Laurel Park Elementary Families,
As Quarter 1 comes to a close for all students on Tuesday, teachers are actively reaching out to families to schedule Quarter 1 conferences. These conferences are a great opportunity to receive an update on your child’s academic progress and learn more about the interventions, enrichment, and other supports being provided, both inside and, at times, outside the classroom, to support their continued growth.

It will also be a busy week at Laurel Park! Track 4 begins their break after Tuesday, and Track 1 returns from track-out on Wednesday. With several activities and events happening throughout the week, we hope to see many of our families!

• Monday, Oct. 5: City Barbeque Spirit Night (Kildaire Farm Rd.)
• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Penguin Quest Curriculum Night, 5:30-7 pm
• Wednesday, Oct. 7: Walk, Bike, & Roll to School
• Saturday, Oct. 10: Campus Beautification Day, 8:30 am-12 pm

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

• Oct. 5: Wear blue for World Day of Bullying Prevention
• Oct. 6-19: Tr. 1 Go Play Save Fundraiser (fully digital)
• Oct. 6: Happy Track out, Track 4! (Tr. 3 & 4 quarter 1 ends)
• Oct. 7: Welcome back, Track 1!
• Oct. 9: Tr. 1 & 3 1st-grade field trip
• Oct. 12-16: National School Lunch Week
• Oct. 13: LPNN Club begins 
• Oct. 16: Tr. 1 & 3 Report Cards go home
• Oct. 23: Happy track out, Track 3! PTA Snack Cart
• Oct. 24: Trunk or Treat, 2-4 pm

Take a Penguin Quest on Oct. 6, 5:30-7 pm

We are excited to welcome our Penguin families to Penguin Quest on Tuesday, October 6, from 5:30-7:00 pm! This is a floating event, so there is no set start time or order to follow. When you arrive, grab a Quest Pass and chart your own course through Laurel Park.

Penguin Quest is designed to give families a chance to explore what students are learning, participate in hands-on activities, connect with staff, and take home ideas and resources now that we are a quarter of the way into the school year. Use the map to find activities throughout the building and collect stickers on your Quest Pass as you explore.

A few tips for a great Quest:

• Stay together as a family as you travel through the building and complete activities.
• There is no required order. If a classroom or activity is full, choose another stop on your Quest Pass and come back later.
• Take your time! You do not have to visit every space. Choose the activities that are most helpful and interesting to your family.
• Most importantly, explore, learn, connect, and have fun together!

Ready to walk, bike, or roll to school? Join us on October 7th!

Twice annually, Laurel Park students and families celebrate active commuting to school by walking and rolling in October, and biking and rolling in May. Meet Laurel Park families and event volunteers at the following locations:

• 8:15 am: Picardy Pointe departs from Pond 
• 8:35 am: Apex Community Park departs from the first baseball field closest to Laura Duncan Road
• 8:40 am: Ellington Place departs from the playground
• 8:45 am: Laurel Crossings departs from the patio
• Arrival: Penguin Point, where we will have a table with free swag once the students arrive on foot or wheels!

Campus Beautification Day is October 10. We need your help!

It is that time of year again to spruce up Laurel Park's campus on Saturday, October 10, 8:30 am - 12 pm. Bring the kids, strong arms, and a readiness to pick weeds, plant flowers, and mulch. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Sign up here.

GoPlaySave Fundraiser is LIVE

Order your GoPlaySave digital coupon book today! The fundraiser runs now until October 19. https://goplaysavetriangle.com/LPES2027

Trunk or Treat is Coming!

LPES Trunk or Treat is coming up on October 24 from 2–4 p.m.! Join us for an afternoon of fall and Halloween fun, including trick-or-treating from decorated trunks, games, and a fall-themed craft for the whole family. Costumes are encouraged! Families can also help Feed the Candy Monster at the front of the school by donating a bag of candy starting October 5 – fill his belly by placing donated bags in his mouth! For more information about the event, visit the PTA website: https://www.lpespta.org/trunk-or-treat 

We need your help to make this event a success! Volunteers, candy donations, and families willing to decorate and host a trunk are all encouraged to sign up!

Sign up to decorate a trunk here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044CA4AF29A3FA7-66020220-2026

Sign up to donate candy or volunteer for the day of the event here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044CA4AF29A3FA7-66020696-2026

Attend a Spirit Night & Support the School

We have some awesome Spirit Nights coming up. Click the link for more information. 

