FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL GUIDE

¡Buenos días, RH Dana families!

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Tuesday's coming. To help you destress, here's everything you need for week one, in the order you'll need it.

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MONDAY, AUG 17 — No school. Practice day.

Nobody has to do this. But the families who do a dry run swear by it.

• Wake up like it's a school day. Get dressed. Eat breakfast. Do a practice run of the full morning routine.

• You might even consider driving the route at the real hour so you know what your commute looks like when it matters.

• Teacher assignments post on the Parent Portal after 3:00 p.m. While you're in there, complete the annual data confirmation — you'll review your contact info and emergency contacts, then print the confirmation page at the end. That printout goes back to school in your child's First Day Packet.

• No portal account yet? Call the front office for your verification code: (949) 496-5784

• Lay out the uniform tonight. Future you says thank you.

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TUESDAY, AUG 18 — First day. Minimum day.

• Grades 1–5 and all STEPS students: Welcome Back assembly at the flagpole at 7:45 a.m. Kids find their new teacher at the flagpole, and you're welcome to walk them to their classroom. Dismissal 12:15 p.m.

• Kindergarten Meet & Greet: 8:30–8:50 a.m. for last names A–M, 9:00–9:20 a.m. for N–Z. Enter at the playground gate.

• TK Meet & Greet: 8:30–9:30 a.m. in the new TK Beluga Bay (the RH Dana West Building, formerly ECC). Enter at the playground gate.

• Preschool Meet & Greet: 9:00–10:00 a.m. (AM session), 12:00–1:00 p.m. (PM session). Enter through the gate between Beluga Bay and the first brick building.

• STEPS families: Kinder, come to the classroom for a Meet & Greet 8:00–9:00, or have your child stay the whole day — your call. All other grades follow the regular 7:45–12:15 day, starting at the flagpole.

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WEDNESDAY, AUG 19 — First full day for everyone

This is TK and Kindergarten's first full day. It's also the day the tiredness hits. Learn the logistics and timings of your new daily routines for morning, pickup, and after school. Plan an easy dinner and an early bedtime — we're all doing the same thing.

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THURSDAY, AUG 20 — Early out + "Whale"come picnic

• Thursdays are always early-out days. See the schedule below.

• School-wide picnic, 11:45 a.m.–12:25 p.m. Bring a blanket or chairs and some lunch and hang out with your kid and the rest of the RH Dana family.

• Can't make it? Totally okay. Just let your child's teacher know so they can pair your child with another family — nobody eats alone.

 

FRIDAY, AUG 21 — Full day. Spirit shirt day.

Fridays are spirit shirt days all year. You made it through week one! (Reminder: if you don't have spirit shirts yet for your child, we'll have the new shirts on sale sometime next month.)​

 

🕗 BELL SCHEDULE (once the regular week starts)

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Mon / Tue / Wed / Fri

TK Early Beluga

8:10–12:03

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TK Late Beluga

9:40–1:33

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Kindergarten

7:55–1:55

 

Grades 1–5

7:45–2:05

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Thursday (early out)​

TK Early Beluga

8:10–12:03

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TK Late Beluga

8:10–12:03

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Kindergarten

7:55–12:40

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Grades 1-5

7:45–12:50

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👕 UNIFORMS — starting day one

Closed-toe shoes, navy bottoms or dresses, and a white, red, or navy collared shirt. Sweaters and jackets can be whatever you want. Fridays are spirit shirt days.

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The Uniform Room is open Tuesday–Friday this week during drop-off. A new shipment of polos arrives this week. We're sold out of most tie dye spirit shirt sizes, but a new design — created by an RH Dana parent — was ordered this summer and we'll announce the moment it lands.

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🚗 DROP-OFF & PICK-UP — read this once, save yourself a month

• Grades 1-5: The east La Cresta cul-de-sac in front of school is your drop-off/pick-up zone before and after school. 

• Loop around the cul-de-sac and drop off after you pass the parking lot entrances. Same spot for afternoon pick-up.

• There is NO parking on La Cresta in front of the school during the marked time zones.

• If you want to park and walk your child in, park on the opposite side of the La Cresta cul-de-sac, or on Chula Vista, the main cross street.

• Kindergarten parents: you may park in the cul-de-sac only between 7:50–8:05, after 1st–5th drop-off.

• TK Parents: For TK drop off, parents can park in the west La Cresta cul-de-sac in front of the new TK building. Parents will walk their children up to the flagpole in "Beluga Bay" by the playground entrance, in front of the TK building. 

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Here’s a handy map: