The Leopard Tale

Welcome Back!

It has been a great start to the 2026–27 school year at Leonard Lawrence! Our students are settling into their classrooms, learning routines, and getting back into the swing of school. I appreciate the support from our families as we work together to make this a great year for our kids.

Our theme this year is Mission Possible, and we are excited about what we can accomplish together. Thank you for helping us start the year strong!

I look forward to another great year at Leonard Lawrence!

As always, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns at 402-293-4880 or chad.zavala@bpsne.net.

This year at Leonard Lawrence, our theme is Mission Possible, and it connects directly to the Bellevue Public Schools motto of Ready, Present, and Proud. Our mission is to come Ready to learn, be Present and engaged, and be Proud of our students, our school, and the work we do every day. When our students, staff, and families work together, our Mission IS Possible!

Molly McNamara - 1st Grade

Anna Ethington - 4th Grade

Brenna Bruley - 6th Grade

Morgan Smilko - Counselor (Long Term Sub)

Michael Moore - Band

Kaytlynn Harrington - Kitchen

Liz Headid - SPED Paraprofessional

7:30am - Breakfast Service Begins

7:50am - Outside Staff Supervision Begins - Non-breakfast students should not arrive prior to this time

7:55am - 1st Bell - Students Enter the Building

8:00am - 2nd Bell - Students need to be in their Classrooms

Any student arriving after 8:00 should enter through the front main door and visit the office to sign in.

2:50pm - School Dismissal Time

Please be familiar with our Arrival and Dismissal guidelines. Everyone working together can make these busy times of our day run as smooth as possible.

*Front loop is for DROP OFF only - students must exit and enter on the passenger side of the vehicle and be able to get in and out of the vehicle WITHOUT assistance.

*Pull ALL the way forward to the far side of the loop before stopping to let students exit the vehicle.

*Only buses may go through the bus lane/area.

*Students will enter through 1 of 4 designated areas around the building.

-Kindergarten - Front Doors

-1st grade/2nd grade - Back of the school, NW Corner

-3rd grade/4th grade - Back of the school, SW Corner

-5th grade/6th grade - South side of the school

*Do not walk across the loop. Always use the sidewalk.

ARRIVAL

*Students may enter the building for breakfast at 7:30.

*Students should NOT arrive prior to 7:50 unless they are eating breakfast.

*Students will line up by class at their designated door.

*All students may enter the building when the bell rings at 7:55.

DISMISSAL

*Front loop is for PICK UP only - students must get in the vehicle on the passenger side and be able to get in the vehicle WITHOUT assistance.

*Students will be dismissed from classroom doors.

*Students will wait to be picked up in the Drop Off/Pick Loop. Please do NOT stop your vehicle at your student, pull as far around the loop as traffic allows.

A successful school year starts with being at school and being on time. Every day matters. When students are here consistently, they are able to stay connected with their classmates, build strong routines, and keep up with their learning.

We know illnesses and emergencies happen. When your child is healthy, we ask for your help in making regular and on-time attendance a priority. Even missing a few minutes in the morning can make it harder for students to get settled and ready for the day.

Bellevue Public Schools' theme this year is Ready, Present, and Proud, and attendance is an important part of that. Our goal is simple: get our kids to school, get them here on time, and make every day count.

Family Tip: Get backpacks, clothes, and anything needed for school ready the night before. A little preparation can make mornings much easier.

Mission Possible starts with showing up. Let's have a great year!

Starting next week, our students will take Math and English/Language Arts assessments that give us a starting point for their learning journey this year. These tests aren’t about grades or competition—they simply help us understand each child’s strengths and areas for growth so we can best support them. If your child feels nervous, remind them that the tests are not timed, they’re not expected to know everything and that this is just one small step in a year full of learning. A good night’s sleep, a healthy breakfast, and a few words of encouragement can go a long way in helping them feel calm and confident.

Fall MAP Testing at LL will take place during the weeks of August 24th and August 31st, with any necessary make-up tests occurring during the week of September 8th-11th.

Create a MySchoolBucks account to easily check balances, set-up reminders and add money to your child's account to pay for meals at school. My School Bucks

If you need information for Free/Reduced meals, please click here.

The main focus of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is to provide a clear system for all expected behaviors at Leonard Lawrence Elementary School. While many faculty and students may have assumptions of what is expected behavior, we cannot assume that everyone’s beliefs are similar. Through PBIS, we will work to create and maintain a productive, safe environment in which ALL school community members have clear expectations and understandings of their role in the educational process.

School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) is a proactive, team based framework for creating and sustaining safe and effective schools. Emphasis is placed on prevention of problem behavior, development of prosocial skills, and the use of data-based problem solving for addressing existing behavior concerns. School Wide PBIS increases the capacity of schools to educate all students utilizing research-based school-wide, classroom, and individualized interventions.

Each school team will hold PBIS meetings on-site once per month to plan and coordinate school-wide behavior systems. The team is responsible for planning PBIS activities and programs and continually monitoring and updating PBIS programs. At Leonard Lawrence, our PBIS team recognizes students through "Spot-On" tickets, shopping at the "Spot-On" cart, quarterly school-wide celebrations, individual student awards and more! When the time comes, please consider donating wishlist items to help support PBIS within our school.

Andrea Butler - President

Open Position - Vice-President

Samantha Suntrup - Treasurer

Michelle Lasenburg - Secretary

Contact Us: leonardlawrencePTA@gmail.com

Follow Us:

Facebook: Leonard Lawrence Elementary PTA

All students are automatically a Yes for the release of student directory information. The exceptions to that are Wards of the State and students in protective custody situations - they are a No release unless written consent is provided to the school office by the student's legal guardian. This process is an annual requirement.

In order to opt-out of the disclosure of Directory Information, the parent, legal guardian or eligible student (18 years or older) must submit a written Opt-Out of Directory Information form, which can be obtained from the Leonard Lawrence front office. The completed opt-out form must be submitted back to the school office. The parents/guardians/eligible student may opt-out of directory information at any time during the school year; however, some information may have already been disseminated or submitted for printing and cannot be changed or removed. The opt-out request is only effective for the school year in which they are submitted.

If you have further questions or need a copy of the Opt-Out form, please contact Mrs.Tucker in the front office (402) 293-4880.