News from the Nest
Carpenter Elementary Parent Newsletter ~ August Update
Arrival & Dismissal Changes at BMS impacting JCES
BMS Drop Off and Pick Up: We are changing our traffic pattern to help our students get off campus in a safe way. Following this new process our students won’t have the challenges we did last year with cars coming into the school’s circle while the students were trying to cross the driveway. We will use Benica St. to enter and exit the driveway. Thanks in advance for your support. We will have signs to help.
What does that mean for JCES:
The first day of school pick up is always much longer than typical days as people get the proper signage, get familiar with the procedures, and get into a routine. Thank you for your patience yesterday! We are confident that today, and each day after, will become more efficient. We will have additional impact beginning today with some changes at BMS. As you can see from their visual, Bohls will be blocking off the round-a-bout entrance after 7:30 am (during their drop off) and then again before their pick up in the afternoons to help enforce the change. If your student arrives late to school at JCES, you will need to use the car rider staging area drive from Benica Street to get access to the front doors of the building. In the afternoons, this should help free up access to our parents to pick up students from EDP without waiting in BMS traffic.
Official School Times
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
- School times are officially 7:30 - 2:50. Students are tardy at 7:35.
- The building opens daily at 7:05 to allow students in.
- Breakfast is served beginning at 7:05.
- The office is open from 7:05 - 3:30.
For the safety of all students, family members are not allowed in the Cafeteria during Breakfast or Lunches
JCES Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
A little information to help this process to be efficient- The Car Rider staging line is 2 lanes that merge into one near the front corner of the building where the Car Callers are standing. The theory of the Car Rider process is very similar to that of a roller coaster. 10 cars pull up to load students, they pull away, and 10 more pull up to load. If one stops in the middle, prior to their designated cone, it disrupts the process. If cars leave the line to drive around other cars and then try to cut back in, this also disrupts the system.
- If your child needs assistance getting in their car seat that requires you to get out of your car, please pull up past cone one. We will get your child to you and this will allow the process to continue with fewer delays.
- If you would like avoid the line and park to pick up your student. Please let their teacher know that you will be a parent walk-up. You can meet your child on the outdoor basketball court. Please do not walk up to the front and expect to take your child from the car rider staging area.
- For the safety of our students, please don't assign your child as a walker and have them walk to your car in the car rider line.
We ask for your patience as this system takes a few days to get into the routine. Being in a hurry at arrival and dismissal is never a good mix for the safety of our students.
The safety of our students is our number one concern! Please put your cell phones away while driving on campus!
Breakfast and Lunch
Lunch Schedule
2024 - 25 School Supply Lists
Find your grade-level School Supply List Here!
Visitors on Campus
Morning Drop-Off - The first two days of school parents may walk their child(ren) to their classrooms between 7:20 - 7:35. Beginning the third day of school (Thursday, August 15th) families are welcome to walk their student(s) inside the building and drop off students in Central Park, the area with trees and birds outside of the cafeteria before 7:35. This will be our "Hugs and High Five Zone" where we ask parents to give hugs, kisses, and well wishes and allow their child to report to their designated areas. Parents will be asked not to go beyond Central Park or into the cafeteria unless they have an appointment and have checked in with the front office. If you choose to walk your child into the building, please park in a parking spot. Curbsides, Fire Lanes, and the car rider line are not appropriate places to park while walking students into the building.
Lunch Times - Parents will be able to join their child(ren) for lunch through a sign-up sheet. We have seating for five families per lunchtime. We ask that families sign up for no more than one time per week to eat with their child. Parents may only bring food for/ eat lunch with their own child at the tables outside of the cafeteria in Central Park. Friends will be unable to join families for lunch. Please be mindful that you will need your driver's license to be able to check into our Raptor System for lunch. Please allow time for this process. If you are the parent of a Pre-k/Kinder/First Grader, we would strongly suggest you give it a few weeks before joining your child for lunch. The transition back to class is often hard to make when students are getting used to their new routines. Save your child and yourself from having to endure this difficult transition by waiting a few weeks.
Dismissal - To maintain the efficiency of our systems and not impede hallway traffic, we ask that parents not enter the building during dismissal times unless they have an appointment or need to visit the office.
Changes In Going Home Method - Clear Communication is imperative to help us ensure that our students are sent home through the proper methods each day. If you need to change the way your student goes home, please send a note with your child to the teacher stating this. It may be helpful to even send an email to cover all bases. If an emergency occurs, and a last minute change must take place, please call the office before 2:00 so that a message may be delivered to your child’s teacher. Phone or email messages are not a reliable form of communication in this situation. Also, please make sure this is a rare occurrence and only used in emergency situations.
Please go ahead and complete the Volunteer Background Check if you would like to volunteer/help or visit campus or attend field trips. This must be completed annually, but the procedures this year have been simplified through another system.
General Information:
- The students are expected to follow the dress code, click here for the PfISD dress code. Students are strongly encouraged to wear tennis shoes on days that they have PE.
- Students may bring disposable or refillable water bottles with a secure lid. We have bottle fillers throughout the campus that can be used to refill their water bottles.
JCES PTO
How to contact the PTO
Email: carpenterelempto@gmail.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Jessica-Carpenter-Elementary-PTO-102791122066129
Remind App: https://www.remind.com/join/ggkbdk
2024-25 PTO Meeting Schedule
Jessica Carpenter Elementary PTO
General Meeting 6:30pm-7:30pm
@ Carpenter Community Room
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Carpenter Elementary is now on Office Depot's Give Back to Schools Program
Carpenter Elementary School
Location: 5100 Pleasanton Parkway, Pflugerville, TX, USA
Phone: 512-594-4900
Website: https://www.pfisd.net/Domain/2083
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jessica-Carpenter-Elementary-School-107181591422432
Office Hours: 7:05 AM - 3:30 PM