Back to School - 2024-2025 / Preschool ORELC 2024-2025 School Year (2024)

Skyward Family Access - link

This password-portal allows families real-time access to student schedules, student absence requests, attendance information, meal items purchased, health information, report cards and conferences. You will also use it to schedule your personal conference for Sabre Launch.

• Families should update their contact information (phone numbers and email addresses)
• If you do not have access or have questions regarding your login/password, email Sue Fibranz or call 320-656-3701 x1131.

Required Back-To-School Registration
All families must complete the annual Back to School Registration updates each year.Parents/guardians listed as “Family 1, Parent 1” inSkyward Family Access must complete and submit the ‘Back to School Registration Checklist’ on a computer/laptop.

• Family 1 head of household users should click on the Back-To-School Registration Checklist button under ‘Online Forms’ (left menu tab) (NOT New Student Enrollment) on a computer/laptop.
• OurBack to School webpage has a 3-step PDF to assist you with the process. This annual update contains IMPORTANT permissions needed before the start of school.

Teacher/classroom placement
Your student’s teacher/classroom placement is viewable in Skyward Family Access in the conferences tab. A great deal of time and effort has been taken to develop these classroom learning-communities that support all students. Our class lists are final and our teaching staff are working hard to prepare the classroom for their learners.

Schedule your personal 20-minute Sabre Launch conference
We are excited to have Sabre Launch on September 3 & September 4. By selecting the “conference” tab, please sign up for your student’s Sabre Launch time in Skyward Family Access.

Free/Reduced Eligibility and Education Benefits
If you think you may qualify for school benefits, please fill out an application via Skyward (directions online) or print the PDF packet.

Oak Ridge Early Learning Center preschool is a fee-based preschool program.

The state of Minnesota does not fully fund the cost of preschool to local school districts. To view your family sliding fee, please click HERE.

• Preschool tuition is an annual amount divided into nine equal payments for your convenience. The non-refundable deposit is due at the time of enrollment. The first payment is due by August 29, 2024.
• Your eight remaining monthly payments will be due October 1, 2024 - May 1, 2025. Tuition payments allow us to maintain appropriate staffing and ensure high quality programming. We reserve the right to change your preschool section if payments are not received.
• Payment can be made in person at our school office via check/money order ONLY or online through your Skyward Family Access fee management tab viaRevTrak. Online payments will open on Monday, August 19.

If your family will need tuition assistance please review our scholarship information HERE. To apply for a scholarship, complete the steps below:

• • Fill out an education benefits application via Skyward (directions online) or print the PDF packet.
  • Contact the Early Childhood Program Coordinator Julie Thom at 320-656-3794 or email. She is our site manager for awarding scholarship dollars.

We are excited for Sabre Launch (Tuesday, September 3 and Wednesday, September 4), an innovative Open House/Conference experience for PreK-Grade 5 students and their parents/guardians held before school begins on Thursday, September 5.

Sabre Launch nurtures the home-to-school partnership and offers more individualized time for your family and your child’s classroom teacher to establish a personal connection while introducing your child to their new learning environment.

• All students MUST pre-register for a 20 minute SABRE Launch conference slot with your child’s teacher via Skyward Family Access.
• After signing into your account, click on the “Conference” tab to view available time slots.
• Families will be meeting individually with their teacher so signing up is important.We recommend the visit include the students and parents/guardians only.

The individual conference times will allow for:

• Students/Parents/Guardians - become acquainted with the classroom learning spaces
• Teachers/Students - welcome and personalized Get-To-Know-You time
• Families - drop off and organize their supplies
• Time to ask questions and get further details about preschool programming at ORELC

Student pictures will occur in our gym during Sabre Launch (Tuesday, September 3 and Wednesday, September 4).

After meeting with your student's teacher, please stop by the gym for photos.

If you are unable to have your student take their picture that day, we will have a photographer on Thursday, October 24, for your student to take their picture during the school day.

Please view the2024 Fall Picture Day Flyer and Lifetouch Ordering Instructions for additional information. Picture Day ID: EVTXMVHJK

Prior to or following your individual Sabre Launch conference, school personnel and support staff will be available to answer questions and assist families with transportation, health services, food service, social worker/counselor, specialists, special education services, and technology.

