NFTN

Dear Falcon Families,

We are excited to see you all on Monday for our first day of school!

As a reminder, school begins daily at 8:25 am and our gates are opening at 8:10 am this year. Parents and families are welcome through the blue gates and onto campus this year on Monday and Tuesday morning. Beginning on Wednesday, only students are permitted through the gate, except for our TK/K families (who will drop students at the grey kindergarten gate) and students and families in Rm 1 & Rm 4. All families are welcome to join us every Friday at 8:25 am for our Friday flag assembly on the upper grade blacktop.

Our school office is open daily from 8:00-4:00 pm. These are our hours all year.

Again this year, school breakfast and lunch are available at NO cost for all Fern students. It is important for your child to know if they will be ordering a school lunch or bringing their own each morning when the teacher is taking lunch count. Therefore, we ask that you tell your child if they have a home lunch in their backpack or will be ordering a lunch.

Our weekly newsletters, News From The Nest, will be sent every Sunday. You can also find it on our school website.

Please see our school website for information you may be searching for as the year begins.

See you soon, Falcons!

Don't forget, there is a translation button at the top of this newsletter if needed.

To ensure student safety, please follow these important procedures regarding arrival and dismissal daily. Please note that we do have bus transportation for qualifying students and the bus lane is ONLY for busses, unless you have permission from the administration. Additionally, please follow protocols for the designated parking spots on campus. ONLY staff is permitted beyond the yellow gate nearest Pico. No parents should be driving or parking beyond the yellow gate.

• All TK & Kindergarten parents must walk their Falcon to the designated gate at arrival each morning. Parents/guardians must pick their TK or K student up at their designated blue gate at the end of each day.
• Students in grades 1-3 will be walked by their teacher to the drive through pick-up line. There will NOT be a walkie dismissal this year. Students will follow their teacher up to the sidewalk and car line. You may still get a name placard for your windshield to help teachers and staff identify cars/families at pick up.
• Parents for primary students, grades 1-3, may meet their child at the Main Gate at dismissal. Please be sure you are parked in an appropriate parking spot. Do not block or park in the driveways of our neighbors.
• Upper grade students, gr. 4-6, will exit at the Fern Drive gate. This is the gate nearest our library. Students should NOT be called into cars that are double-parked or waiting in the street.
• Primary students with a sibling in upper grade will be able to meet at our designated "sibling spot" to meet up and then exit the Fern Drive gate, if that is what your family permits.
• Students and parents are permitted to walk down the ally to Malvern and cross with the crossing guard. Students in primary grades should be accompanied by an adult.

General Dismissal Guidelines:

• TK and K students are dismissed daily at 2:30 pm except on Wednesday when ALL students are dismissed at 1:15 pm.

• 1st-6th grade students are dismissed at 2:50 every day but Wednesday, when ALL students are dismissed at 1:15 pm..

• Cars are NOT permitted to be parked and left in the pick up lane at any time. If parents need to exit their car, they must park in an appropriate spot on Fern Dr or Pico. Staff parking spots are reserved for staff only. We have TWO marked visitor spots in the parallel parking spots as well as two designated handicap spots for those who have a placard. Parents should NOT block driveways. Please be courteous and kind to our neighbors.

• Parents of 1st-3rd graders should wait outside the MAIN gate if they are picking their student up at the gate. (Gates are marked with signs)

• Students in grades 1-3 will be walked by their teacher to the drive through pick-up line. There will NOT be a walkie dismissal this year. Students will follow their teacher up to the sidewalk and car line. You may still get a name placard for your windshield to help teachers and staff identify cars/families at pick up.

• We do have bus transportation for qualifying students. Please be mindful of providing space for our students to get on the bus. The bus lane is for busses and designated vehicles only.

• Please be on time for pick up each day. If you need childcare, you can contact The Lab for availability.

Students Walking Home or Meeting Parents at the Gate:

• Grades 1-3:

• All parents must wait at the Main Gate for students who are walking or being met to walk to a parked car.

• Grades 4-6:

• Students not being picked up in the carline may exit the Fern Drive/Library Gate at dismissal. If they are walking to meet a parent parked on Fern Drive, they should exit this gate as well.

• 4-6 grade students meeting a younger sibling to walk or to meet parents must meet their sibling at the “sibling spot” (students will learn where this location is, which is outside Mrs. Price's classroom) and then walk to meet their parent at their pick up location.

• When parents enter the pick up lane, they MUST pull as far forward as possible and then students should get into the car.

• Students MUST enter their parents car from the sidewalk side of the car. Students are NOT permitted to walk into the parking lot to get into their car.

• Parents should not exit their car to put backpacks, etc into the car. Please teach your child to independently put their backpack into your car.

• Once students are in the car, parents should carefully and with caution exit the pick up lane. All cars should continue pulling as far forward as possible.

TK and Kindergarten students:

• All students MUST be met at their designated TK/K gate by a parent/guardian. Students will be released to their parent/guardian when the teacher has made eye contact. Parents should not crowd the gate and should not enter the gates while students are being dismissed.

