Hello WFiSMES Families,

 

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather and long weekend. We had a great first week of school thanks to your engagement and support. We’re off to a great start, Cougars!

 

When we return to school on Tuesday, we will welcome all Pre-K and Kindergarten students. Bus and carpool times may vary, as buses make additional stops and more cars in carpool make line longer. Being patient will help us all as we continue to work out the kinks and teach our four- and five-year-old students to safely arrive and leave campus. Also, carpool parents, please remember to avoid Sycamore Avenue and not use cell phones or other devices while driving on campus. Thank you.

 

To further increase safety, we will continue to learn and use the new Visitor Management System (VMS). Upon arrival on campus, all visitors are asked to report to the main office. Please do not attempt to enter through another door or enter the Forrest Building until you have presented your government-issued I.D. and been cleared through the VMS. The VMS is designed to require identification before visitors may enter the building or check out students- even if we know you. It creates an uncomfortable situation for everyone if we cannot accommodate your request to visit the school or check out your child, so please make sure you have your I.D. when you come to campus. Also, when checking students in or out of school, we will ask that you remain at the main entrance. We are finding the office is becoming congested which compromises confidentiality for families and students. Thank you for your flexibility. We really want you to feel welcome and hope these measures increase your trust in our efforts to increase safety and security. Contact me directly if you have questions or ideas; I welcome your input.

 

WFiSMES is in the fortunate position to have community support in many forms. One of the most important groups supporting our school is the PTA. If you haven’t already, please consider joining- they want to partner with you. To learn more, click here: https://www.wfepta.com/ and to join the PTA, click here: https://wfe.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true&category=Memberships .

 

WFiSMES is also fortunate to have Dr. LaSaundra Booth offer free orchestra classes for fourth and fifth grade students. Dr Booth is a classically trained musician and professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, who started the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra. For more information, please review this flyer: Orchestra Flyer 2023-2024.pdf. And to register, click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSejZyT3pPlqAxb-l2SIo-lAJdat9MJxK2CXOZdCV1QDOH_dJA/viewform 

 

The Wake Forest Forest Elementary School Foundation is another community partner doing amazing things for our school. The foundation funds experiences for students that are not financed through the school system. To learn more about the foundation, click here: https://www.wakeforestesfoundation.org/contact-us .

 

Okay, families, that brings me to you! Would you also like to support our amazing school? If so, it is easier than ever to become a volunteer! One of our most important volunteer opportunities is our Heroes Read program. As a Heroes Read volunteer, you get to read with our incredible students. To learn more about the program, click here: https://www.wcpss.net/domain/21470 . And, to volunteer in other ways, register here: https://www.wcpss.net/volunteer.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this lengthy email. I look forward to a year of learning and fun with all WFiSMES families! Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

 

Warm regards,

Principal Smith​​​​​​​

Hello WFiSMES Families,

 

The big day is almost here! School starts on Monday!

 

It was wonderful to see so many of you at “Meet the Teacher” Wednesday evening. The energy on our campus was electric! Thank you for being a part of our school community.

 

Please see the information below to help you navigate the first few days of school:

 

1. SPECIALS: In addition to Art, Music, PE, and Media, we are adding iSTEM Lab and World Languages to our specials rotation! And, with six specials, students will not have specials on the same day each week. For families, the biggest impact is that PE days will fluctuate. Please follow the Specials calendar (posted below and on the school website) to make sure your child wears sneakers on PE days. For World Languages, this year all students will take both Mandarin and Spanish. Pre-K, Kindergarten, First, and Second grade students will alternate between Mandarin and Spanish each quarter. Third - Fifth Grade students will take both languages in the specials rotation. 

• Specials Rotation
• Specials Calendar

 

2. BEFORE SCHOOL CARE: The Before School Care program operates from 7:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. If you’ve registered your student(s) for the program, please use the carpool lane to sign them in each morning. For more information, contact Lugene Collins at lycollins@wcpss.net.

