Welcome Back to School - August 16, 2023

PreK/K Meet & Greet
Wednesday, August 23
10:00-10:30am

First Day of School

Thursday, August 24

Reed School New Families Welcome
Thursday, August 24
8:30am in the Multi Purpose Room (MPR)
A welcoming orientation for families new to Reed

Back to School Night
Thursday, September 14
5:30-7:00pm
Parent/caregiver only event

Reed Family Handbook
Please review

Review Immunization Requirements
Use this link to review required immunizations

Welcome Back to School

Dear Reed School Families,

Welcome to the 2023-24 school year! I open this letter by extending the warmest welcome to our new Reed families and a sincere welcome back to our returning families. This is going to be an exciting year filled with new learning opportunities, new friendships, and new experiences. I know I speak on behalf of the entire Reed School team when I say how excited we are to begin the new school year. Below you will find some key start-of-year information. Ongoing information about school happenings will be shared with you in our bi-weekly Reed School Newsletter. You also can find detailed information in our Reed Family Handbook. It is located under the Parent tab of our school website.

New Reed Team Members
I am delighted to introduce our newest Reed School team members. These talented individuals bring a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and expertise to our Reed School community!

Ms. Zoie Saludares, Mrs. Tina Warren & Mrs. Irina Boguk join our Instructional Aide team
Ms. Isabella Shahan joins our PreK team
Ms. Christy Ryan and Ms. Cami Kaniski join our 2nd grade team
Ms. Gagan Gill will be our school counselor. Ms. Gill will work with students, staff and families at Reed & Bel Aire.
Mr. Nathan Grebil will transition from 2nd grade teacher to Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA). This is an exciting opportunity for Mr. Grebil to work with and support teachers across the district. Congratulations, Mr. Grebil!

First Week School Hours
8:30am-1:40pm Thursday, August 24 (Early Release Day)
8:30am-2:40pm Friday, August 25

Regular School Hours
8:30-2:40pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
8:30-1:40pm Wednesdays (Early Release Day)

First Day(s) of School Arrival Plans (August 24 & 25)
For the first two days of school, parents and caregivers are most welcome to enter the school grounds with your child.

• Thursday, August 24: Classrooms will open at 8:15am and parents and caregivers may escort their child directly to the classroom. Please consider arriving no sooner than 8:15am and going directly to your child’s classroom as the playground can become very crowded and may feel overwhelming for some. Instruction will begin promptly at 8:30am and parents and caregivers are asked to depart at that time. The bench area outside the front gate will remain available to parents and caregivers wishing to continue visiting and making connections.

• Friday, August 25: PreK classrooms will be open to students, parents, and caregivers at 8:15am. If you plan to escort your child to their classroom, we ask that you plan to arrive on campus no sooner than 8:15am and go directly to your child’s classroom.

• Friday, August 25: Kindergarten-2nd grade parents and caregivers may join students on the playground beginning at 8:00am. At 8:25am students will line up at their classroom number painted on the playground. Teachers will escort students to class.

After School Pick-up
Please be certain to send a note to your child’s teacher outlining your pick-up plans. Be sure your child understands your family’s daily pick-up routine. If you plan to pick up your child in person, please meet them at their classroom # spot painted on the playground (alongside the field). You may want to visit the campus before the start of school to practice your pick up routine with your child.

First Day of School Reminders
Please be sure your child brings the following items:

A healthy snack & lunch. Please do not send in candy or any food or snacks containing nuts
Water bottle
Comfortable clothing and shoes (PE begins right away)
A note indicating pick-up plans (e.g., bus, carline, caregiver pick-up, Ranch Activity, BTCCC)

Regular Morning Drop Off (Beginning Monday, August 28)
Campus supervision begins each morning at 8:00am. Beginning Monday, August 28, please plan to drop your child off at the carline or the front gate. Parents and caregivers may not enter the school grounds. Yard supervisors will be on site to welcome and monitor your child. In the event of tearful separations, please be ready to release your child to one of our caring staff. Tears generally subside within minutes! (Goodbyes are always hardest on the adult; I promise!) Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures

Morning Bus: Students arriving by bus will be greeted by staff at the front bus gate to the left of the front office RUSD Yellow Bus Program

Morning Carline: Morning carline begins Thursday, August 24. Please note that carline begins at 8:00am and closes promptly each morning at 8:25am. For the safety of students, please do not leave your child unattended at the carline before or after the volunteers open and/or close the gate. If you arrive after the carline has closed, please find street parking and walk your child to the front office.