• Nov. 3: UrbanAir Adventure Park, Morrisville, 11 am - 7 pm
• Dec. 1: Ruckus Pizza, 11 am - 9 am
• Jan. 18: Mellow Mushroom, 11 am - 9 pm
• Jan. 15 AND Mar. 12: Carolina Hurricanes Hockey (purchase tickets here) 

New Club Alert: Dungeons & Dragons

Ms. Stephanie Atwell will sponsor our newest club, Dungeons and Dragons, which will meet every fourth Tuesday of the month from 3:45-4:45 pm. As 4th- and 5th-grade students learn to play, the club may extend the time to 5 pm. The club size will depend on the number of volunteers to act as Dungeon Masters to support groups made up of 6 students each. Ms. Atwell will contact parents directly via email to confirm acceptance into the club and meeting dates. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/dK7VLhtBdXYNz1tB7

What is Dungeons and Dragons (DnD)? Look here to find out!

Cultural Arts Events

Did you know that a PTA parent volunteer schedules and organizes cultural arts events for all students to participate in throughout the school year? Using the Artists in Schools from the United Arts Council, students will have the following experiences:

• PreK & Kinder: Black Box Theatre
• 1st grade: Gazellephant Kids Musical (Aggregate Theatre)
• 2nd grade: HamLit Reader's Theatre
• 3rd grade: Bluegrass Music (Charles Pettee)
• 4th grade: Poetry Workshop (Michael Beadle)
• 5th grade: Fredrick Douglass Writing Club (Baba Got Bars)

Laurel Park Monthly Character Strength

In October, we focus on the following character strength on the morning announcements and morning meeting: Leadership -- You set a good example, help others do their best, and make choices that help the group.

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? Lucky's Community Pantry Wishlist

Purposity is a platform for WCPSS that allows our school team to share the 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. 

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.
• 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.
• Become a WCPSS-approved Volunteer (must be completed annually)
• 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. 

2026-27 School Events -- Mark your calendars!

• October 6: Penguin Quest (Curriculum Night), 5:30-7 pm
• October 7: Walk, Bike, or Roll to School 
• October 10: Fall Campus Beautification Day, 8:30 am-12 pm
• October 24: Trunk or Treat, 2-4 pm
• November 13: Family Fun Night
• November 18: PTA General Meeting, 6:30-7:30 pm
• December 3: Science & Engineering Fair, 6-7 pm
• February 17, 2027: General PTA Meeting, 6:30-7:30 pm
• February 25: STEAM Night, 5:30-7:30 pm
• April 16: Family Fun Night
• May 15: 3rd Annual Sneaker Ball (School Dance)
• May 19: General PTA Meeting, 6:30-7:30 pm

Laurel Park PTA Information (lpespta.org)

What is the PTA?
We get this question a lot! The mission of our school PTA is pretty simple: To provide an enriching and engaging learning environment for all of our students while also growing our already vibrant school community. We also support and advocate for our awesome teachers, and we cannot do so without the help of our school families. Last year, thanks to your support, the PTA was able to:

• Provide teacher mini-grants to offset classroom expenses
• Provide each student with their own LPES Field Day T-Shirt
• Fund ongoing training for our teaching staff
• Fund learning websites for our teachers to use within their classrooms
• Sponsor school clubs for our children (Chess Club, Lego Robotics, Jump Rope Club, etc.)
• Sponsor and facilitate fun family activities including: movie nights, trunk or treat, STEAM night, sneaker ball, and much more! 

Get Involved
Looking for a way to get more involved in your child’s school experience? We would love for you to join us! We have opportunities throughout the year that can accommodate everyone’s busy schedules. 

• Join the PTA: Visit the LPES PTA webstore to join and pay dues for the year: https://laurelpark.givebacks.com/shop
• Attend our first meeting: We welcome everyone to join us for our first meeting of the year on August 26 at 6:30 pm in the media center! It’s a great opportunity to meet other LPES parents and learn more about our plans for the upcoming school year. Children are welcome to join us! Girl Scout Troop 2068 will be helping to run activities for the children in attendance. 
• Volunteer: Check out our list of opportunities for ways to help throughout the school year: https://www.lpespta.org/volunteer-opportunities

NC Art Contests

NC Farm to School Contest

The NC Farm to School Contest is open to public school students in grades K-5 to create artwork featuring agriculture grown, raised, caught,  or made in our state. The deadline for entry is Friday, December 11. If interested in learning more, email Ms. Lovett at clovett@wcpss.net, and she will send you the entry information.

Aviation Art Contest

The NC Department of Transportation's Division of Aviation hosts the NC Aviation Contest annually. It is open to children ages 6-17 who live in or attend a school in NC the chance to explore different aspects of aviation. For more information here: https://www.ncdot.gov/divisions/aviation/aviation-art-contest/Pages/default.aspx