Peek at the Week

Please do not send emails via Smore as emails may be overlooked.

• philip.steffes@cms.k12.nc.us (Principal)
• kelli.wallace@cms.k12.nc.us (Assistant Principal)
• lonnam.holbrook@cms.k12.nc.us (Assistant Principal as of 3/31)

Instructional Hours: 8:00-3:00

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, 9/30,10/28, 11/25, 12/16, 1/13, 2/24, 3/24, 4/22, 6/5 4:15 in the Media Center

Hello Palisades Park Families,

My name is Lonna M. Holbrook and I am your new assistant principal. I am excited to join this community that I have been a part of for 17+ years. I am eager to work with you and your children to continue the amazing academic growth and personal development here at Palisades Park Elementary.

A little bit about me. I was born in North Carolina, but raised in Cleveland, Ohio. I earned my bachelor’s degree from South Carolina State University in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Child Development. I moved to Charlotte, NC after graduation and began my teaching career in CMS. I also attended Wingate University where I earned my master’s degree in Elementary Education and School Administration.

I have been in education for over 26 years. I started my teaching career teaching grades, Pre-K, Kindergarten, First, and Second. Following this time as a teacher, I took on leadership roles such as a Literacy Coach, K-2 Facilitator, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal.

I am married and have one daughter in high school and a 3-year-old poodle. I enjoy traveling, watching sports, and spending time with family and friends. I look forward to meeting everyone and I can’t wait to get to know all our PPES students, families, and staff.

Lonna M. Holbrook

3rd 2nd Quarter Awards K-2 (K: 12:50, 1st: 1:40, 2nd 8:10)

4th 2nd Quarter Awards 3-5 (3rd: 10:00, 4th: 9:05, 5th: 10:55)

4th Report Cards Go Home

11th 100th Day of School

14th 2nd -5th Career Day

17th Teacher Workday

24th SIT Meeting 4:15-5:00

26th Early Release Day

26th Panther's Den Celebrations

March:

3rd K Title IX lesson opt out letter goes home

5th Statewide Tornado Drill (9:30)

11th Camp Flintrock (4th Grade)

14th K Title IX opt out letter is due

14th-21st Spring Book Fair/ Spring Spirit Week

18th 2nd Performance (6:15-7:00)

18th Raptor Center (1st Grade)

20th 3rd Grade Performance (6:15-7:00)

24th SIT Meeting (4:15-5:15)

28th K Title IX Lessons

31st Teacher Workday (R)

Please remind child of their responsibility for properly caring for their assigned CMS device. There has been a significant amount of damages in the last 2 weeks. Remind your child that per the district policy they are responsible for any damages to the device assigned to them, regardless of fault. If a tech fee goes unpaid, the student will lose the privilege to use a CMS device with exception for testing purposes.

Please join us for a fun day out as the Charlotte Hornets take on the Chicago Bulls! We welcome you to take advantage of discounted tickets for being a student, parent, family, or friend of Palisades Park Elementary!

30 randomly selected students to get tickets will have the opportunity to stand in front of the NBA players as the national anthem is performed.

Every purchaser via the link below can participate in a pregame experience allowing early access to take in shoot around. Each ticketed person from this link can watch how NBA players warm up and run through drills to prepare for tipoff! You will be seated a few rows from the court for the experience regardless of where you purchased seats for the game. Once the experience ends, you will go to the seats you purchased for the game!

For All-Inclusive seats, Luxury, and Other Club Seat availability: Please email- dloskowitz@hornets.com.

Come show your Panther pride We hope to see you at the game! Go Hornets!

http://www.hornetstix.com/PalisadesPark

• 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.

• 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.

Palisades Park Elementary is designated as a no-walk zone school. If parents choose to allow students to walk, they must be accompanied by an adult. Walkers are only allowed to arrive on campus by using the steps located on HWY49 (S.Tryon). Parents are not allowed to escort students past the steps. DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF ON HWY 49!

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. Students will remain walkers on rainy days unless parents notify the school 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 car rider tag during Open House, please get one on the first day. These will be available during morning drop-off. Car rider 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.

If you need to walk your child into the school, please arrive at 8:00. If you arrive prior to 8:00, wait in your car until the bell rings.

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!

Due to the increase in enrollment, there is limited space available to guests during lunch time. So initially guests will not be allowed.

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)

All students will be provided free breakfast, but lunch is not free unless a student qualifies. If free or reduced lunch is needed, parents/guardians must apply. Please complete this process ASAP. Breakfast will remain free to all students.

If you have not requested transportation by 6:00pm on August 4th, you may not have it for the first week of school.

Here Comes the Bus is a school bus tracking locator app that can simplify morning routines for parents and students by giving them real-time bus location and alerts to help them get to the bus stop on time. Here Comes the Bus utilizes our GPS data and an easy to use customized map that works on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

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.