Good morning, Piper family!

We had a great first week of school, and we are so excited for our newest kindergarten Pipers to start their first full week!

 

Upcoming Events: 

• July 15 - PTA Board Meeting: 6PM
• July 22 - 3rd Grade Explorers Parent Meeting (Virtual) 8:15AM and 4:15PM
• July 25 - Popsicles with the PTA from 6PM to 8PM
• July 26 - Meet the Teacher Track 4
• July 29 - First Day of School for Track 4

 

Have You Heard About Being a Piper!

Have you heard about what it means to be a Piper? At Parkside, we take pride in our Piper identity, which embodies the values we strive to instill in our students. Being a Piper means that our students are Prepared, show Integrity, Persevere, are Engaged, and show Respect. These core values help guide our students in their daily actions and decisions, both in and out of the classroom.

To support these values, we use common language and expectations throughout the school. This consistency helps reinforce positive behaviors and ensures that all students understand what is expected of them. Our goal is to create a positive and supportive school environment where every student feels valued and empowered to succeed. By embracing these values, our students are not only working towards personal excellence but also contributing to a vibrant and respectful school community.

Popsicles with the PTA

Join us for a fun-filled popsicle event on July 25th, where you can meet the PTA and connect with other families. It's a great opportunity to enjoy some treats and build our school community. We hope to see you there! 

 

Transportation Information for 2024-25 School Year 

• As we begin our second full week of school, we want to remind everyone to please be patient during arrival and dismissal times in the carpool lane. This week is especially important as we welcome our newest kindergarten Pipers to Parkside for their first full week of school.

• Please remember to hang your car tag from your rearview mirror during carpool dismissal as this will expedite the process.  If you do not yet have a carpool tag please complete the carpool tag request form.  Remember only families in the WCPSS designated walkzone are eligible to receive walker tags. You may request a Walker Tag here if you are eligible.

• Bus routes change from year to year. Do not assume that a bus that went in your neighborhood for the 2023-2024 school year will be the same for 2024-2025. If your child is eligible to ride the bus and they currently are not registered, you may register them here.

   

• “Here Comes the Bus” is an app that will let you track your child’s bus in the mornings and afternoons.  It is also supposed to alert families of any district bus delays.  Information can be found here. You’ll need your child’s Powerschools ID number and the district code (67500). 

• Please do not pass cars that have students loading in the carpool lane. We want to ensure all students are loaded safely and there are no accidents.

• Do not get out of your car in the carpool. 
• All children should enter and exit the car on the right passenger side. 

NEW - School Cash Online

Wake County Schools and Parkside Elementary uses SchoolCash Online for all school items and activity fees. SchoolCash Online helps our school district in many ways: parents can manage all school field trips and other items for their students in one location and have the convenience of a secure online payment platform, and the schools improve safety and reduce risk by minimizing cash and check payments at our schools.For more information, and to sign up, click here.

 

WCPSS Student/Parent Handbook

The WCPSS Student/Parent Handbook will be sent home with every student.  This guide helps students and families understand the rules and expectations for behavior in school, on the way to and from school and during school sponsored activities.  Please be sure to tear off the last page, sign, and return to the teacher. 

 

Apply for Free and Reduced Price School Meals

At WCPSS elementary schools, full-paid breakfast is $1.75 and lunch is $3.50.  This is an increase of 25 cents this year.

 

To receive free or reduced-price meals for the 2024-2025 school year, families must submit a meal benefits application online at MySchoolApps.com. Paper copies are available in the front office. For families who completed the 2023-24 meal benefits application, the benefit continues only for their child's first 30 school days of the 2024-25 school year. 

 

Welcome Our Newest Piper Staff Members to the Family!

• Madi Bray - Track 2, Second Grade

 

Track 4 Teacher Assignments for 2024-2025 

Track 4 families will receive their notification Thursday, July 25 by noon.

