Admin Minute

What a fantastic opening of the 2025-26 school year! The energy in our halls and classrooms was palpable, and it has been a joy to see our students reconnecting with old friends, meeting new ones, and diving back into their academic journeys. Thank you for your support in ensuring such a smooth and successful start to the school year.

As we head into the weeks to come, a few key reminders will help us maintain this positive momentum.

Review Class/School Expectations: Now that the initial excitement has settled, please take a moment to sit down with your child and review the PES Student Handbook and CCDS Code of Conduct. Discuss the importance of following their teachers' specific classroom rules and expectations. A strong routine now will set the stage for a great year.
Stay Connected with Communication Tools: Our teachers are already using the district approved platform(s), Thrillshare and Google Classroom to share updates, homework assignments, and important announcements. Please ensure you have signed up and are regularly checking these tools. If you are having trouble accessing them, please contact the front office for assistance.
Morning Drop-off & Afternoon Pick-up: Please continue to follow our designated traffic patterns and drop-off/pick-up procedures. Your patience and adherence to the rules are crucial for ensuring the safety of all students and staff. Please remember to stay in your car during drop-off and have your pick-up sign visible. Due to the change in district bussing this year we have many more students that are in our pick-up area in the afternoon. Thank you for your patience as we navigate these changes.
Attendance Matters: Start the Year Strong! Missing school, even for a single day, can mean missing critical foundational lessons. Please help your child build the habit of excellent attendance by ensuring they are at school and on time every day, prepared and ready to learn.

Thank you again for your partnership. We are looking forward to another fantastic year of learning and growth.

~Mr. O'Brian and Mrs. Stokes

Fall Pictures are Thursday September 4th

Fall Picture Day is just Thursday, September 4th. The classroom flyers were sent home in the Wednesday folders. You can place your order at www.leonards.com/photoprepay and the access code is C711382.

Dad's Take your Child to School Day

Manatee Father & Father Figures: Friday, September 17, from 8:00 am to 8:30 am, Paterson will host Dads Take Your Child to School Day in the cafeteria. We will only accept PRE-REGISTERED guests in order to adhere to the District and State Safety & Security Policies & Standards. The last day to sign up is Thursday, September 16th at 10:00 am and we will not accept any last-minute registrations. To attend, all adults must be listed as emergency contacts or as a parent or guardian. Please remember to bring your formal ID.

To register please click on the link: Registration for Dads Take Your Child to School Day

To attend, you MUST fill out this form prior to the deadline.
You will ONLY be checked in if your name is on a list.
You will sign in at the table that corresponds to your child’s grade level.
Families with multi siblings: please sign up for only one student and one grade level per family in the form.
Families with multi siblings, you will only need to check in once at one of the corresponding tables.
After registering, proceed through the South Cafeteria Doors to enjoy a delicious continental breakfast consisting of muffins and juice.
Please wear your issued Visitor Badge in a displayable location at all times.
Parents will NOT be able to escort their student(s) past the courtyard area, but feel free to have a photo opportunity with your incredible student or students.
Parents will be allowed to escort and visit our Book Fair located in the Media Center.
Should you choose to stop by the Book Fair, our staff will assist you with finding the Media Center.
Please refer to the map for further assistance.
Upon leaving, exit through the Breezeway gates.

We appreciate your assistance in making this event enjoyable and rewarding!

Please Label 🎒🎒🎒

To ensure that all student belongings are returned to their rightful owners in the event of loss or if they are brought to the front office, please label all school supplies. This includes lunch boxes, water bottles, and backpacks.

School Information:

Manatee Families: We kindly request that if you haven't done so already, please log into your ParentVue account and complete the 25-26 Annual Updates and Consents for the 2025-2026 school year. Students who are new to the district have already gone through this process during their registration. For all returning students, parents or guardians need to update the following forms for the 2025-2026 school year:
- Media Center Access and Book Check-Out
- Consent for School-Based Healthcare Services
- Emergency Contact Information: Ensure that all phone numbers, emails, and addresses are current so we can reach you promptly in case of an emergency.
Parents and/or Guardians: If you need to update your email and phone number on ParentVue, please click on this link for useful tips, Updating Email & Phone Number Reference Sheet
One Clay App: Please make sure to download the new One Clay app to keep up with important communications from your child's teachers and the school. Click on the link for helpful tips to help you get started: https://info.apptegy.com/for-parents-and-guardians
PES Student Handbook: We ask that all students and parents/guardians review the Paterson Student Handbook.
Adopt a Classroom: Teachers typically spend around $500 each year out of their own pockets on essential classroom supplies. They could really use your support! The Adopt a Classroom program tackles the issue of insufficient resources that hinder teacher effectiveness and student success. By doing so, we significantly enhance the chances of success for both teachers and students in the classroom, while fostering a sense of pride and respect within our local community. To donate today, click on the link https://tinyurl.com/AdoptaClass2025.
Student Pick Up and Dismissal: Please be mindful of our neighbors and not block roadways and driveways along Pine Ave during drop-off and pick-up times. Please be aware that you may be subject to law enforcement action from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. We kindly encourage our parents and guardians to arrive closer to dismissal times. Thank you for your cooperation!

