July 27, 2025
Dear Park Lane Families,
Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! I hope this message finds you well and that you enjoyed a summer full of fun, rest, and special memories with your loved ones. We are thrilled to welcome our students back and can't wait to begin another year of learning, growth, and belonging.
At Park Lane, we believe in creating a school community where every child is seen, heard, and valued. This year, we are especially excited to continue our work with the theme "Our Park Lane Path: From Growth to Greatness - Stronger Than Ever"-a commitment to helping every student thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
A few important things to know as we prepare for the first day of school:
- Back to School Kickoff: August 2nd from 10:00-12:30 pm (see flyer for details) Free Backpacks!
- Meet the Teacher & Back to School Night: August 5th from 4:00-6:00pm
- First Day of School: 1st-5th graders start on August 6th
- First Day of School: Preschool and Kindergarteners start on August 12th
We will begin promptly at 4:00pm in the gym for a message from the Principal, Assistant Principal, and Coordinator of Culture & Climate. There will then be 3 rotations for families and students to meet teachers and learn information about the upcoming school year. Teachers will begin their presentations at 4:25pm, 5:00pm and 5:30pm. Please join your child's/children's teachers during one of those times.
School Bell Times:
Students can be dropped off at 7:30 am. Please do not drop students off any earlier as there isn't supervision prior to 7:30 am. The first bell rings at 7:55 am and the tardy bell rings at 8:10am. Any students dropped off after 8:10 am must enter through the front office and will be marked as tardy. Students miss instructional time when they are tardy. For example, if a student is late 10 minutes everyday for one week they miss 50 minutes of instruction! It adds up and impacts their academics. Our Family Liaison, Dean, and Coordinator of Culture & Climate will be reaching out when there are attendance concerns.
New Mission, Vision, and Logo:
At the end of the 2024-2025 we worked with received input from parents, guardians, staff, and students. We used this information to help us create a new vision, mission, and logo! You will notice our signs and banners have been updated around the school. We are excited to share with you!
Vision:
At Park Lane Elementary, we nurture every child's potential with joy, respect, and a commitment to belonging and excellence.
Mission:
In partnership with our families and community, we honor diversity, inspire a love of learning, and prepare our students to contribute to their community. We are dedicated to engaging students through relevant connections and rigorous standards-aligned instruction to empower all students to succeed in their future endeavors.
Update for 5th Graders:
I want to take a moment to share with you an important shift we're making in our 5th grade classrooms this year-departmentalization, or the practice of having students rotate between teachers for different core subjects. We're excited to introduce this model because of the many benefits it brings to both students and educators:
1. Teacher Expertise
Each teacher will focus on teaching one or two subject areas they are most passionate about and experienced in. This allows for deeper, more engaging instruction and gives students the opportunity to learn from subject-matter experts.
2. Smoother Transition to Middle School
Departmentalization provides a gradual and age-appropriate introduction to the structure of middle school, where students will have multiple teachers and learn to manage transitions and schedules.
3. Increased Student Engagement
Changing classes and interacting with multiple teachers can make the school day feel more dynamic and engaging for students. It allows them to build relationships with a variety of adults and experience different teaching styles.
4. Collaboration and Consistency
Each 5th grade classroom will have a homeroom teacher. Each teacher will teach one content area. Mrs. Eisel will teach ELA (English Language Arts). Mr. Bach will teach Math. Mrs. Limbaugh will teach Science, Social Studies and provide extended writing instruction for students as well. Our 5th grade teachers will work closely as a team to align their instruction, expectations, and support across subjects, ensuring a cohesive learning experience for all students.
We believe this model not only supports academic success but also fosters independence, responsibility, and confidence as students prepare for the next stage in their educational journey.
We can't wait to see our incredible students! Our amazing staff has been hard at work preparing classrooms and planning meaningful, engaging learning experiences for your children. We're also looking forward to partnering with you-our families-throughout the year. Your involvement, encouragement, and communication are key to student success.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need support getting ready for the school year. Together, let's make this year one of growth, joy, and greatness!
With excitement and gratitude,
Megan Claydon
Principal
Park Lane Elementary
[email protected]
303-343-8313