Dear Laurel Park Families,
On the morning of May 1, some of our staff will be participating in a brief, optional “Walk In” before the school day begins. Educators across North Carolina are using this time to show support for strong public schools and the students they serve. This walk-in will take place before the school day starts and will cause no disruption to instruction.

If families would like to show support, you are welcome to join us briefly outside the school between 8:15 and 8:40 am, wear red or Laurel Park gear, or share a positive message for our students and staff. Your encouragement means a great deal and helps reinforce the strong partnership we share as a community.

In addition, our PTA is seeking family members interested in serving in leadership roles for the upcoming school year. Open positions include Treasurer, VP of Fundraising, VP of Programs, Nominating Chair, and Clubs Chair. If you are interested in learning more or getting involved, please reach out to info@lpespta.org.

Thank you for your continued support and for partnering with us to make Laurel Park a strong and connected school community.

Respectfully, 

Charelle Lovett, Principal
LPES Family Handbook
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Upcoming Events / Important Dates (Community Calendar)

• April 27-May 1: School Lunch Hero Spirit Week (Thank you, Mindy, Zuly, & Vo!)
• April 28: School Tour @ 10 am; Gr. 2-5 Student Showcase
• May 1: National Principal Day; Tr. 1 Q4 Interims go home
• May 6: Bike & Roll to School; National Nurses Day (Thank you, Ms. Hoyes!)
• May 11-15: LPES Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 11: Welcome back, Track 3! (all students on campus); Spirit Night @ Tap Station; WCPSS Let's Talk Special Education at Knightdale HS, 6-7:30 pm
• May 12: Spirit Night @ Tap Station
• May 13: Testing Coordinator Appreciation Day; General PTA Meeting @ 6:30 pm
• May 14: Art & Music Showcase @ 6 pm
• May 15: Kinder Letterland Parade; Family Survey closes
• May 16: LPES Sneaker Ball -- Hollywood Theme; 4-5 pm (gr. K-2) & 6-7:30 pm (gr. 3-5) 

School Lunch Hero Spirit Week is April 27 - May 1

We are celebrating our Child Nutrition Services (CNS) staff this week with a spirit week! We are thankful for Mindy, our cafeteria manager, Zuly, our assistant manager, and Vo, our cashier, for providing a variety of foods for breakfast and lunch that our students enjoy eating. 

• Monday: Wacky Tacky Day
• Tuesday: Pajama Day
• Wednesday: Storybook Character Day
• Thursday: Sports Fan Day
• ​​​​​​​Friday: Lunch Hero Day

Track 1 End-of-Grade (EOG) Testing & Retesting Information

Track 1 third-fifth-grade students will take the EOGs on May 19th and May 20th. Fifth-grade students will have a third testing day on May 21st for the Science EOG. This year, students who score “Not Proficient” on their state assessment(s) will have the opportunity to take the test a second time during the testing window, which is the last 10 days of school. (This was previously done after the school year ended.) This retest gives students another chance to demonstrate their learning and growth.

While we encourage you to consider allowing your student to participate in retesting if they qualify, please know that participation in retesting is completely voluntary and requires parent/guardian permission.  

A letter will be sent home on Friday, May 1, 2026. If you would like your student to have this opportunity to retest in the event that they score “Not Proficient” on their first attempt. Please return the form by May 8, 2026. 

For your planning purposes, the Track 1 retesting will be the week of May 25th.

Take the Family Survey now through May 15

Helping students do their best in school is a team effort, and your voice matters. Each spring, our school district invites families to participate in the annual Family Survey, which provides valuable feedback to individual schools about school climate, communication, access, curriculum, and family needs such as transportation.

Please take a few moments between now and May 15 to complete the survey and share your honest, thoughtful input. Your feedback directly helps us celebrate strengths and identify areas for growth so we can better support our students and families.

Parents and caregivers should complete the survey once for each school where a child is enrolled. If you have more than one child attending the same school, you only need to complete it once.

https://surveys.panoramaed.com/wakecounty/family

Laurel Park's 2nd Annual Sneaker Ball

Our school dance is coming back on Saturday, May 16! Laurel Park students should come ready to groove to the music with friends in their best dress and cool kicks. Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd-grade students are invited to dance from 4–5 pm. Our upper elementary students (grades 3–5) are invited to dance from 6-7:30 pm. As a reminder, this is an LPES student-only event. Volunteer sign-ups will be sent out soon.

 

Teacher Appreciation is coming, and PTA needs you!