* Carline placards and gate ID tags will be coming home on the first day. Please look for an envelope in your child’s tote or backpack.

Other Important Arrival/Dismissal Information
For the safety of students, staff, and families, please be reminded not to use the front circle to drop off or pick up your child. The front circle is reserved for buses and emergency vehicles only. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

While we love our friendly four-legged friends, dogs are not permitted on or around the school campus. This includes the sidewalk area in the front circle. Some of our students are either allergic and/or nervous around animals so please leave your pets at home when dropping off and/or picking up your child.

PreK/Kindergarten Meet & Greet • Wednesday, August 23 • 10:00am-10:30am
We hope you will be able to attend our PreK/Kindergarten Meet & Greet. This is an opportunity for you and your child to meet your child’s teacher, take a peek at the classroom, and pick up your child’s tote before the official start of school. This will no doubt be an exciting year for you and your child. It will be a year full of learning, having fun, developing creativity, and making new friends. We are looking forward to welcoming our newest Reed Raccoons!

What: PreK/Kindergarten Meet & Greet
When: Wednesday, August 23rd • 10:00-10:30am
Where: Your child’s classroom (Teacher assignments and room numbers will be emailed to you on Tuesday, August 22nd after 4pm.)

PreK/Kindergarten & New Families Welcome • August 24 • 8:30-9:15am
Shortly after students transition to classrooms, PreK & Kindergarten parents and families new to Reed School are invited to a ‘Welcome to Reed School’ overview. This is an opportunity to be introduced to some key Reed staff as well as representatives from our PTA and Foundation. You also will have a chance to introduce and share contact information with other parents and caregivers in your child’s class.

School Supplies
All needed school supplies will be provided to each student. PreK and Kindergarten students will receive a Reed School tote at the Meet & Greet or on the first day of school (provided by our Foundation for Reed Schools). 1st and 2nd grade students may select to bring a backpack to transport belongings to and from school. Please be reminded that students may not bring cell phones, toys, and other electronic gadgets to school.

School Breakfast & Lunch Service
School breakfast and lunch service is optional and is offered on a daily basis beginning Thursday, August 24. Parents do not need to pre-order. Students not opting for school lunch will need to bring lunch from home. All students need to bring a healthy snack and a water bottle each day. *Please do not send in any food or snacks containing nuts.

Volunteer Opportunities at Reed
Please look for information from our amazing Reed PTA about how you can be involved and support Reed School. You also will hear all about opportunities to support your child’s classroom at Back to School Night. We are so grateful to our dedicated community!

Volunteer and Guest Sign In Procedures
All guests entering the Reed School campus during school hours must sign in using School Pass. School Pass is located at our front office. To expedite the process, please look for an email from School Pass on Monday, August 21st. The email will include a link that enables you to upload your information. You will then receive a personal QR code to be used each time you enter our campus. Be certain to save your personal QR code to your mobile device.

RUSD Safety Reporting
RUSD SAFETY REPORTING is for NON-EMERGENCY incidents. You can access the RUSD Safety form through the Safety Reporting link on our district website. By partnering together, we can keep our schools and surrounding community safe.

Teacher Assignments
Lastly...teacher assignments! A class placement email will be sent to PreK & Kindergarten families on Tuesday, August 22 after 4pm. 1st and 2nd grade families will be emailed on Wednesday, August 23 after 4pm.

I know I speak for the entire Reed School staff when I say how excited we are to begin the new school year. We look forward to meeting our students and families and beginning our year together. See you all on Thursday, August 24!

Warmly,
Mary Niesyn & Staff
Reed School Principal

RUSD Mission & Vision: Each student will be challenged and inspired to reach their fullest intellectual, social-emotional and creative potential to positively impact the world.

Mary Niesyn, Principal