Dear Laurel Park Families,
Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We are excited to welcome our penguins back into the building as another year of learning, growth, and community begins.

Students in grades 1–5 on Tracks 1 and 3 will begin school on Tuesday, July 7. We cannot wait to see familiar faces and welcome new families to Laurel Park!

As a reminder, kindergarten students have an assigned staggered entry date. On their designated day, kindergarten students will attend school from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. Kindergarten families should use the carpool loop for both arrival and dismissal. To help traffic flow smoothly, we ask families to enter through the parking lot by following the large Laurel Park flags, which will allow you to bypass the regular carpool line.

Track 1 and 3 families with students in grades 1–5: We look forward to seeing you at Meet the Teacher & Supply Drop-Off tomorrow from 2:00–3:30 pm. This is a floating event, so families may arrive at any time during the window. Your child's teacher emailed a welcome message on June 30 with classroom information. If you did not receive that email, please contact the front office so we can assist you. Please note that class placements are final and will not be changed.

While you are on campus, you may also:

• Pick up a carpool tag from the front office if your family will regularly use carpool and does not already have one.
• Drop off any student medications for daily or emergency use with our Front Office team.

Please continue reading below for additional back-to-school reminders and important information. We look forward to partnering with your family for another amazing year at Laurel Park!

With gratitude, 
Charelle Lovett, Principal
LPES Family Handbook
Follow LPES on Facebook

Upcoming Events / Important Dates (Community Calendar)

• July 6: Tr. 1 & 3 Meet the Teacher / Supply Drop Off, 2-3:30 pm (floating event)
• July 7: Tr. 1 & 3 First Day of School!
• July 7-10: Tr. 1 & 3 Kindergarten Staggered Entry (child attends one day from 9:30 am to 3 pm)
• July 13: Tr. 1 & 3 Kindergarten Meet the Teacher / Supply Drop Off, 11 am - 12 pm
• July 14: Tr. 1 & 3 Kindergarten First Full Day of School
• July 28: Panera Bread Spirit Night (Beaver Creek), 4-8 pm
• July 29: Happy Out, Track 3!; Tr. 4 Meet the Teacher / Supply Drop Off, 4:30-5:15 pm (floating event)
• July 30: Tr. 4 First Day of School!
• July 30-August 4: Tr. 4 Kindergarten Staggered Entry (child attends one day from 9:30 am to 3 pm)
• August 5: Tr. 4 Kindergarten Meet the Teacher / Supply Drop Off, 11 am - 12 pm
• August 6: Tr. 4 Kindergarten First Full Day of School

2026-27 School Events -- Mark Your Calendars!

• August 26, 2026: General PTA Meeting, 6:30 pm in media center
• August 28: Family Fun Night & Ice Cream Social (formerly movie night)
• October 7: Walk, Bike, or Roll to School 
• October 24: Trunk or Treat
• November 18: PTA General Meeting
• December 3: Science & Engineering Fair
• February 17, 2027: General PTA Meeting
• April 16: Family Fun Night
• May 15: 3rd Annual Sneaker Ball (School Dance)
• May 19: General PTA Meeting

Laurel Park's Family Handbook

Please review the linked handbook for information about Laurel Park procedures and processes. Below are answers to frequently asked questions:

• Teacher communication: Teachers typically communicate via Talking Points (text-like application) and email, and are expected to respond within 24 hours. Red communication folders are sent home weekly with work samples and school-related papers. Teachers also email newsletters at least twice monthly for important classroom information.
• School communication: The Penguin Press, the school's newsletter, is emailed to all families every other Sunday afternoon with schoolwide information. Have not received a message? Make sure you are signed up for SchoolMessenger.
• Transportation delays: The Transportation Department will send a SchoolMessenger text message when there is a bus delay. Use the Here Comes the Bus application to track your child's bus. This app does not always work when there is a substitute driver.
• Eating with your child in the cafeteria: Unfortunately, I do not allow parents/guardians to eat with their child in the cafeteria due to limited lunch time, student upset, and all families unable to take off work to eat with their child. Want to celebrate your child with a special lunch? You are welcome to check your child out of school to take them to lunch.
• Outside restaurant food in the cafeteria: Our cafeteria is its own restaurant with a sanitation score; therefore, food from other restaurants (e.g., Chick-fil-A, Bojangoes, McDonald's, etc.) cannot be eaten in the cafeteria. If dropping off fast food for your child, they will sit in the front office to eat it before going to the cafeteria.
• Toys: We ask that toys (e.g., Pokemon cards, fidgets/small trinkets, stuffed animals) remain at home.
• Birthday parties/rewards: Birthday parties are an off-campus activity. We cannot provide parents with a class list with student information, but we can send home invitations on your behalf to all students in the class. Teachers can coordinate with families if wanting to send something home in honor of a child's birthday. With the number of food allergies in each class, we ask that families do not provide celebratory cupcakes/treats but books, pencils, or other small trinkets. 

