Tips For Parents By Parents

Welcome to King Open!

Please note: information for the 2023-2024 school year will be updated soon! Please check back over the summer.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to any member of the FOKO board. You may also contact our King Open Family Liaison, Neusa DaCosta, at 857-270-3347 or ndacosta@cpsd.us. Neusa and other school administrators may not be available during the Summer break.

When do we find out about classroom assignments?
Classroom assignments for the 2022-2023 school year were emailed to families at the beginning of August. If you didn’t get an assignment, please contact Brenda in the main office. Brenda and other school administrators do take time off during the summer so you may also reach out to fellow parent, Shalini Ayre, as she may be able to help you.

When does school start?
In 2023, the first day of school is Tuesday, September 5th for grades 1-12. Junior kindergarten and kindergarten starts on Thursday, September 7th. The full school calendar for 2023-2024 is available online.

Will my child have the opportunity to meet any of his/her classmates before school starts?
Every year, parents organize playdates in a playground near King Open on a couple of different dates over the summer for JK and Kindergarten families to meet.  Please contact Neusa DaCosta with any questions.

Kindergarten families will typically receive a letter from their teacher a week or two before school starts. Families/caregivers and their child will be invited to attend small group sessions in the classroom in order to meet the teacher, fill out paperwork, learn about the curriculum, and ask any questions. These sessions take place the Tuesday and Wednesday before school starts (September 5th and 6th).

You may also reach out to Shalini Ayre (parent to 5th grader) if you would like to connect with families in other grades before school starts.

What should we bring on the first day of school?
Children should bring a water bottle, lunch (if they don’t want school lunch), and a snack.

During a typical school year, each child is expected to bring a backpack that is large enough to fit a full size folder.  Teachers will send notices home in the backpacks each night and parents/guardians are expected to check them daily.  If your child is planning on bringing their lunch, they will also need a lunchbox.  For kindergartners, you will also want to bring an extra set of clothes to leave in the classroom as well as a small blanket for quiet/rest time.

Prior to the pandemic, some classrooms had community snacks that were donated by parents/caregivers and shared with the entire class. We recommend asking your teacher about snacks at the beginning of the year.

What are the options for purchasing food in the cafeteria?
Breakfast and lunch have been FREE for all children every day during the 2022-2023 school year. We are unsure whether this will continue in 2023-2024. The food and nutrition services department has information on their site with current food calendars.

What are the school hours?
School hours are 8:55 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.  Classrooms open at 8:40 a.m. On early release days, school ends at 12:55 p.m..

How do we know where/when to get the school bus?
Children who live more than a mile from the school or who need to cross certain major roads to get to school qualify for the school bus.  Bus information is sent to families the week before school starts.  More information may be found here.

Will there be before-school student activities each day?
Please watch for more information from King Open about whether there will be before-school student activities during the upcoming school year. As of now, students should be dropped off between 8:40 a.m. – 8:55 a.m.

What are the options for after school care?
King Open Extended Day (KOED) is an afterschool program that is completely integrated into the King Open School and is only open to KO students. Registration opens in the Spring:  https://online.traxsolutions.com/dhspcc/king-open-school

There are three options:

King Open Extended Day 5 days (Full Week)
King Open Extended Day 3 days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
King Open Extended Day 2 days (Tuesday and Thursday)

In a typical school year, KOED is open for 10 months, from the first day of school in September to the last day of school in June. It is closed on most city and legal holidays. The hours are from 2:55PM to 6PM pm every school day, 12:55PM to 6PM on early release days and 8AM to 5:30PM during school vacations. 

How/when do we sign up for Community School?
More info is available here and there is a FAQ/tuition rates document here.

More afterschool options are available here.

Another option may be the Science Club for Girls.  Science Club for Girls is a free, after school Science Club open to all girls.

Who do I contact if my child has an allergy or health condition that needs to be discussed?
Ruth Jolicoeur is the school nurse and can be reached at 857.235.2974.  If your child has Asthma or an Allergy requiring an EpiPen, you will need to fill out a Parental Consent form, Medication Consent (from PCP), Allergy/Asthma Action Plan (from PCP), and Asthma/EpiPen for the Nurse’s office.

You may also contact the Food and Nutrition office for additional accommodations. More information about the School Nursing Services are available here.

You should also discuss any concerns with your child’s teacher. 

How do I learn more?
We recommend joining the Friends of King Open Facebook page and/or the Friends of Ola Facebook page.

There is also a King Open Community email list you can subscribe to. This email list is a forum for parents/guardians of current KO students to discuss issues, ask school-related questions of other parents, make connections, and brainstorm ideas. The list is unmoderated—messages are not screened before they go to the list.

Lastly, you may also visit the school’s website. Please let us know if you have any questions.

How may I get involved?
There are a variety of ways to get involved in the King Open community:  You may serve as a Classroom Connector in your child’s classroom, attend an event, volunteer to help in a classroom, chaperone on field trips, participate on a committee, etc.

The Friends of King Open (FOKO) meets monthly. Please join us and learn about all of the great ways to get involved! Please contact Shalini Ayre if you are interested in joining the FOKO board, are curious about ways to get involved, or have any questions.

Again, welcome!