Lower School Back-to-School 2024-25
Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year!
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, the Extended Day program, and 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 19.
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 26, 27, 28: “Get to Know You” Conferences for Parents
• August 27: Orientation for Parents and Students New to Park Entering Grades 2-5 (10-11:30 a.m.)
• August 28 (First Day of School): Early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. for ALL Lower School students.
*Bus transportation and extended day are not available on August 28.
“Get to Know You” Conferences and Classroom Visits 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 12.
Important: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade families will hold conferences in-person that include a classroom visit for the child, while 2nd-5th Grade families will conference virtually with the child’s homeroom teacher.
The conference schedule is as follows:
MONDAY, AUGUST 26
Parent Conferences and Classroom Visits
9 a.m.–noon
TUESDAY, AUGUST 27
Parent Conferences and Classroom Visits
8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28
Parent Conferences
1–4 p.m.
(Lower School dismissal: 11:30 a.m. – No Extended Day)
Orientation for Parents and Students New to Park Entering Grades 2-5!
On Tuesday, August 27, students new to Park entering Grades 2-5 and parents are invited to campus for an in-person orientation from 10-11:30 a.m.
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:
Pre-Kindergarten – 3rd Grade
- Devices will be provided to families for use at school. Devices may be checked out for school use at home when necessary.
- iPads for Pre-K through 2nd Grade
- Chromebooks for 3rd Grade
- 1st – 3rd Grade
- Students should have a pair of headphones that they can bring to school.
4th – 8th Grade
- A personal device (PC, Mac, or Chromebook) for use in school and at home.
The table below applies to students in Grades 4-8
| Personal device with a built-in webcam | Macintosh, Windows PC, or Chromebook | $400 – 1,200 |
| Minimum Mac or PC specifications | 13″ screen M1, i5, or Ryzen 5 processor 8 GB RAM 256 GB minimum hard drive | |
| Minimum Chromebook specifications | 13” screen i3 or Ryzen 3 processor 8 GB RAM 128 GB minimum hard drive | |
| 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 | $20 – 80 |
| 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) |
After-School Programs
We are excited to offer a robust set of after-school programs for lower school students, including extended day, athletics, music ensembles, enrichment classes, and music lessons. We have the same programs (along with some new ones!) that we have offered in the past, but there are several important changes to our registration process and payment procedures outlined below. Visit our revamped After-School Programs website with all key information about each program. Here are the highlights:
- Registration for all after-school programs (extended day, athletics, enrichment classes, music ensembles, and music lessons) opens on Monday, August 12 at 9 a.m. and takes place in a centralized registration system (CampBrain), the same platform we use for Park Camps. Families that have registered for camp before can use their same login and password to access all after-school programs; new families will need to create a profile to register. Whereas in the past, we had different registration systems and processes for each individual program, we are now happy to provide a unified registration system for these programs.
- Payment for after-school programs will now take place in CampBrain instead of FACTS. For extended day and individual music lessons, families will pay a $25 deposit at registration and then complete seasonal payments (September, November, February). For seasonal enrichment classes, full payment is due at registration. Please note that, because payments will now take place in CampBrain instead of FACTS, the payment timeline is also adjusted so that families pay at the start of the session instead of getting billed after it finishes. Families that have questions related to billing or tuition assistance for after-school programs should email afterschoolprograms@parkschool.net.
- Registration for co-curricular opportunities (athletic teams and music ensembles for 4th and 5th Graders) will also take place in CampBrain. However, because they are part of Park’s co-curricular opportunities, these programs do not have an additional fee.
- Registration for enrichment classes (Grades 1-5) is changing to a first-come, first-served model. Whereas in the past, families shared their preferences and were placed in classes, enrichment class registration is now first-come, first served. Fall registration opens on August 12 at 9 a.m.; winter and spring enrichment class registration will take place later in the school year (October and January, respectively), and we will email families with the winter and spring schedules before registration opens for those seasons.
