The Calusa Connection

Dear Amazing CPE Families,

March is an exciting and busy month at our school! As we head into the spring season, our students are continuing to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

This month, we are focusing on the Leader in Me habit Synergize — working together to achieve more than we could alone. In classrooms and during recess, students are practicing teamwork, cooperation, and positive sportsmanship. When students learn to value each other’s strengths and collaborate, amazing things happen!

March is also a great time to refocus on routines and strong effort. With spring break on the horizon, we encourage students to stay committed to their learning goals, complete assignments thoughtfully, and continue showing kindness and respect to others.

Thank you for your continued partnership. When school and home work together, our students thrive. I am so proud of the hard work, positive attitudes, and leadership I see in our building each day.

Let’s make it a strong and successful March!

Sincerely,

Susie Summers
Principal of the Calusa Park Black Bears

🌷☀️ March Momentum at CPE ☀️🌷

March always brings a fresh burst of energy to our campus! With spring in the air and the final quarter ahead, our students are continuing to grow, learn, and prepare to show what they know. This is an exciting (and important!) time of year as we head into state assessment season.

As we “spring” into this busy season, we encourage families to mark their calendars and plan for students to be at school, on time, and present for the full day on their testing dates. Consistent attendance and a positive mindset help our students perform their very best.

✏️ BEST Writing Assessment

• April 7 – Grades 4 & 5

📖 April Testing Dates

• April 21 – Kindergarten Reading
• April 22 – 1st Grade Reading
• April 23 – 2nd Grade Reading
• April 28 – Kindergarten Math
• April 29 – 1st Grade Math
• April 30 – 2nd Grade Math

📘 May Testing Dates

• May 5 – 3rd Grade Reading
• May 6 – 4th Grade Reading
• May 7 – 5th Grade Reading
• May 12 – 3rd Grade Math
• May 13 – 4th Grade Math
• May 14 – 5th Grade Math
• May 19 – 5th Grade Science

Additional testing dates (including iReady Diagnostic, SAT-10, and select course post-tests) will be included in our April newsletter.

Thank you for partnering with us as we continue Catching the Wave and Flowing Toward Success together. The finish line is in sight, and our Bears are ready! 🐻🌊

Sincerely,

Mrs. Finger

School Doors Open: 7:45am

FREE Breakfast: 7:45am-8:15am

Bell Rings to Enter Classrooms: 8:15am

School News Show Begins: 8:25am

Students are Marked Tardy: arriving 8:25am or later

Dismissal: 2:50pm

• March 5th- Walk-a-thon & End of Quarter 3
• March 6th- NO SCHOOL, Teacher Planning Day
• March 9th-13th- NO SCHOOL, Spring Break
• March 19th- KG STEAM Morning 7:45-8:15am & Q3 Report Cards Published
• March 20th- Chuck E Cheese Night 1st Grade
• March 23rd-27th- Q3 Student Led Conferences (in-person)
• March 25th- ERD Day & Field Day KG-2nd/ Title 1 Parent Institute 5-7pm

• March 27th- Habit Hero of the Month

• April 1st- Tech Conference 4th Grade 7:45-8:15am

• April 2nd- Tech Conference 5th Grade 7:45-8:15am

• April 3rd- NO SCHOOL

• April 7th- Musical 1st and 2nd Grades

• April 13th- KG Round Up/Stars on Tour

• Week of April 13th- PTO Wooden Roses Sales

School Arrival and Dismissal Times

• Please be reminded that student drop-off should take place during our designated arrival window of 7:45–8:15 a.m.

• Dismissal and pick-up occurs between 2:50–3:00 p.m.

• Sticking to these times greatly supports student learning and helps minimize interruptions to both your child’s school day and the overall classroom environment.

• We appreciate your cooperation in helping us protect instructional time.

Morning Drop-Off Procedures

• We have noticed an increase in students being dropped off and left unattended before 7:45 a.m. at the front of the school. Students have also been walking across the crosswalk unaccompanied. Please remember that remaining in the car line is our designated drop-off procedure. This ensures the overall flow and safety of our morning arrival.
• If walking your students into school for any reason, students must be walked across the crosswalk by a parent.
• Pre-K students are the only students whose parents should be parking and walking their children across.

Changes to Transportation

ALL changes to transportation MUST go through the following procedure by 2:00PM:

• Call to the front office (377-6400) with the transportation change.
• If notification is not received, the child will be sent home as they normally dismiss.

We appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain a safe, structured, and focused learning environment for all students.

Dear Families,

This month, we are focusing on accountability- taking responsibility for our actions, our words, and even our attitudes. Accountability helps build trust, strengthens friendships, and creates a school community where everyone feels safe and respected. Below are ways to practice accountability:

💬 Using “I” Messages When Upset or Sad

One important tool we are practicing at school is using “I” messages to communicate big feelings. Instead of blaming or accusing, students learn to express how they feel and what they need.

An “I” message sounds like this:

• “I feel frustrated when I’m interrupted because I want to share my ideas too.”

• “I feel sad when I’m left out because I want to play with my friends.”

