Communication to Families 2023-24

Lower School Opening 2023-2024

Deadline for Forms—Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Please complete all forms by the August 23, 2023 deadline. In addition to the various health-related forms, we wanted to highlight the Lower School Transportation Form and the Lower School Student Snapshot Form.  The Snapshot Form gives you the opportunity to provide helpful insights and perspectives about your child, apprising the Head of Lower School and your child’s anchor teacher of pertinent information before your child arrives on the first day of school. To ensure that your child gets home safely each day, the Transportation Form is essential.  

Medication Drop off —Thursday August 31, 2023 1:00- 3:00 p.m.
Medications: You can drop prescription medications with our school nurses on Thursday, August 31 or on the first day of school.

First Day of School—Tuesday, September 5, 2023; 8:00 a.m.
On the first day of school, Tuesday, September 5, children may be dropped off between 8:00-8:20 a.m. to their assigned locations (Lower School entrance for Grades Pre-K to 2, Horne Building entrance to the left of the main entrance for Grades 3-4) or families may park and accompany their Lower School student(s) to their classroom(s). Pike staff will help direct children to classrooms.

Once children have been dropped off, all parents/guardians are welcome to join the annual “Boohoo/Yahoo Coffee” in the Courtyard between 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Greet old friends, meet new ones, and ring in the new school year with a hot cup of coffee and a delicious treat!  

First Week of School, All Half Days—September 5-8, 2023; 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Lower School children will be dismissed at noon on Tuesday through Friday, September 5-8. The Lower School Extravaganza program is being offered daily on these early dismissal days. There is a fee for the program, and all students must preregister for this program by August 25.  There is no Andover bus pickup at the noon dismissal on the first four days of school. 

Meet Your Child’s Anchor Teacher—September 5-7; 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
We invite all Lower School parents/guardians to meet via Zoom with their child’s anchor teacher during the first week of school. Each family may sign up for a 15-minute meeting.  Time slots for Grades Pre-K - 4 will be offered on Tuesday, September 5, Wednesday, September 6 and Thursday, September 7, between 1:00-3:00 p.m. You will receive an email with specifics about sign-ups from your child’s anchor teacher.  Sign-ups are on a first-come, first-served basis. Though this is an optional meeting, we encourage all families to participate, as it gives teachers and parents/guardians the chance to make a personal connection early in the school year.  

Other Fall Dates to Note

• Student picture day is Tuesday, October 3, with retakes on November 7.
• There is no school/no Pike Plus on Monday October 9 (Indigenous People’s Day) and Friday November 10 (Veteran’s Day). There is a Professional Development Day on Tuesday October 10, and Pike Plus will be available that day,
• There is no school, but Pike Plus is available on Friday October 27 (Parent & Guardian/Teacher Conferences). 
• Lower School Back-To-School Night will be held on Thursday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m.  This parent/guardian only event is an opportunity for you to learn about what a day in the life of your child looks like at Pike.  You will have a chance to meet specialist teachers and other instructional support staff, participate in grade-level presentations, and visit your child’s classroom. Please stay tuned for a detailed schedule of the evening.
• Lunch Bunch begins on Monday, October 2! Lower School parents/guardians are invited to join their children for lunch in the Dining Room (and in the classroom for Pre-K). Families are asked to limit visits to once a month. Please sign in and get a nametag at the front desk before going to the Dining Room to meet your child. Grades 3-4 have lunch at 11:30 and Grades Pre-K to 2 have lunch at noon.
• We are excited to once again plan opportunities to gather our families at Lower School Playdates - we hope you will join us!  Parents/guardians, Pike students and siblings are all welcomed to share a snack and have fun chatting or playing together after school on the “Front Yard” (K-2 playground).  Refreshments will be provided, and parents/guardians must chaperone their child. The fall playdate will be on Friday October 13 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. and the spring playdate will tentatively be on Friday May 17 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Plan Ahead for Key Dates
As a family, you have access to Pike’s school calendar with dates clearly listed for parent & guardian/teacher conferences, school vacations, and holidays. These dates are identified well in advance to provide as much notice as possible for families to schedule vacations during allotted time periods, and in order for parents/guardians to make arrangements to attend conferences.  Thank you in advance for consulting these dates as you make plans for your family for the coming school year, and please reach out if you have any questions.
 

