Principal's Office
August 19, 2024
Dear Rainier Elementary Families,
With a new school year just around the corner, I hope your summer was filled with joy, exploration, and meaningful time together. The excitement is building, and I am thrilled to welcome back our Rainier Elementary community!
At Rainier Elementary, building strong relationships remains at the core of everything we do. I am deeply committed to getting to know each of your children, whether we’re crossing paths in the hallways, working together in the classroom, or sharing a moment on the playground. Every decision made at our school is guided by our dedication to providing the best for our students because they truly deserve it.
Safety is, as always, our top priority. To further enhance security, we’ve installed a new "buzz in" system (a little bit different than last year), details of which will be outlined in the upcoming handbook. Additionally, we’ve fenced off our playground to ensure a safer environment for our students to enjoy. The playground blacktop games have also been refinished with vibrant, colorful designs that will bring new energy to playtime.
I’m also excited to announce that class placements will be available on Thursday, August 22nd (through Skyward). Our Rainier Elementary staff has put a great deal of thought and effort into these placements, working collaboratively to consider each student’s academic needs, behavior, social interactions, and learning styles. Due to the need to balance class loads fairly, we are unable to accept parent requests. However, please rest assured that our team of highly qualified teachers has carefully placed each student to set them up for academic success.
This year, we are welcoming some wonderful new staff members to our Rainier family. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Kaitlynn Clary (Kindergarten) and Jo Foley (1st Grade). Their fresh perspectives and expertise will undoubtedly enrich our already vibrant learning community.
Mark your calendars for our K-5 Open House on Wednesday, August 28th. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, bring in any necessary school supplies, explore their classroom, and connect with our dedicated specialists, office staff, SPED teachers, and counselor. We’ll also be hosting a free BBQ hotdog feed on the football field as we kick off another fantastic year together.
I am genuinely excited for the first day of school. I can’t wait to hear about all the summer adventures and to meet our new students and families. Rainier Elementary is more than just a school—it’s a community of exceptional teachers, staff, students, families, and volunteers. It’s an honor to work alongside all of you as we begin a new year of growth, learning, and success.
Please see the important information below for the 2024-2025 school year. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email at meldrumr@rainier.wednet.edu or by phone at 360.446.4020. Our office is open from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Looking forward to a fantastic year together!
Sincerely,
Rita Meldrum, Principal
Rainier Elementary School
End of Day Release:
All students will be released at 2:50 pm
Start Dates:
· Office opens: Monday, August 19th from 7:30 am – 3:30 pm
· 1st - 5th grade begins on Tuesday, September 3rd
· Kindergarten begins on Friday, September 6th
Student Supply List:
Please click link for our RES School Supplies
District Calendar:
Please click link for our District Calendar
Elementary Webpage:
Please click the link for our Rainier Elementary webpage
Mark Your Calendar:
· August 20th: Kindergarten Cougar Camp and Parent Meeting
· September 17th: School Pictures
Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast and lunch will be free for all K-5 students this year. Breakfast will be available from 8:00 am to 8:20 am. Don't forget to fill out the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application.
Morning Drop Off
· The school is open for drop off as early as 8:00 am. If you arrive before 8:00 am you will need to keep your child in your vehicle until a visual signal from school personnel at 8:00 am.
· At 8:00, your child will enter our building through our front doors.
· Our parking lot is one way. Please pull into the lane nearest the curb and exit by driving around to the left.
· To keep traffic moving please pull forward.
· It would be helpful if students are prepared with backpacks and coats ready to be dropped off quickly in this right lane.
· For your child’s safety, please have them exit the vehicle on the passenger side closest to the sidewalk.
· Please do not stop on the crosswalk or exit your vehicle.
· After dropping off your student, please take care pulling away from the curb as other cars will be passing through.
Afternoon Pick Up
· Please do not park and get out of your vehicle to pick up your child.
· If you choose to walk to come and pick-up your child, please wait over by the flag pole area and we will release your child to you.
· Our parking lot is one way. Please pull into the lane closest to the school on the curb and exit by driving around to the left, through the back of the parking lot.
· Please continue to pull forward as other cars exit the pick-up zone. Our pick-up line runs more smoothly if the cars advance forward as far as possible when space opens up. Please pick up your child quickly to prevent a traffic back-up.
· For your child’s safety, we will have them enter the vehicle on the passenger side closest to the sidewalk.
· Please do not stop on the crosswalk or exit your vehicle.
· Please have your passenger side window down so we can communicate with you regarding pick-up.