Cherrydale Primary School

We are so excited to welcome our students and families to a wonderful new school year! This communication includes important “How-To” information to help everyone start the year off smoothly and successfully.

Please take a few minutes to read this document in its entirety at least once. When you need to revisit a specific topic, simply click on it in the Table of Contents to go directly to that section—no scrolling required!

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the Cherrydale Office:

• ParentSquare: Send a direct message to the Cherrydale Office Attendance Secretary
• Email: cherrydaleoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
• Phone: 253-983-2500

We are always happy to help and look forward to partnering with you for a safe, successful, and exciting school year!

Students attend school Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays: 9:05 a.m.–3:35 p.m. Wednesdays are ACE days: 9:05 a.m.–2:35 p.m., Half days: 9:05 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.

Morning Arrival

To help ensure a safe and smooth start to the school day, please stay with your child if you arrive before 9:00 a.m. Students may begin exiting buses and vehicles at 9:00 a.m., when staff are available to supervise and assist with arrival.

• Students not eating breakfast: Walk directly to your teacher’s exterior classroom door and wait for the doors to open.
• Students eating breakfast: Enter through the front foyer doors. Breakfast will be available in the hallway outside the library. After scanning their meal account card and picking up breakfast, students should walk to their classroom’s exterior door with their food.

Teachers will open classroom doors when the 9:05 a.m. bell rings. Classroom doors will close at 9:10 a.m.

Late Arrival (after 9:10 a.m.)

If a student arrives at school after 9:10 a.m., a parent or guardian must accompany them to the Office for check-in. Students arriving after 9:10 a.m. will still have an opportunity to eat breakfast, if they choose.

This year, all Cherrydale students will have the opportunity to have one breakfast and one lunch for free every day! If a student chooses a second entrée or drink, it will be charged to student’s account.

Every family is encouraged to complete a Free and Reduced Meal application, as this data is used to potentially keep this program going for next year!

For more information, click Free & Reduced Meals , expand the + How do I apply for free/reduced price meals.

School Menus can be located here

Students may be dropped off beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the designated drop-off lines, where receiving staff will be available to welcome students. Classroom doors will be open from 9:05–9:10 a.m.

Please follow the designated routes shown on the map:

• 1st & 2nd Grade: Follow the red line on the map. Families should enter via B or C Streets.
• Kindergarten: Families will enter the Kindergarten pick-up/drop-off zone via D Street, shown by the blue line on the map.
• 3rd Grade: Students will enter via B Street and be dropped off in the back parking lot, shown by the green line on the map.

Because Kindergarten families will be entering through D Street, it is important that 1st and 2nd grade families use B or C Streets to help keep traffic moving safely and smoothly.

If your student has a Cherrydale sibling, the older student will join the younger student at the younger child’s designated arrival and dismissal location.

We know these procedures may take a little time to get used to! Our staff will be out and about during the first few days of school with plenty of patience, smiles, and helpful guidance to make the process as easy as possible for everyone.

Pick-up and drop-off locations and routes remain the same.

For pick-up, please display your child’s valet tag in your car window:

• Kindergarten: Driver’s side
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade: Passenger side

The valet tag is an important safety measure that helps ensure each student is picked up by the correct family. Having your tag displayed and ready also helps keep traffic moving smoothly and efficiently.

Valet tags will be provided to families during Success Conferences and/or WA Kids Conferences. If you need an additional copy, please contact the Office.

Changes to Dismissal Plans

If your student will not be following their regular dismissal plan, please notify the Front Office at least 45 minutes before their scheduled dismissal time.

You can contact the Cherrydale Office through ParentSquare or by calling 253-983-2500.

Thank you for helping us keep dismissal safe, organized, and efficient for all students and families!

How to Find Bus Route Information

The District provides transportation for students who live more than ½ mile from their school.

To find your student’s bus stop location and pick-up and drop-off times, please log in to Skyward Family Access.

If you need assistance accessing Family Access, please contact your school office.

Once you are logged into Family Access:

1. Click the drop-down arrow on the left side of the page.
2. Select Bus Stops to view your student’s transportation information.

We appreciate your partnership in helping ensure students arrive at school safely and on time!

Changing Bus Stop for Pick Up/Drop Off

Your student is automatically routed to your home address. If your student has a regularly scheduled location within the district boundaries for before and/or after school (e.g., daycare, etc.), other than your home address, please complete a Bus Stop or Route Change Request Form and submit to the Transportation Department (transportation@steilacoom.k12.wa.us). Please allow 2 days for processing.

If you have moved and your student’s bus stop needs to change, your family’s address must first be updated in Skyward. To do this, please reach out to enrollment@steilacoom.k12.wa.us. An updated Verification of Residency document (current lease or utility bill only) must accompany your change.

Download the Bus Zone app to Track Your Child’s Bus.

The Bus Zone app provides real-time tracking of our district buses. You will need our school's code 2046SHSD1, and your student’s Other ID number to sign into the app. This can be found in your Skyward Family Access account on the ‘Student Information’ tab. Do not enter leading zero of the Other ID.

ATTENDANCE

If your student will be absent, tardy, or leaving early, please notify the Office as soon as possible. You are welcome to notify the teacher as well, but only the Office can excuse an absence or adjust attendance records.

Please use the Attendance Line 253.983.2551 to let us know when your child will be absent, arriving late, or being picked up early. ParentSquare attendance alerts may be sent when a student is marked absent by the teacher and the Office has not received communication from a parent/guardian.

When leaving a message, please clearly provide your student’s first and last name, teacher’s name, and the reason for the absence. This information helps us respond quickly and accurately.

Doctor’s notes are required for appointments when a student is absent for all or part of the school day.

EARLY RELEASE

For the safety and smooth dismissal of all students, we ask that early releases not take place during the last 30 minutes of the school day. Thank you for helping us keep our end-of-day routine safe, efficient, and orderly.

PLANNED ABSENCE

For planned absences, please complete the Planned Absence Request Form and return it to the Office as soon as possible, no later than one week before the first day of the absence. This allows teachers time to prepare and compile any work your student may need and gives the Office time to update attendance records.

Thank you for partnering with us to support accurate attendance records and a safe, smooth school day for all students!

Thank you for taking the time to read this information! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the office at cherrydaleoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us or 253.983.2500. We are happy to help!

Phone: (253) 983-2500

Email: cherrydaleoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
Website: https://www.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/
Location: 1201 Galloway Street, Steilacoom, WA, USA