Arcadia Stars Newsletter

The wait is officially over—tomorrow, Monday, August 31st, our doors open for the very first day of school! Our halls are about to be filled with the wonderful energy of our school family! It is a half day of school. On half days, Instruction begins at 8:50AM and ends at 12:00PM.

We are so excited to welcome you back! Tomorrow begins a new year filled with new friendships, exciting discoveries, and endless opportunities to shine. Be sure to bring your warm smile and your curiosity! Remember: you are safe, you are valued, and you belong here.

Families, thank you for trusting us with your children. We view our work as a true team effort. As we weave our S.T.A.R.S. citizenship values—Setting goals, Teamwork, Acting with kindness, Responsibility, and Safety—into every classroom, we look forward to walking alongside you every step of the way.

The first couple days of school have more traffic than a typical school day. Please be patient as we arrive and dismiss the first week. Also, please ensure you have read all the procedures for opening day, arrival, and dismissal. Thank you for ensuring our students arrive and dismiss safely!

With excitement and gratitude,

Meaghan O. Timmons

Principal, Arcadia Elementary

"It's our job to keep the school safe. It's your job to help keep it safe."

• Please do not park in our front circle drive, as it blocks traffic during arrival and dismissal.
• Opening Day Safety Reminder: It is very important that if you choose to exit your vehicle to walk your student to the courts that you park on Ellendale St. (behind Arcadia) and walk through our gate. Our parking lot will be full and we can't have our bus lanes blocked by cars. Please read the opening day details below.

🎒 Opening Day: Arrival, Dismissal, & Parking Details

Because the first day of school brings a high volume of traffic, please review these specific times and parking guidelines to ensure a smooth morning and afternoon.

🌅 Morning Arrival

• 8:44 AM – Arrival Begins: Students will meet their teachers on the tennis and basketball courts.

• 8:50 AM – Doors Open: School doors open and students head to their classrooms.

• ⚠️ Drop-Off Safety Rule: Only students may enter the school buildings through the arrival doors. Any adults needing assistance must enter through the main front office.

🕛 Dismissal (Half Day Schedule)

• 12:00 PM – Dismissal Bell: Instructional time ends at 12:00 PM.

• Bus riders, walkers, and vehicle pick-ups will all begin dismissing immediately following the 12:00 PM bell.

• If you are picking up your student, please remain in your vehicle and stay in the flow and go pick up line. Remain curb side, and your student will be dismissed by our staff to enter your vehicle.

🚗 Important Parking Advice

If you are getting out of your vehicle with your student for OPENING DAY, our school parking lot is small. It will fill up very quickly on the first day.

• Best Option: We highly recommend parking on Ellendale St if you are getting out and walking your student to the courts. (located directly behind the school) This will be permitted for opening day. However, after opening day, drop offs must be done in the front circle drive.

• You can easily walk your student through the back fence line straight to the playground courts. This will save you from getting stuck in parking lot traffic!

🚗 How to Use the Drop-Off Lane Safely:

To keep traffic moving and keep kids safe on Day 1, please follow these driving rules in our circle drive:

• Stay Single File & Curb Side: Pull up along the curb in a single-file line to let your student out.

• Use the Travel Lane ONLY to Exit: Once your student is safely on the sidewalk, you may pull out into the left "travel lane" to exit the drive.

• Where NOT to Drop Off: For the safety of your child, NEVER let your student out in the left traveling lane, in the middle of the street, in the parking lot, or in the bus lane.

• Where Students Go: If you are dropping your child off and leaving, Arcadia staff members will be stationed outside in the circle drive to safely escort your student to the back tennis courts to meet up with their teachers.

All vehicles will pull in through the front circle drive. Adults will need to remain in vehicles, pull up curb side, and follow the flow and go protocol for drop off. Students will exit vehicles and enter the building through our front doors. Our staff will greet students and usher them safely to their teachers.

🛑 Important Dismissal & Safety Procedures

To ensure a safe and smooth dismissal for all Arcadia STARS, please review our standard procedures below.

🚍🚗Daily Arrival: Daily student drop off may begin no earlier than 8:30AM

📞 Last-Minute Changes & Early Sign-Outs

• Changing Dismissal Plans? You must call the main office ahead of time so we can safely redirect your student.

  • Full Days: Call by 3:15 PM

  • Half Days: Call by 10:30 AM

  • Note: We cannot accept dismissal changes or call students to the office after these times.

• Early Sign-Outs: When you call to pick up your child early, we will notify the teacher immediately. However, to maximize learning time, students will not be called to the office until the parent physically arrives to sign them out.

🚗 Option 1: Curbside Pick-Up ("Flow & Go")

• Stay in Your Vehicle: Pull into the front circle drive and remain in your car.

• Curb Loading Only: Students will wait in their grade-level lines and enter your vehicle directly from the sidewalk curb once a staff member gives them permission.

• Do NOT Park & Walk Up: Please do not park on the street to walk up to the sidewalk or wait on the walkway. Crowding the sidewalk and having pedestrians cross the active traffic lane creates a major safety hazard. Our students use the sidewalks as a travel lane to get to their vehicles or walk themselves home.

