Lower School Back-to-School 2026-27
Welcome to the 2026-27 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:
A fully completed Medical Statement must be on file for your child to participate in gym, athletic activities, the Extended Day program, and field trips. Keep an eye out for an email from our student health record management system August Schools. Follow the prompts and upload the documents directly to the August Schools portal. Visit our Health Services page for more information.
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 17.
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 ([email protected]) 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 31, September 1 & 2: “Get to Know You” Conferences for Parents
• September 1: Orientation for Parents and Students New to Park Entering Grades 1-5 (10-11:30 a.m.)
• September 2 (First Day of School): Early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. for ALL Lower School students.
*There is no afternoon bus transportation for Lower Schoolers or Extended Day on September 2.
“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 17.
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. If a 2nd-5th Grade family would prefer to conference in person, please call the Lower School office at 410-339-4195.
The conference schedule is as follows:
MONDAY, AUGUST 31
Parent Conferences and Classroom Visits
9 a.m.–noon
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Parent Conferences and Classroom Visits
8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Parent Conferences
1–4 p.m.
(Lower School dismissal: 11:30 a.m. – No Extended Day or afternoon bus for Lower School)
Orientation for Parents and Students New to Park Entering Grades 1-5!
On Tuesday, September 1, students new to Park entering Grades 1-5 and parents are invited to campus for an in-person orientation from 10-11:30 a.m.
Reminders
Lower School will be holding a boot exchange on the playground on Saturday, August 29. This is an opportunity to drop off your child’s boots that no longer fit in exchange for boots that do fit! We’ll have a cart set up on the Lower School Playground for you to bring your old boots and look to see if there are any boots that will serve your child. Take some boots, leave some boots!
After August 29, any leftover boots will be moved inside to the ledges by the Lower School lost and found chests and will remain there for the first weeks of school. Please feel free to peruse or drop-off additional boots at your leisure! Any questions please contact Kara Leonard at [email protected]
Attendance
Parents are asked to notify the Lower School office by emailing [email protected] or calling 410-339-4195 when a child will be absent from school. If your child is ill, please also contact the school nurse at 410-339-4149 or by email ([email protected]) to inform the nurse of your child’s illness or symptoms so that they can monitor health trends within the school. Parents have the ability to notify divisions about their child(ren)’s attendance through the Veracross parent portal. Follow the instructions here.
Early Dismissal
All children must be signed out by an adult in the Lower School office before leaving school early. Whenever possible, please email [email protected] so that the classroom teacher and Lower School office are aware of the child’s plans.
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 – 4th Grade
- Devices will be available to students for use at school.
- iPads are used on rare occasions in Pre-K and Kindergarten
- A shared iPad cart is utilized in 1st and 2nd Grade
- Shared Chromebooks are utilized in 3rd and 4th Grade
- 1st – 5th Grade
- Students should have a pair of headphones that they can bring to school.
5th – 8th Grade
- A personal device (PC, Mac, or Chromebook) for use in school and at home.
List of Software/Applications Used at Park
The table below applies to students in Grades 5-8
| Personal device with a built-in webcam | Macintosh, Windows PC, or Chromebook | Students provide their own device. |
| Minimum Mac or PC specifications | 13″ screen M2, i5, or Ryzen 5 processor 8 GB RAM 256 GB minimum hard drive | |
| Minimum Chromebook specifications | 13” screen i5, Ryzen 5, Intel N150, or Kompanio 500 series 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 | |
| Extended warranty (AppleCare or equivalent for PC) | Highly recommended for laptops, but NOT required |
The school’s Philosophy of Technology can be found here.
Morning Drop-Off and Afternoon Pick-Up
Morning Drop-Off
The school day begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. After 8:30 a.m., students are marked late to school and must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to sign in at the Lower School office. (If heavy traffic in the area is affecting a number of families, late arrivals will be excused.) In order to help all students begin their school day with confidence, please note that our expectation is that families arrive no later than 8:15 each morning. The school day begins at 8:30 a.m., and it can take time to say goodbye to loved ones at drop-off, unpack and store belongings, greet friends and teachers in the hallways, and settle into the classroom. When students are dropped off later than 8:15, they may not have the time necessary for this important transition from home to school, and our teachers’ efforts to launch the day for the entire class can be compromised. Families arriving late to school on a regular basis will be contacted by the Lower School Office so that we can work together to ensure children arrive to school on time.
PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN DROP-OFF
The school day begins at 8:30 a.m. Classroom doors open at 8 a.m. and you are more than welcome to park in the parking lot (there are spots designated for Pre-K and K drop-off and pick-up) and walk your child to the classroom at that time. There is early morning care available in the Kindergarten multipurpose room from 7:30-8 a.m. for families who require an early drop-off due to work schedules or other constraints.
