BACK-TO-SCHOOL

Welcome back to school for the 2026-2027 school year!

For families new to Jack London, I am excited to meet you and your child. We are all here to support your child's transition to our fantastic school. Our staff and school community are committed to providing the best educational experience possible for your child here at Jack London. Please let us know how we can help.

For returning families, I look forward to serving you, your children, and the entire Jack London community.

What's new, you ask?

I am excited to announce that our Jack London family is growing! For our 26/27 school year, we are welcoming new classes to our campus, including a TK/K Extensive Support Needs (ESN) class and a 1st/2nd grade Extensive Support Needs (ESN) class. It's an honor to grow with our community and continue educating our children. With our increasing enrollment, we are also excited to welcome several new staff members to the Wolf Pack!

Our new K-Wing is just about finished and will be ready for us to move into at the end of September. We're also looking forward to having a new fence go up around the perimeter of the campus.

Traffic Flow Has Changed Directions

After working with Safe Routes to School and input from our Safety Committee, traffic will now enter campus from the east driveway, proceed around campus, and exit through the west driveway. The only through traffic at the front of the school will be for buses and ESN parents. Parent and visitor parking will be located across from Room C3.

Elementary School Dismissal by Grade Span

• TK/K – From August 12th (the first day of school) until November 13th, TK/K students will be dismissed at 1:25 p.m. From November 16th through May 27th, TK/K students will be dismissed at 1:45 p.m., except on Minimum Days, when dismissal is at 11:20 a.m. After dismissal, Kindergarten students are placed into Focus Groups, attending once a week for focused instruction, based on teacher assessment data. Stay tuned for the start date for Focus Groups.
• 1st–3rd – Our primary students will be dismissed at 2:15 p.m. After dismissal, students are placed into Focus Groups and attend once a week (or more if needed) for focused instruction, based on teacher assessment data. Focus Group instruction ends at 2:45 p.m., at which point students may resume their after-school schedule and activities. Students not attending a Focus Group who need to stay on campus until 2:45 p.m. will attend the YMCA until that time.
• 4th–6th – Our upper-grade students will be dismissed at 2:45 p.m. and can resume their after-school routine right away. We offer Sibling Care for students with siblings attending our Middle School here at POCS, which our PAs supervise. The YMCA also provides fee-based childcare for our working families. We also offer Enrichment Classes for our upper-grade students throughout the year — keep an eye on ParentSquare to sign your student up.

One more quick announcement as we prepare for the first days of school:

TK Orientation and Assessments

We're excited to welcome your little ones to our school! Our TK team will observe and assess students before the first day of school. TK Orientation will take place on August 3rd and 4th — details are available on ParentSquare. Please contact Ana in the office with any questions. Once assessments are complete, students will be placed in a soft-start classroom; official TK classroom assignments will be finalized by August 31st. You're also welcome to message the teacher directly with any further questions.

For TK families who cannot attend the August 3rd or 4th orientation, we will also hold a TK/K orientation in the Jack London gym on Wednesday, August 12th at 9:00 a.m., the first day of school.

We can't wait to meet your family!

We'll continue to keep you updated via ParentSquare. Feel free to reach out to Ana, our office manager, or me via ParentSquare.

Student Class Placement

Class placements will be available in Aeries on Monday, August 10th, after 4:00 p.m.

🎉 Want to know sooner? Join us at the POUSD Community Fair (see flyer below) to meet district staff, enjoy the event, and find out your child's teacher early!

Welcome!

Principal Venegas

Student Information System

Thank you in advance for filling out your Emergency Contact Information via our Parent Portal. Our Aeries confirmation opens on August 3rd — please make sure to update your student's file. You can use this link to complete your mandatory emergency information: https://pinerolivet.aeries.net/student/LoginParent.aspx

Two forms must be printed, signed, and submitted to our Office Manager, Ana Cruz. If you need us to print them for you, please contact Ana directly, and you can make an appointment to sign them. Both forms are located on the Parent Portal in Aeries:

1. Know Your Rights
2. Emergency Card

Please submit both forms by Friday, August 14th, to your classroom teacher, the office, or the dropbox at the front of the school.

*Due to the importance of these documents and for your child's safety, your child will only be allowed to attend school field trips if their enrollment documents are completed in the Aeries Portal.

Welcome, 2026/2027 TK/Kinder Families!

Thank you for signing up for your scheduled group time via ParentSquare!

