Brass Castle School

Dear Brass Castle Families,

It is hard to imagine that we are only a few days away from the beginning of the school year! The Brass Castle Team and I are excited to welcome both returning and new students as we kickoff the 2024-2025 school year. Following are a few reminders to ensure a positive start to this year's educational journey:

Student Arrival

· Arrival Time - 8:30am - 8:45am (late bell rings at 8:50am) Student arrivals after 8:45 am must be dropped off at the main entrance of the building. Please do not drop students off before 8:30am, as staff supervision is not available.

· Students report directly to homeroom upon arrival, so please ensure your student knows his/her homeroom teacher's name. Staff will be available throughout the building to assist.

· Student drop off (car riders or supervised walkers) - Families must drive through the Brass Castle Loop on the Midland Ave. side of the building (closest to the school playground area). Safety is always a priority. Therefore, students and parents should follow the car line and remain in their cars until directed by a staff member to exit the car. Parents/guardians of students requiring assistance to exit the car, may assist at this time. We kindly request parents/guardians walking their student to school not walk through the bus lane/sidewalk area during arrival or dismissal times for safety and security reasons. Your understanding is appreciated.

· Student walkers (no supervision required) may enter the building on the Midland Ave. side of the building.

Student Dismissal

· Dismissal Time - 3:10pm - 3:20pm.

· Please ensure your student(s) and their teacher(s) know how students will get home each day. A goldenrod form was sent home with the school mailing this summer. This form should be used to indicate a change in the student's dismissal transportation for the first day of school or thereafter. This includes students enrolled in and attending the AlphaBEST Extended Care Program. Changes to dismissal procedures for your student must be called/emailed to the main office (908-689-1188 or rrhinehart@washtwpsd.org) and your student's teacher by 2:00pm, as needed. Note, if you do not receive a confirmation email, please call to confirm the message was received.

· Student pickup (car riders or supervised walkers) - Families must drive through the Brass Castle Loop on the Midland Ave. side of the building (closest to the school playground area). Safety is always a priority. Therefore, parents should follow the car line and remain in their cars. Please do not call your student over to the car. A staff member will direct students, when it is safe, to a designated coned area. Parents/guardians of students requiring assistance to enter the car/buckle seatbelts, may assist at this time. Note, a staff member will be providing pickup signs to display on your car window during student pickup. We kindly request parents/guardians walking their student to school not walk through the bus lane/sidewalk area during arrival or dismissal times for safety and security reasons. Your understanding is appreciated.

· Student walkers (no supervision required) will be dismissed at 3:20pm.

OnCourse Connect Parent Portal – Student Information System

· Information regarding special school events, school closures/delays, and more are sent through the Instant Alert Messaging System. It is very important to ensure primary guardian contact emails and phone numbers are accurate throughout the year.

6th Grade Families

· Students in 6th grade have personalized schedules. A printed version of their schedules will be distributed on the first day of school during homeroom. Teachers will guide students on how to read their schedules, help them find their classrooms, and address any other related topics.

We ask for your patience during the first week of school, as we all adjust to the new school year routine. Buses may be running late, the car rider line may take a little extra time, and more. Safety is our #1 priority, and each day will get better!

Thank you for your support. It is going to be a wonderful school year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jessica L. Garcia

Brass Castle School Principal

Child Study Team Director

"Embrace Progress, Cultivate Potential"

All returning students must complete the annual registration process in the OnCourseConnect Parent Portal - https://www.oncourseconnect.com/login. As a reminder, the portal will provide access to your student's assigned homeroom and important guardian/emergency contact information, student progress, and more. Please ensure your student has at minimum two emergency contacts listed.

Student Meals

Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase on each school day. Please visit https://www.washtwpsd.org/cafeteria/.

Menus

School breakfast and lunch menus can be found on the district website or by using the following link:

https://washtwpsd.nutrislice.com/menu

Pay Central

Money may be added to your student's cafeteria account, using Pay Central. https://payschoolscentral.com/

New families to the district will need to register for student accounts. Please visit the Pay Central site, Choose Register, and fill in the requested information. The Student ID# may be found in the OnCourse Connect Parent Portal - Student Info - Student Local ID (see pic below).

Free / Reduced Application

Students will receive a paper copy of the Free & Reduced School Meals Application on the first day of school. ALL families are encouraged to complete the application as this critical information affects school funding. A signed copy of this form must be returned to the school, as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact the main office.

School-Home communication is very important. Please stay connected to the school by ensuring your email and phone numbers are accurate in OnCourse Connect. To receive text messages from the school and district, please opt-in to school messenger!

• August 26th - Preschool & Kindergarten Orientations
• August 28th - First Day of School (Full Day)
• August 30th - Early Dismissal Day for Students (Student Dismissal begins at 12:40pm)
  
• September 2nd - Labor Day - No School
• September 6th - PTA Meet & Greet
• September 10th - 6th Grade Back to School Night
• September 11th - PS, K, 4th thru 5th Grades Back to School Night
• September 18th - Brass Castle School Picture Day
• September 18th - PTA Meeting

Website: https://www.washtwpsd.org/
Location: 16 Castle Street, Washington, NJ, 07882
Phone: (908) 689-1188
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/washtwpsd.wc
Twitter: @washtwpsd