Lower School Back-to-School 2022-23
Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year!
August 24 Update: Pre-K–Grade 12 Back-to-School Logistics
PLEASE READ:
To-Do Before School Begins
Veracross Household Calendar:
Logging into the Veracross Parent Portal will allow you access to the Veracross Calendars. Your Household calendar will display important events and dates that specifically affect members of your household. The School Calendar will display everything that’s on the school’s public calendar (aside from athletics) and the Athletic calendar will display all Bruin games. You have the ability to subscribe to different calendar feeds, and have the dates feed directly into your online calendar system (Google, iCal or Outlook). For information on how to subscribe, click here.
Grade Level Back-to-School Supply List:
Click HERE to download the list.
Medical Forms and Health Information:
Complete your child’s online medical forms to Magnus Health Student Medical Record (SMR). A fully completed SMR must be on file for your child to participate in gym, athletic activities, and on field trips. To check the status of your child’s forms, log in to your Magnus Health portal. DO NOT send health forms to the school. All forms must be scanned, uploaded, and sent to Magnus Health. If you do not have a scanner, all forms can be sent to Magnus Health by fax. (You must include a cover sheet from Magnus Health if you are mailing or faxing the form. Instructions for obtaining a cover sheet can be found on the Magnus Health website.) Please remember to complete all required information as soon as possible, as it needs to be reviewed before school starts. Your credentials to log in to the Magnus Health portal are the same as your Veracross login. If you do not remember your password, you may reset it using the “Can’t access your account?” link from the Veracross portals login page here. If you have questions or need help with logging in to your account, please read Magnus Health Frequently Asked Questions.
The Park School Directory:
The Park School Directory will be accessible through the Veracross portal. In order to ensure we have the most up-to-date information for the directory, please update your information in the Veracross portal by Monday, August 22.
Parent Handbook and Lower School Handbook:
The Parent Handbook and Lower School Handbook will be available through the Veracross portal. Please feel free to reach out to the Lower School office (lsoffice@parkschool.net) if you have questions.
Grandparents:
The Veracross portal includes a section in the “Family Update Form” called “Grandparents.” By updating contact information for grandparents, you will enable Park to share community news periodically, and invite grandparents to future events and other community activities.
The First Three Days:
• August 29, 30, 31: “Get to Know You” Virtual Conferences for Parents
• August 30: Grades 2–5 New Student Orientation for Parents and Students (10-11:30 a.m.)
• August 31 (First Day of School): Early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. for ALL Lower School students.
*Bus transportation or extended day is not available on August 31.
“Get to Know You” Virtual Conferences for Parents
All Lower School parents will have an opportunity to connect with their child’s teacher before or on the first day of school. The purpose of these conferences is to establish the foundation for a strong, year-long partnership between teachers and parents. Lower School Administrative Assistant, Kara Leonard, will send out conference sign up information during the week of August 15.
The conference schedule is as follows:
MONDAY, AUGUST 29
Virtual Parent Conferences
9 a.m.–noon
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30
Virtual Parent Conferences
8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
(Grades 2–5 New Student Orientation: 10-11:30 a.m.)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31
Virtual Parent Conferences
1–4 p.m.
(Lower School dismissal: 11:30 a.m.)
Reminders, Opportunities & General Information
Reminders
Technology:
To support both in-school and at-home academic programming and to minimize the risk associated with sharing devices, Park is requiring that each student have access to the following technology:
- All tech requirements will be provided to families for school and home use
- Families are not required to purchase any tech
- If your child has an existing device, there is no need to purchase a new device, even if that device does not meet the specifications below. While Chromebooks will work in these grades, they are not recommended for Middle School and beyond.
- Lower end Chromebooks tend to have difficulty running Zoom and class-specific software in MS and US will not work on Chromebooks.
- iPads are not suitable as primary devices for MS and US.
The table below applies to students in Grades 4-12.
| Personal laptop with a built-in webcam (students with an existing laptop or Chromebook do not need to buy a new device) | Macintosh or Windows PC | $500 – 1,000 |
| Minimum laptop specifications | 13″ minimum screen i5 processor 8 GB RAM 128 GB minimum hard drive (16 GB minimum if Chromebook | |
| Lightweight headset (headphones and built-in microphone) | Stereo plugs or USB connection to connect to student’s device Example brands: Cyber Acoustics Stereo PlugHeadset, Logitech USB Headset | $10 – 80 |
| USB to USB-C adapter for peripheral devices (e.g. document camera) if no standard USB port on device | Example 1 (from Amazon) Example 2 (from Amazon) Example 3 (from Apple) | $9 – 20 |
| Extended warranty (AppleCare or equivalent for PC) | Recommended for laptops, but NOT required | $119 – 379 (for 2-3 years, depending on device cost and coverage) |
All Park families may take advantage of purchasing through Park’s recommended technology supplier, DSR Computers. Please contact our Lower School office for further information.