TK Assessments

Your TK teacher will observe our new incoming TK students in a student group play observation, as we are excited to have your little ones join our school. We will start on the playground structure and then move into the classroom for classroom activities as a group. Our TK Teacher Team will observe students before the first day of school, with TK Orientation and Assessments taking place on August 3rd and 4th. Once assessments are complete, students will be placed in a soft-start classroom, with official TK classroom assignments finalized by August 31st. You're also welcome to message the teacher directly with any further questions.

We will hold a Kindergarten Orientation in your child's classroom on the first day of school, August 12th, from 8:20 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. The first day of school will be a minimum day; hours will be 8:20 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.

K Orientation Schedule for August 12th:

• 8:20 – Classroom Orientation: Join your child in their new classroom for a welcome from your child's teacher, a welcome story, and an introduction to learning centers.
• 9:00–9:45 – Principal Orientation: Parents join the principal in the Jack London gym for an orientation about Jack London Elementary School while your child stays in their new classroom.
• 11:20 – Dismissal

We are so excited to meet all of you!

Title I Funding

Funding for our school is generated through the Free & Reduced Lunch Application. Please make it a priority to fill out the form — your application may be the one that makes a difference in our funding. Even if you don't believe you'll qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, every application counts toward our eligibility for additional funding. The lunch application will be posted on ParentSquare, and you can also access it using the link below:

THE NEW 2026/2027 LUNCH APPLICATION LINK IS COMING SOON!

Thank you for taking the time to support our students.

School Lunch

• Each school in the Piner-Olivet Union School District will offer hot meals to students on campus five days a week.
• ALL students will eat for FREE for the 2026-2027 school year.
• Monthly menus are posted on your school's website each month beginning in early August.
• Since meals are FREE again this year, we ask that you complete the Free/Reduced Lunch Application to help support our school's funding!

New This Year: You will complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Application through the Aeries Parent Portal.

Please complete your Data Confirmation — it will improve our funding with each application submitted.

Thank you!

Before-School Supervision

At this time, Jack London does not have before-school supervision available before 8:05 a.m. For safety reasons, please do not drop off your child before 8:05 a.m. If you require onsite supervision prior to 8:05 a.m., please see your options below. If you have any other concerns, please send the principal a message via ParentSquare.

YMCA

We offer before-school and after-school care for the 2026/2027 school year. Tifani, our coordinator, is amazing! Here is the link to the YMCA website so you can register for the program: https://www.scfymca.org/

Sibling Care

For our families' convenience, we offer before- and after-school supervision — in the library in the morning, and in a classroom after school.

Mornings – POCS students may join us at 8:05 a.m., and supervision continues until the bell rings at 8:20 a.m. Please make sure you sign the permission slip for your child; you may pick one up at the front office.

Afternoons – At 2:45 p.m. dismissal, elementary students who need to wait for their POCS siblings may stay until 3:20 p.m. POCS students must pick up their brothers and/or sisters in the assigned classroom. All students attending Sibling Care in the afternoon must sign in when they arrive, and all POCS Middle School siblings must sign their elementary brothers and sisters out on the sign-out log — our staff must know how each student is getting home. If a Middle School sibling is unwilling to come into the room and sign their sibling out, they may no longer participate in the program.

This is a free service for Jack London students with siblings attending POCS.

Traffic Flow & Student Drop-off/Pick-up

After working with Safe Routes to School and input from our Safety Committee, our traffic flow has changed direction this year. Traffic will now enter campus from the east driveway, proceed around campus, and exit through the west driveway. The only through traffic at the front of the school will be for buses and ESN parents. Parent and visitor parking will be located on the west side of campus.

Our driveway is a one-way zone and a single lane. Every student is safer, and everything runs smoothly and quickly, when traffic flows in the same, single direction and students are dropped off and picked up in the designated passenger loading zone only. Parking in driveways, unmarked spaces, or "Red Zones" creates blind spots — student safety is compromised because even though students may be accompanied by adults, students are difficult to see.

The front of the school will be a bus-only lane. No TK or K drop-off will be permitted in front of the school. All TK/K students must be dropped off in the designated drop-off zone. You may also park in the visitor spots and walk your child into the TK/K yard.

