Starting School
MONDAY, AUGUST 17
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION (GRADES 1-5)
Lower School Building | 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
LOWER SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR GRADES K-8
11:00 a.m. early dismissal
Drop-off begins each morning at 7:30 a.m. Students must stay in their cars until 7:30 a.m. when our security team and faculty supervisors are in place. Please read the information contained in this packet regarding all morning drop-off and afternoon hookup procedures.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19
START OF AFTERCARE
Register online for Aftercare
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
PARENT NIGHT FOR GRADES K-2
Join us in Robinson Hall at Red Gables at 6:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25
PARENT NIGHT FOR GRADES 3-5
Join us in Robinson Hall at Red Gables at 6:30 p.m.
GENERAL INFORMATION
CLASS LISTS & ONLINE DIRECTORY
Class lists are released online in early August. Watch for an announcement in E-News. The online directory can be accessed by logging into Tigernet. The “Directories” tab is near the top right of the next page. The directory can be sorted by parents’ names, students’ names, or faculty / staff members’ names.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
All necessary supplies will be provided by the teacher. Students do not need to bring supplies to school on the first day.
HANDBOOK, TARDINESS, ATTENDANCE
Please read the Handbook carefully so you will be informed about the school’s policies and operating procedures. School officially begins at 7:55 a.m. and children arriving after this time are considered tardy. Ensworth has a strong policy asking families to have children present whenever school is in session. Absence for family trips and early dismissals for medical appointments cause children to miss some of the important academic and social development that occurs every school day. It is in the child’s best interest to avoid these interruptions to school. Please email the teacher and receptionist in case of absence due to illness.
AFTERCARE & ENRICHMENTS
Students may register for Aftercare on a regular basis throughout the school year or on an as-needed basis. An emergency form must be on file in order for a child to attend Aftercare. The program operates on full school days, Monday through Thursday from 3:00–5:45 p.m. and Friday from 3:00–5:30 p.m. We also offer several after-school enrichment programs throughout the year for students of all ages. The school’s website offers information about our Aftercare and Enrichment programs, including current offerings and fees.
SCHOOL / HOME COMMUNICATION
Parents will be very well-informed about all school news and events by checking the online calendar at the beginning of each week and reading E-News, emailed every Thursday during the school year. Teachers inform parents directly whenever students will be off campus, but other updates will be found through the calendar and E-News. Any teacher may be contacted by using our online directory. It is essential that all contact information be current and updated as necessary in order to receive school closing / emergency communication. Please do not text teachers’ personal cell phones with questions or information about your child.
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
Kindergarten through Grade 8 parent teacher conferences are scheduled for September and January. Watch for information in the E-News about conference schedules and how to sign up online.
REPORT CARDS
Report cards are posted in Tigernet four times per year. Report cards are intended to be a snapshot of the child’s growth and progress in various areas and include teachers’ narrative comments at the end of first and third quarters. Further information about understanding and interpreting report cards will be sent home before the end of the first quarter.
LUNCH
Lunch menus may be found online at https://ensworth.flikisdining.com/menus-eula. There are many choices for children at lunch, always including fruit and vegetables. It isn’t possible for the adults to monitor individual lunch choices and this is a good area in which children can learn to take responsibility for choosing foods that parents have asked them to eat.
VISITING FOR LUNCH
Parents are welcome to visit during lunch on birthdays. Please make other arrangements for younger siblings. If your child has a summer birthday, we suggest lunch visits on half birthdays. We encourage you to consult with your child’s teacher about lunchtime visits. When visiting, please do not bring outside food or drinks.
BIRTHDAYS
We love celebrating birthdays and strive to make each child feel special on their big day! To ensure a safe, joyful and inclusive experience for all students, we follow a consistent approach across all classrooms for our birthday celebrations. We kindly ask that families do not send any treats, decorations, or classroom gift items. Please note: birthday party invitations may not be distributed at school, and birthday presents should not be brought to school.
SPIRIT STORE
Ensworth clothing and accessories are available for purchase in the school’s Spirit Store. The Red Gables’ store is located inside the front doors of the Brown Athletic Center, and children must be accompanied by an adult. There is also a store at Frist Campus located inside Elcan Athletics Center. You may also shop online at: ensworthspiritstore.com.
DRESS CODE
The following information is for Lower / Middle School (Grades K-8) and supplements the provisions regarding the Dress Code in the first section of the Handbook.