Lower School Parent/Guardian Procedures 2023 - 2024

Communication with the School
Please be assured that we want to be in touch with you about matters that could have any bearing on your child's day in school.  We are never more than a phone call away at (978) 475-1197.  Although teachers usually are not free to answer emails or phone calls immediately, they will respond when they have a free moment, definitely within 24 hours. 

All messages about changes in a child's regular after-school routine should be in written form (either by email or note) and delivered to the classroom teacher (and copied to Marybeth Heyd, Lower School Head) ahead of the change and no later than the morning of the change.  Carpools, bus drivers and Pike Plus should also be apprised of any changes.

School Hours
Morning drop-off begins at 8:00 a.m. and children may be dropped off between 8:00 and 8:20. Faculty members are on duty at that time, and children go directly into their classrooms upon arrival. Classes begin promptly at 8:20. Children who arrive after 8:20 a.m. must check in at the receptionist’s desk. 
Children may be dropped off from 7:30-8:00 a.m. for early drop-off in the Dining Room. Staff provide supervision and ensure that children make their way to their classrooms at 8:00 a.m

Lower School Dismissal is as follows:

• 3:10-3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
• 2:00-2:20 p.m. Wednesday

Learn more about our after-school program, Pike Plus!

Security
For the safety of our students, all doors will be locked after 9:00 a.m. All visitors are required to sign in and out at the receptionist’s desk and wear a visitor tag during their visit. The receptionist will notify the classroom teacher of the arrival of visitors.

Traffic
Traffic is one way through the Pike driveway. All vehicles enter from Sunset Rock Road and exit onto Hidden Road. For the safety of the children, do not use cell phones during drop-off and dismissal.

Drop-off/Pick-up
Beginning at 8:00 a.m. each morning, Lower School staff members are ready to welcome and help Pre-K through Grade 2 children out of the car and into the school building. Please make sure your Pre-K to Grade 2 student always enters through the Lower School door (not the main entrance) so that we can greet your child and know they arrived safely. Please ensure that your child is ready to exit the car when it pulls up, with their coat on and backpack or schoolbag in hand. Staff will open doors and help children out of cars until 8:20 a.m., after which they must enter the front door of the school independently and check in with the receptionist, who will mark them as tardy.

Between 8:00-8:20 a.m. Grade 3-4 students can independently exit their car in front of the main entrance to the school and enter the Horne Building entrance (to the left of the front door). After 8:20 a.m. Grade 3-4 children must enter the front door of the school independently and check in with the receptionist, who will mark them as tardy.

In the event that you need to have your child dismissed early, please send an email or note letting the anchor teacher know what time your child will be dismissed. For an early dismissal, please check in at the main desk and the receptionist will call the classroom to have your child come to the lobby.
At Lower School dismissal, Pre-K to Grade 2 children must wait for a Pike staff member to open the car door. Please do not get out of your car to help your child or urge them to enter the car on their own. In addition, we do not allow children to enter cars on the driver’s side because of safety concerns related to moving traffic. Grade 3-4 students will wait under the main entrance portico for their cars to arrive; they will enter them independently on the passenger side.

For the safety of all children, we ask that you USE YOUR VISOR NAMETAG (which will be mailed to you before school starts, please be on the lookout) and that NO CELL PHONES are used during drop off or dismissal.  

NOTE: There are no Andover buses at the noon dismissal on the first four days of school. Other days when there are no Andover buses will be listed on the school calendar and Pike Hub.

Clothing Requirements
Lower School children should wear clean, comfortable play clothes to school.  Children should wear sneakers on their PE days. Please send an extra pair of clearly labeled clothes, including sneakers, which will be kept at school at all times. While children generally wear smocks during messier art classes, parents are encouraged to note their child's art days and to help them choose appropriate clothing.  

From Thanksgiving until spring vacation, we ask that children bring snowpants, a hat, gloves, and boots each day or leave an extra set of these items in their cubby.  Please mark all articles of clothing with name tape or indelible ink. The downstairs Lost and Found is located by the Head of Lower School’s office, and the upstairs Lost and Found is located by the Director of Academics’ office.