GRADES 1–5 DROP-OFF
Students in Grades 1-5 should be dropped off at the Lower School bus circle. Families are asked to drive along the upper road and turn around at the Athletic Center before pulling into the bus circle at the Lower School entrance. This will allow traffic to move smoothly. Park faculty and administrators along with 5th Grade students will assist younger children in walking to their classrooms in the beginning of the school year. Under no circumstances should a Lower School child be let out in a parking lot and allowed to walk across the lot or road alone. There is early morning care available for students in Grades 1–5 in the Lower School Multipurpose Room from 7:30-8 a.m. for families who require an early drop-off due to work schedules or other constraints. Students may be dropped off at the Lower School entrance. Children with siblings in the Middle or Upper School are welcome to enter through the main entrance at the front of the school or at the Lower School entrance.
Afternoon Pick-Up
PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN PICK-UP
Kindergarten dismissal is at 3:05 p.m. The Kindergarten carpool line is intended only for those who plan to pick up their children and leave campus immediately. For those with siblings in the first through fifth grades: Please pick-up the older sibling first before heading into the Kindergarten carpool circle. This will alleviate the need to re-enter the ongoing Lower School carpool traffic. Should you wish to stay on campus beyond 3:10 p.m., please do not leave your car unattended in the carpool line.
GRADES 1–5 PICK-UP
Lower School faculty members and administrators are on duty each afternoon for the 3:10 p.m. dismissal.
On the first day of school, you will receive a card with your child’s name clearly printed. These are color coded to make adults on duty aware of the grade levels of the students in your carpool. Display this card on the passenger side of the dashboard or visor so that the adult on duty may see it and call ahead for your child to be ready for pick-up. If you need an extra card for carpool, please reach out to the Lower School office.
Stay in your car and pull up as far in the carpool line as you are able, allowing the line of cars to advance. Children in Grades 1-5 will be asked to wait in designated spaces under the portico. If you are picking up children at both the main school building and the Kindergarten, pick up the older siblings first before heading to Kindergarten carpool. You should then be able to exit campus smoothly without the need to re-enter the “big school” line.
Please remind your child each morning of the plans for that afternoon (i.e. who will drive the carpool, etc.) and encourage your child to be on the lookout for the driver.
Children not picked up by 3:40 p.m. will be sent to Extended Day where they will be supervised. Parents will be charged a drop-in fee if their children are brought to Extended Day.
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 through Peabody Prep. Visit our 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, and music ensembles) opens on Monday, August 10 at 9 a.m. and takes place in a centralized registration system (CampBrain).
- Payment for after-school programs takes place in CampBrain instead of FACTS. For extended day, 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.
- 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 is a first-come, first-served model. Fall registration opens on August 10 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, 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. Families will complete this form in person when picking up their child from Extended Day during the first few weeks of school.
- 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.
- As you plan for after-school care this fall, please note that Extended Day contracts and Enrichment Classes have distinct registration processes designed to work together seamlessly. New for 2026–27, families needing care until 6 p.m. after a class can select a discounted Enrichment & Extended Day option during class registration, meaning those afternoons do not need to be included in your standalone Extended Day contract. Standalone contracts feature a flexible day-of-week model and are available as either Annual Contracts (best for consistent year-round schedules) or Seasonal Contracts (ideal if class enrollment varies by term). To ensure you select the right contract tier and avoid double-paying for coverage, please review our full registration guide and helpful scenarios on our Extended Day webpage before signing up.
- 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) and 5th Grade Jazz Band. 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.
- Visit the Peabody @ Park website to learn more about the after-school individual music lesson program that is managed by Peabody Prep. Peabody Preparatory manages the registration, scheduling, and billing for the individual music lessons. Park’s after-school support staff will help students that are in both Extended Day and Peabody’s individual music lesson program transition to and from their lessons.
- Our Lower School Athletics Program provides 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 2nd-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 After-School Programs website for additional information about each program, and email [email protected] with any questions about our offerings.
General Information
Contacting Teachers
Questions or inquiries related to a particular class should be taken directly to the teacher of that class. Your child’s teacher will suggest his or her preferred method of communication at Back-to-School Night. Parents may call the Lower School office to deliver messages to a teacher. If additional discussion is desired after speaking with a teacher, parents may contact the Assistant Principal or the Principal.
Clothing
We ask that children come to school dressed appropriately for learning. Our definition of appropriate school dress is clean, neat, and comfortable. Because our program stresses “hands on” learning, it makes sense for children to wear washable clothing in which they can move around comfortably. Please also see that children are dressed appropriately for the season; warm layers that can be added or removed for cooler weather, and cool clothing for warmer weather. Tie shoes are encouraged. Please do not send your child to school in Crocs or shoes without a back, such as flip-flops or other slip-on shoes without backs. This is a safety issue, especially on the playground. Dangling jewelry is discouraged.
