Park Terrace Elementary
Dear Families,
We are so excited to be welcoming students back to school! This week, we have Kinder Camp. Our youngest learners are here to experience kindergarten by having the whole school to themselves. They are making friends, playing, and beginning to learn school routines. Students had huge smiles on their faces all day long! I’m grateful to have the energy back in the school that our students bring.
We also are welcoming our new staff this week. Here are some of our new staff:
- Kate Colbourne, grade 4 teacher
- Sarah Martin, grade 1 long term substitute teacher for Mariah Perry
- Tammy Olson, multilingual long term substitute teacher for Kelsey Urness
We want to welcome all of you to school next Wednesday, August 26 for our Meet and Greet event. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the teacher, connect with friends, and explore the school. Please plan to bring school supplies with you. If you can, please come at your time:
- 4-5 p.m. – students with last names starting with A-M
- 5-6 p.m. – students with the last names starting with. N-Z
We offer a sensory friendly option on Wednesday, August 26, 1-1:30 p.m. This timeframe will have fewer people, dimmer lights, and no music. If you have questions, contact Anne Jenkauski at 763-600-5676 or ajenka@district16.org.
Before the event, watch for a welcome message from your child’s teacher. I really hope all of our students can join us to meet their teacher and see our school!
As we head into the school year, we are following some new guidelines around the use of technology at school. We want technology to support learning — not get in the way of it. One area we reviewed is video: what students can watch on school devices and how teachers use video in class. This includes blocking YouTube on all student devices in grades K-8.
You can find more information about our approach to video in the Need to Know section of today’s newsletter. We are also happy to answer questions. As the year gets started, you will hear more about how we use technology in our schools. We are looking at the tools we use and how they can best support student learning and help students build the technology skills they will need in the future.
Please let us know if you have questions. We wish you for very best for the end of the summer, and we are excited to see you next week!
Lindsay
Health office updates for back to school
School medications: You are welcome and encouraged to bring in any necessary medications for your student to keep at school during next week's Meet and Greet. Our health office will be available to answer questions during this event. If you would like to drop off medications outside of Meet and Greet, please set up a time with our nurse, 763-600-5604.
- Immunizations and vaccines: Now is the time to make sure your child is up to date on all recommended immunizations. Getting vaccinated is an important tool to keep our students safe and healthy while they are in school. See our website for more immunization information.
- Peanut/nut aware classrooms: Spring Lake Park Schools implements peanut and nut-aware practices to protect students with severe allergies. Avoid sending snacks containing nuts or nut products and to ensure all snacks are pre-packaged for safety checks. Learn more.
- Communicate illnesses: Update the school nurse if your child tests positive for a communicable illness such as flu, RSV (Respiratory Syncitial Virus), or COVID-19. The nurse will provide information on return to school. Keep your child home if they are sick.
- Communication home: Our school nurse will call home in case of serious illness or injury, or if consultation with a parent/guardian is needed. Many times, students can return to class after a brief rest or treatment from the nurse.
Nutrition Services: School meal updates for a new year
- Breakfast and lunch meals: Each student will continue to get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school. View school lunch menus.
- Purchase of additional food items: During lunch, students have the option to purchase additional food items (second milk, extra entree, bottled water, etc.) if they have funds in their account. You can add funds to a meal account through Campus Parent Portal, or by sending cash or check with your child or directly to your school. If you do not want your student to purchase additional items, please complete this form and email it to foodservice@district16.org.
- Educational Benefits Application: Each year, we ask families to complete an Educational Benefits application. Many families are often surprised they qualify, and you could be eligible for many great benefits that help your student and our schools. Applications have arrived in family mailboxes. You can also learn more and apply online. Please note, if your family has already received an approval letter for the 2026-2027 school year, you do not need to re-apply for educational benefits.
Now Hiring Paraprofessionals
Join the Spring Lake Park Schools team as a paraprofessional and work with kids to make a difference in our community! Apply online today.
Job details:
- Full-time opportunities on a school schedule
- Hourly rates starting at $20.75-$24.20
- Full benefits (medical, dental, retirement, paid time off)