• ESN Families ONLY – You must have a tag displayed and drop off and pick up students in front of the school. This area is shared with buses and school business only.
• 1st–6th Grade Drop-off Zone – Located on the west side of campus, along the D and E buildings, in the designated chute.
• TK/K Car Pick-up Zone – Located on the west side of campus, near C3.
• Please pull as far forward as possible so all drivers can drop off their children in the loading zone.
• Please instruct students to exit on the curb side of the car whenever possible. If a student must exit on the driveway side, remind them to look for cars before exiting the vehicle.
• Jack London students wait in designated grade-level zones, with younger siblings waiting with older siblings. Adults will direct students to your car regardless of where you pull up — you don't need to stop in front of your child's grade-level zone.
• After dropping off or picking up students, please exit the school through the west driveway while watching for pedestrians.
• Do not stop or park in a "Red Zone" or other area that is not a designated parking space.
• If you plan to walk your child to class, speak with your child's teacher, or visit the office, please park in a designated visitor parking space on the west side of campus.
• Please do not park and let your child cross at random points in the parking lot — students and adults must use crosswalks.
• To ensure student safety, all students must walk with an adult when crossing or walking through a driveway or parking area.
• Do not drop off or pick up students at the dead-end on the west side of campus behind the gate. This is not a safe or designated school zone, and drivers may not notice pedestrians in this area.

If you want to report an absence, please call our hotline. Remember to state the reason why your child will be absent.

Resources

Absent HOTLINE- (707)522-8917 Press 5

Birthday Celebrations

This year, we will again be implementing our school-wide policy regarding birthday celebrations. Our Health Policy limits the types of food we can bring to school, moving away from edible treats for birthdays and toward food-free celebrations.

• Link to Food-Free Celebration Ideas — we've included this link to offer some sample ideas. Thank you for contributing to the health and safety of our students.

Safety

With 1 in 13 children having at least one food allergy, anyone serving food to children needs to be aware of food allergies and the potential for a life-threatening allergic reaction. More than 15% of school-aged children with food allergies have had an allergic reaction at school, and these reactions can range from mild to severe, and even fatal. The safety of all students is one of Jack London's top priorities.

• We will also hold any deliveries, such as flowers or balloons, in the front office until dismissal. After careful consideration and feedback from various parties, we've determined this is necessary for the safety of all our students.

Nurse's Office

The Nurse Team welcomes you back from summer break!

Please stop by the Nurse's Office, located in the main office, where you'll find Nurse Christina, our Health Tech. Nurse hours will be posted in the office.

A couple of reminders:

• Student medication must be accompanied by written orders. Feel free to stop by, and we'll make sure everything is logged.
• Immunization records need to be updated.

Our Nurse Team must have your child's updated medical information so we can appropriately serve your child's health needs while on campus and on field trips

Welcome Back, Families!

The PTO is excited to meet all of the Transitional Kindergarten families at the Principal's TK Orientation on August 3rd & 4th. We can't wait to tell you all about our organization!

• Our first Jack London Families PTO meeting will be on the 4th Wednesday of the Month at 6:30 PM, both in person and via Zoom. We will meet in classroom TBD. We will also send a link for those who want to join us via Zoom. The link will be posted in ParentSquare.
• Join us for our first event, the Welcome Back Ice Cream Social, on Thursday, August 20th, at 5:30 PM outside at the green tables.

We are grateful and pleased to have Kaity Gonzalez & Liz Flahive as our PTO Co-Presidents this year! You may reach her at jacklondonfamily@gmail.com.

Welcome Back!

• Volunteers on campus – Please stop by the office to check in; we'll give you a visitor pass. Once you're finished volunteering, please return to the office to turn in your pass. In an emergency, we want to make sure all our volunteers are accounted for. Thank you for volunteering!
• Early pick-up – If you're picking your child up early, please call ahead, and we'll call them up to the office to meet you when you arrive.
• Tardies – All tardy students must check in at the office first. We'll issue a slip for them to give to their classroom teacher. Tardy means arriving after the 8:20 a.m. bell.
• Independent Contracts – If your child will be out of school, please check in with the office at least a week before your scheduled departure so we can submit an Independent Contract to your child's teacher.
• Friendly reminder – Three or more unexcused absences will be recorded as a truancy.
• Drop box – For your convenience, we've added a locked drop box at the front of the school for hard-copy documents for the front office, the school nurse, or your child's teacher.

Don't hesitate to reach out — Ana Cruz, acruz@pousd.org

Thank you for keeping the office informed!

Email: jacklondon@pousd.org
Website: http://www.jacklondon.pousd.org/
Location: 2707 Francisco Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Phone: (707)522-3030