Parent/Guardian Conferences with Teachers and Reports
Parents/guardians will have at least two parent/teacher conferences per year. These dates are set on the school calendar at the start of the year. We ask that you schedule your conferences on these days as they are designated to ensure teacher availability. The October conference will be followed by a goals letter from your child’s teacher. Parents/guardians can access progress reports for their child in December, March, and June on Veracross. 
We invite you to reach out to your child’s teacher at any time should you have a question, concern, or information to share. Teachers or administrators may request a meeting with parents/guardians as well should the need arise. Assessments occur in formal and informal ways throughout the year, and are administered by classroom teachers as well as other Pike faculty and outside professionals. Communicating about your child’s progress regardless of the individual or the setting is part of our holistic approach to addressing each child’s needs. We value the home/school partnership tremendously at Pike, and we know that open communication can only benefit our teachers and your children. 

Sickness and Excused Absence
Children are expected to be present at school unless they are sick or have officially been excused.  Permission to be excused from physical education or recess must be supported by a doctor’s note.

If your child is sick, please telephone the school and leave a message with the receptionist.  If you call before school hours, press 1 to report an absence.  When your child returns to school after an illness, they should be ready to participate in all activities, including gym and outdoor recess.
Missing school for vacations can cause disruption to a child’s academic and social routines as well as to their connection to peers and teachers.  We ask you to avoid making vacation plans outside of the regularly scheduled school vacation times.  If your child will miss school for vacation planned outside of regularly scheduled time, please alert Marybeth Heyd and your child’s anchor teacher via email ahead of time so we can be aware of the absence. As the Lower School program takes place during the scheduled school day, we cannot provide missed work for vacation planned during in-school time.

Classroom Visits
Classroom visits are usually directly related to the curricular studies in a grade, and your child’s teacher will share about opportunities at Back-to-School Night. Please consult with your child’s teacher to arrange all classroom visits. We also encourage you to serve as a chaperone on a field trip, or participate in Lower School Lunch Bunch. 

Field Trips
Field trips from school are generally planned well in advance, and a permission slip is sent home for you to sign.  Trips are an important addition to the curriculum, and parents may be called upon to help chaperone. The number of parent chaperones may be limited on some field trips.  Occasionally a walking trip is planned in the neighborhood close to the school.  Notice of such trips is usually not sent home.

What NOT to Bring/Send to School
We ask that students leave toys, sports equipment, game cards, and any personal electronic devices at home.  This includes Apple Watches, iPods, iPads, iPhones, and any other items that could cause distractions during the school day or go unexpectedly missing or get lost.  Our classroom and outdoor curriculum provides many resources for students to use, and we appreciate your understanding. 

Snacks/Lunch and Water Bottles
Students will bring their own snacks from home. Healthy mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon snack breaks are provided for all Lower School children. Children should not bring any nut-based foods, candy, or gum to school.  

Pike provides a well-balanced hot lunch every day.  Lunch typically includes a choice of a main dish, a selection of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as a variety of sandwiches.  Throughout the year, we encourage children to try new foods served at school. Milk is available every day.
We have water fountains and “filling stations” throughout the school.  We recommend that students bring a water bottle to school on Monday, leave it in school for the week, and bring it home on Friday to be washed out.  

Buses
The Town of Andover provides busing for Andover residents; Pike students must have signed up by this time. Routes/times will be sent to families before the opening of school. Questions about Andover busing should be addressed to Cindy Button, Andover Public Schools Transportation Coordinator at 978-247-7065, or cindy.button@andoverma.us. Students may not ride on any bus except the one they are assigned to. Students who do not ride the bus may not do so for play dates. There is no bus service on Wednesday afternoons, when Pike has early dismissal. However, families may register for Pike Plus on those days.

Birthday Parties
In order to avoid hurt feelings, please do not deliver party invitations or birthday gifts at school. Please do not use school grounds as a starting point for parties. 

Birthday Books
Children are invited to donate a book to the Pike School library on their birthday.  The book will be shared in class and then added to the library inscribed with a book plate.  If you choose to participate, please check with the librarians to prevent duplication.

 

Dear Lower School Families,

Greetings from Sunset Rock Road! We hope that your time away from Pike has been restful and restorative, and that your families are happy and healthy. My family and I enjoyed a summer bookended by family weddings in June and August, and my kiddos have had fun with their respective activities: Lucy working a summer job on Cape Cod and Archie doing all the sports camps, all the time. At Pike we have been preparing our facilities and are looking forward to welcoming your children to the 2023-2024 school year. We hope they (and you!) are excited about the start of school as well - the end of August can be an emotional time between winding down summer rituals and pastimes and getting ready for a new classroom, new teachers, and in some cases, a brand new campus. The entire Lower School faculty can’t wait to greet new students as well as see familiar faces, and we are counting down the days until September 5th!