🚶 Option 2: Walkers

If you are walking to the school to collect your child, please wait in your designated grade-level zone (see school map for visual details):

• Peep, Kindergarten, & 1st Grade Parents: Please wait near the crosswalk (Green Circles on the map). A staff member will check in with you before releasing your student.

• 2nd through 5th Grade Parents: Please wait by the fence line/grass area. Students will be sent directly to you once a staff member has made confirmation with you and your student.

Thank you for your partnership! By staying in your designated areas and remaining in your vehicles, you help us keep the pathways clear and keep every child safe.

• No hats
• No Hoods
• Pants must be worn on the waist, and should not fall below the waistline.
• No cell phones, smart glasses, use of personal electronic devices, or use of phone watches during the school day.
• Fighting on school grounds or a KPS bus will result in a suspension and a re-entry meeting before your student may return to school.

Please read and review the KPS student code of conduct for a full list of KPS conduct expectations before your student attends school.

The attendance procedures are designed for all students. Good attendance will help students do well in school, college, and at work. It does not matter if absences are excused or unexcused, they all represent lost time in the classroom and lost opportunity to learn. Too many absent students can impact the whole classroom.

School is students’ first and most important job. They are learning about more than math and reading. They are learning how to show up for school on time every day, so that when they graduate and get a job, they will know how to show up for work on time every day. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find employment. Set an example for your child. Show your child that attendance matters to you and that you will not allow an absence unless someone is truly sick.

All students aged six to sixteen are required to be in school according to state law. Parents/guardians are required by law to make sure their children attend school on a daily basis. Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) expects all students to attend school. A collaborative approach is used in educating young students, which includes the utilization of family support specialists, staff members and administrators to ensure that students attend school on a daily basis.

You can view the entire attendance procedures document here on our website.

Contact your child's school if you have any specific questions.

When your student has the following number of unexcused absences in a semester, you should expect to receive the following notifications and support.

3 days of unexcused absences in a semester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

Robo text or phone call

5 days of unexcused absences in a semester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

In person, virtual or phone conference

10 days of unexcused absences in a semester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

School attendance committee creates an individualized plan of support

15 days of unexcused absences in a semester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

Referral to central office. The central office attendance team will make further recommendations that may include:

• wrap around services

• referrals to community support organizations

• academic interventions

• summer school attendance

• possible recommendations for grade level retention

Parent(s)’/Guardian(s)’ Responsibility:

• It is the responsibility of the parent(s) and/or guardian(s) to notify the student’s school as early as possible on the day of an absence and explain the reasons for the absence.

• Written or email verification of a student’s absence by a parent/guardian is required (unless otherwise indicated by the appropriate administrator) and should be provided to the school the day after an absence.

• Student absences are considered unexcused if documentation supporting an excused absence is not provided.

• After 3 consecutive absences, a medical note from a physician may be required.
  

• It is the responsibility of the parent(s) and/or guardian(s) to make arrangements with the teacher to obtain missed assignments due to absences.

What is an excused absence?

• Student illness and/or appointment verified by the parent/guardian or medical professional

• Medically verified extended illness or hospitalization

• Attending a funeral

• Religious holiday

• Absence due to a subpoenaed court appearance

• Any time missed due to KPS school transportation issues

Chronic Absenteeism

The state defines ‘chronic absenteeism’ as attending school less than or equal to 90% of the time. This includes all absences (excused, unexcused, suspensions, etc.). A student who misses more than half the day is considered absent for the day.

Chronic absenteeism not only impacts the absent student, it disrupts learning for an entire classroom when teachers have to repeat lessons for students returning to class.

When your student is out of school, for any reason, they are missing valuable instructional time.

Every six weeks, families will receive letters from the school if their child has an attendance rate of less than or equal to 90%.

August 31st: First Day of School (Half Day) Arrival: 8:30 AM and Dismissal 12:00PM

Sept. 1st: Full Day Schedule for Students - Instruction begins at 8:50am and Instruction ends at 3:50AM

Sept. 2nd: First Day for ECSE Students

Sept. 3rd: ECSE Open House

Sept. 4th: No school for students

Sept. 8th- First Day for ECSE students

Sept. 7th-: Labor Day- No School

Sept. 14th- First Day for PEEP students

Sept. 17th: Arcadia Open House

Oct. 7th: Arcadia Fun Run

Oct. 20th: No School for Students

Oct. 22nd: Arcadia Carnival

Oct. 30th: K-12 Half Day - Dismissal 12:00 PM

• Communication Folders -These are plastic folders that go home with your student daily and/or weekly, which will hold hands outs, homework, and information.
• Arcadia Stars Monthly Newsletter - Electronically sent via email and texts, and posted on the Arcadia Website Page
• Arcadia Website Page: https://arcadia.kalamazoopublicschools.com/
• Arcadia PTO Facebook Page:
• KPS Website: https://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/
• Phone Calls and Texts: You will receive phone calls and/or texts from both the principal, teachers, and the KPS district with updates and reminders.
• Emails
• Grade-Level Newsletters from teachers
• Google Classroom- Teachers that use Google Classroom will post and share assignments and information about their classroom.

Email: timmonsmo@kalamazoopublicschools.net
Website: https://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/Domain/10
Location: 932 Boswell Lane, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
Phone: 269-337-0530
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