West Babylon UFSD

2026 South Bay Welcome Letter for Kindergarten

WEST BABYLON SCHOOLS

South Bay Elementary School

A 2007 NCLB - Blue Ribbon School

160 Great East Neck Road West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 376-7501 Fax: (631) 376-7509

August, 2026

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the South Bay Elementary School community and the 2026-2027 school year! In collaboration with Dr. Farrelly, the Board of Education, our administration team, teachers, and school staff, we welcome you to the 26-27 school year. We have been working hard to prepare our classrooms and facilities for the smooth arrival of our students in the coming days. I hope that you have had a wonderful summer and that you and your Kindergarten child are as excited to start the year as we are. I look forward to collaborating with you this year, in support of your child/children.

You will find an identification badge for your child in this packet. This badge helps us ensure a smooth and safe start for our youngest students. Please see that your child wears this badge to school each day for the month of September. As a reminder, the first day of school is Wednesday, September 2^nd.

Please note that we utilize Parent Square as our main communication tool with our families. Be sure to download the app and activate your account. Upon activating, there are many preferences that can be set in order to have communication from our school and district get to you in your desired format. If you have any questions as you navigate this, please contact our ITS department by emailing Parent Portal/Parent Square Help or by calling 631-376-7743.

The first day of Kindergarten is a true milestone in your child’s life, and we know that the next few weeks will be both exciting and possibly stressful for your child and your family. Over the next few weeks, please start to discuss the wonderful aspects of entering elementary school with your child: making new friends, trying new activities, listening to and reading fantastic books, and of course, learning new things! Talking this over will help your child approach the year with a cheerful and confident outlook. Rest assured that our entire staff, particularly our wonderful Kindergarten team, will do all that we can to support your child in having the best possible school experience at South Bay. We look forward to partnering with you this year and in the coming years to support your child/children!

Please review the below information carefully and do not hesitate to reach out to me via email, Email Mrs. Cotter or via our main office phone, 631-376-7501 with any questions or concerns.

***Please read the below and enclosed information carefully and completely before the first day of school***

SOUTH BAY SCHOOL 2026-2027 STUDENT ARRIVAL and DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

Opening Day for students: Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Building opens for students at: 8:30 A.M. (no earlier)

STUDENT INTAKE 8:30-8:45 A.M. (Instruction Begins at 8:45 am)

DISMISSAL TIME 2:55 P.M.

Arrival: All students may begin entering the building at 8:30 a.m., when supervision is available, unless enrolled specifically in a morning extra help session or other scheduled AM activity. There can be no exceptions made to this procedure, please plan accordingly. All families dropping off by car in the morning should go through the front parking lot, stopping where our SB staff members will be located to assist students exiting from cars and crossing to the main entrance. Please see notes below regarding security and safety in our arrival lines.

Late Arrival: Children who enter the building at 8:46 or later, after the bell, are tardy and must be accompanied to the entrance by an adult to provide the reason for the late arrival.

Early Dismissal/Dismissal Changes: Any time a child will need to be dismissed earlier than 2:55, or there is a change in a child’s dismissal routine, emailed or written notification must be provided by the child’s parent/guardian, prior to 1:30 on the day of the change/early dismissal. Emails can be sent to SB Notes From Home No same-day dismissal change requests can be accepted after 1:30.

Walker/Student Pick Up: If you are picking up a student at the end of the school day, please arrive between 2:50 and 2:55 p.m. Students will dismiss from the side entrance to the cafeteria at 2:55 p.m.

ACTION NEEDED: Class Placement and Emergency Contact Information on the Parent Portal

Please access the Parent Portal in late August to find out your child’s 2026-2027 Class Placement.
When you enter the Parent Portal, you must also validate and/or update your child’s Emergency Contact Information.
Please read the enclosed letter from Mr. Scott Payne, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, for instructions on how to access the Parent Portal and enter/update/validate your Emergency Contact information. This must be done for each individual child in the school.
If you need assistance accessing the Parent Portal, please call the South Bay Main Office at (631) 376-7501. Please note that class placement information will not be given over the phone. You must access the Parent Portal to obtain this information. Thank you!

Security & Safety Entrance & Exit Notes

To maximize security, be aware that individuals dropping off students at school during intake must remain outside the school building. Please let your child know ahead of time that you will not be able to accompany him/her into the school, including on the 1st day of school. Beginning on day one, establish a routine of saying “goodbyes” at the bus stop, inside the car, or outside the building, so your child understands and is comfortable with this procedure.
For drivers, please remain in your car during drop-off if utilizing the drop off car line and allow school staff members to guide your child into the school building. Please drive with care in the parking lot. Do not pass a car that is unloading children and leave the area as soon as your child is out of the car to avoid traffic tie-ups and unsafe conditions. Should you want to assist your child more closely at drop-off, please park in a spot in the parking lot and walk the child up to the main entrance, rather than using the car drop-off lane.
At dismissal, for the safety and comfort of all community members please do not bring dogs or pets on school grounds at pick-up. Parking at dismissal is extremely limited. Please plan to walk, carpool, or park offsite whenever possible.
To maintain safety and to expedite the student arrival process, individuals dropping students off by car in the morning can join the drop-off line using the left lane of the entrance driveway. Please be aware that staff members need to enter the parking lot to park their cars and leave a space in the drop-off line for them to do so.

Thank you for your cooperation!

In addition, if you have any questions related to illness, medication, or specific medical concerns for your child now or at any time during the year, please reach out to our school nurse, Mrs. Rosemarie Giudice. She will be able to answer questions related to policies and procedures specific to your circumstances. She can be reached at Email Nurse or by phone at 631-376-7520.

We’d like to invite all of our South Bay Families to join us for a brief Supply Drop-Off on Tuesday, September 1^st at the below timeslots. This is an opportunity to come into the building, find your child’s classroom, and briefly meet the teacher and drop off school supplies before our first day of school.

Kindergarten & 1^st Grade 1:00 – 1:20 p.m.

2^nd Grade & 3^rd Grade 1:20 – 1:40 p.m.

4^th Grade & 5^th Grade 1:40 – 2:00 p.m.

Thank you for your close attention to the above and following information. I cannot wait to see all of you to begin this new and wonderful school year! As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, via the below contact information, with any questions or concerns as the school year begins. In addition, please mark your calendars for our Open School Night on Wednesday, September 23rd. Enjoy the remaining days of summer and get ready for a terrific year!

Sincerely,

Christina Cotter

Principal

South Bay Elementary School

Email Mrs. Cotter

(631) 376-7501