Wentworth Asst. Principal Update

Many thanks to everyone who attended our Sneak Peek days! It was an incredible turnout, the energy was so positive, connections were made, and many academic assessments and conferences were completed! Families were able to take a stroll to their child's new learning community and classroom, meet their child's teacher, complete paperwork, see a presentation by the School Leaders, and ask questions about any back-to-school needs.

We truly appreciate this time - and as you can see by the photos below, it is time well spent!

Have a wonderful long weekend,

Kelli Crosby ~ Principal

Gabrielle LaPerriere ~ Asst. Principal

Friday, August 30 - Monday, September 2 - No School for Labor Day Weekend

Tuesday, September 3 - First full day of school for all students!

Wednesday, September 11 - September Early Release at 1:45 PM

Tuesday, September 17 - Open House 6-7:30 PM

2024-2025 Scarborough Public Schools Calendar

Car rider drop-off for ALL students (single car riders and carpoolers) begins at 8:30 AM and will take place along the loop adjacent to the main Wentworth parking lot. Please do not pull into the front loop - that is designated as buses only. If possible, have your child sit on the passenger side of the vehicle, and practice to exit independently. Our staff will be curbside to assist. This is a drop-and-go lane, only. If the driver needs to exit the vehicle for any reason, please plan to park your vehicle in the lot and walk your child to the sidewalk. Please drop your student off no later than 8:45 AM.

Car Rider pick-up will take place in the loop adjacent to the parking lot. We will be using the entire length of that loop as the sidewalk extends all the way to Wentworth Drive. Please note the general gathering areas - students from the Red and Green Learning Communities will walk toward the front of the loop as they are the first out of the building due to proximity. If your child's classroom is in the Red or Green LC, please arrive first, closest to 3:15, and pull forward as far as possible. If your child's classroom is in the Purple or Blue Learning Community, please consider timing your arrival for closer to 3:20 so you do not block the flow of traffic in the Car Rider lane. It takes students from Purple and Blue a few extra minutes to get outside due to the length of their walk.

Students who carpool (that includes siblings, neighbors, teammates, etc who are meeting up to ride in the same vehicle) will be called to the gym to check in and find their carpool group. Carpoolers will be dismissed to the Utility Loop located on the side of the school. Travel past the main entrance toward the Middle School on Quentin Drive and pull into the loop on the left, as far forward as possible. Carpoolers take a couple of extra minutes to get outside, typically closer to 3:20.

Some families prefer to park in the lot and walk over to the sidewalk to pick up their child that way. If that is how you prefer to pick up, please gather by the sign with the color corresponding to your child's learning community to wait for your child. When they come out with their car rider group, they must check out with the staff member in charge of the group and then can walk with you to your vehicle in the parking lot. Students may not enter the parking lot without the adult who is driving them.

Students who walk/bike are dismissed last, in order to let the traffic clear the way for safety. Having students check out as a walker in order to meet a ride at the library takes longer and is less efficient than following the protocol outlined above.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation and patience in the first weeks of school as we get the routines smoothed out. We will monitor and make adjustments as needed, and this will be easier to do, safer, and more efficient for all if all drivers follow the plan. You can also skip the pick-up line entirely and plan for your child to take the school bus. Let's work together to make arrival and dismissal a breeze at Wentworth School!

Scarborough Public Schools will once again be using eCollect for all of the beginning of year forms! For example, the student profile sheet, laptop agreement and fee, medical and health information and many more are being uploaded and will be ready for parents and guardians to complete online. Please expect direct communication from the district, which will also be posted on our website later this week.

If you have not yet done so and would like to set up PowerSchool ahead of time, here is a link to the website - click the red button at the bottom titled "Online Forms Guide" for directions.

Our common school supply list for 24-25 is attached HERE for your convenience, was sent home with placement letters, and is also posted on our website. Some teachers may request a few additional items specific to their instructional plans. On the first day, all your child needs is lunch (or a plan to purchase school lunch – menus and instructions are available on our website), a snack and drink, a plan for dismissal, and a smile!

As a reminder, all breakfast and lunch meals for all students in Scarborough Schools are free for this school year 2024-2025. All existing students whose parents have an account can order breakfast and lunch using the same procedure as last year, from the Nutrislice app on a device or at the Nutrition Program Menus page.

Parents/guardians of students who are new to the district need to make a Nutrislice account through the Nutrislice app or website before ordering breakfast and lunch. Parents will need the child's Student ID Number to sign up for Nutrislice. Email Brenda Franklin at bfranklin@scarboroughschools.org for help with ID Numbers or signing up.

To order lunch and breakfast: go to the School Menu page and click on the purple school menus image. (Nutrislice). We have lots of healthy and delicious options in our cafeteria. Please take a moment to review the menu with your child to help them decide on orders. We appreciate your help in communicating what has been ordered with your child.

Extra Milk or Drink to Accompany Home Lunch - Drinks will be available to purchase at all schools for any children that would like a drink with their home lunch. The options are white milk, chocolate milk, and 8 oz water. The cost for this is 50 cents. A beverage is included at no charge for students who order a school lunch.

To add money to an account: to pay for a drink for home lunch students: go to School Payment Portal Information website.

Opening school and welcoming all 700+ students is exciting and extraordinarily busy for our front office staff in particular! We ask that if you have business with the front office, please wait until after 10:00 a.m. on the first days if at all possible. This includes dropping off forgotten items or paperwork, but of course excludes medical or urgent needs.

Supporting and navigating the needs of this many students and families throughout the year is a big job, and one our office staff does very well and always with a smile! Please support us by getting into the habit of strong communication with your Wentworth child about their afterschool plans right from the start! We understand that last-minute changes occasionally occur and emergencies crop up, but last year our office continued to field over 40 calls/emails daily about afterschool plans. If a change needs to occur, please let us know before 2 PM. A transportation plan form will be available at your Sneak Peek/in the first days of school so your child's teacher will be aware of their schedule as well.

Please plan ahead, communicate and remind your child in the morning about their after-school plan. This allows your Wentworth student to focus on learning and fun, and not worry and wonder about dismissal plans.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Over the course of the 2023-2024 school year, the Scarborough Education Association partnered with district level staff to create a document, as pasted below, that would assist families in knowing how to best partner with school staff. We all share a common interest to ensure that students have a positive school experience, and the partnership between families and staff cannot be overstated. We hope that you find this helpful in your interactions this coming school year!

Wentworth students love having their own locker, and because it is new for our third graders, we have included a few helpful tips. We do not use padlocks; please do not purchase or send one in with your child. Also, be aware that backpacks with wheels may not fit into the lockers and are cumbersome on stairs. A couple magnets and removable decorations are fun on the inside of the locker (chandeliers, disco balls etc. often lose their flair once students realize how precious the storage space is) but no stickers on lockers, please.

Email: kcrosby@scarboroughschools.org
Website: www.wentworth.scarboroughschools.org
Location: 20 Quentin Drive, Scarborough, ME, USA
Phone: (207)730-4600