• Parents waiting for older siblings are not permitted to park in the pick up lane and exit their car. You must find an appropriate parking spot either in the lot or on the street. When the 2:50 pm dismissal bell rings, parents should be waiting by the MAIN gate to pick up their children in grades 1-6.

Getting to a Parked Car in our school parking lot- all grades:

• We have a designated crossing area, at the top of the pick up lane, that parents and students MUST use to cross the parking lot safely to get to their parked car. The designated crossing area, at the top of the pick up lane, is between the two white lines.

• NO students will be permitted to cross the parking lot without an adult guardian.

• Parents may NOT pull into the drive through lane, (the outside lane, not along the sidewalk), and waive their child to their car. All students being picked up by car MUST enter their parent's car in the pick up lane, next to the sidewalk.

August 10th ~ FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ~ 8:25 am

TK : Mrs. Taylor, Rm K2

TK: Mrs. Drew, Rm 9

K: Mrs. Valenzuela, Rm K2

1st Gr: Mrs. Campos, Rm 2

2nd Gr: Mrs. Stewart, Rm 15

3rd Gr: Miss Mitchell, Rm 16

4th Gr: Mrs. Holbrook, Rm 12

4th/5th Gr: Mrs. Price, Rm 7

5th Gr. Miss Maya, Rm 14

5th/6th Gr: Mrs. Tavera, Rm 13

6th Gr: Mr. Rabenston, Rm 10

ELA RTI: Mrs. Kim, Rm 5

Math RTI: Mrs. Sanchez, Rm 9

SDC, Gr. 1-3: Mr. Hernandez, Rm 19

SDC, Gr. 4-6: Mrs. Gambrell, Rm 18

SDC, Gr. TK/K: Miss Matzek, Rm 4

SDC, Gr. 1-3: Miss Morales, Rm 1

RSP: Mrs. Paiz, Rm 11

PE: Mr. Rizzi

Speech: Mrs. Apodaca, Rm 17

General Music: Ms. Vo, Rm 25

Band: Mr. Zavala, Rm 25

Fern Drive Student Handbook

2026-2027 FSD Student Calendar

Encore Registration Link

School Calendar on the website

Fern Drive PTA

Fern Drive Foundation

FSD Website

We look forward to our seeing you at our annual Back to School Night on 8/20/26. This evening is intended for PARENTS only as it is your evening to meet the teacher and learn about the year ahead.

5:30-6:00 PM ~ Principal Welcome, Staff Introduction & our first General Association Meeting

for the year at the lunch tables

6:00-6:30 PM & 6:40-7:10 PM ~ Classroom Presentations in classroom

*Classroom presentations will be the same for each session

*PTA Membership will be available, as will Spirit Wear sales.

2026-2027 Executive Board

Welcome back, Falcons! We hope you had a wonderful summer filled with fun, family, and lasting memories. As we begin another exciting school year, the Fern Drive Foundation is thrilled to welcome back our returning families and extend a special greeting to those joining our Falcon community for the first time.

The Foundation is a nonprofit organization made up of dedicated parent volunteers, teachers, and staff who work together to enrich the educational experience for every Fern Drive student. Through fundraising events, corporate partnerships, and the incredible generosity of our community, we help provide educational programs, technology, campus improvements, and extracurricular opportunities that benefit all of our students.

There are many exciting events planned this year—including the Falcon Dash, our largest fundraiser! Whether you choose to volunteer, sponsor an event, or simply cheer on our students, every contribution helps make a difference.

Be sure to read the News From The Nest and follow us on Instagram (@ferndrivefoundation) for updates, volunteer opportunities, and ways to support our amazing school.

Here's to a fantastic school year filled with learning, growth, and Falcon pride.

Welcome back—we're so glad you're here!

Two organizations to support our students, two opportunities to get involved, one Falcon Family!

Reach out to our Foundation President, Kristen Jones, or our PTA President, Rachael Kaye

for more information on how to get involved.

Go Falcons!

• Starting today, you can drop off meds anytime between 9 AM - 2 PM through the first day of school
• You will need the IHP form - linked here

A reminder, if your child will need crutches or a cast and/or splint to begin the year, or any time during the year, please fill out this form and bring your child by the office to check in. We will need to ensure their safety prior to entering campus.

New this year:

The district is now requiring a Dental form to be completed by a Dentist for TK, K, & 1st. We will have this form available at TK/K Orientation & at our Popsicles with the Principal Event for our 1st graders. If families are unable to join the event, please call or stop into the school office for a copy of the form.

As always, please call the office with any health-related information, questions and/or concerns regarding your child.

Link to FSD website Nutrition Page

Lunch and breakfast will continue to be free for all students daily. We still do a lunch count daily so please discuss with your student the importance to take a correct lunch count.

Some students bring a lunch to school and then at lunchtime go get a school lunch. This results in some lunch shortages of the choice meal that day. Lunch options are still available and all children will be fed but often when this happens, the "lunch of the day" runs out. Please review with students the importance of this an accurate lunch count.

Email: julie_lucas@myfsd.org
Website: Fern Drive Elementary
Location: 1400 W Fern Drive, Fullerton CA 92883
Phone: 714-447-7710
Instagram: @fern_drive_falcons

Facebook: Fern Drive School Principal