Laurel Park celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week from May 11th-15th, and the PTA would love your help in making it extra special for our amazing teachers! They are looking for parent volunteers to assist with small activities, donations, and event support throughout the week. If you’re available to lend a hand or would like more information, please let us know. You can email the PTA at info@lpespta.org. The PTA is looking for committee co-chairs to help organize volunteers. Any amount of time or contribution is greatly appreciated!

5th Grade Student Pictures Needed

Every year, 5th graders create a slideshow for our moving up ceremony. Tracks 1 and 3 will start them next week. Track 4 will start when they return from track out.  They take a little while to get started, so we start early. Complete this form and add pictures of your child while they were growing up, and also some from this year. That way, they have access to them to add them to their slide. In the slide, they will talk a little about themselves too. Let me know if you have any problems uploading. You can always email the pictures to me through talking points or at ttrent@wcpss.net.  

https://forms.gle/aeqJdo8D3hFenQF59

Mark Your Calendar, 5th-grade families!

Our 5th-grade moving up ceremonies have been scheduled for Tuesday, June 2 (Track 1) and Friday, June 26 (Tracks 3 and 4) at 11 am. Doors open at 10:30 am. More logistical information to come as we get closer to our celebratory event. 

Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Links for ALL families

Questions? Contact our AIG teachers, Stephanie Atwell (satwell@wcpss.net)

• AIG Testing Nomination Flyer

• AIG Brochure: Gifted Education Services in WCPSS

• AIG Information Slideshow

Laurel Park Monthly Character Strength

In April, we will focus on Kindness: You are friendly, generous, and care about others.

Friendly Family Reminders

• Smartwatches and Cell Phones: The only electronic device students should bring to school is the district-issued Chromebook. Personal technology (e.g., smartwatches, cell phones) should be turned off during school hours. Parents can call the front office to relay a message to their child.

• Grades 3-5 Chromebooks: Students are expected to bring their charged Chromebooks to school daily. These are not only used for classwork but also for district and statewide testing that occurs throughout the school year.

• Extra Clothing: We ask all students to have an extra set of clothes at school in case something happens. (We have limited clothes and undergarments in the office.) Please check to ensure the school set is weather-appropriate and still fits.

• Volunteering: Register at https://www.wcpss.net/partnerships-and-community/volunteer

• Arriving Late / Leaving Early: Students who arrive at school after 9:15 AM must be signed in by the parent/guardian via the QR code on the front door. Early check-out ends at 3:15 pm. 

Ways to Support our Families & Community

We continue to add non-perishable food items to our Lucky's Community Pantry near the school's front entrance. Have items to donate? Please bring them to the front office or place them in the pantry.

Purposity is a new platform for WCPSS that allows our school team to share real, immediate needs of students and families in our community. Families and staff can scroll through a list of posted needs, choose one they feel connected to, and meet it in just a few clicks. https://www.purposity.com/organization/Laurel-Park-Elementary-School

Upcoming School Events

Field Day volunteer sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044CA4AF29A3FA7-47588911-field#/ 

2026-27 School Information

July 1st marks the start of the 2026-27 school year, and it is just around the corner! Families in grades 1-5 will receive their child's teacher assignment on Tuesday, June 30. Once teachers are assigned, no class change will be made. Kindergartner families will receive their teacher assignment after staggered entry. See the information below to assist you with preparing for the next school year.

Rising Kindergarten Orientation

Our youngest students and their families can join us on Wednesday, May 27, 6-7 pm, in the Laurel Park gym for our rising Kindergarten Orientation. Our kinder teachers will share important information before families have an opportunity to ask questions, and speak with a representative from Taylor Family YMCA and LPES PTA.

Buy School Supplies through Sprout

Our PTA partners with Sprout School Supplies to make school supply buying easier for families. Instead of purchasing individual supplies, families can purchase a supply kit specific to their child's grade level that is shipped directly to the school in time for the start of the school year. To order, go to sproutsupplies.com and enter the school code LPES001. Order by June 9!

Meet the Teacher / Supply Drop Off

Students in Grades 1-5 will meet their teacher and drop off their school supplies on Monday, July 6th (Tracks 1 & 3), 2:00-3:30 pm, and Wednesday, July 29th (Track 4), 4:30-5:15 pm. Kindergartners will attend school one day during the first week of school, and attend a Meet the Teacher on July 13th (Tracks 1 & 3) or August 5th (Track 4), 11:00 am-12 pm. 

Laurel Park PTA Information (lpespta.org)

Join the PTA

Laurel Park has an active PTA that serves as our primary parent-teacher organization. Advocating for public schools and sound instruction is the PTA's priority in supporting the school with clubs, coordinating school events, beautification, playground enhancements, teacher planning days, and instructional resources. PTA members will receive a 10% discount on all spirit wear opportunities.