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8/18/24

 

Dear Laurel Park Families, 

In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of all our students, we will be administering a universal screener of social, emotional, and behavioral health twice a year. Our district uses the Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System-2 (BIMAS-2) research-based screening tool. We believe this will help our students thrive academically by identifying students who may benefit from additional social and emotional support and interventions, much like some students benefit from additional academic support and interventions.

 

This will not require you or your child to do anything. Your child’s teacher will complete a questionnaire about your child’s actions and emotions displayed in class during a one-week span. Examples of some of the questions include: 

  • During the past week, this student shared what they were thinking about.

  • During the past week, this student had trouble paying attention.

  • During the past week, this student followed directions.

  • During the past week, this student acted sad or withdrawn.

For each question, the teacher will answer “never,” “rarely,” “sometimes,” “often,” or “very often.” 

 

This information helps us to understand the needs of all our students and how we can best serve and support them. This will also provide us with data to help determine school-wide programs, interventions, and training needs for staff. 

 

If you would like more information about the universal screener, please visit www.wcpss.net/universalscreener. You can also email our school psychologist, Dr. Amy Hawkins at ahawkins@wcpss.net. 

 

Your child’s teacher will send home a BIMAS Opt-Out form during the week of August 19. If you do not want your child screened, please complete and return the BIMAS Opt-Out form to your child's teacher by Friday, September 6. No further action is needed if you allow your child to be included in the universal screening. Thank you!

 

Respectfully, 

Charelle Lovett, Principal

 

Upcoming Events / Important Dates (Community Calendar)

  • Aug. 19: Welcome back, Track 3!
  • Aug. 22: Fall Picture Day; LPES Open House Sessions from 6:00-6:30 PM & 6:45-7:15 PM
  • Aug. 26: Tracks 3 & 4 Progress Reports go home; AIG Information Meeting @ 7 PM (virtual)
  • Aug. 26-Sept. 6: Fall Fundraiser with Apex Leadership
  • Sept. 2: No School, Labor Day
  • Sept. 2-6: Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week
  • Sept. 6: REMIX Event; Happy Track Out, Track 1!
  • Sept. 13: Instructional Assistant Appreciation Day

 

Fall Picture Day on August 22

This year, we partnered with Lifetouch for our pictures and yearbook. Our Fall picture day, which is the picture that will appear in the yearbook, is on Thursday, August 22. A picture flyer went home last week for Tracks 1 & 4 and this week for Track 3. ALL picture ordering will be digital, therefore, please refer to the website on the flyer to place picture orders. Picture make-up sessions will be on November 13. 

 

 

LPES Open House is August 22

Families are invited to attend our Open House on Thursday, August 22 at 6 PM. Open House is a time for our homeroom teachers to share information about their classrooms (managerial and instructional) and answer any questions you may have. This year, our homeroom teachers will host two 30-minute teacher sessions -- at 6 PM and 6:45 PM. In the past, we have had sessions about AIG, social-emotional learning, and beginning-of-the-year assessments, but we will not hold those types of sessions this year. Our AIG teachers, Ms. Atwell and Ms. Baker, will conduct a virtual information session on August 26 at 7 PM. We will also have a Curriculum Night in the Spring. 

 

Open House on August 22 at 6 PM

 

2024-25 LPES Student Clubs

We have a few new student clubs beginning in September! Members of the Jump Rope Club, open to 2nd-5th graders, will learn how to use a single and double rope. The YMCA Super Skippers group will lead the club. Club members will meet after school, 3:45-4:45 PM, every second Tuesday of the month beginning Tuesday, September 10. Members MUST wear sneakers and bring a water bottle to meetings. They will not be allowed to jump in any other type of footwear. Please fill out this form and a leader from the club will contact you. You may also email laurelparkespta@gmail.com with any questions.  

 

 

Members of the Mileage Club will enjoy moderate athletic activity weekly before school and celebrate personal goals. The club, open to all grades, will meet weekly on Tuesdays at 8:30 AM on the school playground. The club will meet from September 10-November 19 and members will participate in the culminating event at the Turkey Trot 5K Run at Apex Community Park on Saturday, November 23 (see this page). To participate in the club, email rfweber13@gmail.com for the waiver and information form. Parents are welcome to participate by walking and jogging around the track or helping count the number of laps. 

Please check out the Student Club page on the LPES site. We are grateful to the parents who volunteered to lead these clubs!

 

Bus Times May Change

Bus routes for traditional calendar schools were posted on Friday, August 16. Pick-up and drop-off times for some year-round calendar students may change due to the updated bus routes. Impacted families received a message encouraging them to check PowerSchool for potential route changes. All families can check for updated route information by visiting wcpss.net/routes.

 

With traditional calendar schools beginning on August 27, please expect school bus delays. We will send a message to families if a school bus leaves campus AFTER 4:30 PM. 

 

Apex REMIX Fitness Event Fundraiser Begins Monday, August 26!

The LPES PTA partnered with Apex Leadership for our annual fundraiser for outdoor enhancements, literacy materials, classroom support, teacher mini-grants, cultural arts programming, digital applications, continued advocacy, and much more!