Lower School Extended Day
Our Extended Day program offers care for Lower School children who require supervision beyond the end of the school day. Our warm and nurturing staff organizes a wide array of activities each afternoon. These include crafts, board and card games, outdoor play, as well as quiet space to tackle homework in the upper grades. A daily snack is served.
During your child’s time with us, Extended Day fosters a sense of community while reinforcing Park School’s ideals of fair play and respectful discourse with peers and adults. Look for familiar faces as well as some new staff this fall. Our staff will facilitate a smooth transition between the school day and the student’s time in our Extended Day program.
Signing In and Out of Extended Day
In an effort to improve safety and security of the children attending extended day, and to ensure more accurate billing, all students will be signed in when they arrive, and signed out by a parent/guardian when they are picked up at each site at the end of the day. Click here for Extended Day information and registration.
Opportunities
After-school Classes
After-school classes will begin at 3:15 p.m. and end at 4:15 p.m. We will be offering three sessions of after-school classes. The fall session, which runs for six weeks, begins the week of September 6 and ends at the end of October. The winter session (November-early February) and the spring session (late March-the end of May) will each run for 10 sessions.
If for any reason days need to be made up due to cancelations (we will not reschedule classes due to inclement weather), they will be added at the end of the session and you will be notified.
Please register online by Friday, August 26 for the fall session. Classes are not filled on a first come/first served basis. We will randomly fill the classes after that date. You will be notified with a confirmation or regret email by September 2. Late registrants will be added only if space is available
Please remember that registration is not a confirmation of acceptance into the class. Confirmations/regrets will be emailed home by Friday, September 3. We limit the number of children who can participate so that the activity itself is both fun and manageable. If an activity is oversubscribed, we compile a “first refusal list” and offer a space in the next session if the activity is offered. There will be no refunds for an after school class following the first week of the class.
Click here for class offerings and registration.
Please contact Kara Leonard by email (kleonard@parkschool.net) or phone (410-339-4195) with any questions you might have.
After-School Music Program
A variety of music lessons are offered after the school day for an additional fee. Weekly instruction is offered in piano, guitar, ukulele, electric bass, drum set, clarinet, violin, and viola. These lessons are in addition to the student’s regular participation in music class.
For more information, contact Chris Peterson at afterschoolmusic@parkschool.net.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Musical Activities
5TH GRADE CHORUS
Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays from 2:15-3:10 p.m. in Room 424, led by Bruce Bryant.
5TH GRADE CONCERT BAND
Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays from 2:15-3:10 p.m. in Room 128, led by Maeve Royce.
5TH GRADE STRING ENSEMBLE
Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays from 2:15-3:10 p.m. in Room 123, led by Doug Jameson.
SOUNDWAVES (open to Fourth and Fifth Graders)
Rehearsals take place after school on Thursdays from 3:15-4:15 p.m. in Room 424 (Bruce Bryant’s room).
GRADE 5 JAZZ BAND
Grade 5 Jazz Band led by Chris Peterson, is on Mondays from 3:15-4:15 p.m. in Room 128 starting in September. Students can play classroom instruments like xylophones and drums or their own personal instruments (guitar, bass, wind, and string instruments) if they are currently enrolled in private lessons or are playing those instruments in Concert Band or String Ensemble.
For more information regarding Lower School musical opportunities, please contact Bruce Bryant (bbryant@parkschool.net) or Deborah Hull (dhull@parkschool.net).
If you would like information about private music lessons through our After School Music Academy (ASM), please contact Chris Peterson directly at cpeterson@parkschool.net.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Sports Activities
Welcome to Park School Athletics! Below, we would like to introduce the Lower School Athletic offerings for the 2022-23 school year.
Philosophy
Fourth and fifth grade students have the opportunity to learn/develop skills as a rostered member of our Lower School teams and to compete, (depending on the sport) against other area schools/programs. The goal of our Lower School Athletic Program is for all students to have the opportunity to develop teamwork, skill sets, and to be introduced to the basics of their chosen sport. Coaches strive to have all students receive balanced participation in games; however, those students who attend practice consistently will earn more playing time than others.
Practices
Practices (3:15-4:30 p.m.) will be used to teach fundamentals of the sport as well as the strategies needed to be successful in scrimmage play. Students will be encouraged to participate as good teammates in a supportive and positive manner to ensure a positive team culture, and so that there is excitement about continued participation in Park Athletics when they reach our Middle School.