Please plan for additional time around your scheduled conference to tour the school, including visiting the media center, cafeteria, Science/Technology/Engineering/Arts/Music (STEAM) lab, specialist spaces, lockers through a scavenger hunt activity and have your student’s school picture taken.

• Nutrition Services: Make account deposits in the cafeteria, office or online in RevTrak and complete the Free/Reduced Educational Benefit application.
  • AM preschool students are able to eat a free breakfast each day while at school.
  • Full Day Preschool students are able to eat a free lunch each day while at school.
    • Seconds/extras are billed separately and not included in daily free meals. Please see our Nutrition Services Handbook for detailed information.
• Health Services: If your child will be needing medications at school, please bring them to the main office. Students must have a current medication order from the physician and medication in a pharmacy labeled bottle to match the physician's order.
• Transportation: Only preschool students with individual education plans (IEPs) have access to transportation in preschool. Connect with transportation to request a change in your student’s transportation.

School Hours for 2024-2025

7:15a Faculty hours begin

7:40a Students may enter the building

• Students should not arrive before this time (unless registered to attend KIDSTOP/KIDSTART - wraparound childcare)

7:55a Preschool classes begin

10:20a AM Preschool sessions dismiss

11:50a PM Preschool sessions begin

2:20p PM Preschool Dismissal Time

3:15p Faculty hours end

3:30p Office closes

Early Release Days
The following Wednesdays have been designated as “two hour early release days” to accommodate a staff training requirement for the state’s Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act:

1. September 25
2. October 30
3. November 27
4. December 18
5. January 29, 2025
6. February 26
7. March 19

Caregivers will indicate their student’s end of day transportation plans within the Back-to-School Registration updates. These dates are on our printed calendars and on www.isd748.org/calendar.

The early release days impact some of our preschool families:

• Families enrolled in KIDSTART wrap around care offered by the Boys and Girls Club of Central MN will have continued access to wrap around care on early release days.
• Families enrolled in full day/everyday preschool sections AND afternoon preschool sections that do not utilize KIDSTART will NOT have afternoon preschool on early release daysbecause teachers will be involved in professional development.
  • Full day/every day preschool classes will dismiss at 12:15pm.
  • Families impacted by the monthly early release schedule will have a reduced tuition payment the month of May to accommodate for the seven days that your preschool student will not have class.
• Families enrolled in morning sections of preschool will not be impacted by early release days.
• Further information about our early release days will be provided to families at Sabre Launch.

Safety is our top priority when it comes to working with your children. We are asking for your help to keep everyone safe during our morning drop-off and afternoon pick up times. Please adhere to the following to help keep our drop-off area safe for everyone.

Drop-off Procedures

• Please drive slowly in the parking lot at all times.
• Please do not drop students off before 7:40a. Students are not supervised prior to that time.
• Park in a parking space and walk your child to the front entrance. We DO NOT permit parking along the curb for drop off or pick up.
• All students are escorted into the building by school staff. Parents are not permitted to walk their child to the classroom. It is important that all students learn to successfully separate from their parent(s) and become independent with morning arrival routines.

Pick-up Procedures

• Students are dismissed at 2:15p. Please arrive on time to meet your child at the front of our building entrance..
• PLEASE DO NOT PARK ALONG THE CURB - please park in a designated parking space and come to the front of the building. Tickets may be issued for parking in the No Parking Zone along the curb.
• Parents will wait directly outside the front entrance until students are dismissed at 2:15pm.
  • Kindergarten students will be grouped by class along our building wall. All parents will be required to check their student out with one of our paraprofessional support staff members.
  • Early Childhood students will be released to parents by the teacher at 2:20pm. Please look for your child’s teacher at pick-up.

Our School Supply List is for both preschool and kindergarten.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties and are looking for assistance with school supplies, please email Carrie Gapinski, our social worker.

In addition to Skyward Family Access, our District uses:

• SeeSaw: All classroom teachers will use a digital platform called SeeSaw to post classroom news and events. Your student’s teacher will help you set up your SeeSaw account at Sabre Launch.
• Skylert: Skylert is used for weekly announcements, weather schedule updates, food service updates, and other important information. You can update your email, phone, and texting preferences in Skyward. On the left menu, click Skylert to make your updates.