"Knightly" News
Washington Street Elementary - August 14, 2024
Welcome back, Bulldogs!
Dear WSE Family,
I’m excited to welcome you back to another fantastic year at Washington Street Elementary! Below, you’ll find the procedures for our morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal. After careful consideration with our School Leadership Team, we’ve decided that maintaining our current system is the best way to ensure every student arrives and departs safely.
Keep an eye out for my weekly newsletter on Friday afternoons, where I’ll share important updates. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to the WSE office or me if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Mrs. Knight
Meet & Greet
Morning Drop-off Procedures
In an effort to keep all students as safe as possible, please follow our drop-off procedure for students who will not be utilizing bus transportation before school:
- Doors will open at 8:20 a.m. Students MUST stay in their vehicles until that time.
- Please pull up as far as possible (all the way to the stop sign) when utilizing the drop-off zone in front of the building. This allows us to clear traffic off of Garfield Street.
- Students are to be dropped off on the curbside ONLY when utilizing the drop-off zone. We do not want students in the path of traffic.
- Parents who are using the drop-off zone in the morning should NOT exit their vehicles.
- If you would like to visit the office, please park by the playground and walk up the sidewalk.
- Please be safe and slow down when driving through the parking lot.
- Parents may park by the playground and help their children out of the car. If desired, you may walk them up the sidewalk to our overhang area.
- Staff members will be available to ensure each student arrives safely and directly to their classroom.
Dismissal and Pick-up Procedures
All students not using school transportation will have a designated outdoor pick-up location which parents/guardians will access from their vehicles only. We are asking all parents to stay in their vehicles while school staff direct students to parent/guardian vehicles once they are stopped in the pick-up lane.
All parents/guardians will need to use Garfield Street as the entrance to the pick-up area. Washington Street will ONLY be used as an exit at dismissal/pick-up time.
3rd-5th grade students will be picked up in front of the school building near the main entrance. Kindergarten-2nd grade students will be picked up on the east side of the building in the designated pick-up lane that is usually part of the parking lot (cars will NOT be parked in this area).
At the front of the school 5th graders will be furthest to the west, followed by 4th graders, and then third graders. On the east side of the building, 2nd graders will be lined up first, then 1st graders, followed lastly by the Kindergarteners. If parents have both upper elementary and lower elementary students, they will pick up all children at the youngest child's pickup location. Staff will work to group siblings together (so you only have to make one stop) during the first week of school.
3rd-5th-grade parents should stay in the OUTSIDE lane.
Kindergarten-2nd-grade parents may use the INSIDE lane to access the "turning lane". Do NOT get in this lane until after the OMS Parking Lot.
There can only be one lane of traffic until after the OMS Parking Lot in case there is an emergency.
We feel this pick-up procedure puts student safety at the forefront as we can see who each student is dismissed to every day. Please drive slowly during student pick-up times, and remain focused when pulling out into the driving lane after being stopped in the pick-up lane.
Free/Reduced Lunch Forms
Good news! With the passage of Michigan's budget this year, breakfast and lunch will be FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS for the 2024-25 school year! However, it is still vital that you fill out the Free & Reduced Meal Application because it is tied to more than school lunches. If you qualify, you could receive discounts on internet service, school Chromebook insurance fees, testing fees and more! These applications are also tied to a portion of the district's federal funding that helps provide tutors, summer school, counselors, programs and materials and more. It's a quick form to fill out - you only complete one per family. Fill it out today at https://www.otsegops.org/departments/food-service
*Please note: students will be charged if they purchase milk only.
Remind
Washington Street Elementary
Attendance Line: (269)694-7880
WSE BASE: (269)694-7835
Email: jknight@otsegops.org
Website: http://wse.otsegops.org/
Location: 538 Washington Street, Otsego, MI, United States
Phone: (269) 694-7800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wseparents/?rf=371830666323356
Twitter: @otsegoschools