 

BOY Attendance Reminder

It is very important that students are present at the beginning of the school year. Please plan trips during your students' track out period and return once the track out has ended. Please know that we are not able to send work with children for extended absences, nor are we able to prevent the daily phone calls from the county about each absence. Letters regarding the absences will be sent home based on the number of days required by board policy. Long term absences may result in missing grades for areas of student report cards due to lack of student work and/or skill assessment data. Additionally, please be aware that students with a significant number of absences are required to be considered for withdrawal.  If your student is withdrawn, you will need to re-register, and we cannot guarantee that a seat will be available at Parkside.  If we are at capacity due to our enrollment cap, your child will be sent to our overflow school (Carpenter Elementary) and placed on a waitlist to return.

 

If you have any questions please contact Parkside’s principal, Mr. Hudson, or social worker, Ms. Russ.

 

The Instructional Day and Tardies

Students should not start arriving on campus before 8:45. The building opens to students at 8:45, and morning arrival lasts until 9:15. At 9:15 the tardy bell will ring. Any student not in the building by 9:15 will be marked tardy. Afternoon dismissal begins at 3:45.

 

Sign Up to Volunteer

We want to remind you of the importance of renewing your volunteer registration each year. This is required if you plan on volunteering at school, chaperone a field trip, or participate in school sponsored activities that take place during the instructional day. If you have not been cleared through the volunteer registration system you will not be able to volunteer.

 

If you have never registered as a volunteer before, please follow the steps below to complete the registration process

 

Volunteer Registration Renewal

Families who were approved to volunteer in the 2023-24 school year should have received an email on July 1 outlining the simple volunteer renewal process for the 2024-25 school year. Encourage families to renew their volunteer status during the renewal window, July 1-Oct. 1.

Register as a WCPSS Volunteer For the First Time

All WCPSS parent and community volunteers are required to register again every school year through the MyVolunteer system. (When your child begins a new grade level for a new school year, you must fill out a new volunteer application.) Please complete your registration on a computer at home or school. It is very difficult to complete using a mobile phone. It can take several weeks for your registration to be approved so don’t wait until field trips to try and register.  Register now so you are ready and able to volunteer in the classroom, volunteer for school events, or chaperon at any time this school year!

1. Click the link below to start your volunteer registration: https://myvolunteer.com/wcpss/volunteer/login
2. Click create new account.
3. Complete the online form and select all the schools that you are requesting to volunteer or chaperone for the 2023-2024 school year.
4. It will then say pending. 
5. Soon after you will receive an email with a customized link for you to complete next steps for your background check. This link expires 10 days from the day you receive the email.  Follow the instructions in that email.  You will fill out all items in red boxes and then you will review and digitally sign four documents (Summary of Rights Under the FCRA, Disc & Auth, NC Security Freeze Notice, and WCPSS Volunteer Agreement).
6. If you leave the CRC background site before completing your contact information, you will have to begin the process again. 
7. You must include your social security number to register to volunteer.  If you do not have a social security number, please contact volunteers@wcpss.net or call 919-694-8233.
8. Great news is that this year you will be notified by the MyVolunteer system if you are approved to volunteer!
9. For Technical Support contact the Customer Care Group at 877-272-0266, Ext. 0 or email customercare@mycrc.com.

Please Note:  If you are a WCPSS Employee seeking to volunteer/chaperone in the schools, you do not have to complete a criminal background check. However, employees will still need to register in the MyVolunteer system (https://myvolunteer.com/wcpss/volunteer/login) and complete the Wake County Volunteer Agreement and other required forms.  Employees must select the “Current Staff of WCPSS” link on MyVolunteer to complete the volunteer registration process and must use their WCPSS email address to complete

Parent Resources for the Summer

Linked here you will find cross-curricular parent resources to help students stay engaged during the summer.

 

Important Links to Access Easily

• Breakfast and Lunch Menu
• 2024-25 Year-Round Calendar
• Volunteer Registration
• Form to Request Walker/Carpool Tags (Breckenridge Families Only)
• Form to Request Carpool Tag only