Primary School families, keep an eye on your mailbox! Physical letters were mailed out the week of August 10 to all of our students and their families.
The paper copy arriving at your home includes your child’s classroom placement for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. You can also view a digital version of the letter below.
To translate this page into another language, select your preferred language using the Google Translate tool in the top right corner of the screen.
Note: the italicized text below was only included in the letters sent to kindergarten families.
Dear Caregivers,
Welcome, Class of 2039! Your child is officially a Lil Rider, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome your family to the Ichabod Crane Primary School community! Beginning kindergarten is a special milestone, and we are honored to partner with you as your child embarks on this exciting educational journey.
At the Primary School, we are committed to creating a welcoming, safe, and engaging environment where every child feels a sense of belonging and is encouraged to learn, grow, and thrive. We look forward to getting to know your child and supporting them as they begin this important chapter.
Our first opportunity to welcome you to the Primary School will be our annual Kindergarten Quest on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, from 1:00 PM-2:30 PM. You are invited to bring your future Lil Rider, along with your family, to explore our school, meet our staff, and become familiar with the building before the first day of school. A flyer with additional information was mailed home in July.
Please begin your Quest by visiting your child’s classroom. We also encourage families to bring their child’s labeled school supplies, as this is a great opportunity to drop them off before the first day of school. During your visit, you and your child will receive important items such as your child’s identification card and bus tag, and you’ll also have the opportunity to see one of our school buses and become familiar with the boarding process. Our hope is that Kindergarten Quest helps your child feel comfortable, confident, and excited as they prepare to begin kindergarten.
(Intro for Grades 1-3 Letters: I hope you and your family have enjoyed a wonderful summer filled with time to relax and make special memories. As we prepare for the start of a new school year, our staff is excited to welcome our Lil Riders back to the Primary School! We look forward to a year filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities while continuing our commitment to supporting each student’s academic and social-emotional success.)
To help ensure you have the most accurate and up-to-date information, please review the following procedures and reminders for the 2026-2027 school year:
School Hours
The instructional day begins promptly at 8:00 AM. After 8:00 AM, students will be considered tardy.
Morning Drop-Off
Morning drop-off will continue at the side entrance on State Farm Road (horseshoe driveway).
- Families may enter the side parking lot beginning at 7:30 AM.
- Drop-off concludes at 8:00 AM.
- The front entrance doors open at 7:45 AM, when buses begin arriving.
- Students arriving after 8:00 AM must be signed in through the front entrance before proceeding to class.
- If you arrive after 8:00 AM, please park in a designated parking space and escort your child into the front vestibule. For the safety of all students, please do not drop children off at the curb.
Afternoon Parent Pick-Up
Parent pick-up begins at 2:20 PM at the front entrance of the Primary School.
- If your child is an everyday parent pick-up, please complete a Permanent Pick-Up Form, available from our greeter (lbartlett@ichabodcrane.org).
- If your child is picked up occasionally, please complete the PS Parent Pick-Up Google Form located on the district website (https://www.ichabodcrane.org/ps/parent-pick-up-form/) . The form must be submitted by 12:00 PM on the day of the pick-up.
- Paper notes for parent pick-up are no longer accepted. The online form replaces all written notes.
- A driver’s license or other photo identification is required when signing your child out.
As we continue to refine our arrival and dismissal procedures, we will be reviewing ways to maximize instructional time while maintaining a safe and efficient dismissal process. Once the school year is underway, we may pilot adjustments to our parent pick-up procedures later this fall. If any changes are implemented, families will receive detailed information well in advance. We appreciate your patience, flexibility, and partnership as we continue to improve our procedures for students and families.
We also encourage families to limit early dismissals whenever possible. Every instructional minute is valuable, and remaining in school until the regular dismissal time helps maximize student learning while supporting a smooth dismissal process for all students.
Parent & Visitor Parking
Please park in designated parking spaces in the main parking lot whenever dropping off, picking up, or visiting the Primary School. Please do not pull up to the curb to park.
Attendance
Regular attendance is essential to student success. If your child will be absent, please submit the online Report an Absence form by 8:45 AM. The form is available on the district website (www.ichabodcrane.org/ps/) under Primary School Resources.
If you are unable to access the online form, you may:
- Call the Main Office at (518) 758-7575 ext. 6001
- Email lbartlett@ichabodcrane.org
Please include:
- Student’s full name
- Teacher’s name
- Date of absence
- Reason for the absence
Breakfast & Lunch
School breakfast and lunch will continue to be free for all students during the 2026-2027 school year. Although meals are free, we encourage all families to complete the CEP Household Eligibility Application. This application helps determine eligibility for additional state and federal program benefits for which your family may qualify. All information is kept strictly confidential, and only one application per household is required each school year.
Applications will be available in each school’s Main Office and on the district website on the Food Services page: https://www.ichabodcrane.org/departments/food-services/
Please submit completed forms to Food Services Director Carly Wills. You can reach her at 518-758-7575 x 3016 or cwills@ichabodcrane.org
Supply Lists
Grade-level supply lists are available on the district website and the Primary School webpage. ichabodcrane.org and www.ichabodcrane.org/ps/
Open House: We look forward to welcoming families into our school!
- Grades 1 and 3: Thursday, September 17, 6:00-7:00 PM
- Kindergarten and Grade 2: October 1, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
*The Book Fair will be open until 8:00 PM during both Open House evenings.
Annual Unity Parade
We will celebrate the beginning of another wonderful school year as a community during our Annual Unity Parade.
- Friday, September 11, 9:00 AM (weather permitting)
- Students and staff will participate in a parade celebrating unity and community. Families are welcome to attend and are asked to observe from outside the track area.
ParentSquare
As many of you know, in 2024, we started using ParentSquare as our mass communication system for sending emails and texting district families and staff. Keeping everyone informed is a top priority at Ichabod Crane and ParentSquare is a key tool we use to reach all of you, encouraging greater engagement and connection between home and school.
You do not need to register with ParentSquare to receive our communications, but we wanted to share info about how to register because it allows you to customize the way you receive messages and more.
To register:
- We will be sending you an invitation email to register.
- Once you have received that, Click Activate your account or tap the link to activate your account.
- Create a Password for your ParentSquare account and click Register.
- Click Confirm for your phone number and/or email. A verification code will be sent to the email or phone number.
- Enter the verification code to confirm.
- Confirm your child(ren) by clicking Confirm. Use Not My Child if a child listed is not associated with your account.
- Select Yes, This is Me when you have confirmed your contact information and child(ren) associated with your account.
ParentSquare also offers a phone app. They are free and available in both the Apple iOS and Android stores.
Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of ParentSquare’s desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.
If you need additional assistance or see information that needs to be updated in your account, please contact the Primary School’s Main Office at 518-758-7575 ext. 6002.
Stay Connected
We encourage families to stay connected throughout the school year.
Follow the Primary School and District on:
Additional resources, calendars, and information can always be found on our district website (ichabodcrane.org).
We also encourage you to consider joining our Primary School PTA, whose members work tirelessly to provide engaging opportunities and memorable experiences for our students throughout the year.
Medications at School
If your child requires medication during the school day, a parent or guardian must deliver the medication directly to the Health Office along with a physician’s order. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter medications, including cough drops.
If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Kubow in the Health Office (fkubow@ichabodcrane.org).
As always, our teachers and staff are eager to welcome your child and are looking forward to another successful school year. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We can’t wait to see our Lil Riders soon! Enjoy the remainder of your summer!
Best,
Kerry Light
Principal
klight@ichabodcrane.org
