Welcome to the 2026-27 School Year!

Classroom teacher assignments for students will be posted at the school entrance. Additionally, while supply lists are enclosed with this letter, we encourage you to attend the open house, as we have received several donated school supplies for students.

School does begin at 7:30am(buses and drop off beginning at 7:15am) and ends at 2:00pm.

Doors do open for Breakfast: 7:15am (doors open for breakfast)

Teachers do begin classroom community building activities right after breakfast so please ensure your child is at school each day by 7:30am so they can be part of this important classroom community experience. Breakfast is served early to students and concludes right after Morning Meeting in our classrooms. This allows for students not to be delayed in their learning blocks of time.

Families will receive an email with transportation information at the end of August. The email will include where and when to get on and off the bus. The bus drop-off time is approximate and could be impacted by a variety of factors. Please arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child. The Versatrans My Stop app provides live bus route tracking and approximate daily pickup times.

If you believe your student is taking the bus but did not receive an email, please call Transportation at 651-696-9600 as soon as possible.

Students should not be dropped off at school before 7:15am as staff are not available for supervision prior to 7:15am or after 2:00pm.

• Morning- Student drop off: Please pull up along the sidewalk of the Battle Creek Rec Center parking lot at the back of the school to drop your student off. Staff are assigned to our school student drop off door, to welcome students and help students enter the building to head to breakfast or their classrooms. Families can also park in the Battle Creek Rec Center parking lot and walk their students to the student drop off door as well if they choose. The back door of the school near the Battle Creek Rec Center will remain open until 7:30am for students to be dropped off. The front of our school is only for bussing during drop off and pick-up times.

• End of the day (2pm Dismissal)- Student pickup: Please park in the Battle Creek Rec Center parking lot and come into the school close to the Rec Center and then proceed up to the lunchroom to pick-up your child. Doors for picking students up are open by 1:55 with the pick-up door closing by 2:05. Staff are not available after school to stay with students so we encourage families to set-up daycare needs with the Battle Creek Rec Center or SPPS Discovery Club.

Changes in end of the day routine/dismissal for your student: It is important for students to have a consistent dismissal routine each day. Parents must designate their student as a walker, parent pickup or a busser. Any changes to a students’ dismissal routine for the day must be requested by calling the office by 1:15pm to ensure that the information reaches the student in a timely manner.

Elementary school students (PreK-5) who live less than a half-mile from school may have the option of walking to and from school with the school patrol. We do depend on 4th and 5th grade students who are walkers to lead students across the cross streets to the school. If you have a child who is in 4th or 5th grade and interested in supporting with this, please email Marcy Berenato at marcy.berenato@spps.org

In-person students may receive one breakfast and one lunch for free each school day under the Minnesota Free School Meals program. As students arrive at school, they can grab their breakfast and eat in class. Hot and cold breakfast options are available.

To qualify as a free school meal, students must take a complete meal, including a fruit or vegetable. If a student does not take a complete meal, their meal account will be charged for the items individually.

• Student Second Breakfast: $3.50

• Student Second Lunch: $5.75

• Milk Only: $0.50

• For a complete list of prices, visit spps.org/ns.

While all in-person students will receive free breakfast and lunch under Minnesota’s Free School Meals program, it remains critical that all families complete an Application for Educational Benefits each school year. These applications determine how much funding your child’s school receives for educational programs and supports. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits, including SUN Bucks (formerly known as Summer EBT Benefits) and 50% off Amazon Prime membership. The application can be completed online at schoolcafe.com/spps. Paper applications are available at school.

Please check in with your healthcare provider to ensure your child’s immunizations are current before school starts in the fall. Visit spps.org/studentwellness or call our school nurse for more information.

Please check our school website regularly, https://battlecreekel.spps.org for information and updates. If you have questions the website doesn’t answer, please call the front office at 651-744-4130.

Attached to this letter, you’ll find the following important documents:

• School Supply List

• BCE Family Calendar

• SPPS Family Calendar

I’m looking forward to welcoming you and your child to a new school year. I’m so proud to be part of this wonderful school community!

Sincerely,

Kristen Longway

Kristen Longway, Principal

Battle Creek Elementary