Reed Newsletter • August 20, 2025

First Day of School

Thursday, August 21

8:30am - 1:40pm (*Early Release Day)

Reed School New Families Welcome
Thursday, August 21
8:40-9:15am in the Multi Purpose Room (MPR)
A welcoming orientation for families new to Reed

Buy your REED spiritwear at the front gate (details below)

August 20 - 23

Pre-K & Kindergarten PTA Playdate at Reed School (details below)

Saturday, August 23

9:30 - 11:00am

Deadline to submit interest form for classroom volunteer positions 

Friday, August 29

12:00pm

Labor Day Holiday (NO SCHOOL)

Monday, September 1

Reed PTA Meeting

Wednesday, September 10 

9:00 - 10:00am in Room 10

Back to School Night
Thursday, September 11
5:30-7:00pm
Parent/caregiver only event

Towntastic - Save the Date!
Thursday, September 18
4:30 - 6:30pm

Reed Picture Day
Tuesday, September 23

2025-2026 Reed School Calendar

For planning purposes, please refer to the school calendar so that travels fall during school holidays and students are in attendance on school days.

Welcome Back to School

 

Dear Reed School Families,

This Thursday, August 21st is the big day! The Reed staff has been hard at work preparing our classrooms and campus for the first day back and the exciting year of learning ahead.

 

In case you missed the Reed School Newsletter last week, please find some key start-of-year information in the letter below. 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 School Information 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:

• Kinsey Davis: PreK Teacher
• Zoie Welch: PreK Teacher
• Joelle Ott: Kindergarten Teacher
• Steuart Kaiser: PreK Instructional Aide
• Gina Phelps: PreK Instructional Aide
• This year, Paul Devoto and Cristina Lopez will be teaching 2nd grade together in Room 13
• This year, Angela Geiger will be joining the 2nd grade team

First Week School Hours
8:30am-1:40pm Thursday, August 21 (Early Release Day)
8:30am-2:40pm  Friday, August 22

 

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 21 & 22) 
For the first two days of school, parents and caregivers are most welcome to enter the school grounds with your child. Street parking or in the lot across from school off Tiburon Blvd.

 

• Thursday, August 21: 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 22: 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 22: Kindergarten-2nd grade parents and caregivers may join students on the playground beginning at 8:15am. 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) at 2:40pm. 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 (please label water bottles, lunch boxes & clothing):

• A healthy snack & lunch (school lunch is available). *Please do not send in candy or any food or snacks containing nuts
• Water bottle (we have newly installed water fountains across campus for refilling)
• Comfortable clothing and shoes (PE begins right away)
• A note indicating pick-up plans (e.g., bus, carline, caregiver pick-up, BTCCC)

Regular Morning Drop Off (Beginning Monday, August 25)
Campus supervision begins each morning at 8:00am. Beginning Monday, August 25, 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!)  

 

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

 

Morning Carline: Morning carline begins Thursday, August 21. 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 & New Families Welcome • August 21 • 8:40-9:15am
Shortly after students transition to classrooms, PreK & Kindergarten parents and families new to Reed School are invited to a ‘Welcome to Reed School’ overview in the auditorium. 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, smart watches, 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 21. 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. Monthly menus can be found linked on the school website under Breakfast and Lunch menu. *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 on Sept 11. 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. You will need to bring a driver's license or ID card with you.

 

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 was sent to PreK & Kindergarten families yesterday, and 1st and 2nd grade families will be emailed today 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 tomorrow!

 

Warmly,
Aubrey O'Connor & Staff
Reed School Principal

MEDICATION REMINDER from our SCHOOL NURSE:

If your student will require any medication at school this year, please follow the instructions in the RUSD Medication Policy. If you have any questions, contact  our District Nurse, Alison Mankin: amankin@reedschools.org or (415) 271-3527. Thank you!

Welcome to the 2025-26 School Year! Please see below for many opportunities to support Reed School and build our school community this year.