 

3. CARPOOL: Carpool is always an adventure at the beginning of the school year. Please refer to the map you received to ensure you are following the correct route. If, at any time, you find yourself on Sycamore Avenue, you are in the wrong place. Sycamore Avenue is not part of the carpool route. Carpool traffic must flow from S. Main Street onto W. Vernon Street and then right onto S. Wingate Street. Also, please remember that carpool drop-off is from 8:45-9:10 a.m. After 9:10, the gate will be closed, and you will have to drive to the front of the main building to sign in your student(s). Most importantly, please follow the directions of our staff during arrival and dismissal. They are there to ensure safety and order. Please help them by being kind and respectful.

 

4. VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: All visitors must enter through the main office entrance on S. Main Street and schools have been equipped with a new visitor management system. A QR code will be posted near the doorbell at the office entrance. To enter the building, you will need to scan the code using the camera on your phone and scan your driver’s license. The system will then perform an instant background check. Once you have been cleared, ring the doorbell and we will unlock the door for you to report directly to the office. Also, if you do not have a phone or driver’s license, ring the doorbell so we can assist you. We anticipate there will be kinks in the system as we learn to use it efficiently. We appreciate your patience.

 

5. VOLUNTEERS: There will be a lot of opportunities to volunteer at our school this year! All volunteers must register and pass a criminal history and background check prior to volunteering. This must be completed each school year. To register to volunteer, please visit this link: https://myvolunteer.com/wcpss/volunteer/login. If you have any questions, please contact our school's volunteer coordinator, Nicole Schwartz (nschwartz@wcpss.net).

 

Again, thank you for being part of the WFiSMES family! I am honored you have entrusted you most prized possessions in our care. Have a great weekend and school year!

 

Warm regards,

Chell Smith, Principal

Hello WFiSMES Families,

 

Happy Summer! We hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer break filled with rest, relaxation, and joy!

This email is packed with essential details to help you plan for the 2023-2024 school year.

 

1. Summer Meet and Greet, Wednesday, August 16^th:

Join us for a warm welcome and a chance to get acquainted. We are hosting a campus tour from 9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., followed by popsicles on the playground from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

 

2. First Day of School, Monday, August 28^th:

For students in grades first through fifth, the school year kicks off on August 28^th. Kindergarten students will have staggered entry days (please call us at 919-554-8655 if you have a kindergartner and did not receive a letter with your child’s staggered entry date). The first bell rings at 8:45 a.m. and students should be in classrooms by 9:15 a.m to avoid being marked tardy. School dismisses at 3:45 p.m. Please check the attached 2023-2024 WCPSS traditional calendar for holidays, teacher workdays, and other important dates.

 

3. School Supply Lists:

Access your child’s school supply list by visiting our WFiSMES web site. Follow this link: https://www.wcpss.net/site/default.aspx?DomainID=10192

 

4. Meal Prices for the 2023-2024 School Year:

The cost for breakfast is $1.50 and lunch costs $3.25. I am pleased to share that students who historically qualified for “reduced” price breakfast and lunch will receive meals free. 

 

5. “Meet the Teacher” (MTT), Wednesday, August 23^rd:

Mark your calendars for this exciting event! From 5:30-6:30 p.m., all students are invited to “Meet the Teacher”. Kindergarten families, while your child’s teacher name won’t be disclosed that evening, we encourage you to come, meet our kindergarten team, and enjoy popsicles on the playground. During MTT, you will receive valuable information on:

• Family Engagement
• Meal Accounts (Apply at: https://www.wcpss.net/free-reduced-meals
• Bus Transportation (Register at: https://www.wcpss.net/Page/51640
• Carpool: New families, pick up you carpool tag during MTT; existing tags remain valid.
• Walker Passes
• PTA
• Wake Forest Elementary School Foundation
• The Giving Tree: Donate during MTT to support school and student initiatives (details in attached flyer- GivingTree.docx)
• Before School Care
• Volunteer Registration: You may register at MTT or register in advance using the QR code attached here- WCPSS Volunteer Registration QR Code.pdf.
• Orchestra for 4th & 5th Grade Students
• Girl Scouts

 

We hope this information proves valuable as we prepare for an amazing school year. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our goal is to make this school year the most memorable and enriching one yet for your family. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, August 23^rd!

 

Warm regards,

Chell Smith

Principal