Welcome Back Patriots!

We hope all of our students got off on the right foot to start this school year. Now that we have gotten through the first day of school, it is the perfect time for a few reminders.

1. Don’t forget we have a dress code. Just a reminder that here at La Paloma Academy Central, in order to encourage a disciplined learning environment, we require students to adhere to our uniformed dress code. Solid-color polo shirts in the school colors—red, white, or navy blue—can be worn with slacks, shorts, capri pants, and skirts in khaki or navy blue. Jumpers in solid red, white, navy, or khaki are also acceptable. Please note that no skinny pants or shorts, or other form fitting clothing may be worn. Uniforms should not be either excessively baggy or too tight. The dress code applies to all students at all times during the school day, including after-school events, except when waived by an administrator for a specific activity.
2. Free- and Reduced-Lunch Program applications are available. We ask that all parents fill one out, as these applications are used to determine some of our federal funding. The standards for qualification of the lunch program change annually. So families are asked to fill out a new form every school year.
3. Parental involvement is encouraged. La Paloma Academy is always happy to welcome parent volunteers, though all volunteers at school and for school events must have background and fingerprint clearances on file with the office. This month you can help out at picture day, chaperoning the Back-to-School dances, assisting with the book fair, or by selling the NED yo-yos after school.
4. We’re starting off the month with the Middle School Open House. This is for 7^th and 8^th grades only and will be held on Wednesday, August 5^th, from 6-7 p.m.
5. Early release time change for junior high. This year the junior high students will be releasing on Wednesdays at noon, just a half an hour later than last year. Please make a note of this for your convenience.
6. School pictures will be taken for the yearbook on Tuesday, August 18^th. Students should wear their uniforms and be picture ready.
7. The Autumn Book Sale Fundraiser runs from August 10^th to 26^th. This is one of our BIG fundraisers for the school. Books will cost $20 and we ask everyone to participate, if able. The Book Fair is tentatively scheduled to happen in the final week of the sale, from August 24^th-28^th.
8. Kindergarten through 6^th graders will have NED Assemblies on Wednesday, August 19^th. Students will participate in a fun and informative program that will use a yo-yo to teach them about CHARACTER. These yo-yos will also be on sale after school the week of the 19^th-26^th.
9. What better way to welcome students back to school than with a festive celebration. The Back-to-School Dances will be held on Wednesday, August 26^th. Flyers will go home on Monday the 17^th so that students can register to attend the dance. See below for the corresponding times for each grade’s dance.
10. Read these parking lot expectations. For student safety, please follow parking lot rules:

• Yellow curb: This area is for parents to drop off or pick up their children. In the afternoon, parents can wait in their car on the yellow curb for their child to come out of school. If you need to exit your car, please park in the parking lot. Do not exit your car if you are waiting on the yellow curb.
• Red curb: This area is for driving through the parking lot. Do not stop or park on the red curb. This is a designated fire zone and allows for parking lot traffic to flow freely.
• Parking Spaces: Please park in a designated spot if you need to exit your car. If spaces are limited, feel free to use the dirt parking area south of the parking lot.
• K-6^th grade students are released at 3:15 and can wait in the front of the school from 3:15-3:30. If a parent has not arrived for pick up by 3:30, students are sent to the after-school program. If you arrive after 3:30, park your car in the parking lot, (not on the yellow curb) and go to the front office where you will sign out your student. Jr. High students are released at 3:30 and can wait in front until 3:45 they are sent to after school program after 3:45.