Welcome to another edition of The Washington Weekly!

Our theme for 2024-2025, “Reach for the Stars,” isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s a call to action. Our students are the stars, and it’s our privilege to guide them on their journey of growth and new learning.

As we blast off 🚀 into the new school year, we’re excited to share some important updates and reminders. In this newsletter, you'll find details on our cell phone and smartwatch policy, information about downloading the 'Here Comes the Bus' app, and important reminders about school visitors and our arrival/dismissal procedures. Please take a moment to read through these updates to help us keep everything running smoothly!

Let's make it a great week at 1000 Fayetteville Street!

Magically,

Catie Burnette

Principal

📵Students are not allowed to access cell phones during the instructional day. While we understand the importance of these devices for communication, students who bring a cell phone to school must keep it in their book bag for the entire day, turned off, or set to airplane mode. This ensures that text messages and phone calls are not received during school hours, including communications with parents.

⌚Similarly, students are not permitted to use smartwatches for communication during the instructional day. Although many students enjoy wearing smartwatches, they are only allowed if stored in the student’s book bag and turned off or set to airplane mode while wearing to disable incoming messages and calls.

☎If a student needs to contact their parent or guardian, they can do so through their teacher, who will facilitate the communication. We kindly ask parents not to contact their students directly during the school day. If you need to share important information with your child, please reach out to the main office. Thank you for helping us prioritize our students' instructional time.

Just a quick reminder: If you’re visiting the school, please remember to sign in at the main office and bring a photo ID with you. This helps us keep our school safe for everyone.

Parents are welcome to visit for lunch after the first 3 weeks of school. This will allow us time to establish cafeteria routines and procedures. Throughout the year, all parents and visitors are required to enter the main office and sign in first, before going to the cafeteria.

• Download the Here Comes the Bus app
• Click the Sign Up button
• Enter school code Yellow Bus (67500) or Vendor Transportation Services (67501)
• Complete the “User Profile” box
• Under “My Students,” click “Add”
• Enter your child’s last name and student ID number
• Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin

Our school doors open at 8:50am and the tardy bell rings at 9:20am. All students should be in their classrooms ready to learn by 9:20am each day.

NEIGHBORS

• Students should cross at the crosswalk on Fayetteville Street.
• Parents are welcome to walk students to the building and say goodbye at the side entrance.

CARPOOL

• Please limit cell phone use when in carpool.
• Ensure your child is ready and has all of their belongings
• Each car pulls along side of one of the colorful cones. Students should be ready to exit their car. You do not need to wait for a staff member to open your car door.
• Please do not pull out and around other cars.
• Students should exit from the passenger side. Staff and Safety Patrol are located in the loading areas to assist if needed.
• Do not get out of your vehicle!
  
• Carpool ends at 9:15am. If you arrive after 9:15, please report to the office through the front door of the school with your child and sign him/her into school.
  
  

NEIGHBORS

• Neighbors are students that live within walking distance and are not assigned a bus stop.

• Students that walk home are dismissed to the front of the school. Staff and/or a crossing guard assist students across the street, to meet a parent or older sibling.

• Parents should not use Neighbors as a way to avoid using carpool.

• Students dismissing as Neighbors should be picked up at 3:50pm.

CARPOOL

• Please have your carpool tag out and visible.
• ENTER Fayetteville Street from Western Blvd and turn RIGHT into the carpool entrance. Stay close to the curb on Fayetteville Street to allow buses and local traffic to pass.
• EXIT carpool making RIGHT turns ONLY onto Fayetteville Street.
• Pull up alongside one of the colorful cones. Cars should move together in a line as the next cars pull in. Do not pull out or around other cars.
• Your child should open the door and quickly load. Staff and Safety Patrol are located in the loading areas to assist if needed.
  
• Any students remaining on campus after 4:20pm will be brought to the main office. Parents will be notified and required to sign out their child from the office upon arrival at school.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

• Any parent wishing to pick up students from the Boys & Girls Club during dismissal will have to park on Fayetteville Street and meet BGC Staff at their office for check out. No vehicles should be in the bus loop during dismissal.

Please complete THIS FORM if you plan to use the carpool lane to PICK UP your students. Once submitted, two copies of an assigned carpool tag can be picked up at Meet the Teacher or will be sent home with your student once school begins. If you need more than two copies for your family, please note that at the bottom of the form.

• Kindergarten Supply List 2024-2025 English/español
• 1st grade Supply List 2024-2025 English/español
• 2nd grade Supply List 2024-2025 English/español
• 3rd grade Supply List 2024-2025 English/español
• 4th grade Supply List 2024-2025 English/español
• 5th grade Supply List 2024-2025 English/español

We encourage all parents to download the **Talking Points for Families** app before the school year begins. This app is a vital tool for staying connected with your child's teacher, allowing for easy and effective communication in your preferred language. By having the app ready to go on the first day of school, you'll be prepared to engage with your child's learning journey right from the start!

Kindergarten students participate in Staggered Entry. Students will attend ONE day of school the first week based on their last name.

• Letters A-G: August 27
• Letters H-N: August 28
• Letters O-Z: August 29

Kindergarten students and families will meet their teacher on Friday, August 30th from 2-3pm. The first day of school for Kindergarteners is Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

• 2024-25 Student/Parent Handbook (English)
• 2024-25 Student/Parent Handbook (Spanish)

Monday, August 26- Teacher Workday

Tuesday, August 27- First Day of School for 1st-5th Grade, K Staggered Entry, Last Names A-G

Wednesday, August 28- K Staggered Entry, Last Names H-N

Thursday, August 28- K Staggered Entry, Last Names O-Z

Friday, August 30- Kindergarten Meet the Teacher, 2-3pm

Monday, September 2- HOLIDAY, No School

Tuesday, September 3- First Day of School for Kindergarten Students