Thursday, August 11th, is the first day of school. School will begin at 8:20 am and be dismissed at 1:26 pm on the first day. TK and Kinder students will go to the kinder playground and students in grades 1-6 will meet their teacher on the main playground. Parents of students in grades 1-6 will say goodbye to their students at the gates. Parents of TK and Kinder students may enter the front gate with their student and take them to the Kinder playground for the first week of school.

There is a scheduled time for your student to enjoy a snack and a scheduled lunch time for them to eat lunch with their friends. You may send a healthy snack with them to school such as fruit, crackers, cheese, and juice to enjoy at recess. Lunch is provided free of charge for all students or you are welcome to send a lunch for your student. Unhealthy food is not permitted on campus. Please do not send any fast food items, "hot" chips, soda, anything with caffeine, or sweets to school.

Ernie Pyle is a uniform school. Students may wear khaki or dark blue pants or skirts with a white, light blue or dark blue plain shirt with a collar. They may wear any school-appropriate jacket, socks, and close-toed shoes. Leggings of any color may be worn under skirts or shorts.

Please be sure to let your student know if they are to meet you at the front gate or the back gate after school. If you are picking up your student at the back gate please pull over to the side of the road before having your student enter the car. Students walking home should only cross the street at the marked crosswalks. If you are picking up your student in the front of the school we ask that all parents approach the school from the south so that only right turns are made into the driveway. The front of the school does not allow for a left turn into the front parking lot. Parents may pull up along the green curb and students will be permitted to enter the car at the curb without the need for the driver to exit the car. Students will not be able to cross into the parking lot without an adult. Parking is limited on campus so we have devised this drive-through plan to assist all families with safely picking up their student.

TK and Kindergarten parents are required to pick up their students at the north gate in front of the kindergarten play yard from Ernie Pyle staff. Only kindergarten parents may park on the left side of the drive-through and exit their car so that they may go to the pick-up gate and pick up their student. Parents of older students are asked to stay in their car in the right side drive-through lane for their student to walk to the car. If there is no space on the left of the drive-through area or in the marked parking spaces we ask that you park across the street and use the crosswalk to safely meet your student at the pick-up gate.

We look forward to a great first day of school!