Our Rockford Early Childhood Programs (RECP) Parent-Teacher Organization is made up of families who volunteer their time in ways that work best for them. Whether you’d like to help support classroom teachers, assist with or coordinate fundraisers, or simply spend some time having fun with the children, there are many ways to get involved and make a difference in our program!

Ways to get involved:

Attend PTO Meetings
Promote the various fundraising opportunities
Volunteer in the classroom and for events

Who are we?

The PTO Board consists of:

President - coordinates and assists the rest of the board and parent volunteers on projects fundraisers. Plans and holds meetings.
Vice President - works closely with the president as a co-chair.
Secretary - creates agendas and meeting minutes from PTO meetings. Communicates with the school, teachers, and parents.
Treasurer - balances the PTO fund and works with the Secretary to maintain checks and balances of incoming and outgoing funds.

How can I get involved?

Fill out this form (click the button below!) with your contact information and indicate your interests.

We look forward to working with you!

GET INVOLVED WITH THE RECP PTO!

Preschool:

Arrival 7:00 am to 9:00 am

Parents will park in the Lewis Street parking lot and will escort their children to the appropriate classrooms.

Arrival 9:00 am and beyond

Parents will drop off their students at the office and staff will escort students to the appropriate classrooms.

Dismissal:

Before 3:00 pm, parents will pick up students in the main office.

After 3:00 pm, parents will pick up students in the back of the building using their provided family signs.

ECSE:

Arrival: 8:00 am and 12:00 pm

Parent Drop-Off: Parents will park in the Lewis Street parking lot and will escort their children to the appropriate staff members at Door 12.

Bus Arrival: Buses will release students to staff members in front of the building near Door 12.

Dismissal: 11:10 am and 3:10 pm

Parent Pick-Up: Parents will park in the Lewis Street parking lot and will pick up their children from the staff members at Door 12. They can then escort them to their cars.

Bus Arrival: Buses will pick up students in front of the building near Door 12.

DK:

Arrival: 8:25 am to 8:35 am

Parent Drop-Off: Drop students with staff at the back of the building. Students will join their class line and will enter the building promptly at 8:35 am.

After 8:35 am: Parents/guardians must sign students in at the main office. Staff will escort them to class.

Bus Arrival: Buses will release students to staff at the front of the building near the school sign.

Dismissal: 3:15 pm

Staff will assist with student dismissal.

Parent Pick-up: Pick up students at the back of the building using your provided family sign. Please remain in your car unless your child needs help buckling their safety belt. Staff will assist with opening the car door if needed.

Bus Dismissal: Staff will release students to buses at the front of the building near the school sign.

Thank you for helping us keep drop-off and pick-up safe and efficient. Please be patient, kind, and give one another grace as we navigate these routines together. Our students are watching—and learning from us.

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures

Preschool Drop-off in AM

Please do not park or stop on Lewis Street, as the front curbs must remain open for our Early Childhood Special Education drop-offs.

Please use extra caution when crossing Lewis Street—drivers may have limited visibility. Hold your child’s hand and cross carefully.

Pick-up in PM

Enter the Pick-Up loop from Norwood Street, not Sigsbee.

Pull forward all the way to the cone in the pick-up circle (or as far as the next car) to keep traffic moving smoothly. Please avoid large gaps between vehicles.

Hold your provided family sign where staff can clearly see it.

All students should enter the car on the side closest to the sidewalk.

Be patient with our students. Their little legs take time to cover distances in this big building! They may also be coming from different places (playground, bathroom, cafeteria, etc.), so it might take a few extra moments for them to reach you. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding.

DK Classroom Parties

We’re excited to bring back one of our favorite school traditions this year—classroom parties! These are special opportunities for our DK students, teachers, and families to celebrate together.

Our classroom parties are scheduled for:

October 30 – Halloween
December 17 – December Holidays
February 11 – Valentine’s Day

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll send information to families about how you can sign up to participate in one of the three parties. We’ll be able to have a maximum of five parents/guardians per classroom for each party.

To give as many families as possible the opportunity to participate, each family may sign up for one party per child during the school year. This will help ensure that we can have a variety of parents and guardians represented at our celebrations.

We’re really excited to welcome families back into the building and bring this tradition back for our students, parents, and staff! Parent volunteers will help with planning, organizing, and running the parties, which will also help take some of the load off our classroom teachers.

More information and sign-up details will be coming your way in the next couple of weeks. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Office Reminders

Extra Clothing

We recommend that ALL students keep a full set of weather-appropriate extra clothes in their cubby (shirt, pants, underwear, socks, and shoes). Students may need to change due to bathroom accidents, cafeteria spills, or getting wet or dirty at recess.

PLEASE BE SURE TO LABEL EVERYTHING! We have over 200 students in our building, which makes for a lot of clothing and gear! We want everything to return to your home at the end of each week!

Weather Alerts

For up-to-date information regarding Rockford Public Schools delays and/or closings, events and safety alerts, send a text message of "Y" or "Yes" to our district’s short code number, 67587. Opt out any time by simply replying to one of our messages with "Stop." Be sure to tune in on icy or snowy mornings!

PLEASE NOTE: All Preschool Programs follow the Rockford Public Schools weather closures. If RPS announces a snow day, Preschool will be closed as well.

STUDENT ABSENCES

Who do I call if my student will be absent or late to school?

Absences MUST be called into the office 616-863-6360. Press 1 for the Attendance Line.

When you are reporting an absence on our voicemail, the State of Michigan requires us to know the following:

Student's name
Reason for absence - if it is an illness we need to know the symptoms of the illness (vomiting, coughing, fever, cold, diarrhea, lice, etc.).

Contact Information

Parkside Early Childhood Center Office/Attendance Line - 616-863-6360; press 1.

Jamie Brown (Preschool Admin Assistant): jbrown@rockfordschools.org
Julie Palmieri (DK/ECSE Admin Assistant): jpalmieri@rockfordschools.org

Additional Important Numbers

Transportation Office: 616-863-6328
BAC/Child Care Office: 616-863-6560
Community Services: 616-863-6322

Family Resources

Everyone needs a little help sometimes—and we’re here to help! ♥

From food assistance and community resources to free counseling services, there are many resources available to support you and your family. Explore the resources below, or reach out to us anytime. We’re happy to help connect you with the right support and point you in the right direction.

Hand2Hand Permission Slip
This program helps provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who currently may be experiencing a financial burden.
School Assistance Program
This program provides mental health support, confidential counseling services, financial training, elder care, legal consultation, infant feeding support, real estate consultations, and more.
Kent County Resources Guide
This guide provides you a list of all of Kent County's resource centers and support facilities.

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