissal of students is a busy time. We encourage students to ride their assigned bus to and from school to reduce the number of vehicles in the parking lot area. Transportation information is available on the CCPS Website located on the Transportation Department Section.

Arrival

o Buses enter the main parking area between 9:00 AM and 9:20 AM and travel to the bus lane. Cars are not permitted to enter the bus lane during arrival and departure times. At 9:00 AM, students are permitted to enter the building through the main entrance doors and report to their classrooms.

o Cars should enter the Kiss and Go lanes at each building. At 9:00 AM, staff will supervise the traffic flow and exiting of vehicles. Students should exit vehicles promptly in the “unloading zones” under the direction of the staff on duty. After students have been dropped off, exit the Kiss and Go Lane to open the unloading zone. Staff supervision is only provided between 9:00 and 9:20 AM; students should not be dropped off before that time. Any student who arrives after 9:20 AM needs to be signed in by an adult in the main office.

Dismissal – Everyday car riders are dismissed from classes at 4:05 PM. Bus riders are called for dismissal following everyday car riders at approximately 4:10 PM. To ensure that students’ routines stay consistent, we ask that parents select one method of transportation home for the year. Changes must be made in writing and submitted to the office.

o Bus riders exit the main entrance doors and report directly to their buses. Buses exit the parking lot once filled. If a bus is running late, students will wait with a staff member for the bus to arrive.

o Parents and guardians should park in available parking spaces and enter the cafeteria to sign out their child. Everyday car riders report to the cafeteria promptly after being dismissed from class at 4:05 PM. Students must have an everyday car rider permission form completed in order to be dismissed as a car rider. Please make sure you use one of the designated crosswalks to enter the parking lot with your child. Staff members will direct the flow across the bus lane for safety. Car riders must be picked up between 4:05 PM and 4:10 PM. Car rider privileges will be revoked for individuals who are repeatedly late.

o Early Dismissals – If you need to pick up your child from school prior to dismissal, please do so before 3:50 PM. Students will not be called from class after 3:50 PM. In addition, no cars should be in the bus lane prior to dismissal. Please plan accordingly.

The office no longer will call “surprise car riders”. If you require your student to be a car rider on a particular day due to special circumstances, you will be asked to write a note and send it in with your student in the morning and handed in to their teacher. They will then come to the cafeteria when car riders are called. If an unexpected emergency or circumstance arises during the school day, please send a signed note electronically (fax or picture/ scanned) to the building’s secretary and homeroom teacher.

Please complete the transportation verification form for each student attending PAC. This information is used by staff to assist in getting your child home safely each day.

Please click the button above to visit the transportation section on the Calvert County Public Schools website to learn your child’s bus stop location and the pickup and drop off time.

• Shows the real-time location of your child's bus on a map
• Gives scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
• Provides push and email notifications when the bus is near

Students must have an everyday car rider permission form completed in order to be dismissed as a car rider. Please complete the form with the required information.

We have many ways to stay informed and find out what is happening at PAC. Please take the time to read the following sources of information: Twitter, Facebook, Class Dojo, Principal Newsletters.

Your student will bring home in the beginning of the year a PAC Family Handbook. Please take time to review with your students the information. You will be asked to acknowledge that you have read the information.

As we work together to navigate this school year, communication and partnership will be essential to a successful school year. Below, please find some things that you can begin now to make sure that your child is ready for the first day of school:

• Gradually get back into school year structure and routines. Bring up the topic of summer is coming to an end and that school will be restarting.
• Set a bedtime (and/or wake up time) and move it closer to what it should be for the school year.
• Consider posting a family calendar with the school start date marked down, to help your family see how many days are left until school starts.
• Purchase school supplies.
• Review your contact information to ensure the school has the most up to date information.
• Talk with your children in a positive light about what the school year will look like for them. Children depend on the trusted adults in their world for reassurance that the school year will be a great one.

Parents, we value the home-school connection. Collaboration with your student’s teacher and administration are important to a healthy and successful year. Open communication is vital to ensure a productive home-school partnership throughout the year. With this partnership, we will achieve our success goal of providing outstanding academic experiences for our students that are rigorous, relevant, and foster great relationships. We look forward to celebrating achievements and accomplishments of our students with you throughout the school year. Please do not hesitate to share any concerns or great ideas. PAC is a great place, but you can make it better! You can call at 443-550-9710 or email at beckwithm@calvertnet.k12.md.us with questions, concerns or comments. Thank you in advance for a wonderful, meaningful school year! One PAC, One goal!