Dear Students and Families,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 School Year! The staff at Washington School is looking forward to welcoming all our students back to school. Below is some important information for the start of the school year.
Back to School Open House
● This year, in place of back to school conferences, students and their families are encouraged to come to Washington School on Tuesday, August 15 between 6:00 - 7:00 PM to meet their teachers, find their locker, and drop off any extra supplies. We made this adaptation in light of our recent renovation (more information about this below).
● There is no need to sign up for a specific time slot; please plan to attend between 6:00 - 7:00 PM when it is convenient for your family.
● Because of this change, we will have fall parent/teacher conferences in October, and winter parent/teacher conferences in January/February.
● Beginning August 7th, parents/guardians can view their child’s homeroom teacher through Skyward or by calling the main office at 815-625-2372
● Last year, we had a bit of a traffic flow problem, so we ask 3rd grade families enter door #3 , which is at the rear of our building (see map). 4th grade families may enter door #5, which is by our staff lot. 5th grade families may enter door #2, which is located near our portables. Door #1 may still be under construction, but if it is not fenced off, you may enter through there as well. Regardless, there is no reason to wait in line to get it – if you know where you are going, head on in!
● If you do not know your child’s teacher, you may go to the gym, where we will have staff available to assist you.
School Supplies: A copy of the school supply list can be accessed athttps://www.sterlingpublicscho... . Families in need of assistance may reach out to Michelle Elmendorf at the ROE 47 via email melmendorf@roe47.org.
First Days of School:
Wednesday, August 16 from 8:00-11:25 (Half Day Schedule) Thursday, August 17 from 8:00-2:45 (Regular School Day Time) Friday, August 18 - 8:00 - 2:45 (Regular School Day Time)
For our half -day (Wednesday, August 16), we will follow this schedule:
● 7:40 - School Doors Open for drop off at the Front Door
● 7:40 - Classroom Supervision Begins (students may trickle in between 7:40-8:00)
● 8:00 - School Day Begins, Breakfast is Served in the Classroom (free to all who want it)
● 8:05 - Tardy Bell Rings
● 11:20 - Bus riders are dismissed and will exit through third grade doors near the alley at the south
side of the school
● 11:25 -Students who will be picked up, walk home, or attend the YMCA; students may exit any door --
please prearrange a meeting spot with your student.
For Thursday and Friday, and regular school days, we will follow this schedule:
● 7:40 - School Doors Open for drop off at the Front Door
● 7:40 - Classroom Supervision Begins (students may trickle in between 7:40-8:00)
● 8:00 - School Day Begins, Breakfast is Served in the Classroom (free to all who want it)
● 8:05 - Tardy Bell Rings
● 2:40 - Bus riders are dismissed and will exit through third grade doors near the alley at the south side
of the school
● 2:45 -Students who will be picked up, walk home, or attend the YMCA; students may exit any door --
please prearrange a meeting spot with your student.
● Please remember to notify the office by phone or email (not just your child’s teacher) anytime your
child’s dismissal from school is different from normal (not riding the bus, a different family member picking up, or a different pick up spot -- remember, we can only release students to adults listed in Skyward as emergency contacts/relatives)
Procedures for Parent Drop Off in the Morning/Entering the Building
Parents may drop students off on West Le Fevre to enter the main door, or park on neighboring streets for students to cross at one of our cross walks. Students may also enter through the third grade doors, which are located near the alley. Families should not park in the alley, nor enter the alley from Ave G. Some families find it preferable to park along West 15th Street, and have their student walk down Ave H, where they will meet a bus monitor/crossing guard. It can get congested during drop off, and it is recommended you come up with a plan ahead of time. At 7:40am, doors will be unlocked. Drop off will be from 7:40 - 8:00 AM. There will not be supervision prior to 7:40am. Please do not drop your child off prior to this time. Additionally, there will be no drop off at the playground before school. Parents and visitors will say good-byes to students at the front door.
Bus students will enter through the third grade doors (South East Corner) beginning at 7:40 AM, or upon arrival to school.
Procedures for Exiting the Building
See dismissal times above; bus riders will enter and exit through the third grade and 5th grade doors. Again, if the plan for dismissal changes for your student, please notify the office of this change, and the office will notify the classroom teacher and student of this change.
School Nurse
Prior to the start of school, please be sure your students’ medications and health records are up to date; student medications can be brought to the office prior to the start of school August 7-11 (8:00-3:00), during Back to School Open House (August 15 from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM), or by appointment (contact Amber Espinoza at 815-625-2372 or aespinoza@sps5.org). It is our hope to ease all transitions by having necessary medications prior to the start of school. Likewise, contact our nurse, Amber, with any health concerns prior to the start of the year.
Skyward Updates
Please be sure Skyward information for your student is correct -- this includes updating phone numbers, addresses, emergency contacts, etc. If you need assistance with this, please contact us via email or by calling the office.
iPad Deployment
Within the first week of school, each student will be issued an iPad for school use. Initially, these devices will remain at school. It is recommended that families pay the insurance fee on Skyward to cover any damage to the iPad. iPads, Charging Blocks, cords and cases will all be returned to the school at the end of the year.
Snacks/Water Bottle/Birthday Treats
Your child will have a snack each day, however, your child’s homeroom teacher will discuss what that looks like in that particular classroom. (class snack, individual, etc.) The school water fountains will be shut off, but the “filling stations” will be available. Please be sure your child brings a water bottle labeled with his/her name. Birthday treats can be sent in, but must be individually packaged or easy to serve safely. (ex. ice cream sandwich, granola bar, rice krispie treat, etc.)
Renovations
This summer, our renovations will include a new entryway/steps to the front of the building, along with new paint on our existing play equipment. We will also add a Gaga Pit as another option for play. Classrooms will get painted, and we will update our library. Due to this construction, we will have a temporary fence around the front of the school and front door, as a safety precaution. This will be removed at the completion of construction. Because of this, should you need access to Washington School, please email me, and I can schedule an appointment. I am very proud of our school and Sterling Public Schools for supporting renovations that will directly improve the learning experiences of our Washington students.
Please, as always, feel free to call the office at (815) 625-2372 or email with questions, comments, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Liz Engstrom, Principal, Washington School
Principal: Liz Engstrom lengstrom@sps5.org
Dean: Emily Duncan eduncation@sps5.org
Secretary: Shaylee Sisson ssisson1@sps5.org
Nurse: Amber Espinoza aespinoza@sps5.org
Social Worker: Anna Hendrix ahendrix@sps5.org
Counselor: Jennifer Dykeman jdykeman@sps5.org