In addition to the many fantastic new students who will be joining us in Lower School this year, we are delighted to welcome John Howard to our First Grade teaching team, and Katie Bruno to our Fourth Grade teaching team. Elizabeth Peet will be a wonderful addition to our contract teaching team, and Sarah Haq will get to know all of our Lower Schoolers at recess as well as Pike Plus in her new role. Additionally, Mollie Richards will be supporting our students, teachers, and families as our Lower School Student Support Coordinator.

By now you have received links to the various forms that are due back to Pike by this Wednesday, August 23. In addition to the Magnus list, please complete this Lower School Transportation Form and Lower School Student Snapshot Form by Wednesday as well. This portion of our website highlights general information for all Lower School families about school procedures and the start of the school year. Please review it carefully, and reach out if we can answer any questions or address any concerns. Additionally, families will have access to class placement information on Veracross starting at noon today.

Our new Portrait of a Graduate is top of mind for all of us at Pike as we prepare for the upcoming school year. It is my seventh year as Head of Lower School at Pike, and I am so excited to share with all of you the ways in which your children will be developing as Trusted Friends, Curious Learners, Optimistic Innovators, and more. We promise to partner with you in support of your child’s lifelong journey of discovery, honoring the authenticity and intellectual ambition of each student while keeping our motto, non sibi solum, at the heart of all we do. The feedback we receive from parents and guardians is an integral part of our efforts to continually reflect on and improve upon the Lower School program. We want to hear from you and are here to answer questions or address concerns you may have, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Enjoy these final days of August and know that we can’t wait to welcome your children with open arms to Pike’s Lower School in a few short weeks!

Marybeth Heyd (Head of Lower School), and the entire Lower School Faculty

Dear Lower School families,

We have had a wonderful first week of school! It has been such a delight to welcome your children to Pike and start to get to know them. They have been learning about their new classrooms, teachers, friends, and everyday routines of the Lower School. Teachers loved connecting with all of you during our Meet & Greet Zooms this week as well - we’re off to an amazing start.

Just a few reminders as we head into the weekend:

Snack Reminder: It has been fantastic to see the variety of healthy foods your children have been bringing for snacks. We thank you and your children for keeping not only health but sustainability in mind as you think together about snack options. Thank you for continuing to include your children in the conversation about their daily snacks! 

Clothing Reminder: Please send an extra complete set of clothing in a bag to school that your child may keep in their cubby. Lower School’s dress code is very simple – children should be comfortable and be ready to (possibly!) get a little messy. Please make sure students wear sneakers on PE days - although they’re great every day. If you are able to have your child keep an extra set of rain boots at school, that would be helpful. If not, please make sure to send them in on rainy days. Your child’s teacher may occasionally let you know about a planned outdoor activity such as a nature trail walk and request that they bring in boots for such an occasion.

Carpool Reminder: Thanks to your attention and safe driving, dropoff and pickup have gone smoothly during opening week. Next week both divisions will dismiss in the afternoon, and it inevitably takes a few weeks to work out the kinks. A few tips to alleviate some of the backups:

• Early morning dropoff is available every day from 7:30-8:00. If you arrive before 8:00 there is no need to wait until official dropoff begins (with adults opening car doors for PK-2nd graders) for your child to enter the building via the main entrance.
• Children have been great about having their backpacks ready to go when the car doors are opened - thank you!
• We know that in the afternoon it’s tricky if your family has multiple pickup points. However in the interest of safety we must ask that Pre-K to Gr 2 students be picked up in front of the Pre-K playground and 3rd/4th graders be picked up in front of the entrance to the school. Upper Schoolers will be dismissing from their area as well and so from a safety perspective children must stick to those designated areas. Thanks for understanding!
• Please do not exit your car and enter into the line of traffic, or have your child enter the car on the driver’s side. If your young child needs help or time buckling themselves into their carseat once they enter your vehicle on the passenger side, we ask that rather than hold up the carline to assist them, you slowly pull to the very front of the PK to 2 pickup line (staff may in fact direct you to do so) so as to not block traffic. 

Lunch Reminder: Lower Schoolers start eating lunch on Monday, as we will no longer be on a half-day schedule. 

After School/Enrichment Reminder: Programs begin on Monday 9/11. Please be on the lookout for an email from Emeric Viani regarding music offerings.

