Peek at the Week
PALISADES PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AUGUST 23, 2024
- philip.steffes@cms.k12.nc.us (Principal)
- michelleL.bennett@cms.k12.nc.us (Assistant Principal)
- kelli.wallace@cms.k12.nc.us (Assistant Principal)
School Hours
Morning Drop Off: 7:30-8:00
Tardy Bell: 8:00
Latest Time for Early Checkout: 2:15
Afternoon Dismissal: 3:00
School Improvement Team Meetings: 8/19, 9/30,10/22, 11/15, 12/16, 1/27, 2/24, 3/24, 4/22, 6/5 4:15 in the Media Center
Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year!
Dear Palisades Park Families,
It was great seeing our families during Open House! We are looking forward to a fantastic school year. Currently, we have 1007 students enrolled. This means we will have more car-riders and walkers. Parents should plan for delays with carpool the first week. Staff members will diligently work to ensure the process moves as quickly as possible.
Palisades Park Elementary bell schedule is 8:00am-3:00pm. Students are able to enter the building at 7:30am. Early dismissal ends at 2:15pm each day.
Please remember parents are not allowed to walk students to class with exception of kindergarten students during the first week. Kindergarten parents should plan to arrive no earlier than 8:15 and prepared to sign -in with a valid government issued id.
Parents are encouraged to complete the Parent Square process listed below. All Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will use this platform to communicate with families. Blackboard Connect Ed is not longer available. Principal and teacher newsletters will be distributed through the platform.
It is very important that you and your child are fully informed regarding standards related to appropriate behavior for a safe and productive school year. Please take time, prior to school starting, to review school information by clicking on each of the links below. There have been changes to the dress code expectations.
We look forward to seeing our students return on Monday!
Philip A Steffes, School Principal
REMINDERS FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR
Parents Bill of Rights
Please make sure to access the Parent Bill of Rights information and complete the necessary forms for each of your children.
PLEASE COMPLETE THE REQUIRED STUDENT INFORMATION FORM
HOW WILL CMS SCHOOLS COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILIES?
PARENTSQUARE
We are excited to announce that we adopted ParentSquare for school-to-home communication for all Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with Palisades Park Elementary.
It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:
● Send and receive school and class information
● Share pictures and files
● See calendar items
● Sign up to volunteer
● Schedule parent-teacher conferences
● and much more . . . all in one centralized place!
All district and school, grade level and classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices). Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.
WE ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!
MORNING AND AFTERNOON BUS RIDERS
Remember:
- Morning bus riders should arrive at the assigned stop 10 minutes earlier than the designated time. Please be mindful that the bus may arrive 10 minutes prior or 10 minutes later than the assigned time.
- If your bus is not there according to schedule on the first week, please be patient. Do not call the school for information. Bus drivers have to ensure they are receiving students according to the list provided by CMS transportation.
- Afternoon bus riders may experience later arrival times initially as the bus drivers need to take time to ensure students are dropped off at the correct locations.
- It is not unusual for buses to run late the first week.
- If a bus is running later than 20 minutes in the afternoon, a message will be sent to parents via Parent Square. Please make sure you have downloaded the Parent Square application to your phone.
For afternoon dismissal:
- Please make sure your child has a tag attached to his/her bookbag indicating first and last name.
- Make sure the tag indicates the mode of transportation for going home: bus, bus number, carrider, ASEP, daycare van, or walker.
If students are going to be walkers in the afternoon, a parent/guardian must be at the top of the steps with a walker tag. Parents should remain on the sidewalk at the top of the stairs during afternoon dismissal. If you did not get a walker tag during Open House, it will be provided on the first day of school. Parents need to commit to being a walker for the duration of the year. On rainy days, walkers will be placed with carriders for pickup unless you inform otherwise. Please make sure your child's teacher is aware that your child will be a walker. All walkers will be called to one location and escorted out together by a staff member. You must have a walker tag for a child to be released to you.
Parents choosing to participate in morning carpool may not enter the parking lot before 7:20. If you are on the lot prior to 7:20, you may be asked to leave and drive to the back of the line. Palisades Park Elementary staff must be able to access the parking lot prior to 7:20. DO NOT PARK AND WALK YOUR CHILD UP TO THE SCHOOL.