 

Our goal is to provide all our students with the best education and school experience possible and to ensure they have the tools they need to learn and grow. All students are included in the leadership program and fitness event regardless of financial participation in the fundraiser. If you can help, please know that no donation is too small. The leadership program this year will focus on developing student self-control, decision-making, and interpersonal skills vital for school and life success. The quick, engaging lessons tie in with our school’s vision and mission, encourage students to create a positive environment and inspire them to lead by example.

 

About Apex Leadership: Apex is a two-week interactive leadership and character-building program combined with a fitness-focused event fundraiser to help schools raise much-needed funds. For the past two years, our students have participated in a fun run. We are shifting to a REMIX event, which will be held on Friday, September 6 throughout the day (see below). More information to come about signing up to volunteer for the event. 

 

 

Academically/Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Information from Ms. Atwell & Ms. Baker

Important links for ALL families:

  • AIG Virtual Meeting on August 26 from 7:00-8:00 PM
4th & 5th Grade Fall Nomination and Testing Dates (There is also testing in the Spring.): 
  • Track 1 4th and 5th grades AIG Fall nomination deadline is August 19
    • CogAT testing is August 26-28
    • Iowa testing is August 29-30
    • Make-up testing September 3-6

  • Track 3 4th and 5th grades AIG Fall nomination deadline is September 3
    • CogAT testing is September 10-12
    • Iowa testing is September 12-13
    • Make-up testing September 16-20

  • Track 4 4th and 5th grades AIG Fall nomination window is August 19-September 3
    • CogAT testing September 16-18
    • Iowa testing is September 19-20
    • Make-up testing September 23-27
3rd Grade Universal Screening Dates:
  • CogAT Testing (new dates)
    • Tracks 1 & 3 on October 7-9
      • Make-up testing on October 10-11
    • Track 4 on October 23-25 
      • Make-up testing on October 28-30
  • Iowa Testing
    • Track 1 on November 4 and 6 (make-up testing on November 7-8 and 12)
    • Track 4 on November 18-19 (make-up testing on November 20-22 and December 2-4)
    • Track 3 on November 20-21 (make-up testing on November 22 and December 2-6)

 

Message from Mr. Edwards, Physical Education

 

The first 3–4 weeks have gone well. We have all gotten to know each other during the first few classes. I have only seen most kindergarten classes one time, so we focused mostly on class expectations and working some on personal space and locomotor movements like walking, galloping, and skipping. In grades 1-2, we also worked on locomotor movements during a game called On the Lines, Off the Lines. During this activity, we focused on side slides and leaping. We also introduced some self-toss and catch activities. In grades 3-5, we started out working on throwing and catching skills by playing a game called Touchdowns. They worked by themselves first and then with a partner. They focused on proper throwing technique and giving their partners a target to let them know where they wanted the ball thrown to them. We will continue to work on the skills above for the next 3-4 class meetings using different games and activities.

 

Just a few reminders: Please make sure that your child has a pair of tennis/sneakers shoes at school each day. This will help to keep everyone safe during our class time. Please also remind them that the focus of PE class is to work on the different skills and make improvements each week on those skills and their overall wellness. We all can be successful at this if we make sure to listen and watch the demonstrations before each new activity and then use our practice time during class wisely. If all of us do this, we will all improve and have a lot of fun together.

 

Dental Screening on September 4 (Kindergarten Only)

Annually, our School Health Dental Hygienist looks for healthy smiles by providing dental screenings. (Please refer to the WCPSS student/parent handbook.) Good dental health is important to a student’s overall well-being and affects a child’s success and performance in the classroom. School Dental Hygienists use a flashlight to provide a quick visual screening of the student’s teeth. This is not like a dental exam by a dentist. During the dental screening, the School Dental Hygienist follows all CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidelines. A letter with the screening results will be sent home in the student’s school folder ONLY if your child has questionable or obvious dental needs. If needed, children with obvious dental needs may receive an additional follow-up screening by the School Health Dental Hygienist later in the school year. Parents/guardians may contact their child’s principal to opt out of dental screenings. If you have any questions, please contact the school’s dental hygienist, Heather Lisk, RDH, at 919-621-2482 or hlisk@wcpss.net.   

 

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. In August, we will focus on Responsibility -- You are accountable for something within your power.

 

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.
  • 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. 

 

 

Laurel Park PTA Information (laurelparkespta.com)

Join the PTA

Laurel Park has an active PTA that serves as our primary parent-teacher organization. Advocating for public schools and sound instruction is the PTA's priority in supporting the school with clubs, coordinating school events, beautification, playground enhancements, teacher planning days, and instructional resources. PTA members will receive a 10% discount on all spirit wear!

 

 

Camp Information (not WCPSS-sponsored)

Come join us at Green Level Equestrian in Apex for a pony camp weekend! This “Learn To Ride” camp is perfect for beginners ages 5-12. No previous riding experience is needed! At camp, riders will get to ride, play games, do crafts, meet new friends, and enjoy a weekend full of ponies!

We are taking reservations for October 5-6 and November 23-24.

If interested or looking for more information please call/text Laura Heymann at (919) 444-1767 or email toplinetrainer@gmail.com.