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3/3/24

 

Dear Laurel Park families, 

STEAM Night is here! Please join us for this fun, hands-on, family-friendly event on Thursday, March 7, 5:30-7 PM. During the event, families will engage in science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities. Come hungry -- food trucks will be parked at the front entrance. This is also a time to check out the Reading is a Blast book fair in the media center.

 

Special thanks to the many individuals and organizations who have worked tirelessly to make STEAM Night come to fruition:

  • Tiffany Trent, Emily Harmon, Laura Benner, Alison LeSueur, Mary-Elizabeth Thompson, & Mark Edwards (LPES Planning Committee)
  • Tracy Zimmermann (PTA STEAM Night Coordinator)
  • Katie Davlantis, Cassie O'Neal, & Joanna Strang (PTA Book Fair Committee)
  • Lexi Herndon (PTA Reflections Coordinator)
  • STEAM Night Exhibitors
  • Cary Teen Council 
  • PTA Board
  • Parent & Community Volunteers

 

We are still in need of volunteers to assist with hanging artwork for the art show, setting and cleaning up, greeting families, and assisting where needed. Click the links to sign up to volunteer for hanging artwork on March 4 or during STEAM Night

 

STEAM Night is March 7th

 

 

Respectfully, 

Charelle Lovett, Principal

 

Upcoming Events / Important Dates (Community Calendar)

  • March 1-28: Women's Blue Jean Drive
  • March 4-15: LPES Book Fair, open 4:15-4:45 PM daily for families to shop 
  • March 5: Teacher Workday (Book fair open 12-2 PM)
  • March 6: Track 4 SSA Information Session @ 7 PM
  • March 7: STEAM Night 5:30-7 PM
  • March 8: Happy track out, Track 1!
  • March 11: Welcome back, Track 2!
  • March 28: Happy track out, Track 4!
  • March 29: Good Friday, No School

 

March 3-9 is NC Severe Weather Preparedness Week

The National Weather Service invites school communities to promote severe weather safety during Severe Weather Preparedness Week. During this week, schools participate in a 5-10 minute tornado drill where students practice what to do and where to go in the building if a tornado were to occur. Most schools across the state will participate in the tornado drill on Wednesday morning. Laurel Park students will participate in the tornado drill on Monday, March 4. 

 

2023-24 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremonies & Testing Windows

Our 5th-grade families are already planning how to celebrate their children moving up to middle school. Please mark your calendars! Our 5th grade moving up ceremonies will be:

  • Monday, June 3 (Track 1) at 1:30 PM
  • Wednesday, June 26 (Tracks 3 & 4) at 1:30 PM.

We have not yet created our end-of-year testing schedule, but plan to begin testing at the beginning of the testing window during the last ten days of school. 

  • Track 1: May 20-June 3; retesting for certain students June 4-5
  • Tracks 2, 3, & 4: June 12-26, retesting for certain students June 27-28

 

Student Ambassador's Blue Jean Drive

In celebration of Women's History Month, our Student Ambassadors partnered with the Women's Center of Raleigh to collect gently used or new women's denim pants of any size. Collection tubs are outside the media center. Student Ambassadors will collect blue jeans throughout March. 

 

March 1-28 Blue Jean Drive

 

2nd-5th Grade Families, Please Charge Chromebooks! 

We love that we are part of a school district where students have access to technology to enhance learning. Our 2nd - 5th grade students are expected to take their Chromebooks home daily to charge for them to be used the following day. Our classroom teachers are finding that more of their students are returning to school with Chromebooks not charged, which interrupts the activity flow. Teachers do have a few spare chargers in their classrooms, but not a class set. Please help by reminding your child to charge their Chromebook when they get home. 

 

2024-25 Transfer Window Opens Tomorrow

Several families have asked about the WCPSS transfer application period for the next school year as they consider all options when making decisions best for their family. The transfer application window for the 2024-25 school year is March 4-15. Families will be notified via email or text within 7-10 days. 

