Notes from the Principal

Dear Paint Creek Elementary Families,

Happy Labor Day! Thank you to all of our families that were able to attend our Meet and Greet last week. It was wonderful seeing our new and returning students. I hope all students are feeling comfortable and confident about starting this new school year.

The school day for students at Paint Creek Elementary is 8:15am - 3:15pm. Students should be in their classroom by 8:15pm. Please help your child get into a consistent routine at home so they arrive at school on time every day. The main doors will open for student drop-off at 8:05am.

During this first week of school for students, families may park in the main lot and walk their child to their locker/classroom. Starting on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 students may NOT be accompanied into the building. Please know that there are many school adults who are available to help students (if needed) find their locker/classroom.

Today and every day throughout this year, feel free to view district updates by visiting our Lake Orion and Paint Creek Elementary website https://www.lakeorionschools.org/paint-creek-elementary-school

GO DRAGONS!

Mrs. Smith

Principal

For the 23-24 school year, every student will have access to a free breakfast and free lunch daily. Students must still sign up for lunch in their classrooms each day selecting either the 1st or 2nd choice. Breakfast is served when students arrive at school. If you would like your student to get breakfast on any day, please remind them to report to the cafeteria when they first arrive.

The current breakfast and lunch menus are below:

This year, we will once again be working with the Positivity Project (P2). Students will begin studying the 24 character strengths through the Positivity Project starting in the month of September.

This year, we also look forward to having our P2 Student Leadership Group which will help in planning assemblies, finding opportunities for community service, recognizing the character strengths in fellow students, and many more chances to help maximize the influence of P2 for Paint Creek Elementary.

Members of the Paint Creek P2 Student Team will be expected to be positive role models for students, staff, families, and our community. If your child is interested in joining the P2 Student Team, please have them get the student application from their teacher. All applications are due in early September.

If your child is going to be absent from school, please call the Paint Creek Main Office at (248) 814-1724 to report your child's absence. By reporting the absence and reason for absence, we do not need to call your home. Please help our office team focus on the students at school by reporting your child's absence prior to the school day starting. Thank you!

If you have not completed the RETURNING STUDENT information using your child's SNAPCODE sent through email, please do so immediately. Our school needs updated student information for all students prior to the start of the school year.

The families of our incoming Kindergarten students do NOT need to update information as you have just recently registered your child.

As a reminder to all our incoming kindergarten (K) parents, your child will start the year with a staggered start model. Listed below is the general schedule.

The specifics for your child listing what day your child will attend and what day your child will stay home is included with your teacher welcome letter.

This schedule applies only to the first week of school.

Tuesday, September 5 (AM Only) - All K students attend orientation with one adult. Times are listed in your child's Teacher Welcome Letter. Times vary by student and class.

Wednesday, September 6 - Half of our Kindergarten students attend school for a full day ( 8:15am - 3:15pm) while the other students stay home.

Thursday, September 7 - The second half of our Kindergarten students attend school for a full day (8:15am - 3:15pm.) while the first half stays home.

Friday, September 8 - ALL Kindergarten students attend school for a full day (8:15 am- 3:15 pm)

Please review your child's Teacher Welcome Letter listing what day your child will attend and what day your child will stay home is included with your teacher welcome letter.

The Arrival/Dismissal processes are in the newsletter below. Throughout this first week of school (and possibly beyond) students and families will be learning the new arrival and drop-off procedures. Please be patient and understanding as you are in our parent line. Additionally, please make sure your child is able to exit the vehicle independently. If they cannot, please park and walk your child to the main entrance. THANK YOU in advance for your help with arrival and dismissal.

Arrival and dismissal are the busiest times of day within our school. It is an aboslute priviority that we receive all children safely and that children learn the routine for a safe dismissal once school is over. We need all adult cooperation during these times in the school day.

Please observe the following notes on our arrival process:

• In an effort to minimize backups and improve on the speed and efficiency of our arrival process, families are strongly encouraged to turn right when exiting the Paint Creek Elementary parking lot to keep the flow of traffic moving as smoothly as possible. Families may turn around at the round-about at Baldwin Road if they need to head east.
  

• School begins at 8:15 a.m.

• Students can be dropped off anytime between 8:05 a.m and 8:15 a.m.
  

