Christensen Courier

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Jordon Al-Kaabi ~ Principal

Dayna Hughes ~ Assistant Principal

253-298-3300

christensen@fpschools.org

Office Hours - 8:30am to 4:00pm

School Day Hours - 8:55am to 3:25pm

August 21 ~ Back to School Social: 3:00-5:00 pm
August 26 ~ First Day of School (1st-5th)
August 29 ~ NO SCHOOL
September 1 ~ NO SCHOOL - LABOR DAY
September 2 ~ First Full Day of Kindergarten
September 3 ~ 90 Minute Early Release: 1:55 pm
September 10 ~ 90 Minute Early Release: 1:55 pm
September 17 ~ 90 Minute Early Release: 1:55 pm
September 18 ~ PTA meeting 5:30-6:30 in the Library
September 24 ~ 90 Minute Early Release: 1:55 pm
September 26 ~ Picture Day

2024-25 District Calendar - English

2024-25 District Calendar - Spanish

Franklin Pierce Schools will be providing pencils, erasers, pens, notebooks etc. for all of our students again this year. Families will be responsible for providing their own back pack.

If you need assistance please contact the school office.

Franklin Pierce School offers lunch and breakfast at no cost to all students.

FPS provides meal alternatives for students with medical needs. Please contact our school nurse to obtain the necessary form. We will work with the kitchen staff to make sure that your student has a nutritious meal each day that is safe for them to eat.

Menu Information

8:40 Gates open for Breakfast

8:55 Tardy bell, school begins

10:55-11:25 Kindergarten & 1st grade Recess

11:25-11:55 Kindergarten & 1st grade Lunch

11:30-12:00 2nd & 3rd grade Recess

12:00-12:30 2nd & 3rd grade Lunch

12:00-12:30 4th & 5 grade Recess

12:30-1:00 4th & 5th grade Lunch

3:25 Dismissal

*MOST Wednesdays will be a 1:55pm dismissal*

(PLEASE check the calendar for specific date)

Bus Routes

You may use the E-LINK SITE to find out your child's bus route and pick-up/drop-off times. When you get to the site, type in the following username and password:

Username: guest

Password: guest

Note: Any address listed as AV CT or ST CT should be entered as ONE WORD AVCT or STCT

It is important that parents also check back a few days prior to school, as route schedules do change as more students are enrolled.

If you have questions, please call Transportation at 253-298-3865.

Bus Route Information

From the Health Room

Our goal is to keep healthy children learning in the classroom and to get ill children home. Our health room is staffed daily by an LPN to provide first-aid to students who become ill or injured at school. It is the parent's responsibility to make sure their child does not have symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, and/or vomiting before sending them to school. If your student has any of the above symptoms, please keep them home. If a student becomes ill at school, the parent or another emergency contact will be called to pick them up.

We will give medications prescribed by state approved medical providers. We must have a new medication order signed by your provider each school year. The state allows for students to be administered only oral medications at school (including inhalers). The two exceptions in the law are for insulin and epi-pen use. The school is unable to give your student ear drops, eye drops, or apply lotions or ointments. All medications, even over-the-counter products such as pain relievers require and order from an approved medical provider.

Please do not send medication to school with your child, as it is illegal for them to carry it on school grounds. Parents must deliver medications to the school.

If you have any questions, please contact our nurse, Leslie Blair, at 253-298-3308.

Bus Procedures

Please be patient during the first days of school. The buses may be running late. We have a very helpful transportation department, so if you have any questions or issues about something that happened on the bus, at the bus stop, or regarding a late bus, please call the Transportation office directly at 253-298-3865.

Bus Bulletin

This year, we are happy to introduce Bus Bulletin as a tool for students, parents and caregivers. The Bus Bulletin notification system will notify parents and students when there are bus delays, substitute drivers, and/or a bus change.

Students who ride a bus are automatically enrolled in this system. If your student rides a bus, please save 253-237-8313 as Bus Bulletin's number - That is where texts and phone call notifications will come from.

