Welcome Letter & Information Packet - ORLA Families
August 20, 2026
Dear ORLA Families,
We are excited to welcome students back and are getting classrooms set up and ready for the first day of school on Thursday, September 3. The start date for some students may be slightly different based on their grade and program. Read the information listed under your child’s program below for specific start-date information.
If your child will be entering Kindergarten in our Montessori program. Your child’s first day of school will be Wednesday, September 9. During the afternoon hours of the first 3 days of school (September 3rd, 4th, & 8th) Montessori kindergarten families will meet, individually, with their child’s teacher. Kindergarten families will receive a message from their child’s teacher via ParentSquare to schedule this meeting.
Messages will be sent out closer to the start of school. If you have not received a message to schedule a meeting with the teacher by Wednesday, September 2, please reach out to our main office at 360-596-7730. During these meetings you will be able to drop-off school supplies, ask questions, and in general get to know the teacher.
General Information
You will find the next three pages full of general information for all programs (hConnect/MSA/Diploma Track, Montessori, Freedom Farm, & ORLA Online) and at the end of that information there are links that will help you navigate to specific program information.
Staffing
Retirement Updates
Congratulations to Debra Owsley on her retirement! Thank you, Deb, for supporting students and being a thoughtful teammate. We wish you all the best!
Staff Updates
Amanda Morales Strong will be working at a different school this school year.
Rebecca Rutzick will be working at a different school this school year.
Katie Savinski will be working at a different school this school year.
Kent Reister will be working at a different school this school year.
Gavin Church will be working at a different school this school year.
We are sad to see you go and wish you all the best!
New Staff Joining ORLA
Wythe Terpening - Will be our new Montessori Paraeducator
Makenna Taggart - Will be our “new” 3-5 Montessori Teacher
Bri McInelly - Will officially be our “new” counselor.
Angela Swan - Will be providing elementary general music instruction to our Montessori students.
Tony Nguyen - He is not new but after some time away from ORLA Tony will be our band teacher again.
School Hours
Doors open at ORLA at 8:15 a.m. for students to enter the building; there is no supervision outside prior to that. The first period of hConnect and MSA starts at 8:30 a.m. Montessori starts at 8:45 a.m. We ask that, if eating breakfast, hConnect and MSA students do not arrive earlier than 8:15 a.m. and Montessori students do not arrive earlier than 8:30 a.m. Thank you for your help with this!
ORLA Families in Need
Please know that our families in need of support can contact our main office (360) 596-7730 and speak with our counselor, Bri McInelly (throughout the school-year). We will do our best to connect families with resources and help out as we can.
School Lunch
Funds can be added to student accounts here at the school with cash/check/card (no change given), or online.
Menus are posted online, if you would like a paper copy, please let the front office know
If you feel you qualify for free/reduced meals, we should have paper applications at the school by the end of the month. You can also fill out the application online by visiting the district’s Free/Reduced district webpage (this is the quicker way to apply).
Transportation
If you live in-district and are interested in your child taking the bus to school. Please visit the Transportation’s webpage: OSD Transportation’s webpage. You will want to fill out the transportation registration so they get your child routed for the new school year. You will receive communication from them with the route number, bus stop location and pick up/drop off times. Please also let us know if your child will be riding the bus this school year.
YCare - Before and After School Care
YCare will continue to be held at ORLA this year. If you are planning to have your child attend YCare, please let the office know. You will need to contact the YMCA to enroll your child.
ORLA PTA
The ORLA PTA supports the entire ORLA community – all our programs, all our teachers, staff, and all our students. Check out the ORLA PTA webpage for more information about events, clubs, etc. Also please consider joining the ORLA PTA or at least reaching out and letting them know if you are willing to help out occasionally. If you are interested please send an email to: contact@orlapta.org.
Volunteers
We continue to have the most volunteer hours logged compared to the other schools in OSD! And we are looking forward to welcoming our volunteers this year as well!