 

Pre-K & Kindergarten Playdate

Pre-K and Kindergarten families, join your new classmates for a playdate at the Reed School playground this Saturday, August 23rd from 9:30-11am!

Bring your totes to decorate them with markers, paint, pins, patches and ribbons, courtesy of the PTA. Feel free to bring balls, jump ropes, hula hoops, chalk or any other games to share.

Classroom Volunteer Opportunities
Are you interested in volunteering in your child’s classroom or the school library? Get more involved at Reed and help create a sense of community in your class by volunteering as a Room Parent, Car Line Coordinator, Yearbook Photo Coordinator or Class Celebration Assistant for your child's classroom! We’re also rolling out a Library Coordinator position this year, supporting our amazing school librarian Mrs. Smith. These are important and rewarding volunteer positions that help make Reed such a special place.
 
If interested, please complete the Reed PTA Volunteer Interest Form 2025-2026 by Friday, August 29th at noon. Volunteers will be contacted with further details the following week. Please see the detailed job descriptions HERE. Thank you for volunteering your time! 

If you have any questions, please contact your Grade Level Coordinator:

• For Pre-K, contact Erica Wehrs (ericawehrs@gmail.com)
• For Kindergarten, contact Kelly McCoy (kmmccoy923@gmail.com)
• For 1st grade, contact Alison Bean (alisonbean26@gmail.com)
• For 2nd grade, contact Leigh Nile (leigh@leighnile.com)

School Lunch Volunteer Opportunities

We need your help at Reed this school year to serve nutritious lunches free of charge to every student who requests one. Please sign up for a regular twice-a-month shift by adding your name to one of the slots on the 2025-2026 Reed School Lunch Calendar. 

 

Volunteers work in teams of four, so sign up with friends and make it a regular get together! Feel free to share a shift or sign up to be a substitute volunteer. This is a great way to get on campus, see what your kids are up to at recess, and provide a vital service for our school.  

 

Questions? Contact the Lunch Chairs Alison Bean (alisonbean26@gmail.com) and Sarah Newell (sarahnewell66@gmail.com).

Monthly lunch menus are posted HERE.

 

Reed PTA Volunteer Opportunities

Make an impact and get more involved with Reed PTA! 

 

We’re looking for volunteers on our Staff Appreciation, Picture Day, Book Fair and Towntastic teams!

 

For more information, please contact Reed PTA Site Chair, Dawn Garrison at dawncgarrison@gmail.com

 

Get your REED Spirit Wear

We’ll have a REED Spirit Wear sales table by the front gate at Reed School every day this week!

 

August 20, Pre-K/Kindergarten Meet & Greet 
August 21, First day of school - dropoff
August 22, Second day of school - pickup
August 23, Pre-K/Kindergarten PTA playdate - 9:30-11:00am

 

For questions, please contact Spirit Wear Co-Chairs Jennifer Wang (jenniferwang9514@gmail.com), Jenna Lefkarites (jlefkarites@gmail.com), Jenni Marshall (jenni.lynn.marshall@gmail.com) and Lauren Johnson (laurenejohnson8@gmail.com).

BE PART OF THE MAGIC —
SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY!

Join us in directly enriching our children’s education and building a stronger, more connected school community. Your annual dues support:

 

-Community-building events that bring families together
-Parent education workshops and valuable resources
-Staff appreciation celebrations to recognize our amazing educators
-Inspiring performing arts programs for our kids

Every contribution counts — whether it’s $50 or more, your support truly makes a difference. Let’s aim high and make this our best year yet with 100% family participation!

Join today — and help create something magical for our children!

Reporting a Reed School Absence 

All students are expected to attend school on a consistent and on-time basis. If your child is going to be tardy, absent, or leave school early for any reason, please be sure to email OR call and notify the office:

 

reedattendance@reedschools.org

(415) 435-7840  extension #1

 

Please Provide the Following Information:

• First and last name of your child
• Your relationship to the child
• Teacher's name
• The reason for the absence or tardy

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.