Your children are terrific and I am thrilled to get to spend time with them here at Pike. I look forward to our partnership in support of their education, and invite you to contact me at any time with questions or concerns.

See you tonight at the Social!
Take care,
Marybeth
 

Dear Lower School Families,

It's been another wonderful week at Pike! While I am disappointed not to have been able to connect at the social last Friday (please note, there is no rain date for this event), I am glad that folks are safe and with power restored and hopefully minimal if any damage to your homes after the storm. Pike's grounds escaped for the most part unscathed, and I can hear the chainsaws working now on the parts deeper in the woods behind the school that were impacted (and are closed off to students at the moment)! A huge thank you to all the community members who rallied together last week to get kiddos home safely.

We have been busy with our first week of lunch at school, a more typical schedule, and our first Lower School Assembly. Classes are continuing to get to know one another, setting routines and creating academic and social-emotional communities full of Trusted Friends and Curious Learners. With your partnership, students are arriving at school ready to learn and are hopefully coming home good and tired after a long day of work and play!

A few reminders as we head into the second half of September:

• It is incredibly helpful for teachers to have the information gathered in the Lower School Student Snapshot. Please complete this form if you have not already done so for each of your Lower School children.
• Please send in rain gear on rainy days, or if you are able to, a set of boots and a rain jacket that can stay at school. We go to recess rain or shine (except in cases of extreme weather) and even on sunny days, the ground can be wet.
• 3rd and 4th grade families, please remember that dropoff and pickup are both in the same location, right at the front of the building. When you enter into the driveway, if you have a 3rd or 4th grader, please proceed down the middle-most lane of traffic (to the right is upper school, to the left are grades PK-2 only) and you will eventually wind up in one of the two lanes between the entrance to the school and the median strip that runs down the middle of the parking lot/driveway. 3rd and 4th graders may exit cars independently in the morning, and may enter cars on the passenger side independently in the afternoon. It causes backups when Grade 3 and 4 families are in the Pre-K to 2 area for pickup looking for their 3rd/4th grader, so thank you kindly for your attention to this and if you're not sure, please ask!
• First grade families, a friendly reminder from your teachers to please send in headphones with your child.

We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks at Lower School Back to School Night - more info to come in Pike Hub but this is an adult-only event on the evening of Thursday, September 28th. You'll learn more about your student's grade level curriculum and have a chance to meet specialists and hear from administrators and teachers that night. You don't want to miss it (:

I am grateful for all that Pike families have done to help us make the start of the school year so smooth. Wishing you a safe and happy weekend, and a happy new year to folks celebrating Rosh Hashanah!

Thanks,
Marybeth

Dear Lower School Families,

It was so fun to see so many of you at the Lower School Play Date last Friday! We hope to see you at next week’s Halloween Social on Thursday, 10/26. Please sign up to volunteer if you are able - it is a fabulous event and the FSP needs your help to make it happen.

If your children didn’t mention it yesterday when they came home from school, be sure to ask them about this week’s Lower School Assembly. One of our very own second graders, with help from his sibling in Pre-K, taught the entire Lower School Community about the Hindu festival Navaratri. The children heard a story set in India and learned some traditional dances associated with the celebration, and best of all, the learning all came from a student wanting to share about his family and culture. It was such a treat!

We have been talking a lot in our assemblies about Non Sibi Solum and Pike’s core value of Social Good. In an effort to express our appreciation and gratitude to our deployed service members, we are embarking on a division wide drive in anticipation of Veterans Day on Friday, November 10th. With this initiative we are honoring the service of our military, embracing the spirit of volunteerism, and appreciating the generosity of our supporters. During our Assembly time on November 8, Lower School students will be decorating bags that will hold each collection and they will be making cards to be placed in each care package to thank our troops for their service.

Listed below are the suggested donations for each grade level.  Each of these items are small in size (as it is much easier for our troops to manage smaller items) but large in impact: 

• Pre - K - Adult socks 
• K - Travel size sunscreen
• 1st- Crossword /sudoku puzzle books
• 2nd - Small travel size games
• 3rd- Travel size toiletries such as lotion, toothpaste, baby wipes
• 4th - Small packaged snacks (individual bags)

There will be a box located in each Lower School classroom where your child(ren) can drop off these items. Our last day to collect is Tuesday, November 7th. Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Lastly - signups for next week’s parent/guardian conferences close tomorrow! Please sign up if you have not already done so.

