Back to School Information
We are looking forward to a great 2019-20 school year. Our Back to School letter contains a great deal of information regarding the upcoming school year. Please take the time to review the Back to School letter carefully that highlights important and pertinent information for the next school year. https://kentgardenses.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/inline-files/KGFamilywelcome2019revised.pdf
Some highlights below include information that are essential to a smooth school year.
- Kiss and Ride procedures as they are extremely important when entering and exiting in the morning and afternoon.
- Open House information. Note that we have new procedures this year. We will require the Emergency, Health and Military forms prior to going to your child’s classroom. You may bring the supplies for your child or pick up if ordered through the PTA vendor in the cafeteria (K-2) or (3-6 in the gym. See the information below. We recommend that you park in the neighborhood and walk to school - parking will be very limited.
- Dismissal information - please complete the google form completed for dismissal for our students to ensure student safety https://forms.gle/BS6N7vcu4m8P8a8JA
- Bus routes have been emailed to all families. We will have copies at the Open House should you have questions. For the first day, we recommend that students arrive in the same mode of transportation that they will depart that day.
- Medicine drop off - Our school nurse will be available as well for medication drop off.
- Class assignments will be remitted on the 21st or the morning of the 22nd at the latest.
- Parking will be limited during the school day and morning. Please give teachers the opportunity to park in the school lot. Parents should walk or park in the neighborhood.
We look forward to seeing everyone and a fabulous school year! Enjoy reviewing the letter https://kentgardenses.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/inline-files/KGFamilywelcome2019revised.pdf
Holly McGuigan Pier McGrath Tia Hawkins
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
Musical Selection for Specials: Please choose your child’s musical selection for the 2019-20 school year. Students in fourth, fifth and sixth grade may make their selection by going to the KG website https://kentgardenses.fcps.edu/ and scrolling to the bottom. Note that most of our students in these grade levels participate – join and enjoy participating in our strings or band program!
Chorus: All fifth and sixth graders may select to sing in the school chorus. Please click on the link to register your child’s interest in participating in chorus. https://forms.gle/P4NkzkYgEK64MMHJ6 They will meet in the mornings upon arrival to school. If possible, we ask that you drop off your child on rehearsal days in order to have maximum practice time.
Open House: In the spirit of building community, we will kick off our school year on Thursday, August 22nd with our annual Open House from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. We have staggered our points of entry in order to ease the flow of traffic in the building and community. You will be required to bring the following forms highlighted below (Health, Emergency, and Military) You will receive a passport to visit your teacher once you have delivered the forms or completed them and then enter data into the PTA database. If you can’t attend, you should send with your child to school the first day.
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K-2 should enter at 2:30 through the cafeteria doors. We are not opening the front doors although students and parents may use them as points of egress. Our PTA will have table set up and we will have specialists available to help guide you to your classrooms with maps.
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Grades 3 – 6 should enter at 3 p.m. through the gym. Our PTA will have table set up with information and we will have specialists available to help guide you to your classrooms with maps.
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Back to School Forms (Health , Emergency, Military, Forms) Tap on the words as they are hot links in order for your to download and complete. The forms are bundled here for returning students. forms These are the forms that are required for back to school. Please complete the forms prior to the Open House or complete at that time. If you cannot attend, you should send with your child to school the first day. The PTA will collect directory information and the teachers will collect information regarding volunteering and supporting the classroom.
Open House is an opportunity to ease back into school by affording time to meet your child’s teacher and to see some familiar faces. To help your child’s teacher know him or her better, we request that you bring a letter with you to the Open House describing your child. In this letter, it would be helpful to let us know his/her interests (academics or otherwise), hopes, fears and the most successful approaches you have used to help him/her feel comfortable. You may desire to write this letter with your child, supporting him/her in writing the letter and expressing their needs, goals, and fears. If you are not able to attend the open house, but would like to share a letter, please feel free to email me the letter or send with your child on the first day. Note that Open House is an extremely busy day is BUSY and there is limited time to converse with teachers. We do not open our doors until 2:30 p.m. and parking is limited. Please do not park in neighbors’ driveways – take the time to walk and understand that there is ample time to come in the building and meet your child’s teacher.
Icee Gathering After visiting your child’s classroom and meeting his or her new teacher at Open House, please join us on the playground for icees and conversation until about 4:00 p.m. This time will give your family an opportunity to talk more with school staff, be re-acquainted with old friends, and make new friends, as we get ready to start the school year. We will having a staff meeting at 4:15 p.m. to prepare for the next school day.
Kiss and Ride Procedures: Once you enter the line, please do not exit your vehicle for any reason or use your cell phone. Student Safety Patrols and Staff Members assist in opening car doors until 8:40. Please pay attention to Faculty and Staff members providing traffic direction throughout the traffic flow. You may wait in the kiss and ride line to drop off rather than park in the lot as parking is tight for teachers.
- ALL traffic should enter the school from Melbourne Drive, not Lumsden Street. Do not proceed on Lumsden St. towards Melbourne Drive past Macon Street during morning drop off or afternoon dismissal. Left hand turns at the 4-way stop on Lumsden St. onto Melbourne Dr. are not permitted in the morning drop off or afternoon dismissal times. To enter the traffic flow, proceed down Van Fleet and Dean Streets then turn left on Melbourne to enter the Kiss and Ride.
- ALL traffic should exit the school parking lot, turn right at the 4-way stop, and then proceed on Lumsden. Kent Gardens website has a diagram and additional information. https://kentgardenses.fcps.edu/resources/transportation
After the police officer directs you through the 4-way stop at Lumsden St. and Melbourne Dr., proceed through the parking lot in a single lane. Do not pass any other vehicles for any reason. Please adhere to traffic laws, be mindful of walkers and do not use your cell phones. Pull forward towards the marked area to discharge your child. Staff will be posted as indicated by the markers on the attachment and should follow their directions.
- Load and unload students from passenger side of vehicle. Children should NOT cross in front of or between vehicles.
- Drivers must remain in vehicles during Kiss and Ride drop off and loading zone at all times. Safety patrols will assist with car doors. Parents should not exit their car to assist students with seat belts etc. Please instruct your children on how to work the safety belt or have them sit on the right hand side (passenger side) of the car so that the staff may safely assist them and ensure a quick arrival and departure.
- In the afternoon, if your child is not present, you will need to repeat the final loop of the parking lot.
- Cars parked in the Kiss and Ride area must wait until the Kiss and Ride area has cleared.
- Do not drop your child in the neighborhood, only walkers should use the crosswalk.
- Remember that our school day begins at 8:40 a.m. with morning work. We will receive children no earlier than 8:25 a.m.
Kiss and Ride Volume and Timing: It is important to allocate 10+ minutes for morning Kiss and Ride drop off due to high volume. In inclement weather, drop off times may be longer. We do track tardies, please do ensure that your child arrives on a timely basis.
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