If you wish your child to ride a bus other than his or her normal bus or to get off at a different bus stop, you must send a note with the bus numbers and different stop listed. The same holds true if you want your child to walk rather than ride the bus. Sending a note with your request will cut down on the amount of phone calls our busy office receives each day. Without a not or phone call, we will not allow students to walk or change their regular bus or bus stop.

Please be aware that any bus riding kindergarten student that is not met at the bus stop after school will be returned to Christensen for parent pick-up. It is very important to meet you students at the bus stop on time!

Student Drop-off and Pick-up

Student safety is important to us here at Christensen. Here are some reminders we need all families to follow when dropping off students at the beginning of the day and picking up students at the end of the day.

Morning Drop-off

• Dropoff begins: 8:40 a.m.
• School starts: 8:55 · Dismissal: 3:25 p.m.
• Use the front drop-off lane; follow staff directions and remain in your vehicle to keep the line moving. Park only in designated spaces; the bus crescent must stay clear.
• Breakfast: Students enter via the gym to pick up breakfast, then go directly to class. If students are not eating breakfast, they should head directly to their class, not stopping anywhere else.

Afternoon Pickup

• Begins after all buses have exited (~3:30 p.m.); staff will call students from the gym to your car. Vehicles must wait until buses have departed.
• Parent pickup in person: At the front gate doors at dismissal; a staff member will call your student from the gym.
• Ensure all pickup adults are listed in Skyward; report any transportation changes by 3:00 p.m.

Franklin Pierce Schools uses ParentSquare for school communication, primarily with email, text and app notifications. ParentSquare automatically generates an account for each parent, using their preferred email address and phone number. We encourage parents to access their accounts so they can download the mobile app and update their preferences on when and how they are notified.

If you haven't already, yo can activate your account by going to www.parentsquare.com/signin or look for your activation email.

ParentSquare Resources for Parents

Click Here to View the Guide

Franklin Pierce Schools partners with a variety of organizations and services to provide additional support to students and families. Resources range from food and health resources to mental and physical health resources. In addition to learning more about FPS partner organizations, students and families are encouraged to connect with school staff to learn of available services.

Additional Resources:

Community Resources

Christensen hosts a before and after school care program on-site for our students. The care is provided by Right at School. Right at School provides a safe environment to learn, to play, and to grow. Click here for more information and to register.

Community Spotlight: The Family Resource Center at Franklin Pierce

Did you know that Franklin Pierce School operates a Family Resource Center in our district Office? We do! The Family Resource Center at Franklin Pierce (FRC) serves as a community hup that strives to empower families through resources, trainings, and comprehensive supports that lead to a thriving community.

We are community-driven, strengths-based, family-focused and honor the experiences, cultures and perspectives of all who enter our doors.

Please visit us! We are open 7:30am-4:00pm, Monday-Friday at 315 129th St S, Tacoma, WA 98444. Appointments are requested so we can best serve you.

SPYA is offering co-ed volleyball and co-ed flag football for the Fall 2025 season. The season will begin on September 2 and end on October 25. This is a great opportunity for your student to meet new friends and move! Registration is available on the SPYA website.

Lear more and register

If you are interested in volunteering as a chaperone for field trips or in any other capacity that may come up, please complete the volunteer application as soon as possible. It may take up to two weeks to process an application and we don't want you to be left out of a volunteer opportunity because you are not approved yet! Click here to begin your volunteer application.

Christensen Elementary School

Email: christensen@fpschools.org

Website: christensen.fspchools.org

Location: 10232 Barnes Ln S, Tacoma, WA, 98444

Phone: 253-298-3300

Franklin Pierce Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to brandy Marshall, Compliance Coordinator for State and Civil Rights Laws at bmarshall@fpschools.org; Dr. Julien Pollard, Title IX Officer at titleIXcoordinator@fpschools.org; or John Sander, 504/ADA Coordinator at jsander@fpschools.org or at 315 129th St S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000. Requests for accommodation of a disability for a staff member should be directed to Human Resources.

Christensen Courier