With much appreciation, 

Marybeth

Dear Lower School Families,

It's hard to believe that it's almost November! For those of you who are trick-or-treating tonight, I wish you a safe and sweet evening (: 

As we head into this next busy month, I have just a few reminders from the Lower School faculty:

• Our Veterans Day Drive is going well and...we still need more items for our care packages. Please send your items (see below) in by the end of this week so that we can assemble the packages during our community time next week. Tomorrow at assembly, our K-4 students will interview Pike's own Rich Noll about being a veteran - be sure to ask your children about it after school!
• The FSP is collaborating with a Pike alum family and will be collecting unwanted Halloween candy to share with community organizations such as food pantries, military troops, senior centers, and front line workers. Please bring your candy in Ziploc bags and drop it in the donation box located in the front lobby by Tuesday, November 7.
• As the days get colder, please send your children in with appropriate outerwear. Students go out for recess unless it is raining heavily or extremely cold! We'll send a reminder after the Thanksgiving break about full winter gear but for now coats are helpful.
• Your child's set of extra clothing that they keep at school may need to be switched out if what is here now are shorts and a t-shirt! Please make sure that your child has a full set of labeled clothes in their cubbies at all times.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our Evening of Discovery on Thursday, 11/2 at 6:30! Until then, Happy Halloween (:

Take care,

MB

For our Veterans Day Drive we are (still!) collecting:

• Pre - K - Adult socks 
• K - Travel size sunscreen
• 1st- Crossword /sudoku puzzle books
• 2nd - Small travel size games
• 3rd- Travel size toiletries such as lotion, toothpaste, baby wipes
• 4th - Small packaged snacks (individual bags)

Dear Upper School Families,

Happy summer to all!

I am writing to you as Interim Head of Upper School here at Pike — but also as a learner, a parent, and a teacher at heart, excited by that unique feeling of anticipation for what’s to come whenever a new school year approaches. There is so much possibility, learning, and connection awaiting us all. And as much as I don’t want to leave beach time and summer road trips with my three boys– Henry, Noah, and Charlie– behind, fall is a beloved season in our family, too.

This afternoon, Upper School students will have access to their schedules on Veracross. Students will find their advisor’s name and room number at the top of their schedule. On the first day of school, students should go directly to their advisor’s room, where we will help them navigate all other details about the day. Please know all Upper Schoolers will experience a built-in orientation in the first few days of school, and we will have many older students and Pike adults on hand to warmly receive new students and 5th graders!

Your child’s advisor will be your main point of contact this year. Advisors are excited to partner with you to support your child's academic and social transition. Between now and the end of the first week of school, you will receive a call from your Upper Schooler’s advisor. This phone call is a fantastic opportunity for advisors to introduce themselves and for you to ask questions or share any information to help the advisor support your Upper Schooler.

Advisors are eager to support their advisees from the moment they set foot on campus. We plan to build trusting relationships from the start so that our students may grow and thrive in Upper School. This year, we are utilizing a Google Form. The Fall 2023 Upper School Student Snapshots can be found at this link. Please click the link for your child’s grade level. We truly appreciate you taking the time to complete the form before the school year begins, if you have not already done so.

Here are some details to help with back-to-school:

General Back to School Information can be accessed at this link.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up for Upper School: Please see attached maps. As you drive in, please take a right as you enter the campus from Ballardvale Road, and loop around the side parking lot to the building. Upper School students will enter the building through the arts wing, not the front entrance. Please be sure to bring your name tag visor to display on your windshield. This will ensure that pick-up and drop-off go smoothly. (You will receive this in the mail prior to the start of school.)

Upper School Arrival Time: Arrival will take place between 8 am and 8:15 am, Monday-Friday. Homeroom will start promptly at 8:15 am, including a morning meeting and social-emotional curriculum. Students arriving after this time will be marked tardy. Please note this timing is a change from previous years.

Upper School Dismissal is as follows:
3:20-3:40 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
2:10-2:30 p.m. Wednesday
Students will wait for their rides on the sidewalk by the arts wing entrance. Please note that students who are not picked up by 3:50 (2:40 on Wednesdays) will be walked to Pike Plus for fee-based supervision.

Please use this link to learn more about Pike Plus offerings before and after school, and on non-academic days.

