Dear Laurel Park Families,

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

Thank you for partnering with us to make our school community the best it can be.

Respectfully, 

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

• April 15: Cultural Arts for 2nd Grade; Talent Show Rehearsal @ 3:45 pm
• April 16: School Tour @ 10 am & 4:30 pm, LPES School Talent Show @ 6 pm, gym
• April 17: Happy track out, Track 3!; Spring Movie Night @ 6 pm (movie @ 8 pm)
• April 18: Spring Beautification Day, 8:30 am - 12 pm
• April 19-25: Administrative Assistant Appreciation Week (Thank you, Ms. Lorenzen, Ms. Franklin, and Ms. Murray!!)
• April 20: Snack Cart; Teacher Workday / No School
• April 21: Welcome back, Track 4!
• April 23: Tr. 1 Field Day
• April 24: Tr. 1 Field Day Rain Day Make-up; 3rd-grade Tr. 4 Field Trip; Tr. 4 Q3 Report Cards go home
• April 28: School Tour @ 10 am
• May 1: National Principal Day; Tr. 1 Q4 Interims go home
• May 6: Bike & Roll to School; National Nurses Day (Thank you, Ms. Hoyes!)

 

Join us at our Talent Show, Movie Night, & Beautification Day!

It is a BUSY week at Laurel Park, and we hope to see students and families at each of the upcoming events.

On Thursday, our Student Ambassadors sponsor our LPES Talent Show of singing, dancing, comedy, and other artistry. We are excited for our students to showcase their talents in front of their peers and families! Please enter through the cafeteria doors beginning at 5:45 pm. The show begins at 6 pm in the gym. 

On Friday, our PTA is hosting our Spring Movie Night beginning at 6 pm on the field. We have to wait until it is darker to show the movie, Lilo & Stitch (Live Action), outside, so the movie will begin at 8 pm. Bring blankets, chairs, and snacks as we enjoy a movie on the field!

On Saturday, we will partner with the PTA, Home Depot, and local churches to spruce up the front of the building, bus loop, and community courtyard. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please stop by Laurel Park between 8:30 am and 12 pm with shovels, gloves, wheelbarrows, or just your muscles to help us pull weeds, spread mulch, and plant flowers. Sign-up if you plan to help! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C44ACAE2AA46-63448322-school#/

Track 1 Field Day Volunteer Sign-up

Coach Wahl, PTA, and the Taylor Family YMCA are busy planning our annual field days for students, which are April 23 (Track 1) and May 28 (Tracks 3 & 4). The field day planning team is currently looking for volunteers to assist with setting up, managing student games, and cleaning up. Click the link below if registered as an approved volunteer with WCPSS and are available to volunteer your time during our field day. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044CA4AF29A3FA7-47588911-field#/

Friendly reminder, our field day is not a spectator event, and any adults coming to the event must be registered volunteers with the school district and have signed up to volunteer for the event. To help keep the event safe and focused on students, we also ask that younger siblings stay at home. Thank you for helping make this day safe, fun, and memorable for all!

Laurel Park's 2nd Annual Sneaker Ball

Our school dance is coming back on Saturday, May 16! 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.

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.

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. Can you please fill out 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 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 set at school 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 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

 

 

Laurel Park PTA Information (lpespta.org)

Treasurer Needed for 2026-27

As we look ahead to the 2026–27 school year, the PTA is beginning to plan for next year and hopes to have all positions filled by our final general meeting on May 13. We are currently seeking a PTA Treasurer for next school year.

The Treasurer's role involves behind-the-scenes work to keep the PTA budget organized, including tracking income and expenses and maintaining records using Google Sheets and QuickBooks. Experience is helpful but not required, and training and ongoing support will be provided.

This is a meaningful way to support our school and ensure PTA programs and events continue to run smoothly. If you’re interested or would like more information, please contact treasurer@lpespta.org. Feel free to share this with anyone who may be interested in getting involved.

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.

Submit Photos to the Penguin Passport

Our students experience new and different places during track outs throughout the year. We would love for students to share their adventures with us! Participation builds community, celebrates diversity, and inspires others! Visit https://www.lpespta.org/penguin-passport for more information.

 

YMCA Camp Blazing Trails

Interested in the Blazing Trails camp or others, please visit https://www.ymcatriangle.org/programs/camps.