It is back to school we go!
September has arrived! The staff has been busy arranging classrooms and hanging welcome back signs. We are all very excited to have everyone fill the halls with their smiles and laughter!
The beginning of each school year is busy with a steady flow of communication, forms to fill out, and new routines. The Parent Portal is the place to find many important items. As the district makes a conscious effort to move toward a more environmentally friendly approach to our communication routines, this platform is the best way to access bus information, required forms, and report cards. We strongly encourage you to visit the portal and make sure your log-in information is up-to-date.
A few items to be aware of:
~ When accessing the bus information, you will need to look for the route number to know what bus your child will get on and off of. The bus number will be listed as NULL. This is intentional. Students need to look for the plaque on the bus with their route number, not the number painted on the actual bus.
~ Parent pick-up: Students will need to have a note letting the teacher and main office know if they are being picked up. You can request a form on the first day for 5 day a week pick up. This form should only be used if you are planning to pick up your child EVERY DAY of the school year. This means that they will NOT be riding the bus.
~Breakfast and lunch purchases are done as a pre-order. You will need to log on to the portal to do so. The portal for preorder closes at midnight each day. You can not preorder in the morning on the day your child is buying. Please visit the school website or the parent portal to complete the free and reduced lunch forms. Any questions can be directed to the Food Services Department.
I've included a picture of our traffic pattern. Please see the map below! The front drive of Mill Pond is a "drop and go" scenario. Please have your child seated on the driver's side so that we can open your door and help your child out of the car. Please do not allow them to leave the car without one of our staff members assisting. This is not a parking lane. If you would like to park and walk your child to the front door, please park at the Cedar Creek parking lot, as they are already in session and have the space on the loop.
If you are picking your child up at dismissal, please let your child's teacher know with a note that includes your full name and your child's full name. You can call the main office as well, however, all dismissal plans need to be made before 2pm unless it is an emergency. We start at 2pm preparing for dismissal each day. With over 500 students, last minute changes are extremely difficult. Please know, that our buses do not leave the parking lot until our pick up line is secure. This is why early notification of a student's dismissal procedure is necessary. The front of the building will not be accessible during this time as it becomes quickly congested. We ask that you park at Cedar Creek after 3:05, as we cannot disrupt their dismissal, and then walk over to Mill Pond.
The first two weeks of school, our buses will run behind at dismissal. We have a staggered bus system that shares buses with our other schools. I will send a remind message each day during that week letting everyone know when our buses roll out so you have a better idea of time.
A quick reminder, please attach your child's name tag that you received at orientation to their backpacks. All of our students will meet their teachers in the gym/cafeteria upon arrival. There will be staff members assisting our students, and the name tags are very helpful.
The first week can be a bit overwhelming for not only the children but for parents as well. We are here to help!
On behalf of the entire Mill Pond Staff, I would like to wish everyone an enjoyable Labor Day weekend! Looking forward to the upcoming new school year!
Go Lions!
Mrs. Donohue
#wearemillpond