Join Us!
We are one of the very few local schools who offer a team sport experience at the Lower Wchool level and are fortunate to be able to introduce team sport and school spirit to our younger students. Despite our two-year Covid pause, we are excited to bring the program back in its entirety. Our parents have been tremendous supporters of this program and our kids’ participation has been outstanding. We hope that your child will join our teams and be a part of “Bruin Pride.”
Lower School sports have been a tradition at Park and we are excited to have your child take part. We have merged this athletic experience with our Lower School activity offerings to allow families to make educated choices throughout the year.
There is no charge for our program (the cost will be subsidized by Athletics). We are thrilled to offer this to families; however, in return we are asking for a commitment to our program. Please do not put your child in a weekly direct conflict by signing up for multiple activities on the same day. Athletics is a two-day commitment (Monday & Wednesday) and we encourage full engagement. Please feel free to contact Robin Cardin Lowe, rlowe@parkschool.net, or Dia Clark, dclark@parkschool.net, should you have any questions.
LOWER SCHOOL FALL PRESEASON INFORMATION
Schedules (when complete) are at the Park School website: http://www.parkschool.net/athletics/teams-and-schedules/, and on the Veracross Athletics Calendar.
Changes in the weekly practice and game schedule will be emailed to the parents of players using the Veracross system as well as from the Lower School office.
REMINDER REGARDING HEALTH FORMS: See INFORMATION FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
All Practices will run from 3:15-4:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays during the season.
Fall — Soccer – Grades 4-5 (September 12 – October 26)
Field Hockey – Grades 4-5 (September 12 – October 26)
Spring — Boys’ Lacrosse – Grades 4-5
Girls’ Lacrosse – Grades 4-5
3:15-4:30 p.m.
Practice/Game Pickup and drop-off: Practice will run from 3:15-4:30 p.m. on Mondays & Wednesdays, beginning Monday, September 12. Students will meet coaches at the entrance to the Athletic Center and travel to 1 of the 3 West Fields on our Main Campus (Boys’ Varsity Field, Girls’ Varsity Field or Rosenberg Field). All 3 of the fields are in the rear of the Athletic Center and are easily accessible from one another. If for some reason the practice location should change, we will communicate the change via email. At 4:30 p.m., coaches will walk the students to Carpool (main entrance of the school) for pick up and those who are not picked up by 4:40 p.m., will be accompanied to Lower School Extended Day.
Games: We hope to schedule 1-2 games with another school in addition to 1-2 Brown & White (intrasquad) games this season. The games will fall within the normal practice days of Mondays & Wednesdays, but will require a larger time commitment than a normal practice. Most likely a game-day will occupy the hours of 3:15-5 p.m. on your child’s schedule. If we are able to travel to play another school, that will also add to the time commitment for that day. We will communicate additional game day information once the game dates are finalized.
Absences: If your child misses school or will miss practice or a game for any reason, please communicate that with the lower school office so we are able to account for all students. We will get that information to the coaches.
Equipment Required for Soccer: Soccer cleats, shin guards, and water bottle. Gym shorts and T-shirt will be acceptable for practice. Game jerseys will be provided by the School.
Coach: Blair Northcott
3:15-4:30 p.m.
Practice/Game Pickup and drop-off: Practice will run from 3:15-4:30 p.m. on Mondays & Wednesdays, beginning Wednesday, September 12. Students will meet coaches in Blaustein Gym II (pick up equipment) and travel to practice as a group (indoors in Blaustein Gyms, Kelly turf field or Tompkins field). If for some reason the practice location should change, we will communicate the change via email. At 4:30 p.m., coaches will walk the students to Carpool (main entrance of the school) for pick up and those who are not picked up by 4:40 p.m., will be accompanied to Lower School Extended Day.
Games: There will be no interscholastic competition this fall, but we hope if our numbers allow we will play 1-2 Brown & White (intrasquad) games this season. The games will fall within the normal practice days of Mondays & Wednesdays, but will require a larger time commitment than a normal practice. Most likely a game-day will occupy the hours of 3:15-5 p.m. on your child’s schedule. More to come on that as the season continues…
Absences: If your child misses school or will miss practice or a game for any reason, please communicate that with the lower school office so we are able to account for all students. We will get that information to the coaches.
Equipment Required: Stick, goggles, mouthguard, and water bottle. Shorts and T-shirt will be acceptable for practice. Game jerseys will be provided by the School. If you don’t own a stick, you may borrow a stick on a daily basis and return at the end of every practice. Questions? Contact Stradine Harris at 410-339-7070 ext. 4519 or sharris@parkschool.net.
Coach: Stradine Harris
3:15-4:30 p.m.
Practice Begins: Monday, March 6 (weather permitting) from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. on Tompkins Fields. Please note that all practices this spring for Lower School will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:15-4:30 p.m.. Home games will be played on Tompkins or Boys’ Varsity fields.
Coach: TBD
Equipment Required: Stick, helmet, gloves, athletic supporter, shoulder pads, elbow/arm pads and mouthguard and water bottle. Shorts and T-shirt will be acceptable for practice. Game jerseys will be provided by the school. Please contact Dia Clark if you need assistance attaining equipment
3:15-4:30 p.m.
Practice Begins: Monday, March 6 (weather permitting) from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. on Rosenberg Field. Please note that all practices this spring for Lower School will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:15-4:30 p.m.. All home games will be played on Rosenberg Field. We will usually meet on Rosenberg Field, but if the weather is questionable players should check the whiteboard in the LS office for our indoor meeting place. There will be practice regardless of weather, so you should bring gym shoes in case practice is moved indoors. Please bring your stick, mouth guard, a water bottle and dress for outdoor play. If you don’t own a stick, you may borrow a stick on a daily basis and return at the end of every practice. No Park School uniforms are needed — the school will provide game/scrimmage vests when needed. Questions? Contact Stradine Harris at 410-339-7070 ext. 4519 or sharris@parkschool.net.
Coach: Stradine Harris
Equipment Required: Stick, goggles, mouthguard, and water bottle. Shorts and T-shirt will be acceptable for practice. Game jerseys will be provided by the school.
General Information
Student Support: Counseling and Wellness
Park’s Counseling and Wellness Department includes a full-time counselor for the Lower School. The role of our school counselor is to promote student wellness and to work with students, families, and faculty to address any individual, social and emotional needs of students in order to support academic or social success at school. Counselors are a confidential resource available to students and families via email, phone, or on a drop-in basis. Contact Amy Ancona, Lower School Counselor, aancona@parkschool.net for more information.
Park’s counselors also lead the Park Connects Parent Education Workshops for parents at each grade level throughout the school year. Refer to their calendar for education workshop dates specific to your child’s grade.
Lunch/Cafeteria Limits Requests
Students in Kindergarten through Grade 2 eat lunch in their classrooms, are not able to order lunch, and must pack a lunch daily.
All students in Grades 3-12 have a student identification card that they may use to charge food in the cafeteria. Lower School cards are kept in the students’ classrooms. Cafeteria charges are billed monthly in arrears.
Parents may set a monthly limit on the amount a Lower School student may charge in the cafeteria. If you want to set a limit, you may request a monthly limit on the amount your child may charge in the Cafeteria (the limit amount you choose resets the first of every month). Please note that limits set the previous school year will remain in the system. If you would like to set a limit, please submit your request by filling out the form found here. We recommend that if you do place a limit on your child’s account, please discuss this with your child ahead of time so there is no confusion or misunderstanding at checkout time.
Save the Date
Back-to-School Night for Grades PK-5
- Thursday, September 15, 6:45-8:45 p.m.
Virtual Lower School Parent Coffee
- Monday, October 3, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Virtual Lower School Parent Coffee
- Tuesday, October 18, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Virtual Grades 3-5 Parent Technology Coffee with Tech Coordinator Meghan Marinucci & Counselor Amy Ancona
- Monday, October 24, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
*Please refer to the Lower School Calendar section below for more important dates.
