Wattles Park Parent Connection
August 16, 2024
Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year
Welcome to a new school year!
We are excited about having children back in the building at Wattles Park Elementary! We are excited for a new school year that provides us with the opportunity to partner with you in your child’s education. Our amazing teachers and staff at Wattles Park have been working hard to create an environment that is a wonderful place to grow and learn. We are dedicated to providing the very best instruction to help all of our students grow and learn at high levels. “Learn, Grow, Shine” is our theme for this year, and we are confident that the 2024-2025 school year will be incredible! Please visit our district's Back to School site to find important information such as school calendars and bus route information.
First Day of School-August 19th
School Day 8:50am-3:45pm(arrival 8:40-8:50)
Early Dismissal Wednesdays 8:50am-2:35pm(begins 9/11/24)
Half Days 8:50am-12:00pm(11/8, 11/27, 12/19, 12/20, 2/21, 5/29 & 5/30)
Parent Handbook
The parent handbook is located on the Wattles Park website wpe.harpercreek.net.
Calendar
The district calendar can be found at harpercreek.net or at the link below. This calendar
gives important information about school holiday breaks and professional development
days through the school year.
Visiting Wattles Park Elementary
Any adult coming to any school building in Harper Creek will be required to present their driver’s license to the school secretary before entering the school building. A visitor badge will be printed that must be worn while that person is in the building. This extra step of security is to keep our children safe while at school.
Bus Riders
If your child is normally a bus rider, please send a note to school if you are picking them up
that day. All students that are on a bus route are assumed to be riding the bus
home unless they come with a note that day. Kindergarten students will be given a
backpack tag at Meet the Teacher Night(or the 1st day of school) that indicates their regular after school dismissal plan. During the first week of school, bus departure is typically delayed, therefore your child may be at their designated stop 15-20 minutes later than normal. Visit our district's Back to School page to find bus route information.
Arrival Car Riders
Kindergarten and 1st Grade
At 8:40AM, the classroom teachers will be at the playground gate to greet their students and walk them into the building. Parents are encouraged to say good-bye at that location.
2nd Grade
Students in 2nd grade arriving in cars should be walked by parents beginning at 8:40AM to the back entrance door(back parking lot) near the cafeteria.
3rd and 4th Grade
Students in 3rd and 4th grade arriving in cars will line-up beginning at 8:40AM at the door entrance at the end of the 3rd and 4th grade wing.
Please do not drop your child off before 8:40AM, because doors are not supervised by school staff until that time.
Families with multiple children can drop off all children at the youngest child's location.
Dismissal Car Riders
Kindergarten & 1st
Classroom teachers will bring students to the playground gate at 3:45PM to match students to the adult picking them up. Parents should stand outside the blue circle, so that teachers can more easily recognize parents.
2nd Grade
Car riders will be released to parents from the exterior classroom door in the back parking lot at 3:45PM.
3rd and 4th Grade
Car riders will be released to parents at the end door of the 3rd and 4th grade wing at 3:45PM.
Siblings being picked up by car will go to the youngest siblings dismissal area to be picked up at that location.
School Attendance
One initiative that we are working together with parents is to improve our school's attendance rate. Since the pandemic, the number of chronically absent students(10 or more days in a school year) has tripled when compared to before the pandemic. We want to reverse this trend to get more students to off the chronically absent list. Research is clear that strudents that miss less than 10 days of school in a year perform better than students that are absent more often. If you having trouble bringing your child to school, please call the Operation Concern line(269-441-5855) and ask for someone to call you back to discuss your situation. We have some exciting plans to promote better attendance for the upcoming school year. Watch for upcoming newsletters with more announcements regarding attendance.
Staff Changes at Wattles Park
We welcome these new employees to the Wattles Park team.
Linda Ortiz-Nurse Aide
Kristy Gonzalez-Classroom Aide
Megan Demaso-Classroom Aide
Rosie Taylor-Lunch Aide
Eden Waters-Lunch Aide
Chris Beaver decided to retire after the school year ended last Spring. We celebrate her 26 years of serving the children of Wattles Park. Chris has plans to stay busy in retirement, and we have already talked her into contining to organize our Veteran's Day celebration at Wattles Park. The Wattles Park staff held a retirement luncheon for Chris on Thursday this week.
Julie Mead accepted a new teaching position with Marlee Schools. We wish her and her family well. We are currently searching for her replacement in our Early Learning classroom. Melissa Klein has been hired as a substitiute to support our students in this program.
Contact Information
Email: swanb@harpercreek.net
Website: wpe.harpercreek.net
Location: 132 S Wattles Rd, Battle Creek, MI, USA
Phone: (269) 441-5850