REGULAR DRESS
• Approved uniform bottoms of the same hue as those available at FlynnO’Hara or Lands’ End; girls may also wear Ensworth-approved Lands’ End or FlynnO’Hara plaid skirts or jumpers and khaki shorts
• White, black, or orange polo shirts, long-sleeve or short-sleeve
• White or black turtlenecks, plain or with the school logo
• White button-down long-sleeve dress shirts (6-8)
• Black or white cardigans, plain or with the school logo
• Black or white v-neck sweaters or sweater vests, plain or with the school logo
• Sweatshirt or fleece from an Ensworth source
• Athletic shoes (suitable for running and other P.E. activities)
• White, black, or orange socks, full-length leggings, or tights (no ribs)
• Belts must be worn if pants, shorts, or skirts have belt loops
• Undershirts must be white, black, or orange and without words or logos that show through; long-sleeve undershirts may not be worn under shortsleeve uniform shirts
FORMAL DRESS
There will be designated days throughout the year when Formal Dress is required. On these days, students must modify Regular Dress as follows:
• All students wear a white shirt (any of the selected uniform styles)
• Undershirts must be white
• Uniform bottoms, no shorts allowed
CASUAL DRESS
In addition to the provisions of Regular Dress stated above, students may wear official Ensworth t-shirts with uniform bottom attire.
SPIRIT DRESS
On Spirit Days students are encouraged to wear appropriate athletic wear representing their school or team colors in order to participate in Spirit Assembly games. School/team color accessories are permitted as long as they are not overly distracting. No face paint or hair coloring is allowed.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Students must observe the following provisions for school dress regardless of whether the dress is Regular Dress, Formal Dress, or Casual Dress:
• Clothing should be neat, clean, and well cared-for
• Clothing must be of appropriate size and must be worn modestly with skirts and shorts at fingertip length or longer
• Shirts with collars must be tucked in at all times on Regular Dress and Formal Dress days
• Shoes must be cared for and properly worn
• Shoes must be worn with socks or tights
• Hair must be clean and well groomed with no unnatural dyed hair color
• Students’ hair must not cover their eyes nor be a distraction
• During cold weather, students may need a heavy coat or jacket (of greater weight and function than the Ensworth fleece, sweater, or sweatshirt) for recess and travel to and from school. This outerwear, which includes coats and jackets but does not include lightweight zip-up garments, may not be worn inside the building
• Only Ensworth sweatshirts and outerwear, in addition to designated uniform sweaters, may be worn in the building during the school day
• Long-sleeve t-shirts may not be worn under short-sleeve uniform shirts
• No hats or caps inside the building
• No cologne, aftershave, or perfume
• If clothing has belt loops, a belt must be worn
• School attire should be worn to school-sponsored events unless otherwise stated.
• The School believes that parents will accept what is indeed their responsibility, and students will indicate their respect for the School by living within the guidelines expressed above. The School will continue to reserve the right to enforce these guidelines as necessary.
• Students in violation of the School Dress Code may be required to change into proper attire and could be withheld from attending class until doing so. This may result in the student waiting in the office until a parent brings proper clothes. Students in violation of the School Dress Code will be sent to the Division Head, and parents will be notified.
Kindly note: Dress code guidelines are subject to change
MORNING DROP-OFF
All students are dropped off at the front of the main building. There is an adult in the crosswalk starting at 7:30 a.m. to assist in crossing the driveway.
Morning drop-off begins at 7:30 a.m.
Students must remain in their vehicles until our Security Officer enters the crosswalk at 7:30 a.m. Our day begins at 7:30 a.m. when the school doors open and supervision is available. It is dangerous for students to attempt to cross lanes 1 and 2 while vehicles are moving and no one is managing the crosswalk.
Cell phone use is strictly prohibited. The risk of distracted driving is far too great as we have young children entering school each day.
All students K-8 must enter the main Red Gables entrance.
Students must exit their vehicles and walk through the main entrance at Red Gables; there is no entry through Brown Athletic Center or the Arnholt Quad.
Switching lanes is not permitted in drop-off lanes.
Once you enter campus, do not attempt to switch lanes. This has the potential to cause dangerous conditions for our children and faculty members.
Students may only exit their vehicles once inside the drop-off lanes.
Please do not drop off your students in front of the Middle School. Instead, drive slowly through lanes 1-3 and pull forward to the top of the hill until you come to a stop.
AFTERNOON HOOKUP
PROCEDURES
AFTERNOON HOOKUP BEGINS AT 3:05 P.M.
Display your hookup placard clearly in your front window before entering campus. Every vehicle must display a placard with the child’s last name on the visor closest to the center lane where students walk to cars. Please keep the placard visible until your child has safely entered the car. This indicates to us that your car is ready to depart. Kindly note: If you do not have a placard, you will be asked to park and show ID inside the main office.
During hookup, there will only be one entrance to campus through the “Brown Athletic Center” lot. All hookup drivers must enter here, then split off to the lane designated by your placard color.
BLUE LANES ARE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL HOOKUP
The blue lane loading zone is outside the front entrance to the Red Gables (RG) main building.
Important note: All Lower School students with Middle School siblings will also be picked up from the front of the school in the designated Middle School hookup zone. Even on days when their Middle School siblings are not participating in hookup, this will still be the assigned hookup location for these Lower School students.
RED LANES ARE FOR LOWER SCHOOL HOOKUP
The red lane loading zone is outside the side entrance to the Grades 3-5 academic building.
Important note: This is for families who are ONLY picking up Lower School students and have no Middle School students. The loop road gate by the playground will open at 2:30 p.m. Cars must line up behind the gate until then and proceed slowly to the loading zone.