Lower School Calendar
August
Monday 29 (9 a.m. – noon): Virtual “Get to Know You” Conference
Tuesday 30 (8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.): Virtual “Get to Know You” Conferences
Tuesday 30 (10 – 11:30 a.m.): Orientation for Students and Parents New to Grades 2 – 5
Wednesday 31 (8:30 – 11:30 a.m.): Lower School Half Day
Wednesday 31 (1 – 4 p.m.): Virtual “Get to Know You” Parent Conferences
September
Monday 5 (ALL DAY EVENT): SCHOOL CLOSED – Labor Day
Wednesday 7 (8 – 9:30 a.m.): New Parent Breakfast @ Davison Courtyard
Saturday 10 (1 – 2 p.m.): Partners’ Kickoff Celebration @ Lower School Playground
Thursday 15 (6:45 – 8:45 p.m.): Back-to-School Night for Grades K-5
Monday 19 (6 – 7:30 p.m.): Parents’ Association Grade Rep Training Meeting with Division Principals
Tuesday 20 (6:30 p.m.): Park Connects Kindergarten Parent Discussion
Monday 26 (ALL DAY EVENT): SCHOOL CLOSED – Rosh Hashanah
Thursday 29: School Picture Day
Friday 30: Rivalry Day
October
Monday 3 (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.): Virtual LS Parent Coffee
Wednesday 5 (ALL DAY EVENT): SCHOOL CLOSED – Yom Kippur
Friday 7 (8:15 – 9:15 a.m.): PA Parent Coffer for Lower School
Tuesday 11: School Picture Rain Date
Saturday 8: Saturday in the Park
Thursday 13 (10:30 a.m. – Rain Date Monday Oct. 17): Kindergarten Butterfly Celebration
Tuesday 18: Virtual LS Parent Coffee
Tuesday 18 (5:30 p.m.): Park Connects Lower Elementary (PK-2) Parent Summit
Wednesday 19 (12:30 p.m.): Autumn Harvest Festival
Friday 21 (ALL DAY EVENT): SCHOOL CLOSED for students – Professional Development Day
Monday 24 (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.): Virtual Grades 3-5 Parent Technology Coffee with Meghan Marinucci and Amy Ancona
Tuesday 25 (6:30 p.m.): Park Connects 3rd Grade Parent Discussion
Wednesday 26: Grandparent Virtual Tour
Monday 31 (9 a.m.): Halloween Parade
November
Friday 4: LS CLOSED – Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences
Wednesday 9 (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.): Virtual LS Parent Coffee
Thursday 10: LS CLOSED – Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences
Monday 14 (8:45 – 9:45 a.m.): Virtual LS Parent Coffee
Wednesday 16: School Picture Make-Up Day
Monday 21 (6 – 7:30 p.m.): Partners’ Program Thanksgiving Dinner
Wednesday 23 – Friday 25: SCHOOL CLOSED – Thanksgiving Break
Monday 28: Classes Resume
December
Thursday 1 (3:30 – 6:30 p.m.): Artisan Market
Monday 5 (6:30 p.m.): Park Connects Grades 4-6 Parent Sexuality Workshop
Wednesday 7 (8:30 – 10 a.m.): Kindergarten Holiday Breakfast
Friday 9 (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.): LS Grade Rep Meeting with Matt Doyle
Thursday 15 (9 – 11 a.m.): Grade 5 Winter Solstice Assembly
Friday 16: All School Assembly @ Athletic Center
Monday 19: SCHOOL CLOSED – Winter Break Begins
January
Monday 2: SCHOOL CLOSED – Last Day of Winter Break
Tuesday 3: CLASSES RESUME
Friday 6 (8:30 a.m.): Parents’ Association Parent Drop-In
Wednesday 11 (5:30 p.m.): Park Connects Upper Elementary (Grades 3-5) Parent Summit
Monday 16: SCHOOL CLOSED – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Thursday 19 (6:30 p.m.): Park Connects 1st Grade Parent Discussion
Monday 23: Park Connects Human Sexuality Workshop for K-3rd grade parents
Thursday 26 (6 – 8 p.m.): LS Family Math Night
February
Thursday 2 (6:30 p.m.) : Park Connects Kindergarten Parent Discussion
Monday 6 – Wednesday 8: 3rd – 5th Grade ERB Testing
Friday 17: SCHOOL CLOSED for students – Professional Day
Monday 20: SCHOOL CLOSED – Presidents Day
March
Friday 3: SCHOOL CLOSED – Virtual Parent – Teacher Conferences
Wednesday 8 (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.): LS Grade Rep Meeting with Matt Doyle
Thursday 9: LS CLOSED – Virtual Parent – Teacher Conferences
Monday 13 – Monday 20: SPRING BREAK BEGINS
Tuesday 21: SCHOOL CLOSED – For Professional Development
Wednesday 22: CLASSES RESUME
April
Friday 7: SCHOOL CLOSED – Good Friday
Monday 10: SCHOOL CLOSED – Easter Monday (possible snow make-up day)
Thursday 27 (12:50 p.m.): 5th Grade MS Mini Day
May
Wednesday 3 (9 – 10:15 a.m.): Transition Meeting for Parents of Students New to Grades 2-5
Friday 5: Lower School Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Visiting Day
Tuesday 9 (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.): LS Grade Rep Meeting
Tuesday 9 (6:30 – 8 p.m.): Rising 6th Grade Students & New Middle School Parent Information Meeting
Friday 12 (11am) : May Day
Thursday 18 (6:15pm – 8:30 pm) : Transition Meeting for Parents of Students New to Kindergarten – Grade 1
Monday 29 : SCHOOL CLOSED – Memorial Day
June
Friday 9: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!