• Do not drop students off earlier than 8:05a.m. unless they are being signed in to attend School-Age Childcare (SACC), which begins at 6:30a.m. (Student must be enrolled in the SACC program to attend)
  

• Students will not be allowed to enter the building until 8:05a.m. and there is no supervision for students outside of the school.
  

• Students who ride the bus will exit their bus at school at 8:05a.m and enter the building.
  

• For families who drive their child to school, please pull as far forward as possible in the drop-off lane and have your child ready to exit the vehicle (i.e., seat belt unbuckled, backpack on, and child has already started the goodbye process with the driver). Your child should exit on the passenger side and parents should stay in the vehicle.

• Do not use cell phones once you have entered the Paint Creek Elementary parking lot.

• Upon entering the building, students will report directly to their classroom unless they are getting breakfast in the cafeteria.

School support staff will be on hand at all entrances to assist students in getting to their classroom. This will help to ensure the health and safety of all staff and students and also to establish an independent routine for all students.

If parents/guardians would like to accompany your child into the school, adults may do so during the first week of school only. If accompanying your child in, please park in the parking lot and cross at the crosswalk to enter the school. Do not use the parking lot designated for buses only as no vehicles are allowed in that parking lot during arrival and dismissal times. Once your child is in their classroom, adults need to exit the building so we may being our school day.

Please observe the following notes on our dismissal process. In an effort to minimize backups and improve on the speed and efficiency of our dismissal process, families are strongly encouraged to turn right when exiting the Paint Creek Elementary parking lot to keep the flow of traffic moving as smoothly as possible. Families needing to head EAST can use the round about at Baldwin Road to turn around.

• Students will be dismissed at 3:10p.m. to head outside with school staff.
  
• If picking up your child, you must have your car tag (child's name - sent eletronically this week) printed and hanging on the passenger visor of your car. Flip down the visor so the name is visible as you enter the parent pick-up loop.
  
• Students will be stationed in two designated grade level areas. K- 3rd grade at the main entrance and grades 4 - 5 at the WEST end of the building. Families will follow the loop to the pickup area just outside the main entrance where staff will be waiting to assist with getting your child(ren) to your vehicle. Families will remain in their vehicle the entire time to assist with the efficiency and speed of the pickup line. Your child must enter on the passenger side of the vehicle. Please pull as far forward as possible in the pickup lane, even if that means passing by your child. School staff will get your child to you.
  
• Families who are walking up to receive their child(ren) will be required to stay outside the main entrance while students are identified and released to them. Please remember that parent foot traffic does interferes with getting students to their appropriate vehicle. Once you have your child, please leave the sidewalk areas so other students can get to their families. With the help of everyone, we will dismiss students with speed and efficiency while taking care of all learners.
  
• Do not use cell phones once you have entered the Paint Creek Elementary parking lot.
  

• Please send in a PINK SLIP note if there is a change for how your child is supposed to go home for the day. You may also call the main office at (248) 814-1724 if dismissal plans change during the school day. If your child does not have a note or the office doesn’t receive a phone call, they will be sent home following their daily routine. If there is confusion on a child's dismissal plan, we will keep the child at Paint Creek Elementary for parent pick-up.
  

Please feel free to review our district allergy protocol that applies to all Lake Orion Schools. Below are some items to note in regards to keeping students with allergies safe during the school day.

• All classrooms will remain peanut aware, meaning food items that contain peanuts are prohibited. This includes all student snacks with peanuts listed as an allergen.
  
• Other allergy restrictions may be in place for individual classrooms depending on allergies present in particular classrooms.
• There are no allergy restrictions in the cafeteria during lunch time.
• There will be a table reserved in the cafeteria at breakfast and lunch for students who have allergies that may require them to eat away from specific allergens. These decisions are made in coordination with the family and are determined on an individual basis.
  
• Birthday treats are allowed in school. However, any edible items must be pre-packaged and store purchased with an ingredient list. All edible treats will be sent home with students and not consumed in the classroom.

The main office and teaching staff will be in touch with families with other food allergies to determine if additional accommodations are required for lunch and snack time.

Tuesday September 5, 2023 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL Half-Day of school; Dismissal @ 11:30am

Tuesday September 5, 2023 - Kindergarten Orientation

• Attend with a special adult