Dear Lower School (LS) families:

It is with great excitement that I welcome you to Redwood Day’s 61st school year! We are busily getting ready for the start of our year, and we look forward to one filled with abundant opportunities to inspire our curious young learners. Summer is an excellent time to catch our breath, explore, actively self-reflect, and pursue professional learning. Over the past couple of months, I’ve felt quite good about my ability to find balance across each of these domains, and I’m hopeful that you and your families have also found time for rest, connection, reflection, and adventure! 

A highlight of my summer was spending time with my sisters and niece in Southern California. We’re all originally from New York City, so connecting and exploring together—while cheering on my niece at her soccer games—was a refreshing change. Plus, the SoCal vibe was a nice break from the humidity we grew up with!
Much of my summer has been dedicated to immersing myself in everything Redwood Day! As I enter my first year, I’m inspired and anchored by our mission and driven by a deep sense of purpose to support our entire community. I’m eager to connect, build partnerships, and strengthen relationships, knowing that our children will directly benefit from these efforts. I’m also incredibly excited to support our wonderfully talented team of faculty, who are key stewards of our mission. 

Many items will be bundled with this letter to help propel our collaboration for the 2024-2025 School Year. Please read carefully and continue to reach out with any questions or concerns you might have. 

  • I’m excited to welcome the following new LS teammates (alphabetically by first name):

    • Claire Gilmore - 1B Lead Teacher
    • Debbie Yura - 2B Associate Teacher
    • Eli Rodriguez - 4th Grade Associate Teacher
    • Elizabeth Lubin - LS Music Teacher
    • Jen Figueroa - LS Art Teacher
    • Linda Manzur - Assistant to LS Director
    • Megan Marietti Heller - Librarian
    • Ori Alon - Garden to Table Teacher
    • Payton Randle - 1A Associate Teacher
    • Victoria Bui - 3rd Grade Associate Teacher
  • The week before school begins, expect a welcome letter from your classroom teachers with finer details on how to prepare your child for the first week of school. Most letters will be sent via email (I believe one team enjoys sending their note via postmail.)
  • Please be sure to complete all forms via the Portal. If your child is prescribed a specific medication, please make sure that it is stored with Jill along with the prescription medication authorization form found on the portal 
  • Please note the following school day start and dismissal times (*Students can arrive as early as 7:45 a.m. for early care. Students are considered tardy after the start time listed below. Please plan accordingly.):

Grade
Early Care begins
School day starts
School day ends
(at this time, students are either in X-Care or at the curb) 
Curbside pick-up window…
K
7:45 a.m.
8:25 a.m.
2:50 p.m.
2:50-3:10 p.m.
1
7:45 a.m.
8:25 a.m.
3:05 p.m.
3:05-3:25 p.m.
2
7:45 a.m.
8:15 a.m.
3:05 p.m.
3:05-3:25 p.m.
3
7:45 a.m.
8:15 a.m.
3:10 p.m.
3:10-3:30 p.m.
4
7:45 a.m.
8:15 a.m.
3:10 p.m.
3:10-3:30 p.m.
5
7:45 a.m.
8:15 a.m.
3:10 p.m.
3:10-3:30 p.m.
    • This year, we will continue to host Orientation for all new K-5 Families (new students and parents/guardians are welcome!). Please join us on Tuesday, August 27th. We have planned a fun and engaging morning as follows:

      • 9:15 a.m. Arrival (15 min)
      • 9:30 a.m. Students join their teachers; Parents/guardians join School Leadership (45 min)
      • 10:15 a.m. Students and parents/guardians reunite on LS yard (15 min)
      • 10:30 a.m. End of orientation
    • K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade Mini-Conferences provide an opportunity for families to share their child(ren)’s strengths and areas for growth, along with any information to help build and strengthen the home/school partnership. Conferences will be held both in person on campus OR via Zoom for 15 minutes. Instructions on how to sign-up for Mini-Conferences can be found on the Important School Updates for 2024-2025 page. If you have any trouble signing up, please contact your classroom teachers. Please note these additional details:

      • Kindergarten mini-conferences will be held in early September after the Kindergarten flexible start. Families will receive a separate communication in September about signing up. Please refer to the Kindergarten Team’s Welcome Letter for more details on flexible start.
      • Grades 1-3 Mini-Conferences will be held on Monday, August 26, and Tuesday, August 27.
    • Orientation for ALL 4th and 5th Grade Parents/Guardians
      • In lieu of mini-conferences, all 4th and 5th-grade parents/guardians are invited to a virtual orientation with their respective teaching teams on Thursday, 8/29 (5:15-6:00 p.m.). Zoom links will be available in future communication from classroom teams.
    • All school supplies will be provided for Lower School students. Students will need to bring a backpack, lunch box, and a reusable water bottle to school. It is recommended that you label all of your child(ren)’s belongings, including their lunch box, reusable water bottle, shirts, and hoodies with their name, using permanent ink or a label maker. 

    • PikMyKid - We ask that all families download the PikMyKid parent app. PikMyKid is used to facilitate student pick-up at the end of each school day. For all new families, we should have your student information uploaded to your app by Wednesday, August 21 (there is nothing for you to do on your end). The PikMyKid User Guide will provide you with more clarity about the PikMyKid app, and you can find more resources in the Parent Portal. If you have any questions or need technical support, please reach out to Rob Eifler [reifler@rdschool.org] 
    • Friday Coffee - I look forward to meeting you all in person very soon! I’ll be hosting a Friday Coffee with Lower School parents/guardians on Friday, August 30, at 8:15 a.m. Please consider joining this event. If you’re interested in scheduling a meeting with me, you’re welcome to reach out to Linda Manzur, Assistant to LS Director, via email (lmanzur@rdschool.org). 
    • The Redwood Day Weekly - Lastly, throughout the school year, please do take some time to read the Redwood Day Weekly and regularly distributed faculty newsletters. Colleagues invest much care into these communications so that information is prioritized and streamlined. We appreciate you as partners along this shared journey, and being up-to-date on important school details supports the ever-important home-school connection.
    I am very much looking forward to our year together and stewarding our Lower School community. Please do not hesitate to be in touch with wonderings, feedback, and/or fun stories about our young learners!

    In community,

    Tony
    Lower School Director