Peek at the Week
PALISADES PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL APRIL 26, 2024
- philip.steffes@cms.k12.nc.us (principal)
- michellel.bennett@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:
SLT MEETINGS BEGIN AT 4:15 PM ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:
8/24, 9/25, 10/23, 11/27, 12/18, 1/29, 2/26, 3/25, 4/22, 6/3
All meetings will be held in the school media center.
PPES UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS
Students are expected to adhere to the unform policy as outlined in the PPES Handbook. Please review pages 14-17 in preparation of returning to school.
FIELD DAY VOLUNTEERS
We appreciate all the support from our volunteers during each Field Day event! Your time and dedication makes a difference!
PALISADES PARK ELEMENTARY EVENTS:
APRIL:
1st-5th Spring Break
12th: Third Quarter Recognition Ceremony
3rd Grade: 9:10, 4th Grade 10:10, 5th Grade 11:10
15th Spring Picture Day (Students not required to wear uniforms!)
16th Report Cards Sent Home
16th Spring MAP Testing K/1st 2nd - Math, 4th ELA
17th Spring MAP Testing 5th ELA, 3rd Math
18th Spring MAP Testing 4th Math
19th Spring MAP Testing 5th Math
22nd SIT /PTSA Meeting (4:15/5:00 in Media Center)
24th Field Day (K-2)
25th Field Day (3rd-5th)
29th: Beginner's Day (9:00 Morning Session/ 6:00 Evening Session)
MAY:
6th-10th Staff Appreciation Week
8th Progress Reports
13th Volunteer Appreciation Lunch (11:30-12:30 in the Media Center)
24th End of Grade Testing: (3rd Reading, 4th Math, 5th Science)
27th Holiday No School
29th End of Grade Testing: (3rd: Math, 5th: Reading)
30th End of Grade Testing: (4th: Reading, 5th Math)
31st: End of Grade Testing: ( 3rd Reading Retake, Make-up 4th/5th)
June:
3rd: SIT Meeting (4:15) / PTSA Meeting (5:00) Media Center
6th: EOY Celelbrations (1:15-2:15)
6th: 5th Grade Promotion at Palisades High School (6:30-7:30)
7th: Last day of school
10th: 5th Grade EOG Retake Camp
11th: 5th Grade EOG Test Retake
BEGINNER'S DAY: RISING KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS 2024-25
Palisades Park staff will host two information sessions for rising kindergarten students. Parents will receive an overview of what to expect during the school year and key information for preparing for entry into kindergarten.
Session Times: 9:00am and 6:00 pm
Location: Media Center
ATTENTION 5TH GRADE PARENTS
SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES!
PTSA NEWS
SCHOOL INFORMATION
BUS SAFETY
It is important for parents to stress to their child the importance of having transportation to and from school. Students must adhere to behavior expectations that are in place to ensure the safety for every child and bus driver. Inappropriate behaviors will not be tolerated. The administrative team will follow the guidelines as outlined in the CMS Code of Student Conduct. Please review the guidelines at the bottom of the Peek newsletter.
Students must understand that inappropriate behaviors may result in the loss of transportation privileges for a designated period of time or permanently.
REMINDERS
Morning Arrival/Afternoon Dismissal
- Parents should not park and walk students up to the front of the school.
- If you have an appointment to meet with the nurse, counselors or an administrator, please arrive no earlier than 8:00am.
- Any items needing to be dropped off during the day should be placed in the cubbies in the foyer of the school. If you drop an item off, please email/text your child's teacher and provide the number located on the cubby. The teacher will pick items up.
MORNING AND AFTERNOON BUS RIDERS
Please note:
- 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 to 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 Blackboard Connect and Parent Square.
MORNING/AFTERNOON CAR RIDERS AND WALKERS
Please remember the following:
- 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 with exception of parents that indicate students will remain walkers even on rainy days.. 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 at one time. 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.
DO YOU NEED TRANSPORTATION NEXT SCHOOL YEAR?
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH
MAY I EAT LUNCH WITH MY CHILD?
NEW CMS DISTRICT POLICY FOR CELL PHONES
As we gear up for the 2023-24 school year, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools would like to emphasize the importance of protecting instructional time each school day. Our commitment to student achievement requires us to create an optimal learning environment for our students. One crucial step in achieving this is by limiting cell phone usage in accordance with Rule 5 of the Code of Student Conduct.
During instructional time, cell phones must be turned off and stored. A principal may put additional rules in place permitting student use of cell phones during non-instructional times of the school day. (Palisades Park Elementary Guidelines)
Possession of a cell phone by a student during school hours is a privilege, which may be revoked for violations of the Code of Student Conduct. Violations may result in confiscation and/or other disciplinary actions. Any additional need for, or use of, other personal technology devices for instructional purposes will be at the discretion of each school principal.
Neither Palisades Park Elementary nor the district is responsible for theft, loss, or damage to cell phones or other PTDs brought onto CMS property. If students are permitted to use a cell phone during non-instructional times, they must follow all rules set forth in Policy S-SINT and Regulation S-SINT/R and sign the Student Internet Use Agreement.
AM/PM CARPOOL PROCEDURES
Afternoon carpool tags must be picked up in the Media Center during Open House!
It is very important for staff members to have access to the parking lot in the morning. DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE 7:20!
Carpool usually takes between 30-45 minutes each day. The process will be longer the first two weeks of school. Please make sure you are prepared for extended wait-time. Safety is our priority. Students should be able to exit/enter the car with little to no support. Please do not allow students to exit from the left side of the car. Parents should remain in the car at all times!
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!
AM/PM WALKERS
- Walkers have one route to follow. All walkers must arrive an depart from the stairs located on York Road (Hwy 49).
- Students must be accompanied by an adult.
- In the morning, students may not come down the stairs until the first bell rings at 7:30.
- In the afternoon, students will be escorted to the steps by a staff member. Students will only be released to a parent/guardian/caretaker presenting walker tag (every school day). (This must be retrieved during Open House in the Media Center!)
- Rainy day dismissal: It is the parents responsibility to contact the office and teacher if an alternative dismissal plan is needed. (ie.. carpool)
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.