First Day of School Tomorrow, August 8th!

Our doors open at 7:35am to welcome our scholars to the new school year!  On the first day of school, if you would like to walk your scholar in to help carry in school supplies and take that first day of school picture, please do!  We encourage all families to come in and say hi to the teacher, give your scholar a big hug, and wish them well for the first day of school.  Our teachers will start their teaching at 8:00am, so I will ask all families to leave classrooms before that time so everyone can start their morning routine.  

If you would not like to come into the building, please proceed through the car line - entering off of Collins St., following the arrows around to the front of the building (please do not cut through the parking spaces) wait for a staff member to help your child out of their car, and then proceed around the building to exit onto Sublett Rd.  

Happy first day of the 2023-2024 school year!

Dismissal

Dismissal begins promptly at 12:00pm for scholars in Pre-K 3.  Please pull around to the front of the building by door #3 where staff members will be there to help bring your scholar to you.  

Please DO NOT get out of your car at any time to assist with your scholar, as this could back up carline.  Staff members will be there to help load them in.  If you need to help buckle your child in your car before leaving campus, please pull around to the side of the building by Sublett Rd. and buckle them in at that time.  

For scholars in grades Pre-K 4 through 8th grade, dismissal will begin promptly at 3:30pm.  The barcodes for the new scanner system (School Pass) will begin after this week.  More information to come out about them soon!  For now, if you still have your yellow tag from last year, please provide that for car line.  If not, no worries!  When you arrive around the car line, at the front of the building by the front door your will see a staff member.  Roll down your window, tell her the scholar(s) you are here to pick up, and she will call for their dismissal.  You can also write their names down on a sheet of paper with the grade level(s) they are in and put it on your dashboard to help our staff with calling as well.  We will make sure to get your scholar out to you safely!

Please be patient, as we want all scholars to get into their cars and all exited off the property (onto Sublett Rd.) SAFELY!  It might take a few minutes longer this week, but with patience and practice, the line will continue to be more and more smooth!  

**The flow of carline is as follows:

• Enter onto campus from Collins St. ONLY

• Follow the arrows around to the first stop sign on campus (two lines can form here in the afternoon as the carline begins to form).  

• Merge safely (take turns) into one lane and follow the arrows around the parking spaces to the front of the building (PLEASE DO NOT CUT THROUGH THE PARKING SPACES).

• If you are one of the first cars, please pull down to the last cone by the handicapped parking spot where scholars will begin to load.  

• The carline merges to one lane at the front of the building.

• DO NOT PARK in a parking space to come get your scholar.  You will be asked to get back in carline in order to pick up your scholar. 

Thank you for helping to keep our scholars safe by following our traffic procedures!

Uniforms

Starting on Monday, August 8, all students should be in uniform.  Uniforms can be purchased through the French Toast website (link is here and also on the HOME page of this newsletter).  Please remember each note listed below:

• All uniform tops must have a Manara school logo 

• All aspects of uniform must be in the blue and grey colors but can be mixed and matched in any way such as navy blue pants or skirt with grey shirt or grey pants or skirt with blue top 

• Any jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts worn throughout the school day must also be school uniform 

• Cultural Wear must also be in the navy blue or grey colors, including hijab (school colors-navy blue or grey)  

Once all students are in uniform, we will begin our Friday "dress down" days for $1.00 (hopefully can begin by August 25!).  

Any scholars not in uniform will initially be given a warning and parents will be notified.  After three uniform violations, a scholar will be given an in-school suspension.  

If you have ordered uniforms for your scholar, not to worry!  Please send them in a solid gray or solid navy polo shirt without the Manara logo (can be purchased at Walmart or Target) and the correct navy or gray uniform bottoms until their logo shirt arrives.  Reach out to Ms. Smith if you have any questions! (asmith@manaraacademy.org)

Planners for Scholars in grades 3rd-8th

This school year scholars in grades 3rd-8th will be utilizing planners within their classrooms.  Each scholar in grades 3-8 will be required to have a planner in order to use for academic organization and nightly communication.  Planners will be given to scholars at school starting the week of August 14th,  costing $5.00 for each planner.  You can purchase one for your scholar the week of August 14th.  More information on how to purchase them to come!  Please reach out to Mrs. Vinten with any questions at avinten@manaraacademy.org. 

Forget-Me-Not Table

Starting on Tuesday, August 8th, there will be a "Forget-Me-Not" table located next to the front entrance of the school.  If your child has forgotten an item from home (backpack, lunch, homework, jacket, etc.), please leave it on the "Forget-Me-Not" table labeled with his/her name and grade level.  Ms. Smith will check the "Forget-Me-Not" table throughout the day, but if you would also like to call our front office to let us know you dropped something off or will be dropping something off that is great as well.  Having this available means families do not have to come inside of the building to drop something off and will hopefully save families some time getting back to work or home!

"Visit with Vinten" Opportunity!

Come "Visit with Vinten" for a donuts and coffee session on Monday, August 14 from 8:15am-9:15am at our campus.  During this time you can learn about our campus, ways you can get involved, ask questions you may have, and join in some fellowship time to get to know each other!  I look forward to the opportunity to get to know each one of you, your family, and partnering with you this school year!

Family Fun Events

Each month we will be hosting a "Family Fun Event" on our campus.  Our first Family Fun Event will be on Thursday, August 24 after school from 4:00pm until 5:30pm.  Come and have some fun playing games, enjoy STEM learning time, create a craft and visit with friends!  

Fall Photos!

Fall photographs of our staff & scholars will be taken on Monday, September 11.  More information to come!

Aug 8 First day of school!  School begins at 8:00am!

Aug 14 "Visit with Vinten" - time with the principal event 8:15am-9:15am

Aug 24 August Family Fun Event from 4:00-5:30pm

Sept 11 Fall Photos (Lifetouch)

Sept 11-15 Scholastic Book Fair (more information to come)