- Registration for Extended Day (Grades Pre-K-5), however, is not first-come, first-served. Any family that wants to participate in Extended Day can do so — space is not limited in that program. Please note that all children must have a completed “Extended Day” medical form in order to participate in the program. Parents can find this form on the Magnus portal.
- For extended day contracts, families will select the number of days per week to attend, but they do not need to select the specific days themselves. For example, if a family selects a two-day per week contract, they can come to extended day any two days of the week.
- Co-curricular after-school music offerings in the Lower School are connected to the music ensembles for 4th and 5th Grade students. Our after-school ensembles include Soundwaves (a choral group for 4th and 5th Grade students), 5th Grade Jazz Band, and 5th Grade Concert Band Winter Sectionals. These activities are offered at no additional cost, and are described in more detail here. Families will also receive an email with specific information directly from the music teachers.
- Registration for Individual Music Lessons (Grades 1-5) takes place from August 12-August 26. During those two weeks, families register by filling out a preference form, and lesson placements will be made by August 30. Preference is given to students who have taken individual music lessons in the past, and lesson slots are dependent on faculty availability. For families interested in group lessons, we are excited to announce our partnership with Common Tone, who will provide seasonal classes to groups of students who want to develop their musical interests, but may not be interested in or ready for a full-year of individual music lessons.
- In case you missed the announcement in June, we are excited to partner with Peabody Preparatory, who will run Park-exclusive dance classes on Mondays (4th-6th Graders) and Wednesdays (1st-3rd Graders), along with classes that are open to Park students and the public starting at 4:30 p.m.
- We have revamped our Lower School Athletics Program, offering team sports for 4th and 5th Graders in the fall and spring. We are also excited to partner with Level Five Athletics for the seasonal sports clinics for 1st-3rd Graders, and their coaching staff will be working closely with the Park Athletics program to create alignment between the clinics in the younger grades and the team experiences that start in 4th Grade.
- Please visit our new After-School Programs website for additional information about each program, and email afterschoolprograms@parkschool.net with any questions about our offerings.
General Information
A Message from the Counseling and Wellness Office
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 academic school year!
A new school year is always a refreshing opportunity for new beginnings; this year is no exception.
The entire Counseling and Wellness Team, with unwavering dedication, is committed to providing the high-quality social and emotional programming and support you are accustomed to. We are thrilled to introduce fresh initiatives and approaches to the school community, ensuring a smooth transition for students and families.
Here is what you can expect from the Counseling and Wellness Team:
- Meet and Greets: Individual sessions will be held with students new to Park throughout the fall. In preparation for these meetings, Grades 6-12, please take some time to fill out this survey for the counselors to understand the needs and support of our students.
- Human Sexuality Education: Park’s Human Sexuality Education is taught by Debbie Roffman in the Lower School and Ashley Edwards in the Middle and Upper School. Holistic in nature and comprehensive in scope, Park’s trained health educators focus on healthy social and emotional development, healthy relationships with self and others, and community health and well-being.
- Counseling: The role of Park’s school counselors is to promote wellness, facilitate student social and emotional development, and work with individual students and families to address social, emotional, and mental health challenges that affect students’ learning and development. We are always here for you, providing confidential, brief counseling support for students and families.
- Please contact us to request support services at any time. Lower School families, please contact Lower School Counselor Amy Ancona at aancona@parkschool.net or 410-339-4129. Middle and Upper School families, please contact Kara Ker at kker@parkschool.net or 410-339-4158, Tucker Snow at tsnow@parkschool.net or 410-339-4117, and Edwin Gordon at egordon@parkschool.net or 410-339-4170. Please note that we cannot support requests for students to participate in teletherapy with community clinicians at school.
- Park Connects: Our Park Connects programming invites parents to gather, share, and hear from Park’s Health Team about the latest and most salient developmental topics for raising healthy children and adolescents today. We eagerly look forward to leading the Park Connects Parent Discussions and Health Team Happy Hours — new this year! — throughout the school year. Each division (Lower, Middle, and Upper School) has their own Park Connects nights. Please refer to this link for more information and your divisional Park Connects dates: https://parkschool.net/park-connects/.