 

LPES Book Fair Begins Tomorrow

Our annual book fair begins tomorrow, March 4, and runs through March 15. The book fair will be open to families to shop from 4:15-4:45 PM daily (except on March 5th the fair is open 12:00-2:00 PM). Volunteers are needed throughout the book fair to assist students and families with their purchases. Sign up to volunteer here.

 

Reading is a Blast! Book Fair

 

Field Day Volunteers Needed

Mr. Edwards is excited to partner with the PTA and Taylor Family YMCA for our upcoming field days. Volunteers are needed to run the varying activities as grade levels rotate. Please sign up to volunteer here. We are looking for at least 50 adults to volunteer for each time slot each day.

 

Field Day Sign Up

 

We Need Help To Fix Our Outdoor Classroom!

Did you know Laurel Park has an outdoor classroom in the back corner of the large playground? Over the years, the space has become less of an outdoor classroom and slightly more hazardous. We need help with finding a permanent solution to fix or replace the space's cement block foundation. This also includes fixing some of the drainage issues. Please send any landscape/small construction contacts to Julie Neild, our PTA president, at lpesptapresident@gmail.com.

 

Single Subject Acceleration (SSA) Nomination Windows & Info Sessions

Single Subject Acceleration (SSA) is an accelerative practice in WCPSS that allows students to show mastery of an elementary or middle school course. Acceleration is the practice of assigning students to a higher grade level for a single subject to provide access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities. Students must meet qualifying SSA criteria in grades K‐7 to take advanced academic content in Mathematics or English Language Arts. Nominated students for SSA will be assessed at school based on their current grade level. Depending on their grade level and subject, this could include a multiple-choice test and/or a writing sample. Students can be nominated for SSA testing by either their teacher or parent/guardian. If interested in SSA for your child, please speak with your child's classroom teacher or email Amy Stone at astone@wcpss.net.. 
 
SSA Family Informational Meetings 
These meetings will be virtual at 7:00 with our SSA Coordinator, Amy Stone, at https://meet.google.com/yqk-skim-efd
  • Track 4: March 6
  • Track 2: March 27
SSA Nomination Windows (Nomination Form)
  • Tracks 1 & 3: February 21 - March 5
  • Track 4: March 11-22
  • Track 2: April 1-12
SSA Testing Windows
  • Tracks 1 & 3: April 1-12
  • Tracks 2 & 4: April 22 - May 6
 

Middle School Updates

Visit our Middle School Updates site for information on middle schools in the area. Ashley Truskowski (atruskowski@wcpss.net) will continuously update as she receives information for the upcoming year. Please contact her if you have any questions.

 

Laurel Park Character Strengths

Each month, a selected character strength is highlighted in the morning announcements and discussed during your child's Classroom Huddle/morning meeting. During March, we will focus on Perseverance -- You continue to work through something despite difficulty.

 

Friendly Reminders

  • LPES Family Handbook 
  • Please remind your child to check the lost and found area in the cafeteria. We will donate lost and found items quarterly. The next donation is on April 1, 2024.
  • Each child needs a labeled set of extra clothes to keep in their backpack or cubby. This is not just for bathroom accidents! The Front Office does not have extra clothes to give to students. 
  • Interested in volunteering at LPES? Register at www.wcpss.net/volunteer
  • Students who arrive at school after 9:15 AM must be signed in by the parent/guardian via the QR code on the front door. Early check-out ends at 3:15 PM

 

Town Hall on Social Media

Protecting the Next Generation of North Carolinians: Town Hall on Social Media

The NC Department of Justice is interested in hearing from families about the impact of social media on youth in North Carolina. Join the NC Department of Justice and Attorney General Josh Stein on Monday, March 11, 10:30-11:30 AM at Athens Drive High School for Protecting the Next Generation of North Carolinians: Town Hall on Social Media. RSVP to outreach@ncdoj.gov.