First Week Information

Dear CES Families,

We are so excited to welcome our students on our first day of school which is this Monday, August 29th!  This post includes a great deal of information that families need to know, so please take the time to read it.  I am a parent too and I admit that I sometimes have a difficult time keeping up with all of the correspondence that I receive from my son's school!

I will highlight each news item individually.

1.  Morning drop off and afternoon pick up procedure 

This year we will be attempting to modify our drop off and pick routines.  Ben Shortsleeve will be returning and will be present in the parking lot at the beginning and end of the school day.  He will continue to direct traffic, so please be mindful of his presence.  

Morning drop off

One of the biggest changes to our routine is that we will now have ONE drop off lane.  All students will enter the building via the main entrance which was the entrance for preschool and Kindergarten over the past two school years.  Please enter the school campus from the School St. side of the building.   If you plan to drop off your child in front of the school, join the line of cars and wait your turn or pull up to the main entrance if there is no line.   There will be a staff member outside greeting students each morning.  Please exit the parking lot on the Carleton Avenue side of the building. 

You are allowed to walk your child into the building to their classroom if you so choose!  Please park in a designated parking spot and enter the school through the main entrance.

We ask that all of our preschool students are walked directly to their classrooms each day by a parent or guardian. 

Students can begin arriving at school at 7:30 a.m.  Students should arrive at school by 7:50 a.m.. At this time, classes will begin their morning meetings which should not be missed as they set the tone for the day. 

 

Afternoon pick up

Our school day ends at 2:20 p.m.  At this time, we will dismiss students to the buses which will be parked in the back of the school.  The buses are on a tight timeline, so if you are waiting in the pick up line to pick up your child, please do not block the bus exit route onto School St. 

The afternoon procedure is very similar to the pick up procedure, but in reverse order. 

If you are picking up your child at school, you can wait in the pick up line (again we will only have one pick up line) or you can park your car, walk into the school, and pick up your child.   Students in grades K-2 waiting their turn to be picked up in the pick up lane or who will be picked up by parents who choose to park their vehicles, will be waiting in the amphitheater next to the main entrance.  A staff member will be supervising these students during this time. 

Students in grades 3-4 who are being picked up by a vehicle in the pick up lane or by a parent who chooses to park their vehicle will be dismissed from the front of the old building which is to the left of the main entrance when facing our parking lot.  This will also be the case for our students in grades 5-6. A staff member will be supervising in front of the old building and will be texting for students or calling them over when their vehicle has arrived to pick them up.

If your child is running late for any particular reason, you may be asked to park while you wait rather than wait in the pick up line. 

Our teachers have after school meeting obligations, so please plan to pick up your child at 2:20 understanding that it may take you a few minutes to make it through the line.   If you are running late, please contact the main office and so that we can determine if alternative arrangements for supervision need to be made for your child.

In an effort to keep everyone safe, please always drive slowly through our parking lot.  

If we find that these procedures are not working, we will make modifications, but we won't really know until we try!

 

2. First Thursday Plans (Thursday, September 1)

We love to celebrate the return of our students, families, and staff and this year is no exception!

Our First Thursday plans are as follows:

9:30 Secret Circus Performance  on the soccer field or in the CES gym

First Thursday BBQ  on the CES playground or in the cafeteria

3. BBQ Schedule

If lunch is outside (weather dependent):

Kindergarten grade to be served at 10:45AM

3rd and 4th grade to be served at 11:15AM

1st and 2nd grade to be served at 11:55AM

5th and 6th grade to be served at 12:25pm

 If lunch is inside:

Kindergarten grade to be served at 10:45am through 11:20

3rd and 4th grade to be served at 11:30AM through 12:05PM

1st and 2nd grade to be served at 12:15PM through 12:45PM

5th and 6th grade to be served at 12:45PM through 1:15PM

 

The lunch will be free for all children up to eighteen years old.  The adult price is $5.

1:30 Welcome Back Assembly in the CES gym

Families are more than welcome to attend any or all of these events!

4. Menus: The August and September menu will be posted on the CES website shortly. Lunch on the first day will be a grilled chicken breast sandwich.  The salad bar will be back this year!  As a reminder, breakfast and lunch are free for all students this year, but we would like families to complete and return the free and reduced meals form found at the link below.  

Free meals application

Additionally, All CES students will receive a free fresh fruit or vegetable snack every day. 

Links to important documents or forms:

Transportation Form

School safety procedures overview  which has been prepared by the VT AOE

Our crisis commands are slightly different from what is included in this overview. Plans for all LNSU schools to move to these crisis commands are in the works.   We will routinely conduct safety drills following the schedule that is required by the VT AOE.

School safety information

As a reminder, there is no school on Friday, September 2 and Monday, September 5.

This is PLENTY of information for now. 

Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions!

We look forward to seeing all of our wildcats on Monday! 

Enjoy your weekend!

Respectfully, 

Mary Anderson
Principal, Cambridge Elementary School