Speech Team Fall Kickoff
Returning Speech Team Students: Come to the Theater on Wednesday, September 6th at 7:30 a.m. for our first meeting.
Interested in joining the Speech Team? Students in grades 6-8 who would like to join the Speech Team should come to the Theater Lobby on either Thursday, September 7th between 3:30 and 4:30 OR Friday, September 8th between 3:30 and 4:30 to interview. No preparation necessary.

Important Fall Upper School Events: Save the Date!

New Student Orientation
Thursday, August 31, 2-3 PM
This is a student-only event for students new to Pike in Grades 5-9. New students are invited to visit their advisor and classrooms for a 15 minute period anytime from 2-3 pm. Parents/Guardians may join us for coffee in the Theater Lobby while their student is visiting Upper School.

First Day of School
Tuesday, September 5th
Drop-off begins no earlier than 8:00 AM.
Parents/guardians may join us for our BooHoo/Yahoo Event after drop-off!

Picture Day
Tuesday, October 3rd

Upper School Back To School Night
Thursday, September 21st, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
This is an adult-only event.

Parent/Guardian Fall Conferences
Friday, October 27 (no school)
More details to follow.

Again, I am truly looking forward to an incredible year of curiosity, fun, and achievement – together.

With appreciation,

Gina Moran
Interim Head of Upper School

Dear Upper School Families,

We did it! It was a smooth and joyful first day in Upper School.

From running into friends and teachers in the hallway in the morning to making new friends at recess out on the field, there was a buzz of connection and excitement here that I’ve been waiting for all summer.

Today, I was grateful for moments like overhearing students learning about the importance of their names in Ms. Boucher-Lavigne’s class and singing French greetings to the tune of “We Will Rock You” in Madame Kennedy’s class. I saw returning students welcoming new students, and upperclassmen helping fifth graders find their classrooms. I watched faculty light up as the first hands were raised in class.

Today was the first of many good days, and I hope your student felt it, too.

Appreciatively,
Gina Moran
Interim Head of Upper School

Dear Upper School families,

It’s been a great first few days of school, and I continue to be so grateful to have these classrooms, halls, and fields full of your children. Thank you, parents and guardians, for partnering with us; that teamwork really shows up during weeks like this one.

I encourage you to check in with your Upper Schooler about their week, if you haven’t already. Here’s a cheat sheet to get more out of your preteen or teen when you talk with them!

It’s the season for learning new routines, and in that spirit, here are some reminders:

Mornings/Attendance: Upper Schoolers may enter the side door as early as 7:55 am. Between 7:30 and 7:55 am, students need to use the front door to head to the dining room for morning supervision. Students may not come into Upper School before that time. Please also note that Morning Meeting in homeroom begins at 8:15 am. Students who arrive after 8:15 am will be marked tardy beginning next week.

Snacks: Please continue to ensure that all snacks sent to school are nut-free. We also encourage you to utilize reusable snack bags or food with reduced plastic waste if you are able to.

Water: Bringing in a reusable water bottle is helpful for hot days, and great for focus any day.

Personal Items: Please have all jackets, sports gear, water bottles, iPads, Apple Pencils, etc. labeled clearly with your student’s name so we can return items to their rightful owners as needed.

iPads: Students in grades 6, 7, 8 and 9 must bring their iPad to school each morning charged and ready to go. It may be helpful to discuss a routine at home each night for charging their iPad– perhaps a consistent spot with an outlet and charger that is not in their bedroom and close to the backpack it will go into in the morning.

After School/Enrichment & Athletics: Programs and team sports begin on Monday 9/11.

Dismissal/Pick-Up:

• Upper School is dismissed at 3:20 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
• We dismiss students at 2:10 on Wednesday. There is no Andover bus at dismissal on Wednesdays.
• Students who are not picked up within 30 minutes of dismissal are walked to Pike Plus for fee-based supervision, and can then be picked up at the front of the building.
• When you drive through the car line, please be sure to pull all the way up to the sign at the side of the building and continue to fill in all open spots before having your student get in the vehicle. This allows the line to move faster and more safely.
• Please display your name card clearly in your vehicle.
• Parents/guardians are asked not to leave their cars to meet or stand with their Upper Schoolers on the side of the building during pick-up time. This is for everyone’s safety, so thank you!

I hope to see you all tonight at the FSP’s “Back in the Swing of Things” Social.

Appreciatively,

Gina Moran
Interim Head of Upper School