Principal Update 9-12-2025

Dear Carnation Families,

It has been a wonderful start to the school year! While it was our second week, it was filled with many exciting firsts at Carnation Elementary. Students completed their first full 5-day week, our kindergarteners experienced their first full day, and we welcomed back our tiniest Tigers in preschool for their first day on Monday. We also gathered for our first all-school assembly to build community, introduce staff, and review school-wide expectations. Students did an exemplary job demonstrating those expectations, with our 5th graders leading the way as positive role models for younger students. To round out the week, we successfully held our first emergency fire drill of the year.

Principal Updates will be sent home twice a month on Fridays. If you have questions between updates, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher, the main office at (425)-844-4550, or me directly.

Please continue reading for more highlights from this past week and a look ahead at what’s coming up around the school. We hope your family is having a great start to the school year!

In partnership,

Steve Lesco

 Principal, Carnation Elementary

 LescoS@rsd407.org | 425-844-4553

Changes to Morning Line-up Procedures

Morning Drop-Off Begins still begins at 9:15 AM. Please do not drop off students before 9:15 unless they are having breakfast. Please remember to pull all the way forward at drop-off to avoid congestion.

Starting Monday, September 15th, we are making changes to the morning line-up procedures.  Students will no longer report to the playground, rather there will be three distinct line-up locations grouped by grade bands that are closer to classrooms.  The hope is that reducing the overall number of classes in certain areas will reduce congestion and expedite the transitions to classrooms allowing us to begin our student day as close to 9:25 as possible.  

Line up Locations:

Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Salmon Wall Area – Sidewalk between the Main Office and the entry doors to the MPR. 

2nd & 3rd Grade (including 1/2 split): Inside the Multi-Purpose Room 

4th & 5th Grade (including 3/4): Back Playground Area near where students have previously been lining up.  During morning arrival, fourth and fifth grade students will enter through the exterior doors located outside of the gym and cut through the building. We kindly request that parents of 4th and 5th grade students please pull their vehicles all the way forward and do not stop in front of the gym doors.

Reasons for the change, include:   

• High amounts of congestion near building entry points   

• Long transitions into the building that are delaying the start of the instructional day (this is especially impactful because we begin specialist blocks beginning at 9:25)   

• Many students, especially those who are transported by bus, do not have time to engage in morning recess time

• Students foregoing eating a healthy breakfast to get to the playground

• To prevent students from entering unattended classrooms while teachers are transitioning their classes into the building 

• Provide access to covered spaces in the event of inclement weather

Curriculum Night – Thursday, September 18

We are excited to invite all students and their families to our annual Curriculum Night! This evening is designed to give families an overview of our school and a closer look at your child’s classroom experience. The event will include a school-wide presentation, classroom-specific presentations, and an open house format where you can explore all areas of the school.

Curriculum Night Schedule

• 5:30–6:00 – Full-School Informational Session (Gymnasium)

• 6:05–6:30 – Kindergarten, 1, 1/2, 2 (including PAT)

• 6:35–7:00 – Grades 3, 3/4, 4, 4/5, 5

When not attending a presentation, families are encouraged to explore the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) and other parts of the school and enjoy completing a scavenger hunt along the way.

A few reminders to help the evening run smoothly:

• Curriculum Night is not the time for individual student conferences. If you’d like to schedule a private meeting, please contact your child’s teacher directly.

• Parents are responsible for supervising their children at all times.

• During presentations, we want everyone to hear clearly from staff and teachers. Please help ensure your child(ren) remains seated and quiet during these sessions.

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing more about the exciting year ahead!

Fire Drill and other Safety Drills

Today we held our first Fire Drill of the year. Ahead of the drill, staff members reviewed evacuation protocols with students and walked them through what to expect. During the drill, students, staff, and visitors did an excellent job following procedures and evacuating the building safely and in a timely manner.

Throughout the year, your child will participate in monthly safety drills. These include responses to scenarios such as earthquakes, fires, hazardous spills or air quality concerns, and lockdowns. These drills help ensure that students feel prepared and confident in case of an emergency. You can expect communication from the school following a planned emergency drill or when an event prompts an emergency response while your child is present. 

In addition, schools located in Carnation (Carnation ES, Tolt MS, and Riverview Learning Center) take part in the annual Tolt Dam Evacuation Drill. This event is scheduled for September 24. More detailed information about this drill will be shared in a separate communication.

 School Spirit at Carnation

We’re excited to celebrate school spirit all year long with themed days each week!

• Tiger Tuesday – Every Tuesday, students and staff are encouraged to show their Carnation pride by wearing Carnation Elementary spirit wear or any tiger gear.

• College or Team Spirit Friday – On Fridays, show off your favorite sports team or college! Don’t have a favorite? No problem, wear your favorite color or anything that makes you feel spirited.

Let’s have fun showing our Tiger pride together!

PTSA Information

Carnation has a strong, supportive PTSA that provides enrichment opportunities for the students, staff, and families. Please consider joining the PTSA to help support programs, events, and stay connected with the parent-school community.  

During Curriculum Night, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from our PTSA co-presidents. In addition, all families are invited to attend the first PTSA meeting of the year on Friday, September 19, from 5:00–6:00 PM in the school library. This is a great chance to learn more about the PTSA’s role at Carnation and discover ways to get involved.

To join, visit Carnation Elementary PTSA.

School Picture Day – Wednesday, October 1st 

Our school picture day will be Wednesday, October 1st. Informational flyers will be sent home with students next week.