Lunch/Cafeteria and School Store Limits Requests
Students in Pre-K and Kindergarten eat lunch in their classrooms, are not able to order lunch, and must pack a lunch daily.
NEW FOR 2026: Students in Grades 1-2 eat lunch in their classrooms, but may pre-order a box lunch that is delivered to their classroom. (More information about how to order will be available at the start of the school year.)
Students in Grades 3-5 eat lunch in the cafeteria, and can order one meal and one drink (for a total of $9.44 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 or in the School Store. Note that Lower Schoolers will only have access to the School Store if/when accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Click here to set monthly purchase limits on your child’s cafeteria account and the School Store account — if you do not want to set a limit, you do not need to fill out this form. Note: prior limits set will remain in effect unless you resubmit this form. 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.
More information about dining services including updated menus can be found HERE.
Playground and Inclement Weather
Playing outside is an important part of the day. Children go outside unless it is heavily raining or deemed unsafe to be outside. Parents are urged to send in a change of clothing for the season so that enthusiastic soccer players and budding naturalists have a dry change of clothes when necessary. Depending on the season, all children in the Lower School need to keep a pair of rain or snow boots at school. Children without weather-appropriate attire (i.e. hats, gloves and jackets) may be kept inside from recess and other outdoor activities.
Children’s Belongings – Lost and Found
All children’s belongings coming to school should be marked with the child’s name. This includes backpacks, coats, hats, shoes, boots, sweaters, mittens, books, and sports equipment. Unclaimed items are stored in the benches across from the Lower School art rooms, which is near the entrance to the 2nd Grade workshop/pod. PLEASE CHECK PERIODICALLY FOR LOST BELONGINGS. Our lost and found will be available to peruse on conference days and will be donated to a worthy cause at the end of the Thanksgiving Break, Spring Break, and end of the school year.
Electronics
Please find the school’s Philosophy of Technology here.
There is generally no need for Lower School children to bring personal electronic devices such as cell phones, smartwatches or personal tablets unless they are required by the school. Children who need to contact parents between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. may do so through the Lower School office or with their teacher’s permission in the classroom. Parents who need to get a message to their children may call the Lower School office (410-339-4195) and an adult will make certain that your message gets to your child. Not only do personal electronic devices run the risk of being lost, they are also a distraction to the learning process and unnecessary when there are other ways to send and receive important messages. On the rare occasion when a child might need to bring a cell phone, smartwatch, or other device to school because of an after school play-date or special activity, the child should let his or her teacher know and the device should remain in the backpack, turned off, throughout the day. This includes devices with special settings like “school-mode.” Unless an exception has been agreed upon between the School and a child’s family, at no time should any personal electronic device that is not required for school be used during the school day, including during Extended Day or after-school classes.
A Message from the Counseling and Wellness Office
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 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 continue with 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.
- 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 at any time to request support services. Lower School families, please contact Lower School Counselor Amy Ancona at [email protected] or 410-339-4129. Middle and Upper School families, please contact Kara Ker at [email protected] or 410-339-4158, Tucker Snow at [email protected] or 410-339-4117, and Edwin Gordon at [email protected] or 410-339-4170. Please note that we cannot support requests for students to participate in teletherapy with community clinicians at school.
- Counseling and Wellness Database: Park’s Health Team has created a database of resources (articles, books, lectures, podcasts, etc.) — and can be found here. These resources are intended to provide parenting education about developmentally appropriate topics
- 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)
From the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In the second year of Hayes Davis’ tenure as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Lower School is continuing to make strides in our commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.
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 8, 2026
November 5, 2026
December 10, 2026
January 21, 2027
February 18, 2027
April 15, 2027
May 13, 2027
More information on other programming to come from the Director of DEI.
Save the Dates & Calendar
Back-to-School Night for Parents and Guardians in Grades Pre-K-5 • Thursday, September 17, 6:30-8:45 p.m.
- 6:30–7:15 p.m.: Kindergarten through Grade 2 parents meet with teachers in classrooms.
- 7:30–7:55 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, November 12, 6 p.m.
Literacy Night for Parents in Grades Pre-K-5: Wednesday, January 27, 6 p.m.
Conferences for Parents in Grades Pre-K-5 (School Closed for Students):
- Fall Conferences: October 29 and November 6
- Spring Conferences: March 5 and March 11
May Day: Friday, May 21, 11 a.m. (12 p.m. Dismissal for Lower School students. No Extended Day and no bus service)
Please refer to the sites below for detailed information about other dates, events, and exciting opportunities.
- Academic Calendar (all-school information with divisional details including dates of school closures and more)
- Park School Events (a listing of school and community events that can be sorted by division or by month)
- The Bulletins (an email sent to families every week highlighting upcoming events in each division)