To Become a Volunteer at ORLA do these two steps:
Complete the OSD Volunteer application and be approved by the district - this generally takes between 2-5 days and you will receive an email from the district when you are approved. THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION NEEDS TO BE FILLED OUT EACH SCHOOL-YEAR (if you filled it out last school-year, you will need to fill it out again this year).
Here is the link to the application:
OSD Volunteer Application Link (It must be done ANNUALLY).
Attend an ORLA Volunteer Orientation meeting - these are held every Tuesday during the school year at 10AM via Zoom or Google Meet. You only need to attend this meeting your first year of volunteering.
**We are transitioning from Zoom to Google Meets. As soon as that is updated you will be able to find the updated link on our school website.
Additional resource: Link to the OSD’s Volunteer Information Guide
hConnect/MSA/Diploma Track Information begins on page 5
Freedom Farm Information begins on page 7
ORLA Online Information begins on page 8
Montessori Information begins on page 10
hConnect/MSA/Diploma Track
Dear hConnect, MSA, and Diploma Track Families -
We hope you all have had a wonderful summer! As we get closer to the start of our school year we want to remind you about our upcoming Back to School Orientation Day event.
Our Back to School Orientation Day will occur September 3rd from 9:30-11:45 AM. This event is for both students and caregivers.
We will gather from 9:30-11:45 AM. Students will participate in activities focused on connection and community building, while caregivers attend an important information meeting and access valuable resource activities. There will also be an opportunity to "walk schedules". We will finish the morning with a picnic and popsicles on our playground. Families who plan to have a picnic should bring their own food for this part of the morning.
Please note: there will be NO CLASSES on September 3rd. Classes will begin Tuesday, September 8th after Labor Day.
Looking forward to connecting with you all on September 3rd!
Dropping Off & Picking Up
When Dropping Off
It is always preferable for caregivers to park and walk their students into the building, particularly if your student is in grades K-5. Use the designated crosswalk to walk your student(s) to and from the parking lot.
If you will be dropping your student off, please use the drop-off lane in the morning for drop-offs and not the parking lot. Students should NEVER be walking through the parking lot without a caregiver. Also, do NOT park in the drop off/pick-up lane.
When using the pick-up/drop off lane please have your student enter and exit from the right side of your car, closest to the sidewalk.
End of Day Arrangements for Students
If your students' end of the day arrangements change, please notify the office as early as you can. The earlier you can tell us the better. The office staff is busy and often away from their desk and/or unable to answer the phone as the end of the school-day nears.
If you’ve made arrangements for family members or friends of the family to pick up your student, please notify the office and have the family member/friend check into the office. They will need to show their picture ID for your student to be released to them. This pertains to a new family/friend picking up a student.
Some important things to remember:
hConnect, MSA, and Diploma Track students should be dropped off no more than 10 minutes before their first class (unless they plan to eat breakfast) and must be picked up promptly after their last class.
Students may not stay on ORLA’s campus if they are not in class unless they are under the direct supervision of a caregiver who has been cleared as a volunteer. (Please see earlier information in this letter about how to become a volunteer at ORLA).
Dates to remember:
Freedom Farm
The Freedom Farm team is looking forward to another wonderful year with new and returning students. Here is the information regarding the schedule for the beginning of the year at the Farm:
September 3rd, 4th, and 8th: Staff will be meeting with families for student/caregiver conferences and will be meeting with new recruits
September 9th: First official day of school
F2 Cohort: 9:00 a.m. - noon
F3 Cohort: 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
ORLA Online
Hello ORLA Online students and families. We hope you are all having a wonderful summer. Preparations are underway here at ORLA for the start of the school year, and we have some important information to share with you all.
Student schedules are being loaded into Skyward over the next two weeks, so you will be able to view their classes prior to the start of school. Some students still need to select electives; we will send an email with a form to choose those classes soon. In the meantime, feel free to review the options in our course catalog (linked here).
During the first week of school, each student and a caregiver needs to meet with their advisor either in person or virtually for a check-in appointment. During this time, the advisor will review the student’s schedule, make any necessary changes, and will go over key information for the school year (sign up times will be available in late August). In addition, students will have a required zoom meeting each day. Regular classes start on Tuesday, September 8th.
