Parkside Post
October 2026
Save The Dates
October 9 ~ Wear PINK for Breast Cancer Awareness
October 12 ~ No School for Students
October 26-30 ~ Red Ribbon Week (see theme days in this newsletter below)
October 29 ~ Early Dismissal at 11:50
October 30 ~ Crocs & Socks for $1
Parent Lighthouse Team
Next meeting will be October 28, 2026
What? The Parent Lighthouse Team (PLT) is like a PTO/PTA in that it is a group of parents who want to support the Vision and School Improvement goals of Parkside Elementary.
Why? A positive relationship between home and school is an important factor which contributes to student success. We want our students’ parents to be active members of our school community and a part of the leadership, academics, and culture at PSE!
Who? Parents/Guardians volunteer to join the PLT to fulfill various roles.
How? Members can help plan and volunteer at school events, organize fundraisers, facilitate student and staff recognition and projects, etc.
When? The PLT meets as needed, but usually every other month. Meetings are held after our SAC meetings and begin around 8:15am.
If you are interested in joining, please email Mrs. Johnessee at johnessa@collierschools.com
Literacy & Learning
One of the best ways to grow as a reader is simply to read, read, read! Encourage your child to find books, magazines, graphic novels, or other texts about topics they love. Afterward, take a few minutes to ask them about what they read. When children see that we are interested in their reading, it helps them see themselves as readers, too!
Keep reading! đź’›
New Worlds Reading Program
Florida offers families a free program called New Worlds Reading that helps VPK – 5th graders build their reading skills. Enrolled students get: 9 books that families choose each school year in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, or braille, and reading guides and activities that help kids develop their literacy skills.
Available books include popular series like Clifford the Big Red Dog and The Magic School Bus.
There is no income requirement to participate! The program was created and funded by our state legislature, so it really is free for eligible families. 80% of VPK-5th graders in Florida public and charter schools qualify, so when in doubt, fill the application out! Apply today at https://www.newworldsreading.com/en/enrollment/?eml=NWRI/district/20260113/Collier/Eng
Math This Month
October Family Math: Easy Math at Home!
October is a great time to find math in everyday activities! You don’t need worksheets or special materials, just look around your home and have fun talking about math. Even a few minutes of math talk can help children build confidence and strengthen their problem-solving skills.
Try these easy activities this month:
Pumpkin Math – Estimate how many seeds are inside a pumpkin. After counting, compare your estimate to the actual number.
Candy Math – Sort candy by color, type, or size. Which group has more? Less? How many altogether?
Create a Math Story – Use October themes like pumpkins, bats, leaves, or costumes to create a simple math word problem together.
Math Talk Tip: Instead of asking only, “What is the answer?”, try asking “How did you figure it out?” or “Can you solve it another way?” This encourages children to explain their mathematical thinking.
Science News
Science is in full swing at PSE! Our scientists are moving into some exciting new topics this month, with lots of opportunities for hands-on learning. Our kindergarten students are investigating sound and beginning to explore motion, while first graders are learning how pushes and pulls affect objects before moving into water, rocks, and soil. Second graders are investigating the properties of solids, liquids, and gases.
Our older scientists are exploring Earth and space! Third graders are learning about the Sun and stars, the Sun’s energy, and gravity. Fourth graders are investigating rocks and minerals before moving into weathering and erosion. Fifth graders are wrapping up their study of how temperature affects matter and then blasting off into solar systems and galaxies before beginning the water cycle.
One of the best ways to support science learning at home is simply to get students curious about the world around them. Ask your child what they are learning in science, have them explain an investigation they completed, or head outside and make some observations together. You may be surprised by just how much our PSE scientists have to share!
Counselor's Corner
Fall Into Success
October is a good time to create or build on habits that lead to success. We are focusing on responsibility, kindness, and healthy decision-making. Positive choices each day help students grow into confident and successful learners.
Students demonstrate responsibility by:
- Arriving at school on time
- Completing assignments
- Being prepared
- Following school and classroom expectations
- Taking ownership of their actions
Tips for Academic Success
- Get enough sleep
- Read everyday
- Ask questions when they need help
- Stay organized
- Having a positive attitude toward learning
National Red Ribbon Week is the last week of October. The theme is year is Make a Difference. Be a Hero, Stay Drug Free. The core message encourages students to realize that choosing a healthy, drug-free lifestyle takes leadership, courage, and personal responsibility. It broadens the definition of a "hero" to include everyday people—like classmates, teachers, and family members—who make positive, responsible choices.
At PSE, we will have fun activities throughout the week along with themed days to remind us to make healthy and good choices.
Parkside Media Center
The Media Center is busy with reading, learning, and creating! Our Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students have started their weekly Media Center lessons, while 2nd–5th graders are visiting for weekly checkout—either as a class or in small groups throughout the week.
We’ve also kicked off our 3D Print of the Week! Each week, students can answer an animal trivia question for a chance to win a 3D-printed version of that animal. It has been a fun way to mix research, curiosity, and technology!
This week, our younger readers are getting into the fall spirit with Pumpkin Jack. After reading the story, we’ll place our own jack-o’-lantern in a glass container and observe what happens to it over time. Students will get to watch, wonder, and make observations as our pumpkin changes!
There’s always something happening in the Media Center—reading, exploring, creating, and discovering!
Student Leaders
We will continue to recognize students for exemplifying our PSE Expectations...Prepared to Learn, Show Respect to Ourselves and Others, Be Responsible...and student leaders for modeling the 7 Habits, as part of the Leader in Me Framework.
Do you want to know more about the 7 Habits?
The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey is a great book to have in your home to read about the habits with your child! It is available for purchase on Amazon at this link. https://a.co/d/01ZGKo4G
2026-2027 Parkside Dress Code
Mrs. Johnessee
Principal
Mrs. Moore
Assistant Principal
FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials.
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.
Website: https://pse.collierschools.com/
Location: 5322 Texas Avenue, Naples, FL 34113, USA
Phone: 239-377-8900
Facebook: facebook.com/parksideproud
X: @parksideproud