Dear East Lake Families and Community,

🌟 Welcome to an exciting new school year at East Lake Elementary! 🌟

We are thrilled to begin another year of learning, growth, and leadership with our amazing students, families, and community. As we enter our second year as a Leader in Me school, we’re more committed than ever to helping every child discover their strengths, set meaningful goals, and shine as confident leaders.

This year, we’re focusing on three powerful themes that will guide our journey together:

• 🎯 Wildly Important Goals (WIGs): Students will set personal and academic goals, track their progress, and celebrate their achievements along the way.
• 🌍 Celebrating Cultural Diversity: We honor and embrace the unique backgrounds, traditions, and voices that make our school community so vibrant.
• 🤝 Community Involvement: Together, we’ll build strong partnerships that support student success and create a culture of collaboration and care.

📚 School Hours:

• Student Hours (Including VPK): 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM (Mon–Fri)
• Early Release Wednesdays: 2:15 PM
• Office Hours: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

👶 VPK Arrival & Dismissal Update:

• VPK Student Hours for 2025–2026: 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM
• Morning Arrival: VPK staff will be present to escort students into the building and to their designated area.
• Dismissal: Please make sure student can be loaded into the backseat behind the passenger. Staff will not be able to buckle students in. If you need to help your child buckle their seat belt, please go into the parking lot to do so.

👕 Dress for Success:
Students should wear polo shirts in red, black, navy blue, or white, and bottoms in khaki, black, navy blue, or jeans. Sneakers are a must for safety during active learning. The School District of Osceola County has specific guidelines regarding hoodies in its dress code. You can view the full dress code policy here:👉 Osceola County Dress Code Policy. According to the district:

• Outer garments, such as hoodies, must be removed, completely unzipped, or left open so that the school uniform is visible.
• Hoods must not be worn over the head while on school property.

🙋‍♀️ Parent Volunteers Welcome!
We love having our families involved! If you're interested in volunteering at East Lake—whether in the classroom, during events, or behind the scenes—we’d love to have you. To get started, please complete the OASIS Volunteer Application through the School District of Osceola County at:
👉 OASIS Volunteer Application
All volunteers must be approved each school year.

Once your application is submitted, please reach out to Mrs. Louise Steuer, East Lake’s new Volunteer Coordinator, at louise.steuer@osceolaschools.net to get connected and learn about upcoming opportunities.

🚗 New Dismissal Plan: We’re introducing a two-lane traffic system to make dismissal smoother and safer for everyone. Where the car rider line widens, vehicles will be directed into two lanes:

• Right Lane: VPK, Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade
• Left Lane: 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade
• Updated: All cars will exit through the main gate on Boggy Creek. to ensure the double lanes can be fully utilized. All cars must turn right on to Boggy Creek for safety reasons.

🚗 Arrival Reminders for Car Riders - Help Us Keep It Safe and Smooth! To ensure a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal process, please review the following important reminders:

• Remove Child Lock: Please disable child locks so your child can open their own door and exit quickly and safely.
• Say Your Goodbyes Early: Parents/guardians should not get out of the car to say goodbye. Please give hugs, kisses, and encouraging words as you are getting close to the loading zone, not once you stop.
• Wake Up Your Child: If your child falls asleep during the drive, please make sure they are awake and alert before reaching the final stop in the drop-off lane.
• Be Backpack Ready: Make sure your child has their backpack, lunchbox, water bottle, and shoes on before the car comes to a full stop.
• Stay Packed & Ready: Students should not be putting on shoes, packing bags, or gathering belongings once you’re in the drop-off lane.
• Follow Staff Directions: Please drive all the way down as directed by staff members before stopping. This helps us unload more cars at once.
• No Cell Phones: For the safety of all children and staff, please avoid using your phone while in the car rider line.
• Students must be able to EXIT on the right side of the vehicle in the mornings. We do not want students exiting from car on the left side of vehicle.

🚗 Parent Pick-Up Reminders 🚗

• Display Your Car Tag: Have your student’s name and grade clearly visible on your dashboard.
• Car Tag Required for Entry: Vehicles without a car tag will be directed to the front office to show ID and receive a new one. Only the enrolling parent can get a new car tag.
• Stay in Your Vehicle: For safety and efficiency, please remain in your car unless instructed otherwise.
• Follow Staff Directions: Staff are there to ensure a smooth and safe process—thank you for your cooperation!
• Arrive on Time: Timely arrival helps keep the line moving and minimizes delays.
• No Cell Phone Use: Stay alert and avoid distractions while in the pick-up line.
• Use Designated Pick-Up Areas Only: Do not park or pick up students outside of the approved areas.
• Older Siblings Sit with Younger Siblings: All older siblings should wait with their younger siblings in the designated school location.
• Be Patient and Courteous: Your kindness and patience help keep everyone safe and the process smooth.
• VPK-2^nd grade students must be able to enter vehicle from the right side by sidewalk,
• 3^rd – 5^th grade students must be able to enter the vehicle from the left side of car.
• All cars will exit at Boggy Creek and must turn right on to Boggy Creek.

We’re so excited to synergize with you for a year full of learning, leadership, and joyful growth. Thank you for being an essential part of our East Lake family—we can’t wait to see all the amazing things our students will accomplish this year!

With gratitude and enthusiasm,
Beth Telemko
Principal, East Lake Elementary