SCAN QR CODE FOR OUR DROP-OFF AND HOOKUP VIDEOS
• There will be a traffic coordinator at the Brown Athletic Center entrance who will assist with directing the flow of traffic. If you need to exit left onto Woodlawn, line up in the left lane of your hookup line. If you need to exit right onto Woodlawn, line up in the right lane of your hookup line.
• Families must follow the instructions of the faculty on duty during hookup.
• Cell phone use is strictly prohibited.
• Students not picked up by 3:35 p.m. will go to Aftercare. Parents will need to go to Aftercare to sign their child out, and they will be charged.
LOADING
PROCEDURE FOR
LOWER
SCHOOL (two lanes of cars)
• All cars must turn off engines in the loading zone.
• We will load all cars in the designated loading zone at the same time.
• When a student’s name is called, they will go to the waiting zone.
• Students should NOT enter cars from the curb.
• Students will enter vehicles from the designated center space between lanes.
• As students enter vehicles, the next load of students will be called to the waiting zone.
• Once all cars in the loading zone are loaded, they will be prompted to turn their engines on, and we will release them to exit.
• Once all cars have exited, we will bring the next lot of vehicles through until the loading zone is filled again.
• If a student is late to hookup, the family will be asked to loop around.
LOADING PROCEDURE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL - RED GABLES MAIN ENTRANCE (two lanes of cars)
• All cars must turn off engines in the loading zone.
• We will load all cars in the designated loading zone at the same time.
• When a student’s name is called, they will report to the crosswalk.
• Students should NOT enter cars from the curb.
• Students will enter vehicles from the designated center space between lanes.
• As students are entering vehicles, the next load of students will be called to the front.
• Once all cars in the loading zone are loaded, they will be prompted to turn their engines on, and we will release them to exit.
• Once all cars have exited, we will bring the next lot of cars through until the loading zone is filled again.
• In the event that a student is late to hookup, the family will be asked to move their vehicle to the waiting zone (front of hookup lanes on the right in the area marked in green on the map).
CHANGES & EARLY DISMISSAL INFORMATION
AFTERNOON HOOKUP CHANGES
In alignment with our safety and security protocols, any change to your child’s afternoon hookup must be communicated prior to 2:00 p.m.
For the safety of the child, it is essential that both the parents and the school know the child’s hookup arrangements. Parents must notify the school if their child is not leaving school in his regular hookup. Changes to your regular hookup arrangements should be communicated as early in the day as possible through an email to rgattendance@ensworth.com with a copy sent to the teacher / advisor. It is assumed that parents will clear the arrangements with one another in advance.
• A child who is going to walk or ride a bike must have written permission from a parent; a blanket note to cover the whole year is satisfactory and should be sent to the Division Head.
• Children who stay late for an event that begins after hookup must be accompanied by a parent / guardian or registered for Aftercare until the event begins.
• If your child will be carpooling with another family, this must also be communicated through rgattendance@ensworth.com by 2:00 p.m. for authorization.
EARLY DISMISSAL
If you need an early dismissal for your child, this should also be communicated through an email to rgattendance@ensworth.com with a copy to the teacher / advisor. Parents picking up for early dismissal should pull into the main lot through Lane 4, park in one of the spots facing Woodlawn, and go to the office to sign out their child.
We ask that everyone approach drop-off and hookup with grace, patience, and kindness. These are busy moments in the day, and your calm presence helps create a safe and positive experience for all children and adults involved.
KEY DATES
2026 - 2027
Monday, August 17
Tuesday, August 18
Thursday, August 20
Tuesday, August 25
Monday, September 7
Thursday–Friday, September 24-25
Thursday–Friday, October 15-16
Monday, October 19
Friday, November 20
Monday–Friday, November 23–27
Friday, December 18
December 21–January 1
Monday, January 4
Tuesday, January 5
Monday, January 18
Thursday–Friday, January 28-29
Friday, February 12
Monday, February 15
Friday–Friday, March 12-19
Friday, April 16
Monday, April 19
Wednesday, May 26
Thursday, May 27
Friday, May 28
Saturday, May 29
New Student Orientation (Grades 1-12)
Lower School Open House
First Day K–8 (Half-day)
Grades K-2 Parent Night
Grades 3-5 Parent Night
Labor Day (No classes)
Parent Teacher Conferences (K-12)
Fall Break
Faculty In-Service (No classes)
LS / MS Grandparents & Special Friends Day (Half-day)
Thanksgiving Break
Winter Break Begins (11am dismissal)
Winter Break
Faculty In-Service (No classes)
Classes Resume
MLK Day (No classes)
Red Gables (RG) Parent Teacher Conferences (Half-day Thursday)
Faculty In-Service (No classes)
February Break
Spring Break
April Break
Faculty In-Service (No classes)
Last Day for Grades K-8 (Half-day)
Middle School (MS) Closing Exercises
High School (HS) Awards Day
High School (HS) Graduation
