It has been a wonderful start to the school year! We are excited to see our students engaging, learning, and forming positive relationships. Thank you for helping to make the first week of school smooth and successful! Please take the time to read all of the information below. We have a lot happening this September and it is important to stay informed. Our school and our families are truly a team!

Please use the utmost safety during arrival and dismissal. We have students as young as 3 years old in our building. It takes time to buckle and unbuckle and we do not allow cars to go around each other. Please practice patience.

In the morning, please do not get out of the car to unbuckle your child. There is staff to help your child out of the car. Please have your child on the passenger side of the car if possible with their belongings to take into school. If your child is in K-3, please be sure to teach your child to unbuckle and gather their bookbag to exit the car. It is also helpful for these students to learn how to buckle themselves in at dismissal time.

Please do not park in the Craven Lane or Phillips Ave parking lot and walk up to the door in the morning or afternoon. The parking has become extremely limited for staff and that is the main staff lot. In addition, the buses enter and exit through the Phillips parking lot loop and it is dangerous to have cars moving through there at the same time.

Please do not use cell phones during arrival or dismissal and take care for the safety of our faculty who are assisting with traffic control in the parking lot. Finally, please move at 15 mph on Phillips Ave or Craven Lane during arrival and dismissal. This is the school zone speed limit. Also, mind the crosswalk on Craven Lane. LES has many students and families who walk to and from school. Their safety is paramount. If there is any change to dismissal procedures for your child, please contact the office as early in the day as possible.

• Walkers should enter school via door 11.
• Walkers are dismissed from the main entrance door. Sign out is necessary.
• ONLY 3rd graders may walk home independently from LES and only with specific family permission to do so. If your child is walking independently at dismissal time, the expectation is that they are going straight home. If your child intends to go anywhere other than directly home, a parent must pick up from the building.
• Please follow all traffic safety rules and only cross the street at designated crosswalks.
• If there is any change to dismissal procedures for your child, please contact the office as early in the day as possible.
  

This week, we held Bus Family Meetings with all students who ride a bus to and/or home from school. During these meetings with students, we discussed expected behaviors while riding the bus. Please reinforce these at home...

• Please immediately sit, buckle up, and remain seated on the school bus.
• Use a quiet talking voice on the bus. Yelling can distract the bus driver.
• Do not get off at any other bus stop than your own.
• Keep hands and feet to yourself at all times.

Any negative bus behaviors reported by the driver may result in consequences including an apology of action, a phone call home, or suspension from the bus. If there is any change to dismissal procedures for your child, please contact the office as early in the day as possible.

Students in grades K-3 will take part in beginning of the year assessments in the upcoming weeks. These are "in-house" assessments that will help us personalize the learning experience for each student meeting them where they are academically. The only thing you need to do at home is provide your child with a good night's sleep and a nutritious breakfast.

Kindergarten students will take the Aimsweb beginning of year assessment. This assessment includes a Number Naming Fluency Measure and a Quantity Total Fluency Measure. They will also take the beginning of year IMSE phonics assessment.

First through 3rd grade students will take the iReady assessment. This is on the computer and will target Math and English/Language Arts standards. The online iReady program will personalize a learning path for students upon completion of the initial assessment.

Please encourage your child to do their best in school every day!

We are looking forward to seeing you next week at Back to School Night. This year, there will be brief grade-level presentations led by the classroom teachers. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet your child’s teacher(s), explore the classroom, and learn about the exciting learning experiences planned for this year.

Teachers will share important information regarding:

• Classroom routines and expectations

• Curriculum highlights

• Communication methods

• How you can support your child's learning at home

Families are invited to visit the all-purpose room before or after the classroom presentation, where the PTO will be selling snacks and LES spirit wear. Families will have the chance to visit various tables to learn more about our wonderful school community. Students who attend will have the opportunity to help decorate a banner for their grade level.

*Families- please do not leave your child to tour the building unaccompanied due to safety reasons.

See below for the class presentation schedule:

6-6:25- PreK and K

6:30-6:55- 1st Grade

7-7:25- 2nd Grade

7:30-7:55- 3rd Grade

Some FAQs about the evening:

• Is this a family event? Families are welcome to bring their children. However, please be mindful that there is a presentation portion of the evening.
• May we visit former teachers during the evening? No-we prefer that you only visit with the teacher your child currently has.
• Is this conference time? No. This is a time to find out more about your child's academic program and tour the class and the school. Conferences are in November and all specific questions about your child can be discussed at that time.
• Where should I go when I arrive? Depending on when you arrive, you may visit your child's classroom or go straight to the All Purpose Room.

Cell Phone Policy- Smartwatches and cell phones/smartphones are not permitted during school hours at any time. Students are discouraged from bringing them to school at any time.

Genesis

Please login and update your Genesis Parent Portal with all emergency contact information and medical information as soon as possible.

Talking Points

Talking points is a two way multilingual family engagement platform being used by LTPS. Please be sure to connect with your child's teacher via this platform.

Lunch

Please be sure your child has a packed lunch or knows what they are buying for lunch before they arrive at school. You may qualify for free and reduced breakfast and lunch. Please apply via Genesis for additional assistance. Lunch menus can be found here.

If your child needs to be absent from school, we encourage you to use the Genesis Parent Portal to report their absence. It is easy to do if you have the app!

To access this feature, simply log in to the Genesis Parent Portal:

1. Click on “Attendance” in the left-hand toolbar.

2. Select “Notify our Office.”

3. On the page, you can specify the student's absence, choose a date range, and if you have multiple children at different schools, you can indicate which one will be absent.

4. A space is provided for you to leave a brief explanation for the absence.

To assist you with the new reporting feature, please click here for step-by-step directions. This feature is designed to streamline the process and save you time.

We would also like to remind you that while the Lawrenceville Elementary School Attendance email and phone line remain active, we encourage you to take advantage of this new "Notify Attendance Office" feature for a more direct and immediate response.

Should you need any assistance or have questions about your parent portal account, do not hesitate to contact our front office staff at 609-671-5571, or Jason Dugas at jdugas@ltps.org

If you do not record or call your child's absence in, your child will be marked unexcused and you will receive a phone call from our automated system.

Our district is excited to announce the launch of the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), an advisory group of community stakeholders interested in the education and welfare of children from preschool through grade three, as outlined in N.J.A.C. 6A:13A-1.2. This council is being convened by our school district to strengthen our commitment to early childhood education.

What is the ECAC?
The ECAC is an initiative aimed at supporting and enhancing early childhood education in our district. It will serve as a collaborative platform where educators, parents, and community members can come together to share insights and make recommendations that will shape the programs and services for our young learners.

The council will focus on various areas, including curriculum development, family engagement, and student support services. Our goal is to ensure that all children have the best possible start in their educational journey. The ECAC will be made up of a diverse group of individuals dedicated to improving early childhood education within our community.

How You Can Help
We are currently seeking community members (school staff, parents, community members etc.) who are passionate about early childhood education to join the council. If you are interested, please complete this interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0xTIQI_LAYlg7ej8Q46I0x7Fqds1Ye__xUiIT33xSC70ZVw/viewform