- Referrals: From our robust professional network, we can refer you to community providers for assessments and more extended-term treatment.
We are eagerly looking forward to welcoming you back on campus soon! We hope you will become acquainted with us this academic year. If you or your family have concerns you want to discuss confidentially before the year officially begins, we encourage you to reach out in late August.
Warmly,
The Counseling and Wellness Office (Amy, Ashley, Edwin, Kara, Tucker & Debbie)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Lower School
Lower School is continuing to make strides in our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Lower School Affinity Groups
This school year, Lower School students will have the opportunity to gather in the following affinity spaces for 2nd-5th Graders :
- Black and Bi-Racial Affinity Group
- Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Affinity Group
- Latinx Affinity Group
- Gender Diverse Affinity Group
- Jewish Affinity Group
The purpose of these groups are for students to build community, engender support, and promote inclusivity and a sense of belonging with those who share a particular cultural identity. Currently, affinity groups meet on a four-week rotation during the school day and will continue expanding as the needs of our community change. Please fill out this form if you would like your child(ren) to participate.
Partners at Park Program
The Partners at Park program traditionally pairs Lower School students of color with Upper School students. At times the program has been extended to include Middle School students or other students from historically marginalized populations in our school.
The program reflects the school’s commitment to supporting and affirming our students as we embrace the diversity within our community. We have found that students of color may feel isolated when they are in a visible minority; an older buddy can make a significant difference in helping students become more comfortable at Park, thus enabling them to share their unique gifts and talents with all. The Partners at Park Program has allowed children to build friendships with students across divisions and has given students of color a stronger voice within our school. If you would like your child to participate, click here.
Common Bonds
The Common Bonds gatherings provide an opportunity for Lower School students of color to meet and forge connections with one another. It is our hope that Common Bonds will continue to be a place where students can affirm their individuality while also building lasting relationships that will carry them through their time at Park. We are excited to offer this community building experience for students in Grades 1-5. A number of Lower School faculty members will lead the group in activities, which take place once a month (on Thursdays) between 3:15 and 4:15 p.m. The dates can be found below:
October 17, 2024
November 14, 2024
December 5, 2024
January 9, 2025
February 6, 2025
April 3, 2025
May 1, 2025
More information on other programming to come from the Director of DEI.
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. Students in Grades 3-5 eat lunch in the cafeteria, and can order one meal and one drink (for a total of $8 per meal). 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 Dates
Back-to-School Night for Parents and Guardians in Grades Pre-K-5 • Thursday, September 12, 6:45-8:45 p.m.
- 6:45–7:25 p.m.: Kindergarten through Grade 2 parents meet with teachers in classrooms.
- 7:40–7:55 p.m.: All families meet in the Meyerhoff Theater for an address from Head of School Dan Paradis and Lower School Principal Matt Doyle.
- 8:05–8:45 p.m.: Grade 3–5 parents meet with teachers in classrooms.
STEAM Night for Families in Grades Pre-K-5: Thursday, October 17, 6 p.m.
Literacy Night for Parents in Grades Pre-K-5: Thursday, April 3, 6 p.m.
*Please refer to the Lower School Calendar section below for more important dates.
