The Calusa Connection

Dear Amazing CPE Families,

February is such a special month at Calusa Park! We are celebrating Kindness Month and Random Acts of Kindness Week from February 14th–20th, encouraging our students to show care, respect, and compassion in everything they do. Small acts of kindness make a big difference, and it’s wonderful to see our students practicing Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.

We’ve also had some exciting celebrations recently! Students had a blast celebrating the 100th Day of School and dressing up as their favorite storybook characters during Literacy Week. Thank you to all of our families who participated in Literacy Week and Literacy Night—it was inspiring to see so much enthusiasm for reading and learning.

As we move through February, we remain focused on instruction and student learning. Our teachers are working hard to ensure every student reaches their full potential, and we are committed to maintaining our high standards so that Calusa Park continues to be an A-rated school. Your support at home—encouraging reading, math practice, and kindness—makes a meaningful difference in helping us achieve our school goals.

Looking ahead, there are several events we’re excited about: 2nd Grade STEAM Morning on February 12th, Movie Night, rescheduled for February 27th, and our annual Walk-a-Thon fundraiser on March 5th. We hope families will join us for these opportunities to learn, explore, and have fun together.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Your involvement helps make our school a safe, joyful, and engaging place for every student.

Sincerely,

Susie Summers
Principal of the Calusa Park Black Bears

🌊 Catch the Wave of Kindness This February

February is a wonderful time to pause and remind our students that kindness, respect, and teamwork matter every day—in classrooms, hallways, and especially during recess. When students feel safe, valued, and respected, they are better able to learn, grow, and enjoy school.

We are happy to share that recess has been going very well overall! Students are enjoying the new equipment and especially the new soccer goals. It has been great to see students active, engaged, and playing together outside.

As soccer has grown in popularity, we’ve been reminding students how to balance excitement with good sportsmanship during games. Recess is meant to be a time for fun play, cooperation, and positive social interactions—not intense competition. We are reminding students that:

• Everyone should feel welcome to play
• Winning is not more important than kindness
• Good sportsmanship matters, even during free play

We appreciate your partnership in reinforcing these messages at home. Simple reminders about playing fair, using kind words, and walking away when a game becomes frustrating go a long way in helping recess remain a positive experience for all.

Thank you for helping us Catch the Wave 🌊 of respect, kindness, and fun—together, we’re building a school community where every child can thrive.

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

• February 6th: Interim Period Ends

• February 11th: Early Release Day (Dismissal at 11:50am) & Field Day 3rd-5th Grades

• February 12th: Interims Published and 2nd Grade STEAM morning

• February 16th: NO SCHOOL

• February 19th: Chuck E Cheese Night hosted by 3rd Grade

• February 25th: Class Pictures

• February 27th: Habit Hero of the Month and PTO Movie Night

Arrival

Reminders:

• Doors open at 7:45am. Students are not permitted to wait outside school unaccompanied.
• Please remain in car line until we receive students from you.
• Keep a steady flow of traffic in a SINGLE line by pulling up to the next available staff member or safety patrol when dropping your child off.
• Please remain in your vehicle at all times.
• Students who arrive to their classroom after 8:25 will be marked tardy.

Dismissal

Reminders:

• Dismissal is at 2:50pm.
• Please remain in your vehicle as your child will be brought to you.
• No cell phone use for safety purposes.
• Please put your car in park once you get to a flag number for safety purposes.
• If the pick up person does not have a car rider sign, they will be directed to park and go to the front office prior to child being released. They MUST have a valid Photo ID ready, as student safety is the upmost importance and we will need to verify all pick-ups.

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.

February Is Kindness Month! 💙

February is Kindness Month, and we are excited to celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week from February 14th–20th. This is a special time to encourage students to show care, respect, and compassion through both their actions and their words.

This month, we are also focusing on Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. This habit connects perfectly with kindness because being kind often starts with listening. When students take time to listen and understand others’ feelings before reacting, they build empathy, prevent conflicts, and strengthen friendships.

During Random Acts of Kindness Week, students are encouraged to practice small, thoughtful acts such as listening without interrupting, including others, offering help, giving compliments, or writing kind notes. These simple actions can make a big difference.

Families can support Kindness Month at home by talking about the importance of listening, empathy, and choosing kindness every day. Together, we can help create a school community where everyone feels heard, valued, and cared for.

Thank you for supporting kindness at school and at home! 💛

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!

February is a great time to continue celebrating reading, writing, and meaningful learning experiences!

We had so much fun celebrating our 100th Day of School and seeing students and staff dressed up as storybook characters during Literacy Week. A big thank you to our families and students for participating in Literacy Week and Literacy Night—your enthusiasm helped make these events such a success!

As students continue building their literacy skills, we are encouraging them to read closely, think deeply, and share their ideas with others. Families can support literacy at home by reading together, talking about books, and encouraging children to explain their thinking. Even a few minutes a day can make a big difference.

Thank you for partnering with us to support strong readers and writers! 💛

Our students are continuing to explore math and science through hands-on learning, problem-solving, and curiosity! These experiences help students think critically, ask questions, and make connections to the world around them.

We are excited to share that 2nd grade will be hosting our next STEAM Morning on February 12th from 7:45–8:15 a.m. All 2nd grade students and their parents are invited to participate in this fun, engaging event that highlights Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math through interactive activities.

A big thank you to everyone who attended the CCPS STEAM Expo this past weekend! It was full of activities, exploration, and FUN! If you weren’t able to make it this year, be sure to look out for next year’s STEAM Expo.

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

PTO News 🧡💛

There’s a lot happening with the PTO this month, and we’re excited to share updates! First, don’t forget—you can show your school spirit by purchasing spirit wear! There’s a variety of options for students and families, and orders can be placed anytime online using this link: https://cpespiritwear2526.cheddarup.com

We want to thank everyone for your understanding regarding Movie Night. Unfortunately, we had to cancel due to the cold weather, but the great news is that it has been rescheduled for Friday, February 27th! More information will be shared soon, so make sure to mark your calendars.

Looking ahead, our annual Walk-a-Thon fundraiser is coming up on 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. Details on how to participate, raise funds, and enjoy the event will be coming soon, so keep an eye out for updates.

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

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

Get your child’s learning journey off to a great start! Our district’s Pre-K application period for the 2026–2027 school year opened December 1, 2025, at 6 PM. The program is open to children who will be 3 or 4 years old by September 1, 2026 (with priority given to 4-year-olds). We’re proud to offer Pre-K classes right here at our school, where children build the skills, confidence, and curiosity that create a strong foundation for kindergarten readiness.

Apply online at collierschools.com/prek — we’d love to welcome your family to our school community!

1. All volunteers, new and returning must reapply every year.

• Apply to volunteer by clicking "Apply to Volunteer” - https://www.collierschools.com/volunteer

2. Please come to our front office to complete the registration process.

• Please bring a valid US-issued photo identification which will complete your background check
• Please visit our front office from 8:30am–10:00am or by appointment

3. If you have any questions, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Mrs. Mullens.

• Amy Mullens- mullenam@collierschools.com, 377-6403

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.