Welcome Back to Campus for Lunch!

We are excited to invite parents, guardians, and emergency contacts to join us for lunch with their student(s). We kindly request that you maintain a respectful educational environment, as testing will be occurring throughout the school.

Lunch Guidelines:

No sign-up required: Simply arrive 10 minutes before your student's lunch time to check in through our Raptor system and receive your visitor badge.
Wear your visitor badge at all times while on campus.
After checking in, please meet your student in the courtyard.
You are welcome to bring outside food and/or drink.
Your student can get lunch from the cafeteria and then meet you back outside in the courtyard.

Thank you for cooperation! 💙💛

💙 PFA Information 💛

Ice Cream Social PreK - 2nd grade families: Join us for a sweet time at the Ice Cream Social!

Ice Cream is a FREE event for all PreK-2nd graders and their families.

We will have games, crafts, and the star of the show: ICE CREAM!

While the event is free, there will be items for purchase, including pizza and fun things like glitter tattoos and sand art. All additional items are CASH ONLY, please.

Ice Cream Social - PreK - 2nd Grade Families

Hat Passes on Sale NOW: The school's dress code prohibits wearing hats or caps unless you've purchased a Hat Pass. For just $5, you get to wear a hat on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month. All of the proceeds from Hat Pass sales go directly to the Paterson Alumni Scholarship. The first Hat Pass Day will be on Sept 19th.

Get your Hat Pass in MSB by Sept 12th at: https://tinyurl.com/hatpass2425

Join the PFA: PFA membership for the 2025-2026 school year is now open! For just $10 per family, you can help support Paterson students, faculty, and teachers.

The Paterson PFA has three objectives:

Build our school community through fun events like the Spring Carnival, dances & holiday events.
Support our teachers & staff by providing them with supplies and educational materials (software, technology, etc.) and through events like luncheons & appreciation events.
Help fill the gap between the county budget & what our school needs through business sponsorships, donations, & fundraising events like Boosterthon & the holiday gift shop.

In the past, we have purchased academic software, picnic tables, musical instruments, playground equipment, clinic upgrades, copy machines, water bottle-filling stations & educational software for the school. Membership is only $10 (per family, not per student) & does not obligate you to volunteer or attend meetings (though we would love for you to do both).

Join the PFA at this link (https://tinyurl.com/pfamembership24).

First PFA Meeting of the 2025-2026 School Year ~ The first PFA Meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, Sept 10th at 3 PM in the Media Center. Children are welcome to join -- they can read quietly, or there are a few items available for them to play with. Please, no food in the Media Center.

We will be discussing our upcoming events for the year. We are still seeking volunteers to assist with all of our committees. This is a great time to stop by and learn what the PFA does & how you can help!

Get ready for Spirit Night at Jersey Mike’s! Where a good sub does more than just satisfy hunger. Swing by on Wednesday, September 10th, to rally behind Paterson Elementary. They are thrilled to chip in 15% of sales for this fantastic fundraiser. So, pop in, relish some delicious subs, and join Jersey Mike’s in supporting this awesome cause!

Help us fill the pages of our new "Manatee Munchies" cookbook with your favorite family recipes!

Got a great recipe for chili, cookies, or something in between? Please send it our way.

Submit you recipe here:
www.typensave.com
Username: rmpatersonpfa
password: basil762

P.S. Cookbooks will be available for pre-sale in October -- just in time for delivery before the holidays!

HundredX Causes is a totally free way to create funding to help us raise money for Paterson Elementary. YOU can help – use HundredX Causes to share your opinions on companies & brands through October 2nd Each time you do, you create $1 of impact for Paterson PFA! It’s free, fast, and secure! The link will be sent shortly!

Contact Information & Social Media:

Phone Number: 904.336.2575
Fax Number: 904.336.2576
School Website Link: https://www.oneclay.net/o/pes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pesengage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pesmanatees/