| AUGUST | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, August 26 | ”Get to Know You” Conferences | Pre-K–Grade 1 (in-person) Grades 2–5 (virtual) | 9 a.m.–noon |
| Tuesday, August 27 Tuesday, August 27 | ”Get to Know You” Conferences Orientation for Students and Parents New to Park Entering Grades 2–5 | Pre-K–Grade 1 (in-person) Grades 2–5 (virtual) In-person and on campus! | 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. 10–11:30 a.m. |
| Wednesday, August 28 Wednesday, August 28 | Lower School Half Day ”Get to Know You” Conferences | NO Extended Day or PM Bus Service Pre-K–Grade 1 (in-person) Grades 2–5 (virtual) | 8:30–11:30 a.m. 1–4 p.m. |
| SEPTEMBER | |||
| Monday, September 2 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Labor Day | ||
| Friday, September 6 | New Parent Breakfast | 8:15 –9:30 a.m. | |
| Thursday, September 12 | Lower School Back-to-School Night (see detailed timing above) | Pre-K through Grade 5 | 6:45–8:45 p.m. |
| Tuesday, September 17 | Parents’ Association Grade Rep Kick-Off and Opening Meeting | 6:30–8:30 p.m. | |
| Saturday, September 21 | Partners’ Kick-off Celebration (Lower School Playground) | 1–2:30 p.m. | |
| Saturday, September 28 | Rivalry Day! | ||
| OCTOBER | |||
| Tuesday, October 1 | Park Connects: Kindergarten Workshop and Parent Discussion | 6–8:30 p.m. | |
| Thursday, October 3 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Rosh Hashanah | ||
| Saturday, October 5 | Saturday in the Park and Bruins Run | 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, October 9 | Lower School Picture Day | ||
| Thursday, October 10 | Partners’ Breakfast Club | 8 a.m. | |
| Friday, October 11 | Kindergarten Monarch Butterfly Celebration (Rain date: 10/14) | 10:30 a.m. | |
| Tuesday, October 15 | Park Connects: Grades 4–6 Parent Sexuality Workshop | 6–8:30 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, October 16 | In-Person Tour for Grandparents of New Students | 9–10 a.m. | |
| Thursday, October 17 Thursday, October 17 Thursday, October 17 | Autumn Harvest Festival (Rain date: 10/24) Common Bonds Activity STEAM Night | 1:30 p.m. 3:15–4:15 p.m. 6 p.m. | |
| Friday, October 18 | SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STUDENTS: Professional Development Day | ||
| Wednesday, October 23 | Virtual Tour for Grandparents of New Students | 12–1 p.m. | |
| Friday, October 25 | New Parent Coffee for Pre-K and Kindergarten | ||
| Tuesday, October 29 | Parent Affinity Groups | 6–7:30 p.m. | |
| Thursday, October 31 | Halloween Parade | 9 a.m. | |
| NOVEMBER | |||
| Friday, November 1 | LOWER SCHOOL CLOSED: Parent/ Teacher Conferences (in-person) | ||
| Thursday, November 7 | LOWER SCHOOL CLOSED: Parent/ Teacher Conferences (in-person) | ||
| Friday, November 8 | New Parent Coffee | ||
| Wednesday, November 13 | School Picture Make-up Day | 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | |
| Thursday, November 14 Thursday, November 14 | Common Bonds Activity Parents’ Association Bonfire and New Parent Welcome | 3:15–4:15 p.m. 5:30 p.m. | |
| Tuesday, November 19 | Parent Affinity Groups | 6–7:30 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, November 20 | Lower School Grade Rep Meeting with Matt Doyle | 8:30–9:30 a.m. | |
| Monday, November 25 | Partners’ Program Thanksgiving Dinner | 6–7:30 p.m. | |
| Wednesday–Friday November 27–29 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Thanksgiving Break (classes resume 12/2) | ||
| DECEMBER | |||
| Monday, December 2 | Classes resume | ||
| Thursday, December 5 Thursday, December 5 | Common Bonds Activity All-School Winter Band Concert | 3:15–4:15 p.m. 7 p.m. | |
| Thursday, December 12 | Partners’ Breakfast Club | 8 a.m. | |
| Friday, December 13 | Kindergarten Holiday Breakfast | 7:30–10 a.m. | |
| Tuesday, December 17 | Lower School Winter Vocal Concert | 6:30–8 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, December 18 | Lower, Middle, and Upper School Winter Strings Concert | 7–9 p.m. | |