We will increase the number of cars being loaded/unloaded during arrival/dismissal. Staff will not be opening car doors. Students must be able to open and close doors. DO NOT WAIT FOR A STAFF MEMBER TO OPEN AND CLOSE CAR DOORS. Practice with your child!
If you didn't get a carrider tag during Open House, please get one on the first day. These will be available during morning dropoff. Carrider tags are only needed for PM Carpool pickup.
Please review carpool procedures at the bottom of this newsletter.
Students are expected to be prepared for school each day. The office staff will not be responsible for delivering lunch dropped for students after arrival.
AM/PM CARPOOL PROCEDURES
ASEP students will not be released prior to 3:30 PM. ASEP parents should remain in their cars until PM carpool is over.
The back entrance to the school is reserved for buses only. Please do not enter this area during the hours of 6:30am -3:30 pm. DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF IN THIS LOCATION!
MAY I ESCORT MY CHILD TO CLASS ON THE FIRST DAY?
During kindergarten staggered entry which occurs the first four days of school, kindergarten parents are allowed to escort their child to class. On Friday, August 30 , kindergarten parents may escort their child to their permanently assigned class to meet the teacher. We ask for parents wishing to walk their kindergartener to class not to arrive before 8:15 on 8/30. Parents of kindergarten students should be prepared for extended wait-times as anyone entering the building must sign in through Lobby Guard and have a vaild id (driver's license or passport). If you fail to bring one of these items, you will not be allowed to enter the building. Beginning Tuesday September 3, all kindergarten students walk in by themselves.
First -fifth grade students are required to walk in by themselves from the very first day as parking is a major issue at the school and a substantial number of walk-ins significantly slows the arrival process. All staff will be on duty throughout the building to ensure that your child finds his or her classroom. Please understand the above policy is in place to reduce traffic in the building, facilitate a smooth flow of our car rider line, and as a safety precaution.
MAY I EAT LUNCH WITH MY CHILD?
IPAD/CHROME BOOK
The CMS Board of Education approved a flat fee structure for device damage and
replacement costs. Students are expected to take care of their assigned device. K-2nd grade students are assigned an IPAD and 3rd-5th are assigned a chrome book.
• New Device Fee Structure
o $10 for chargers
o $15 damaged device
o $50 lost and stolen
o $5 Miscellaneous (lost part of device)
PALISADES PARK ELEMENTARY PTSA
Spirit Rock and Marquee Sign-Ups!
Please follow ALL directions when reserving dates. All links are posted within the store item details. Reach out to palisadesparkptsa@outlook.com if you have any questions!
https://palisadesparkptsa.memberhub.com/store
If you purchase both (rock and marquee) at the same time you will receive $5 off. Price is reflected at check-out.
*Palisades Park Elementary PTSA reserves the right to block dates for school use.*
PPES CALENDAR
August/September
August
- 19th SLT Meeting in Media Center (4:15pm) (closed meeting for elected members)
- 22nd Open House (K, 1st, 2nd) 10:00am- 12:00pm
- 22nd Open House (3rd, 4th, 5th) 1:00-3:00pm
- 26th First Day of School (Kindergarten Staggered Entry Last Name Begins with A-D)
- 27th Kindergarten Staggered Entry Last Name begins with E-L
- 28th Kindergarten Staggered Entry Last Name begins with M-R
29th Kindergarten Staggered Entry Last Name Begins S-Z
30th All Kindergarten Students Report to School
September
2nd Labor Day (No School)
11th Fall Picture Day (Uniform not required)
- 16th Back to School Curriculum Night (6:00-7:30)
- 16th Boy Scouts Information Night (6:00-7:30)
- 25th Early Release Day (Dismissal is at 12:00)
30th SLT (4:15 in Media Center)
30th PTSA Meeting (5:00pm in the Media Center)
30th Fall Picture Day (Uniforms not required)
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH
DO YOU NEED TRANSPORTATION NEXT SCHOOL YEAR?
HERE COMES THE BUS- TRACK YOUR CHILD'S BUS
Sign-up for Here Comes the Bus will be available for download at
https://herecomesthebus.com OR through a mobile app available on Apple and Google Play smartphone platforms.
To sign up, parents will need the district code, 73877, and their student's unique ID number to register.