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Charelle Lovett, Principal

Main Office: 919-290-2333

Bell Schedule: 9:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Penguin Press

Dear Laurel Park Families,
This week, we celebrate and show appreciation for our amazing teachers! Our teachers serve in many roles each day -- instructor, counselor, nurse, cheerleader, problem solver, and so much more. No matter what hat they are wearing in the moment, they wear it well as they support our students and help them grow into their greatest selves. We encourage you to join us in celebrating them throughout Teacher Appreciation Week!

Families have several opportunities to show appreciation, including writing positive sidewalk messages on Sunday and Wednesday, donating items to the Snack Cart, or gifting a teacher one of their favorite things. Click here to learn more.

On Wednesday, we will hold our final General PTA Meeting of the school year. New and current LPES families are invited to attend to hear about the exciting work our PTA has planned for the 2026–27 school year. Our current PTA President, Tracy Zimmermann, and Treasurer, Julie Neild, will be transitioning from their volunteer roles as their children move on to middle school. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and service to Laurel Park over the years.

This meeting is also a wonderful opportunity to learn how families can support the many programs and experiences our PTA provides for students through both large and small volunteer roles. During the meeting, PTA members will vote on the 2026–27 budget and new board members. We hope you will join us at 6:30 pm in the media center​​​​​​!

Lastly, you may notice some updates to both our school website and the format of the Penguin Press. Due to accessibility requirements, I can no longer use images containing words or important information on our website, as they are not accessible to individuals using screen readers. Moving forward, additional details will be included directly on our calendar pages, which will be linked within the Penguin Press. Thank you for your understanding and support as we adjust to these updated website expectations.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our Laurel Park community. Happy Mother's Day!

Respectfully, 

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

 

Art & Music Showcase on May 14 @ 6 pm

Our Art and Music Showcase returns on May 14! Come enjoy an evening celebrating the talents and hard work of our LPES students. Third-grade students will showcase their recorder playing skills, and toward the end of the performance, select students from grades 2–5 will perform a song using their chosen instrument.

Families are also encouraged to explore the student artwork displayed throughout the halls around the gym, where every LPES student will have a piece of artwork showcased.

Interested in volunteering to help the event run smoothly? Click the link above to sign up. We hope you will join us for this special evening celebrating the many talents of our penguins!

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.

Apex High School Youth Sports Camps

Apex High School Cougars is hosting Youth Sports Camps for rising 1st–8th grade students from May 18–21. Camps are led by high school coaches and players and focus on skill development, confidence-building, and fun for all experience levels. Basketball camp will run from 4:00–5:30 p.m., followed by Football and Girls Flag Football from 5:30–7:00 p.m. Interested families can click the link above to register.

Tr. 3 & 4 Field Day is May 28

Our Field Day is always a highlight of the school year, filled with fun, games, and lots of outdoor activities (your child will get wet). Students need to bring a change of clothes, a towel, and a water bottle (labeled with their name).

At the end of Field Day, each student will receive a refreshing ice pop to cool down and celebrate a fun day of activity. For students with dietary restrictions or who need an alternative, we will have DeeBee's Organics available.

Volunteer spots are still available! If you are interested in helping out, please visit our SignUpGenius to claim a spot. Please note that Field Day is not a spectator event, and we kindly ask that only registered volunteers plan to attend. To help us keep the event safe and focused for all students, we also ask that younger siblings stay at home.

5th Grade Student Pictures Needed

Our 5th graders are working on their slideshow for the Moving Up ceremony. To help students have access to personal pictures to use on their slide, complete this form to add pictures of your child. Contact Tiffany Trent (ttrent@wcpss.net) if you have trouble uploading pictures. 

5th-grade Moving Up Ceremony

Our 5th-grade moving up ceremonies are quickly approaching! We will celebrate our 5th-graders on Tuesday, June 2 (Track 1) and Friday, June 26 (Tracks 3 and 4) at 11 am. Cafeteria doors in the courtyard open at 10:30 am. For families who want their younger LPES child(ren) to attend, go to the Front Entrance to check out your child from their classroom. The receptionist will have your younger child(ren) meet you in the cafeteria/gym for the ceremony. 

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

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

Laurel Park Monthly Character Strength

In May, we will focus on Self-Discipline: You control your actions and make good choices, even when it’s hard.

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 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 Laurel Park 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.