ELC Newsletter

Forms to Complete and Return

Please complete the Student Data Sheet, Clinic Form, and Corporate Text Messaging Form, and review the other important documents included in your child’s First Day Folder. Thank you!

Snacks & Lunch

Please send your child a healthy snack each day for morning or afternoon recess. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 should also bring a packed lunch unless they are purchasing lunch at school.

We encourage healthy food and drink choices throughout the school day. To support this, soft drinks are not available for purchase by Lower School students. With parental permission, students in Grades 3–5 may purchase designated treats during Sweet Treat Friday. These treats are available for purchase on Fridays only. Please ensure your child’s POS ID account has sufficient funds if they plan to make purchases.

Late-Start Thursdays and Early Release Fridays

Our Late-Start Thursday schedule begins on August 13. On Thursdays, students should arrive between 8:15 and 8:40 a.m. Please do not drop students off before 8:15 a.m., as faculty members are engaged in school-wide professional learning and supervision is not available.

On Fridays, students are dismissed earlier than usual. Kindergarten–Grade 2 students are dismissed at 1:50 p.m., while Grades 3–5 students are dismissed at 2:00 p.m.

Attendance, Tardies, Early Pick-Up, and Dismissal Changes

Attendance is taken at the beginning of each school day. If your child will be absent, please notify the school office between 7:30 and 9:00 a.m. by contacting Verna (ELC, Ext. 711) or Abby (Lower School, Ext. 111).

Absences are recorded as either explained or unexplained. If your child will be absent due to travel or another planned event, please notify your child’s teacher in advance. Parents are responsible for helping students make up any missed work. Please note that, in accordance with Brent policy, students who are absent for more than 27 days during the school year will not receive academic credit.

Students arriving after 8:00 a.m. (or after 8:40 a.m. on Thursdays) will be marked tardy. Exceptions may be made for school bus delays or significant traffic disruptions.

If your child needs to leave before the end of the school day, a parent or authorized guardian must sign the student out through the school office before leaving campus.

For your child’s safety, any changes to the regular dismissal routine (for example, going home with another family, changing from bus to car, etc.) must be communicated before 1:00 p.m. by email or signed written note to:

• The Homeroom Teacher,
• the School Office, and
• The Transportation Office (for bus riders).

Birthdays and Classroom Celebrations

Birthday celebrations at school are entirely optional. Families are not expected to send treats, food, or goodie bags.

Large-scale birthday celebrations are not permitted in classrooms or the cafeteria. However, simple classroom acknowledgments may take place, provided they remain respectful of the learning environment.

If your child wishes to distribute invitations to a private birthday party, invitations must either be given to all classmates or distributed outside of school (for example, by mail or directly to families). Invitations intended for only selected classmates should not be distributed at school.

For your convenience, classmates’ contact information is available on your child’s Homeroom Contact Information Sheet. Please note that, for privacy reasons, the school cannot release student contact information.

Guidelines

• Birthdays are acknowledged in class and during Chapel.
• Small tokens or “goodie bags” may be shared with classmates if families choose to do so. Parents are encouraged to keep these simple and easy to distribute.
• If families choose to send food to share, please be mindful of allergies and inform the homeroom teacher in advance.

Lost & Found

Please label all of your child’s belongings to help ensure lost items can be returned promptly.

Lost & Found stations are located at:

• The Security Office,
• the Main Drop-Off area, and
• The ELC Lobby Guard Post.

Students should not bring valuables to school, including mobile phones, Smart watches, electronic devices, large amounts of cash, or expensive jewelry, as the school cannot assume responsibility for lost or damaged personal items.

Parent and Visitor ID Cards

For the safety and security of our school community, all parents and visitors must sign in and obtain a visitor ID badge upon entering the campus.

Parents may apply for and collect their Brent Parent ID cards at the Security Office, located in front of the Brent Chapel. Parents are encouraged to wear or display their Brent Parent ID card while on campus. Parents who do not have a Brent Parent ID card are required to obtain and wear a visitor ID badge while on campus.