Kindergarten/New Student Orientation and Sneak Peek information
KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION
- Kindergarten Orientation is scheduled for Thursday, August 20, 2026. Transportation arrangements have been made to pick up Kindergarten students from their designated bus stops at the specified times and transport them to school. Parents opting for parent drop-off should adhere to the school’s drop-off procedures.
- During the orientation, parents will engage with school staff while students meet their teachers. After the events, parents and students will be reunited at the school for the return journey home. This process aims to familiarize Kindergarten students with bus boarding routines, facilitate connections between students and bus drivers, and help students find their designated seats for the first day of school.
- Buses will operate at their regular morning times, requiring parents to be present at the bus stops on time. The parent event at school begins at 9:00 AM with teacher and staff assisting students off the busses at 8:35 AM
· Bus Schedule: Please check the Home Access Center for your designated bus times. Times will be posted on August 17th after 5:00 PM.
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION 1st – 5th GRADE
· Teacher Assignments: Please check the Home Access Center for your child’s teacher assignment on August 10th after 3:00pm
· Transportation: Please note that new 1st through 5th-grade students will not ride the bus to this event.
· Arrival: Please bring your child to the school at 9:00 AM for the orientation. They will get to tour the building and talk with staff about what makes Veterans Memorial School so special!
Important Note: All students will go home with their parents or guardians at the conclusion of the orientation (10:15 AM). There will not be a return bus ride home for students.
SNEAK PEEK
For all returning Veterans Memorial Families – Please join us on Thursday, August 20th from 10:30am – 11:30am for our sneak peek.
School Supply List for 26-27 SY
IMPORTANT
- Home Access Center (HAC)- August 10th, 3pm - Teacher assignment information will be posted to HAC. August 17th, 5pm bus information will be available in HAC. Home Access Center is a secure web-based opportunity to track your student’s attendance and academic performance. Home Access Center is the sole method by which your student’s transportation, homeroom, contact information and report cards will be communicated to you during the school://www.parklandsd.org/hac If your child's transportation is not correct in HAC. Please call the school's main office at 610-351-5910 to update the information.
Instructions for locating Teacher Name and Bus/Transportation Information
Need help logging in? Email hac@parklandsd.org
HAC Instructions - How to login in & Introduction
How to create a Home Access Account
Access to the School
Veterans Memorial Elementary School will be locked at all times, and all visitors are required to enter the school through the main entrance. Parkland School District's security protocol may require all visitors, including parents to show identification upon arrival.
When a visitor arrives at school, press the buzzer to contact the office. The visitor will be asked their name and to state the nature of their visit. The visitor should be able to identify the name of the child, grade/teacher, and name of the staff member they have an appointment to see, if appropriate.
If you are to enter the building for ANY reason, you must sign in via the Visitor Login iPad, BEFORE you can enter. You will need your Driver's License the first time you sign in this way.
If your visit is to drop off or pick up a student, please enter the lobby to sign the student in/out. Visitors will wait in the lobby unless otherwise instructed.
School Hours are 8:50 am – 3:30 pm. Doors open at 8:35 am. The office is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Lunch & Recess periods on regular school days follow this schedule:
Grade K 10:35 am -11:20 pm
Grade 1 11:25 am -12:10 pm
Grade 2 11:00 am -11:45 am
Grade 3 12:40 pm - 1:25 pm
Grade 4 11:50 pm -12:35 pm
Grade 5 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm
Early Dismissal Days
On early dismissal days, school will end at 11:45 AM. Students will NOT eat lunch at school on these days.
Transportation
All students are assigned a bus that transports to and from their home address, unless you have previously indicated that you will provide parent transport (you need to provide this information every school year). If you have before and/or after school care that is not located at your child’s home address, please contact our main office to communicate this information ASAP.
As we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year, one important item to confirm is your child's end-of-day transportation.
If there are any changes to your child's usual dismissal transportation (such as daycare, parent pick-up, an alternate bus stop, or another caregiver), please notify the school office immediately. If we do not receive updated transportation information, we will assume your child will ride the bus home each day.
Please contact the office by phone or email with any transportation changes:
School Office: 610-351-5910
Email:
Bus Information
- Please be at your bus stop at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled time for both AM & PM bus stops.
- Remember - your K or 1st grade student will NOT be allowed to exit the bus if a trusted adult is not in full view of the driver at the bus stop! Your child will be returned to the school and you will have to pick them up.
Late students, after 8:50 am, MUST enter through the main entrance and a parent must come into the vestibule to sign them in. If late due to an appointment, please provide a doctor's note.
Looking for before and after care please visit - https://www.parklandsd.org/community/day-care
Information for Right At School before and after care -
Parkland, PA Welcome Page - Right At School
Parkland - EN+ES_1-5DayPricingFlyer_Right Club _BeforeAfter
Parkland, PA Resources - Right At School
Download the New Parkland App by Apptegy Thrillshare - NEW FOR 2026 - the Parkland app is where all communication between students and teacher and parents and teachers will occur. Access the Parkland app on your computer here or download the app on your phone with this link for Apple or this link for Android phones. In either instance, log in with your parent email or phone number that we have on file. Please share with your students that we are rolling out this new communication system, which will be available on their Chromebooks as a tab called “Thrillshare” when they restart their devices. Students will learn more when they arrive at school.
Food Service Accounts: Advance payments for cafeteria purchases can be made at www.schoolcafe.com/ParklandSD or by sending cash/check (payable to PSD Cafeteria) to the Food Services Office at 2619 Stadium Drive, Orefield, PA 18069. Learn more about Food Services and Student Accounts on our Food Services webpage.
Chromebook Device Protection Plan (DPP): All Parkland students are assigned a Chromebook. Optional insurance coverage for device damages is available for $20 (Grades 4-12) or $10 (Grades KG-3) for the year. Open enrollment ends September 30th. For details, visit our DPP webpage. Online payments are accepted through My School Bucks. Chromebooks for Grades KG-3 will remain in the classroom at all times, except for Grade 3 when students may potentially take devices home on remote learning/inclement weather days
Friendly Reminders From The Office:
Early sign-out or appointment - Please send an email or note to the school letting us know the date, time, name, and relationship of the person who is signing your child out. They must be listed under your child as a contact. If you need to add a contact please do so in writing. Please be sure to bring your ID when signing out your student. The office will check your ID every time. If you have any questions please call the office at (610)351-5910 Ungerk@parklandsd.net or dotteryd@parklandsd.net
If you have any end-of-the-day changes to transportation please email or send a note to your child's teacher and the office staff.
Volunteer Reminders: ALL volunteers MUST have completed and approved clearances.
These ARE REQUIRED!
Parkland School District Volunteer Clearance Information and Application Procedures
Board Approved district Calendar
IMPORTANT DATES
- Monday, August 10th - 3pm teacher assignments and bus information post to HAC
- Monday, August 17th – 12pm Bus Information posted to HAC
- Thursday, August 20th – Kindergarten/New Student Orientation 9:00-10:15am, Sneak Peek for all returning students and families 10:30-11:30am
- Monday, August 24th - First Day of School
- Thursday, August 27th 5:30-7:30 PM, Open House
- Friday, September 4th and Monday, September 7th - School Closed
- Wednesday, September 9th PTO Meeting (Virtual) 7pm
- Thursday, September 10th Picture Day
- Monday, September 21st School’s closed for Students
- Tuesday September 22nd-25th Fall Book Fair
- Friday, September 25th PTO Book Fair Family Night 6pm-8pm