| Thursday, December 19 | Fifth Grade Winter Solstice Celebration | 1 p.m. | |
| Friday, December 20 | All-School Assembly (Athletic Center) | ||
| Monday, December 23 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Winter Break begins (classes resume Monday, January 6, 2025) | ||
| JANUARY | |||
| Monday, January 6 | Classes resume | ||
| Wednesday, January 8 | Park Connects: K–Grade 3 Human Sexuality Workshop for Parents | 6–7:30 p.m. | |
| Thursday, January 9 | Common Bonds Activity | 3:15–4:15 p.m. | |
| Thursday, January 16 | Partners’ Breakfast Club | 8 a.m. | |
| Monday, January 20 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Martin Luther King Jr. Day | ||
| FEBRUARY | |||
| Monday–Thursday February 3–6 | Grades 3–5 ERB Testing | ||
| Thursday, February 6 | Common Bonds Activity | 3:15–4:15 p.m. | |
| Friday, February 7 | All-School Lunar New Year Celebration | 3:30–5 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, February 12 | Lower School Grade Rep Meeting with Matt Doyle | 8:30–9:30 a.m. | |
| Thursday, February 13 | Partners’ Breakfast Club | 8 a.m. | |
| Friday, February 14 | SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STUDENTS: Professional Development Day | ||
| Monday, February 17 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Presidents’ Day | ||
| Saturday, February 22 | Family Bingo (Snow date: 3/1) | 12–4 p.m. | |
| Friday, February 28 | LOWER SCHOOL CLOSED: Parent/ Teacher Conferences (in-person) | ||
| MARCH | |||
| Thursday, March 6 | LOWER SCHOOL CLOSED: Parent/ Teacher Conferences (in-person) | ||
| Monday, March 10 | Park Connects: Grades 3–5 | 6:30 p.m. | |
| Monday, March 17 – Tuesday, March 25 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Spring Break begins (classes resume 3/26) | ||
| Tuesday, March 25 | SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STUDENTS: Professional Development Day | ||
| Wednesday, March 26 | Classes resume | ||
| APRIL | |||
| Thursday, April 3 Thursday, April 3 | Common Bonds Activity Literacy Night | 3:15–4:15 p.m. 6 p.m. | |
| Saturday, April 5 | Holi Color Run (rain date 4/26) | 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. | |
| Tuesday, April 8 | Parent Affinity Groups | 6–7:30 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, April 9 | Lower School Grade Rep Meeting with Matt Doyle | 8:30–9:30 a.m. | |
| Thursday, April 10 | Partners’ Breakfast Club | 8 a.m. | |
| Tuesday, April 15 | Lower, Middle, and Upper School Spring Strings Concert | 7 p.m. | |
| Friday, April 18 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Good Friday | ||
| Monday, April 21 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Easter Monday (potential snow make up day) | ||
| Friday, April 25 | Lower School Grandparents’ and Friends’ Visiting Day | 9–11 a.m. | |
| Tuesday, April 29 | Lower, Middle, and Upper School Spring Jazz Concert | 7 p.m. | |
| MAY | |||
| Thursday, May 1 | FINAL Common Bonds Activity | 3:15–4:15 p.m. | |
| Tuesday, May 6 | Lower, Middle, and Upper School Spring Band Concert | 7 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, May 7 | Rising 6th Grade and New Parent Meeting | 6:30–8 p.m. | |
| Thursday, May 8 | FINAL Partners’ Breakfast Club | 8 a.m. | |
| Friday, May 9 | May Day (rain date 5/16) *NO Extended Day or PM Bus Service* | 11 a.m. | |
| Tuesday, May 13 | Lower and Middle School Spring Choral Concert | 7 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, May 14 | Fifth Grade Middle School Mini Day | 12:50–3 p.m. | |
| Monday, May 26 | SCHOOL CLOSED: Memorial Day | ||
| Tuesday, May 27 | FINAL Parent Affinity Groups | 6–7:30 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, May 28 | Partners’ Program Pool Party | 3:30 p.m. | |
| Friday, May 30 | Parents’ Association Closing Meeting | 8:15 a.m. | |
| JUNE | |||
| Tuesday, June 3 | Fifth Grade Pool Party | 3:30–5 p.m. | |
| Friday, June 6 | LAST DAY OF SCHOOL |