Thursday September 3rd:
8:30 - 1:00: Caregiver/student/advisor check-in appointments
1:00 - 1:30: Mandatory zoom meeting for all students, unless they have a schedule conflict due to New Market, CHS, or OHS classes. To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/cpy-uvew-yvm
1:30 - 3:30 Caregiver/student/advisor check-in appointments
Friday September 4th - Note - all students are required to attend one of the orientation sessions listed below:
8:30 - 2:30: Caregiver/student/advisor check-in appointments
9:00 - 10:00: Option #1 for required student orientation. To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/cpy-uvew-yvm
1:00 - 2:00: Option #2 for required student orientation. To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/cpy-uvew-yvm
Tuesday September 8th - Regular classes begin
Note: ORLA Online students who are taking one or two classes in person at ORLA are invited to the hConnect/MSA/Diploma Track Orientation on Thursday, September 3rd from 9:30 - 11:45. See the hConnect information section of this newsletter for the details.
The ORLA office is now open, so feel free to stop by or give us a call if you have any questions. Chromebooks will be available for checkout beginning August 24th; all ORLA Online 6th - 12th grade students need to have an OSD Chromebook checked out for student use. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Dates to remember
Montessori
Montessori “Meet Up”
Meet up with other families and students at the ORLA playground on Wednesday, September 2nd from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Popsicles will be provided.
This will be open to all who would like to stop by and reconnect with other families, students, and some staff. The Montessori hallway will be closed but we will have tables near the main office for those families that would like to drop off supplies. You can also bring supplies to the office.
Classroom Teacher Assignments
Class Placements for Montessori students will be available on Qmlativ Family Access – Friday, August 28th at 4 p.m. Families will be able to login to Family Access to view the name of their teacher.
Kindergarten Information
If your child will be entering Kindergarten in our Montessori program. Your child’s first day of school will be Wednesday, September 9. During the afternoon hours of the first 3 days of school (September 3rd, 4th, & 8th) Montessori kindergarten families will meet, individually, with their child’s teacher. Kindergarten families will receive a message from their child’s teacher via ParentSquare to schedule this meeting.
Messages will be sent out closer to the start of school. If you have not received a message to schedule a meeting with the teacher by Wednesday, September 2, please reach out to our main office at 360-596-7730. During these meetings you will be able to drop-off school supplies, ask questions, and in general get to know the teacher.
Supply List
Here is the link to the Supply list (listed below). If money is a barrier to purchasing school supplies, please give our main office a call (360) 596-7730. The Little Red Schoolhouse has donated backpacks with some basic supplies included.
Snack
There is one snack in the morning for Montessori classes. Please send your student to school with a snack each day. Lunch for K-2 students is from 12:00-12:30 p.m. and 12:30-1:00 p.m. for 3-5 students.
**If you are able to, please think about partnering with your child’s teacher to supply classroom snacks (must be nut free). Connect with your child’s teacher for more information.
Dropping Off & Picking Up
Morning Drop-off
To keep students safe, please use the drop-off lane in the morning for drop-offs and not the parking lot. Do NOT park in the drop-off/pick-up lane.
If you are walking your student into the building, park in the parking lot and then use the designated crosswalk to walk your student(s) to and from the parking lot.
Students will enter the building through our main entrance and sit in the commons.
As a reminder students should be dropped off no earlier than 8:30 for breakfast.
End of Day Arrangements for Students
If your student’s end of the day arrangement is different from what it normally is, on a certain day, please notify the office no later than 2:15 pm (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday) and no later than 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday. The earlier you can tell us the better. The office staff is busy and often away from their desk and/or unable to answer the phone as the end of the day nears and the office gets busier.
If you decide at the end of the school day to pick-up your bus riding student please go to the office for assistance. The office will radio the bus line and your student will meet you in the office. Do not pick your student up from the bus line.
If you’ve made arrangements for family members or friends of the family to pick up your student please notify the office and have the family member/friend check into the office first. They will need to show their picture ID for your student to be released to them. This pertains to a new family/friend picking up a student.