2026-27 WCPSS Student/Parent Handbook Only Available Online

Due to budget reductions, the district will not print or distribute paper copies of the 2026-27 Student/Parent Handbook. Parents will not be required to sign the handbook signature sheet this year.

New! WCPSS Standard Response Protocol

This school year, our district is transitioning from using color-coded emergency responses (i.e., Code Red, Code Yellow, and Code Green) to the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). Instead of color codes, we will use clear, plain language to communicate the specific action students and staff should take during an emergency: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. Using consistent, easy-to-understand language helps reduce confusion and allows everyone to respond more quickly and effectively. Homeroom teachers will show students this 2-minute video during the first 5 days of school. Throughout the year, students and staff will practice these safety procedures as part of our regular emergency drills.

The 26-27 Spirit Wear Shop is Open!

Check out https://coolschoolspirit.com/laurelpark/

Renew Your Volunteer Status for the 26-27 School Year

Families who were approved to volunteer in the 2025-26 school year will receive an email outlining the volunteer review process for the 2026-27 school year. Check your spam or junk mail folder. This simple process to renew your volunteer status occurs July 1 through October 31.

Walking/Biking to school? Sign up!

Students who are in grades 2-5 may walk or bike home alone with parent permission. Students in grades K-1 must leave campus with a trusted adult. Unfortunately, that is not their older LPES sibling. If you plan to have your child(ren) be a walker or bike rider, please complete the form for each child before the first day of school.

School Meal Price Increase

The School Board voted to increase the price of elementary breakfast to $2.25 and elementary lunch to $4.00 to help cover increasing food costs. If your family needs support with purchasing meals, apply for free or reduced price meals here. 

School Supply Lists

Check out the school lists on our website for grades K-5, including students in ECS. Any family needing support with purchasing school supplies, please contact our social worker, Tessa Barrans, at tbarrans@wcpss.net. 

Rising Kindergarten Orientation Slides

Please review the Kindergarten Orientation Slides if you missed joining us on May 27. Slides include general information about Laurel Park and staggered entry. Reach out to the school if you still have questions. 

Register with the Taylor Family YMCA for Before- & After-school Care

Laurel Park partners with the Taylor Family YMCA for before- and/or afterschool care. Families register directly with the YMCA to create a schedule specific to the family. Doors open at 7 am, and student dismiss directly from the cafeteria to their classrooms at 8:45 am. In the afternoons, students are released from their classrooms at 3:45 pm to go to the cafeteria if they participate in after-school care with the YMCA.

Laurel Park Monthly Character Strength

In July, we will focus on Respect: You treat people, places, and things with care.

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. 

Art Buzz Kids Camps

Looking for a creative and engaging experience for your child? Art Buzz Kids, the family-friendly program from Wine & Design, offers exciting art camps, classes, and special events designed to inspire imagination and build confidence through hands-on creativity. Each camp features fun, kid-approved themes, unique art projects, and opportunities for children to explore new skills while expressing themselves. Best of all, every young artist takes home their own masterpiece, and families are invited to celebrate their accomplishments at a special art showcase at the end of the week. It's creativity, learning, and fun, all in one colorful experience!

Email: apex@wineanddesign.com / Website: www.wineanddesign.com/apex-nc 

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.

PTA Seeking Volunteers

The LPES PTA has a vibrant community of volunteers, but they need your help! There is a place for everyone -- whether you have a few hours a month or the capacity to take on a larger project. Click the link to learn more about available micro and mini volunteer roles. The PTA wants to continue to offer fun events for families, and they cannot do that without volunteer support!

Spirit Rock Rentals are Open for 2026-27

Celebrate your favorite Penguin with a personalized Spirit Rock message. Whether it's a birthday, sporting event, achievement, teacher appreciation, or any special occasion, the Spirit Rock is a fun way to share your excitement with the school community. Reserve your date today and learn more at lpespta.org/spirit-rock!