Welcome Back from Winter Break

We are excited to welcome our scholars back from winter break on Monday, January 8, 2024. Below are a few friendly reminders to help you start the new year strong!

2-Hour Late Start

Please remember Monday, January 8, 2024, is a 2-hour late start school day.

As a reminder, this means all schools will begin two hours after the normal start time. For students who ride the bus, pick-up schedules will also be two hours later than normal. Click here to view the bus stop time conversion chart at www.fwps.org/2hourbuschart

Breakfast will not be served when there is a two-hour late start. Interested scholars may visit the school office for a light snack until lunch which will be served at the normally scheduled times.

Full Day ECEAP will be delayed two hours behind the regularly scheduled start time and will dismiss at the regular time. There will be no part-day ECEAP, and no A.M. or P.M. Preschool.

School will dismiss at the normal time.  

Getting to School Safely: Everyone Plays a Part

It’s important that we all do our part to ensure students feel safe as they travel to and from school. We've put together a list of tips to follow when it comes to traveling to, from, and around schools for students, families, and local drivers. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

For Drivers:

• Slow down and be alert to the actions of pedestrians and other drivers
• Pay attention to and abide by the speed limit, which in school zones is 20 miles per hour
• Be alert for children in school zones 
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians
• Reduce traffic congestion and keep children visible
• Do not double-park, stop in crosswalks, or interfere with school buses in the bus loading area of a school

For Walking Students:

• Discuss a safe route to and from school among your family
• Stop at the curb and always look both ways before crossing the street
• Never jaywalk, always cross at designated crosswalks 
• When crossing, walk – do not run – and keep an eye out for turning vehicles and distracted drivers
• If riding a bike, skateboard, roller blades or scooter, always wear a helmet and protective clothing and put reflectors on your bike and shoes
• Stay on a walking route approved by parents and go directly to and from school (scholars who walk home are expected to do so immediately after dismissal) 
• When possible, walk with a buddy and stay in view of others
• Use sidewalks or paths that are in plain sight of passing cars and surrounding homes or businesses

For Bus Riding Students:

• Cross the street only when the bus driver motions it is safe
• Give others space in line 
• Stay a safe distance from the bus until the door opens
• Walk away from the bus after you exit
• Sit down quickly and stay seated while riding the bus
• Get on and off at your bus stop
• Be aware of your surroundings
• Follow the bus driver’s directions
• Wait your turn to board and exit the bus

Tutoring Available to Scholars

Remember that FWPS scholars in grades 4-12 have free access to Tutor.com through Launchpad to Learning for homework, test prep, and other coursework support. Learn more at www.fwps.org/TutoringResources

Attendance Matters: Attend Today. Achieve Tomorrow!

Showing Up Together: At Federal Way Public Schools, we encourage our scholars to continue the year attending school every day. Now is always a great time to set the foundation of being on time for your child.

When scholars aren’t at school, they miss out on important learning to help them be successful at school. Lesson plans are built upon foundational knowledge from previous exercises and missing one day can impact a scholar’s ability to grasp future lessons.

A student who misses 10 days or more during a school year is 20 percent less likely to graduate from high school and 25 percent less likely to ever enroll in college. School attendance is essential to academic success, and parents can help too!

• Avoid extended vacations, by keeping them in line with the school’s schedule.
• Set regular bedtime and morning routines.
• For older children, help them develop homework and bedtime routines.
• Above all, set an example for your child. Show your child that attendance and showing matters to you.

Do you need support to achieve this goal? Contact your school, we’re here to assist. For more information and to and helpful and translated resources such as the family hand out, excused/unexcused tip sheet, and prearranged absence form, please visit: www.fwps.org/attendance

Are your contact preferences up to date?

When weather impacts our normal school schedule, one way we communicate with you is through ParentSquare Alerts. To ensure you are receiving messages according to your preferences, please:

• Ensure your contact information in your ParentVUE account is up to date. You can update your account by visiting https://grades.fwps.org. If you have not activated your ParentVUE account, please contact your child’s school.
• Update your notification preferences in ParentSquare. You can edit message delivery settings according to your preference for voice, email and/or app notification as well as language preference. Please leave the option for "School Alerts" on to ensure you receive these important updates. More information is available on the FWPS website and in ParentSquare support.

For more information about weather-related school closures or delays, please visit our website: https://www.fwps.org/departments/communications/school-closure-and-delay.