Welcome to our Dragonfly Family!

If you are new to Crestwood - WELCOME! If you are returning - WELCOME BACK! We are SO glad you are here!

Goals

We have ambitious school improvement goals at Crestwood this year. As a staff we are dedicated to decreasing chronically absent students by 10% or more. We are also committed to 10% or more student growth in grade level reading and math. Crestwood will achieve these ambitious goals through student attendance buddy systems, delivering robust professional development, maintaining high expectations, and through teamwork.

Crestwood SOARs Above

Crestwood Dragonflies are expected to always follow these expectations:

S - Safety
O - On Task
A - Academic Attitude
R - Respect and Responsibility

Visitors and Volunteers

Volunteers are welcome! Please coordinate with your teacher to determine volunteer opportunities. Please note you must be VIPS approved. This process can be completed from the “Get Involved” button on our main Kent School District website and must be renewed YEARLY.

Arrival/Dismissal

Student Drop-Off: We encourage the use of the drop-off line in lieu of parking and walking across the lot. Please stay in your car as your child exits. If your child needs assistance, please utilize a parking space. Students may arrive on campus at 8:40am or after when supervision is available. Buses have priority, so please use the turn before the bus lane if buses are occupying the bus area. For those who walk or choose to walk their child(ren) up to the front of the school, please wish them well at the orange cones. Students will put their backpack outside their classroom door and head to the back playground where supervision begins at 8:40am. Our first bell rings at 8:55am and our final bell is at 9:00am. Kindergarten parents, you are welcome to walk to the outside of the classroom on the first day with your child.

Student Pick-Up: Bus and daycare van riders are released at 3:40pm to ensure these vehicles can load and leave the parking lot first. The rest of the student body is released at the 3:44pm bell. Please meet students behind the orange cones or utilize our car pickup line. Once the buses and daycare vans leave the lot, the bus lane will open to cars. Buses and daycare vans have priority in the parking lot. Thank you in advance for bringing your patience and courtesy. *Note that Wednesdays release two-hours early at 1:40pm and 1:44pm.*

Excellent Attendance is Important!

We value every student’s contribution to our school community and miss them when they are gone. Regular, daily attendance is one of the most important things a student can do to be successful in all grade levels.

Make School Attendance a Priority

• Discuss the importance of showing up to school every day with children.
• Schedule appointments outside the school day or on non-school days.
• Help children stay healthy by ensuring they get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet, wash their hands regularly, and are up to date on immunizations.
• Keep children home only if they are truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomachaches may be signs of anxiety.

Set Regular Bedtime & Morning Routines

• Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and going to bed on time.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Develop backup plans for arriving to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.

Did You Know?

• All absences (excused and unexcused) have the potential of harming students academically.
• Students who miss 10 percent (18 days) of the school year, or two or more days a month, are defined as being chronically absent.
• By sixth grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• By ninth grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than eighth-grade test scores.
• It takes an average of three days for a student to catch up from every one day of being absent.
• Missing three or more days of school per month can set a student back up to two full years of learning.

I am looking forward to working with our wonderful community this year. Together we can ensure our Dragonflies SOAR as we welcome back students to the 2023-2024 school year!

Danielle DeJong, Principal