Hello Franklin families,

What a great start to the year. We appreciate your support and help with the change in arrival and dismissal procedures. Your students were following expectations and were ready to learn this week. We appreciate your hard work throughout the summer. Please read below for arrival and dismissal safety precautions and the family survey.

The last thing we ask, is that you enjoy your weekend! Our hearts were full seeing your students this week. They were already showing amazing panther skills. This is going to be a good year!

Here a few safety precautions we have for this school year both at Franklin, and throughout Tacoma Public Schools:

Closed campus

As you know, student safety is out top priority. We have measures in place to ensure a smooth transition to class for students while maintaining safety. Breakfast will be eaten in the classrooms. We ask that parents and guardians say their goodbyes at the front gates of the school. We cannot allow families or guests in the classroom/building unless it has been pre-arranged. Once again this is part of our safety measures.

Volunteers

Parent and guardian volunteers are welcome in the classroom. It must be arranged with the teacher beforehand. All volunteers must complete a background check before volunteering. Volunteers must check in at the office and always wear a visitor's sticker.

Late arrivals

If your student arrives after 8:50, please come with them to the main office. You can ring the bell and the front office will let you in. The front office will then ask you to sign in and will give your student a tardy pass. We ask that you then say your goodbyes to your student at the front office to unless you have pre-arranged to visit in the classroom with the teacher and have a volunteer/background check done.

Experience tells us that every year our enrollment will fluctuate during the first two weeks of school, as some students have moved and new students register for school.

When enrollment numbers stabilize, we make final classroom adjustments for our school. Families with students in classrooms impacted by enrollment changes will be notified by me Sept. 17-27.

Please ensure your child's district laptop is updated, charged and ready to bring on the first day of school by plugging it in, connecting to Wi-Fi, and leaving it on overnight.

Get help with school district laptops.

When families complete the CNEEB application, it helps fund things like before- and after-school programs, school counselors, health and wellness services, and classroom resources. It also ensures that students who are eligible for low-income benefits and discounts are recognized and can take advantage of additional benefits, including things like fee waivers for ASB cards.

Online Application Tip! Translate the form by clicking the language button at the top right of the screen and selecting your preferred language.

"Help PTSA design this year's spirit gear. Be on the lookout for more info and a PTSA calendar of events sent home next week!"

UPDATE YOUR PARENTVUE ACCOUNT
The ParentVUE app helps streamline where you can find information and take care of school-related business.

Starting Sept. 3, when you log into ParentVUE, you will be prompted to update and verify your contact information, your child's health history, and other important information.

During the school year, you can:

• View attendance, schedules and assignments
• Report absences
• Monitor your child's grades and academic progress
• Update your contact information
• Access MySchoolBucks and annual student forms

If you haven't created a ParentVUE account yet, you will receive an email directly from Synergy with an activation link.

Breakfast and lunch are offered at no cost to Tacoma Public Schools students all year. You can find the menu on our school website or by downloading the MySchoolMenus app. Meals will start showing up in the menu soon.

Starting Monday September 16th, TK and Kindergarten will line up and say goodbye to families before going to their designated class lines on the blacktop.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday

• School starts at 8:40
• Supervised valet will begin at 8:35
• Students will line up on teacher designated white lines on the blacktop as early as 8:35
• Teachers will pick up their students.
• Students will have breakfast and begin class.
• School ends at 3:10.

Wednesdays

• School starts at 9:40 on late starts.
• Supervised valet will begin at 9:35.

• School ends at 3:10.

If your child plans to take the bus to school, please download our free transportation app, My Ride K-12 for bus stop location, route and pickup times. Your child’s bus route is expected to be available the first week of September.

Beyond the Bell will dismiss students at the main entrance of the building.

Our students can participate in after-school programs through the Beyond the Bell program. Registration starts Aug. 26 on a staggered school schedule. Get more information on our school's website under the "Programs & Activities" menu.

Please enter through the side handicap main entrance door and ring the bell. A YMCA staff member will answer and check your student in.

Our schools have skilled counselors who can help with academic, career and social-emotional guidance. If your child needs support beyond what a counselor can offer, TPS also has exceptional mental health partners who provide services at schools. School counselors can assist with referrals to our partner agencies.

Find behavior health resources here.

Take a look at the back-to-school welcome guide for information about how our Health Services team can partner with you to keep your child healthy.

Click the button above to schedule if you are interested!

15-minute meetings in the window of 9:15-10:15. If you need longer than 15 meetings to share concerns or feedback I will schedule for a follow-up. (:

These will be held monthly.

Email: franklin@tacoma.k12.wa.us

253-571-1400

Report an absence in ParentVUE

FranklinAttendance@tacoma.k12.wa.us

School Phone: 253-571-1400

Franklin Elementary School

Address: 1402 S Lawrence St, Tacoma, WA 98405