Using “I” messages:

• Reduces defensiveness

• Encourages empathy

• Promotes problem-solving

You can support this at home by modeling “I” messages during family conversations. It’s a powerful lifelong skill!

🤝 The Art of a Meaningful Apology

We also discussed what makes an apology truly meaningful. A strong apology includes:

1. Acknowledging the behavior – “I’m sorry for pushing you.”

2. Taking responsibility – “It was not a good choice.”

3. Showing understanding – “I can see that it hurt you.”

4. Making it right – “How can I fix this?”

A quick “sorry” is easy — but a thoughtful apology builds character and restores relationships. Accountability and apology go hand in hand.

Thank you for helping support your child's personal growth!

Each month, one student from every class will be selected as a Habit Hero of the Month, a student who consistently demonstrates the featured habit in their words, actions, and leadership.

These students will be honored at a special Habit Hero Assembly each month, where they will be recognized in front of their peers and families. We can’t wait to celebrate their growth and leadership!

National Read Across America Week 2026

We are excited to celebrate Read Across America Week, a nationwide event that promotes the joy and importance of reading. This special week is designed to encourage children to develop a lifelong love of books while celebrating literacy through fun, engaging activities.

As a reminder, if your child chooses to participate in the optional themed dress-up days, please ensure they follow all CCPS dress code guidelines.

• Monday: Students may wear any green shirt with uniform bottoms.
• Tuesday: Students may wear silly socks but should otherwise be in full uniform.
• Wednesday: Students may wear any red or blue shirt with uniform bottoms.
• Thursday: Students may wear athletic clothing for our annual walk-a-thon, but must follow CCPS dress code guidelines.

We are excited to share that Kindergarten will be hosting our next STEAM Morning on March 19th from 7:45–8:15 a.m. All Kindergarten students and their parents are invited to participate in this fun, engaging event that highlights Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math through interactive activities.

Thank you for supporting math and science learning at school and at home!

Thank you everyone for participating in Movie Night last Friday. We had a wonderful time connecting and building community!

Our annual Walk-a-Thon is here and is this Thursday, March 5th! This is one of our biggest events of the year and a fun way for students and families to get active while supporting our school. All fundraising envelopes are due this Thursday, the day of Walk-a-thon. Thank you to those who have fundraised via Cheddar Up (online fundraising) as well! Please click the link below to create your student’s individual Walk-a-thon collection page through Cheddar Up. The setup takes less than 5 minutes.

https://my.cheddarup.com/c/calusa-park-walk-a-thon-2026/fundraiser-auth

Reminder that all fundraising is due on the day of our Walk-a-thon, March 5th.

Please come and walk with your child during their scheduled walk-a-thon time. See flyer below.

Thank you for your continued support of the PTO. Your involvement makes events like these possible and helps create memorable experiences for our students!

If you have any questions, please reach out to calusaparkpto@hotmail.com,

Pre-Order the 25-26 Calusa Park Yearbook for your child. You can order from the website below or wait for the hard copy order forms to be sent home in the Wednesday Folders on December 3rd. The website is listed below along with the yearbook code.

https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob

Yearbook ID Code: 15384426

See attached for access to the full Parent and Family Engagement Plan.

Calusa Park Elementary follows the CCPS Code of Student Conduct. Please see attachment below to review policies such as Attendance, Discipline, Dress Code, Electronic Devices and more!

Plan ahead! It is important that students are at school, on time, every day! Every moment of learning is important to your child’s development and progress. Please see Attendance Newsletter from September for all things Attendance including family resources.

Attendance Newsletter Link: https://secure.smore.com/n/usw81-let-s-talk-about-attendance?ref=email

*Please note- If your child is absent for any reason, please call the front office at 377-6400 to let us know why your child is absent so we can properly notate that. In addition, all absences are unexcused unless a doctor’s note is provided. Per Florida Statute (1003.26(1)(b), students with 5 unexcused [or validated] absences within a calendar month, or 15 unexcused [or validated] within a 90 day period are considered truant and an attendance meeting may be scheduled with the school and district personnel.

Website: collierschools.com/cpe
Location: 4600 Santa Barbara Blvd, Naples, FL 34104
Phone: 239-377-6400
Twitter: @blackbearsroar

Facebook: Calusa Park Elementary

FortifyFL was created and funded by the 2018 Florida Legislature as part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. The application was named by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The Office of Attorney General, Department of Education and Florida Department of Law Enforcement coordinated its development and roll-out. getfortifyfl.com

School Board Policies 2266, 3362, and 5517 – Prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and/or gender identity), disability, or age in the provision of educational opportunities or employment opportunities and benefits. The District School Board does not discriminate on the basis of sex or disability in the education programs and activities that it operates, pursuant to the requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

For additional information or to report Title IX or any other discrimination/harassment concerns, contact Ms. Valerie Wenrich, Chief Human Resources Officer/ Title IX Coordinator, at (239) 377-0351, wenriv@collierschools.com or at 5775 Osceola Trail, Naples, Florida 34109.