August 10, 2021
Welcome back to school! We are very excited to share information about the 2021-22 school year below. We will continue to share details with you between now and the start of school as well as specific information for each grade level.
Ice Cream Social
The Ice Cream Social will take place on Monday, August 23, from 4:00-5:45 p.m. Teachers will meet with their students in the classroom. This will be an opportunity for children to say hello to their new classmates and teachers as well as get a peek at their classroom and drop off their school supplies. After seeing their classrooms, families will meet in the bus circle (between Academy Hall and the lower school playground) for ice cream sundaes. Also, the Viking Corner store will be set up to sell spiritwear there.
Start of School for PreK-Grade 5
The Lower School will begin the school year on Tuesday, August 24. All students, with the exception of Explorers, will follow a regular school day (8:05 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.) schedule.
Start of School for Explorers
Explorer Program classes will follow this schedule detailed below:
- Tuesday, August 24 – Explorers will attend school from 8:00-9:15 a.m. while parents and guardians gather in the dining hall for an informational session and coffee.
- Wednesday, August 25 – all Explorer students attend school from 8:00-10:00 a.m.
- Thursday, August 26 – all Explorer students attend school from 8:00-10:00 a.m.
- Friday, August 27 – half-day Explorers dismissed for carline pickup at 11:30 a.m. while full-day Explorers will be dismissed at approximately noon (after eating lunch).
- Monday, August 30 – all students begin their regular half-day or full-day schedules.
First Day Logistics
In order to help limit hallway congestion, we ask that you say your goodbyes before your children enter the building. Please take advantage of the Ice Cream Social to help your children carry in supplies and navigate the building to prepare for the first day of school. The Ice Cream Social is also a great opportunity to take photographs of your children in their new learning spaces! We look forward to inviting parents and guardians to volunteer and visit in the classrooms but ask that we first establish student routines for entering the building and limiting congestion during the first week.
Masks
All students and adults on our campus, regardless of vaccination status, will wear masks while indoors. When students are outside for recess and class activities, they may remove their masks. Please label your children’s masks with first and last names. More details on the school’s health safety measures will be shared by the COVID Response Team in the coming days.
Lunch and Snack
Lunch for grades PreK-5 will take place in the dining hall (view welcome-back newsletter from SAGE Dining). Seating has been modified to ensure 3-feet distancing. Explorers will eat in their classrooms. Snacks will be provided and may be eaten in classrooms or outside during breaks according to individual class schedules. You are welcome to supplement your children’s snacks with either a piece of fruit or vegetable ready to eat (already cut, peeled, etc.).
Arrival Details
Students may arrive at school between 7:00-8:05 a.m. Students arriving between 7:00-7:40 a.m. should enter the building at the Lower School’s main entrance and will be directed to the Barton Room for supervised quiet time. At 7:45 a.m., all students will go to their homeroom classrooms.
Dismissal Details
Students will be dismissed from classrooms to CASE (our after-school program), bus or carline. We will continue to use SchoolPass for carline. Students going home through the carline will wait in their individual classrooms until their ride arrives. We will also be using SchoolPass for bus dismissal. Details regarding SchoolPass and how to register your vehicle will be sent home in a separate communication. It is important that you always display your name placard on the passenger side of the windshield to help speed up the process.
Late Arrival/Early Dismissal
Students who arrive after 8:05 a.m. or depart before 3:15 p.m. must sign in/out through the SchoolPass kiosk in the Lower School Office. Please be sure to notify the school and homeroom teachers in advance through the SchoolPass app.
Parents/Guardians and Visitors
All parents/guardians and visitors must check in at the Lower School Office via the SchoolPass kiosk and wear the printed visitor’s badge. Everyone needs to use the Lower School’s main entrance only.
Birthdays
Birthdays may be celebrated at school. Please contact your children’s homeroom teachers at least a week in advance to schedule a convenient time. Any treat brought into the school must be pre-packaged and individually wrapped with a list of ingredients. Please note we are a nut-free school.
Supply Lists
Lockers
Hallway lockers will be used in the Lower School. Please make sure all of your children’s belongings are clearly marked with their first and last names.
CASE (Children’s After School Experience)
CASE will be offered again this school year. If you are interested in registering for CASE, please use this link to learn more and to complete the registration form.
Class Homeroom Lists
Classroom lists will be distributed to families on Friday, August 20.
Key Calendar Dates in August and September
- August 23: Lower School Ice Cream Social (4:00-5:45 p.m.)
- August 24: First Day of Lower School!
- September 6: Labor Day (no school)
- September 9: LS Back-to-School Night (begins in the dining hall at 7:00 p.m.)
- September 10: LS Parent-Teacher Conferences (no school for lower school students)
We look forward to seeing everyone at the Ice Cream Social!
Warm Regards,
Head of Lower School
Associate Head of Lower School and Director of Early Childhood Programs
Lower School Director of Academic Programs
