Dear Stallion Families,
The countdown is on, and we cannot wait to welcome our students back to Lakewood! There is something truly special about the first day of school. New friendships begin, classrooms come to life, and together we start another year of learning, growing, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
This year is especially exciting as we celebrate Lakewood Elementary's 75th Anniversary! For 75 years, generations of Stallions have walked through our doors to discover their passions, build lifelong friendships, and create memories that have shaped our incredible community. Throughout the year, we'll celebrate our rich history while embracing our 2026-2027 theme, “A Legacy of Learning. A Future of Possibilities.” We can't wait to honor the past while creating new memories with your children.
As excited as we all are, the first few weeks are also a time for building strong routines, relationships, and confidence. Every classroom is learning expectations, practicing procedures, and getting to know one another. Our teachers are intentionally spending time helping students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn because those first weeks lay the foundation for a successful year.
As families, one of the greatest gifts you can give your child is confidence and encouragement. A calm, positive goodbye and trust in the process go a long way. Some students may come home tired, emotional, or even say school was "boring" or "hard." That's completely normal! They are working incredibly hard to learn new routines, make friends, and adjust to a new environment.
We also appreciate your grace during these first days. Arrival and dismissal may take a little longer than usual as we ensure every child gets safely where they need to be. Teachers are balancing many new faces, learning about each child, and beginning important assessments, including reading and math screeners, to better understand where students are starting the year. These early assessments help us tailor instruction and provide the support or enrichment each child needs. While you may not see much academic work coming home immediately, know that an incredible amount of learning and relationship building is happening each day.
In addition to learning our routines, during the first weeks of school we may make a limited number of classroom changes to ensure balanced class sizes and learning environments. These decisions are made thoughtfully and only when needed.