Parent/Caregiver Pick-Up
Students will be in the commons and ready to release by 3:05 p.m. We are releasing students to the car pick-up line as soon as we are able to.
If you are driving through the pick-up line please add to your orange card your student’s full name and teacher. Orange Cards will be available at the Montessori Meet Up upon request and during Kindergarten conferences.
If you are walking up to the main entrance for pick up please wait outside the main entrance doors. A staff member will let families in at a certain time.
The staff member will wait until all classes have entered and are seated before letting families enter. The teachers are asking students to shake their hand (or give a fist bump) before they leave so they visually know who is leaving. If you happen to be in the building as students make their way to the commons, please do not take your student from the line. Instead please go wait in line at the entrance until students are ready to be released.
At about 3:15 p.m. students who are not picked up will be walked to the office to wait for pick-up.
Dates to remember
Montessori Supply Lists
ORLA Montessori values the natural curiosity and learning abilities of a child. The classroom has materials specially designed and sequenced to spark curiosity and foster independent learning.
Each teacher has a specific supply list for their room, however these items are needed for the specific grade level.
Kindergarten, First & Second Grade
ALL K-2 STUDENTS: Personal Supplies - Please label with your child’s name.
A complete change of clothes for your child in a Ziploc bag (in case of accidents or spills).
Emergency Supply Bag – 1 package non-perishable food item in case of emergency (crackers, bars, jerky, etc.) Food items should have a 1-year shelf life.
1 blue 2-pocket folders
1 sketch pad
1 Primary Journal (each page is ½ blank space for drawing and has lines underneath for writing) Last year, Office Depot and Fred Meyer carried these; they are also available from many online vendors.
One chubby pencil
One pink eraser
Shared Materials (Do not label:
Grade K: 1 box colored markers, 1 box chubby crayons (8 colors)
Grade 1: 1 box of facial tissues (kleenex), 1 pack of baby wipes
Grade 2: 1 box colored pencils, 1 box regular pencils (pre-sharpened preferred)
All students: One ream 8 1/2 x 11 inch white copy paper, 20 lb. 500 sheets.
Note: Individual teachers may have an additional request once the school year begins.
Third, Fourth & Fifth Grade
Personal supplies (write student’s name on these items, PLEASE.)
1” binder
6 dividers with pockets
3 plastic folders with pockets and brads
1 clip board
Backpack or book bag. (The ORLA Office has backpacks available with basic supplies included, just ask!)
Tri-fold board for Science Project (5th grade)
4 Composition Notebooks [red (ELA/Writing), blue (Math/Geometry), and black ( S.S./Science), please]
1 hi-polymer eraser
1 ruler (inches & centimeters)
1 sturdy magazine holder
1 drawing notebook (blank pages, may use last years)
1 emergency pack: a Ziploc style bag with your child’s name, containing a change of clothes, socks, non-perishable foods, and an emergency blanket.
1 spill proof water bottle to leave at school (LABELED)
Shared supplies throughout the year: (Please do not write student’s names on these items)
24 pencils (plain yellow, wooden) Ticonderoga preferred
1 boxes 12 count colored pencils
1 set of 16 watercolors
5 whiteboard markers
glue sticks (pack of 8)
2 Large containers of disinfectant wipes-
2 boxes of Tissues
One Costco Sized bag or box of non-perishable snack
2 ultra fine point Sharpie
2 fine point Sharpie
1 packet Wide Ruled Lined paper - and/or - 1 packet graph paper
1 ream 8 1/2 x 11 inch cardstock paper
Optional/Suggestion Items:
Erasable Pens for Final Drafts
Pencil Top Erasers
Oil Pastels
Plastic protractors
Upgraded Headphones to block noise
Upgraded storage clipboard without calculator
Large ziplock bags
Small ziplock bags
1 pair of headphones (corded for computer/optional with a boom mic)
I pack of Watercolor paper
1 ream 8 1/2 x 11 inch white copy paper, 20 lb. 500 sheets.