Lewis and Clark Parent Newsletter

Welcome Back to a New School Year!

Each new school year brings both excitement and a touch of anxiousness for students, parents, and staff. At Lewis and Clark Elementary, we feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with such wonderful students and families. Our staff looks forward to partnering with you to ensure every child has the best chance to succeed.

The school year can feel like a rollercoaster—full of ups and downs (hopefully more ups! 😊). Challenges will arise, but together, we can support one another and keep kids at the center of our work.

Here’s what I ask of our entire Lewis and Clark community: presume positive intent. Every member of our staff is here for the right reasons—we are committed to putting kids first. When we connect as school and home, let’s hold ourselves to these shared expectations:

1. Treat everyone with respect—no matter the situation.

2. Respect the time of others.

3. Take time to check in at the end of conversations and meetings.

4. Be direct, honest, and sensitive, always considering context, with the person who needs to hear it.

At Lewis and Clark Elementary, we are always willing to communicate, meet, and collaborate in whatever ways are needed to produce the best outcomes for our students.

I am excited for the new school year ahead! Please never hesitate to reach out with questions, celebrations, or concerns.

With gratitude,
Mr. Cresap
Principal, Lewis and Clark Elementary

I want to first recognize the challenges of picking up and dropping off at Lewis and Clark Elementary. It is busy and parking is not convenient. I would ask that we all operate with safety in mind. If you must come into Lewis and Clark during our drop off and pick up times, please use our parking lots on the north or south ends of the building. Outside of drop off and pick up it is ok to park on 16th street outside our main entrance. Also, Lewis and Clark families are not to use the Explorer Academy parking lot. The Explorer Academy parking lot is for their families to use and access. Thank you for your help in this matter.

September 7: No School (Labor Day)

September 16: Early Dismissal 12:27pm Click on the link for more information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mAr-PMYSO-KFAjOchYm17iY2A7ffPH9vis-SQ18F1xs/edit?tab=t.0

September 18: Picture Day at Lewis and Clark Elementary

Throughout the school year, Lewis and Clark Elementary will conduct a minimum of one emergency drill each month. On Wednesday, Sept. 2, we held our first fire drill of the year. Students and staff did an outstanding job, and everything went very smoothly!

In addition to fire drills, we will also conduct shelter-in-place (tornado) drills and ALICE drills. ALICE is a choice-response approach to a critical violent or active-shooter situation. It provides individuals the choice to evacuate, lockdown, or counter depending on the circumstances. Each ALICE drill is carefully tailored to be age-appropriate. For example, in our K–2nd grades, the primary focus is simply to listen to the teacher and follow directions. All staff are trained annually in ALICE procedures. Lewis and Clark will also conduct one hazardous materials drill during the year.

We encourage parents to talk with their children about these drills and the importance of practicing them. Having conversations at home helps students understand why we prepare and reassures them that drills are an important part of keeping everyone safe.

If you have any questions about our emergency procedures, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the office.

Sincerely,
Jason Cresap
Principal, Lewis and Clark Elementary

Free and Reduced Lunch

If your family is struggling to make ends meet and paying for school lunches is difficult, you can fill out the free and reduced lunch application. If your family meets the criteria your child(ren) could qualify for free or reduced cost meals. Click on the link to access the free and reduced application.

www.EZMealApp.com

Paper copies are also available at the Lewis and Clark School Office.

• Parents’ Right To Know

  Our school receives federal funds for Title I programs that are part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Under ESSA, parents have the right to request information on the professional qualifications of the teachers and paraprofessionals at our school. If you are interested in learning this information, please contact the school administration office at (701) 111-1111. Upon this request, you will receive professional qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals at the school. The information will include state level qualifications, licensing criteria for grade levels and subject areas, teaching under an emergency or other provisional status, and teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher. In addition, if at any time during the school year a teacher who is not highly qualified teaches your child for four or more consecutive weeks, you will receive timely notice from the school.

Fargo Public Schools has a policy regarding the use of electronic devices in our schools, in alignment with the recently passed North Dakota state law banning electronic devices during the school day. The full details of this policy are outlined in the document attached below.

If you need to get a message to your child during the day, please call the main office at 701-446-4800, and we will ensure your child receives it.

If a cell phone or other electronic device is seen out during the school day, the student will be asked to bring it to the office. For safety and security, our office keeps all devices in a locked storage box. The policy also explains the steps that will be taken if students do not follow these expectations.

We encourage all families to review the policy together and have a conversation with your child about your family’s plan for managing electronic devices. By working together, we can help students stay focused on learning and avoid unnecessary distractions during the school day.

Thank you for your support in helping us create the best learning environment possible for all students.

If your child is dropped off or walks/bikes to school, please have them go to the following doors for pick up and drop off.

Kindergarten can be picked up and dropped off at door 5 (Playground doors)

Second/Third Graders can be picked up and dropped off at door 3 which is on the north end of our building off 16th street.

First/Fourth/Fifth Graders can be picked up and dropped off at door 4 (main entrance off 16th street)

State law requires immunizations in order to attend school. (There is an immunization document that can be filled out if you choose not to have your child immunized. Please contact Lewis and Clark office for exemption document.) If a student doesn't have complete immunizations, they have 30 days to provide an update to immunizations. After the 30 days, the student would not be allowed to attend school until required immunization records are provided or an exemption is completed. If your child is not immunized, the attachment below provides information on "Back to School Immunization" opportunities. Please click on the attachment for opportunities in August to get your child immunized.

The Fargo South Bruin Boys' and Girls' Basketball programs will be holding basketball camps this fall. The girl's camp will include girls in grades 3 through 8 and will start September 14th. The boy's camp will include boys in grades 3 through 6 and will start October 18th. Join Fargo South Head Coaches Ted Critchley and Clay Dilly along with Fargo South coaches and players for an opportunity to develop basketball skills, build confidence, and strengthen your understanding of the game in a positive and competitive environment. More information and registration can be found at here.

Early Literacy Resources Available to Families

Waterford Upstart is an interactive learning program that helps children in PreK-2nd grade build strong skills in reading, math, and science. With activities that adapt to your child’s skill level, children learn at just the right pace, with fun songs, stories, and games that make learning exciting.

Waterford Upstart is funded by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) and available at no cost for families in North Dakota the year before their child is eligible to start kindergarten in 2027. Watch the video below to learn more. Families can register using the following link to registers: https://www.waterford.org/upstart/ or contact Crystal Rodgriguez @ crystalrodriguez@waterford.org

Fargo Public Schools uses “Here Comes the Bus” to track students who ride the bus. Students in grades K-5 who ride the bus will receive a bar-coded card; school staff will attach the card to a student’s backpack on the first day of school or the day that your child begins riding the bus. Students in grades 6-12 will use a student ID card to scan or input their lunch number on the bus keypad.

Students will scan each time they enter the bus. When students arrive at the school, they will not scan off the bus, but the bus driver will complete a walk-through of the bus to make sure all students are off the bus (this saves valuable time each morning). At the end of the school day, returning home, your student needs to scan on and off the bus. When students scan, we can, in real-time, know that they are either on the bus or have exited the bus. This provides another level of safety for our students. Please encourage your child to participate in the scanning process onto the bus in the morning and scanning both on and off the bus after school.

If your child needs a replacement card, please notify the school office. A replacement will be given to the child at their school.

Parents/guardians can download the “Here Comes the Bus” app, which notifies parents when their children are picked up and dropped off. Click here for instructions on how to set up Here Comes the Bus. Students can also download the app and view where their bus is located.