Wed, Aug 5 4:21pm
Holmes Families, Principal Jonathan Saipe sent out an email to all Holmes families Monday, August 3rd. In case you didn’t receive it, we’ve included it here:
Dear Holmes Families,
Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year!
I hope this message finds you enjoying the final days of a joy-filled summer with family and friends. I am thrilled to welcome both new and returning families back for another exciting year at Holmes.
Our Holmes' staff has been hard at work preparing classrooms, organizing materials, and ensuring every corner of our campus is ready to welcome students. Following a summer of continued construction and progress, our school is coming alive once again with the energy, excitement, and anticipation that always accompany the start of a new school year.
Although our students still have a few days of summer vacation left, I wanted to share some important information to help your family prepare for the start of the school year. Please take a few moments to read through this email carefully, as we have many exciting updates, important reminders, and key dates to share.
The beginning of a new school year always brings a sense of possibility, and I could not be more excited about all that lies ahead. We look forward to welcoming our students back, strengthening the partnerships that make our school community so special, and creating another year filled with learning, growth, discovery, and joy.
Thank you for entrusting us with your children each day. It is a privilege to serve the Holmes community, and I look forward to an incredible year together.
Welcome back, Holmes families—where learning takes flight!
Opening of School Dates
August 6th - Tk/Kindergarten Classroom Assignments emailed to families.
August 7th - TK/Kindergarten Orientation 2:00 - 2:30 pm - Auditorium
August 7th - Tk/Kindergarten Teacher Meet & Greet 2:30 - 3:00 pm - TK/Kindergarten Courtyard
August 7th - Holmes Party in the Park 3:00 - 5:00 pm - Joint-Use-Field
August 7th - Classroom Assignments for students in grades 1-5 emailed to families by 5:00 pm
August 10th - First Day of School - 8:30 am
August 10th - 21st - Minimum Day Dismissal for TK/Kindergarten Students 12:30 pm
August 20th - Back to School Night - 5:30 pm-6:55 pm (Two repeated presentations…Choose one time slot)
Session 1: 5:30–6:10 pm
Session 2: 6:15–6:55 pm
TK AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS DISMISSED AT 12:30 PM THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL
All students in TK and Kindergarten will follow a minimum day schedule for the first two weeks of school to allow time for teacher/parent meetings and/or student assessments. Teachers will provide a sign-up sheet at the Meet & Greet this Friday, August 7th at 2:30 pm. Dismissal will be at 12:30 pm each day from Monday, August 10th through Friday, August 21st. Students enrolled in after school programs such as Primetime, Character Builders, and Boys & Girls Club will be begin programs at dismissal.
Holmes Student and Family Handbook
Please review this 2026-27 Holmes Student and Family Handbook carefully. The comprehensive handbook has important information regarding school policies and procedures. If you would like to navigate to a specific section, just click on a topic in the table of contents, and it will take you directly there. We will keep you informed of any changes and/or any additional information as it becomes available.
Staffing Updates
I am so excited to introduce our newest staff members to join us this year! Be sure to give them all a warm Holmes’ welcome when you see them.
Jamie Haggerty - TK Teacher
Karen Pierro - TK Teacher
Razia Farah - Early Childhood Educator Teacher
Denise Stutz - Early Childhood Educator Teacher
Andrea Wlodarczyk - Media and Visual Arts Teacher TK-3
Avi Mehta - Orchestra Grades 4 & 5
Nico Pachano-Gonzalez - Band, Grades 4 & 5
Katherine Pupping - Choir, Grades 4 & 5
Madison Del Pape - Nurse, Friday
Elizabeth Davies - Health Tech, Monday & Tuesday
Put Names On Everything
You will hear this a lot! Please write your children's first and last names on their backpacks, sweatshirts, hats, water bottles, and anything else that can be separated from their body. We say this all the time and yet, our Lost and Found is always overflowing. If an item has a name on it, we happily return it to the owner.
What Should Students Bring to School?
Labeled reusable water bottle
Labeled Snack & Lunch (if bringing one from home)
Labeled backpack & school supplies
Labeled Headphones in a Ziploc bag (except TK students)
Comfortable closed-toe shoes
Returning students in grades 3 - 5 - fully charged laptop and charger
Wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes with rubber soles for recess/PE
First Day of School Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Before School:
The campus gates open at 8:20 am. On the first day of the school year students should be dropped off at, or walk independently to, their classroom. There is no before school running club for students during the first week of school. More information regarding that will be in a later communication.
Pick-up After School:
Students are released at 2:55 pm each day except Wednesdays and other minimum days. On Wednesdays and other minimum days students are released at 12:30 pm.
TK pick-up is at the interior classroom door.
Kindergarten pick-up is at the exterior classroom door.
1st & 2nd grade teachers will walk their classes to the Mt. Ararat Dr. designated grade levels gates.
3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students will be released from their classrooms and meet their parents outside the school gates.
Playgrounds Closed Before and After School
Our playgrounds are closed to families before and after school each day. This is for the safety of all parties, as we do not have supervision nor support should accidents happen. It also allows our custodial staff to focus on getting the campus ready for the next school day and avoid extra clean-up. We appreciate your understanding!
Attendance
Please do not send your child to school when they are sick.
When your child must be absent for any reason, please call the office at 619-605-4400 by 9:00 am every day of non-attendance, giving the exact reason for the absence. Any child arriving after 8:30 am must stop in the office and pick up a tardy slip. Let's set good habits early in the school year to arrive on time.
Food Services Information - Universal Free Meals
EVERY student is welcome to join us for FREE Breakfast and Lunch each school day.
Universal FREE Meals start the first day of the 2026 - 2027 School Year.
Breakfast Gate opens at 8:10 am
SDUSD Food Services Information. Breakfast and lunch menus are available here
Volunteering
There are several volunteer opportunities on campus. Parent helpers can work in classrooms, help support emerging readers, work in the garden, assist during PE and enrichment periods and in some cases chaperone on field trips. There will be more information to come about volunteering.
Digital Platforms
We have two digital platforms at Holmes Elementary School. The first is PowerSchool, a district wide system used by school sites and accessible to parents. The second is Konstella, an internal Holmes Elementary School communication tool.
PowerSchool
This platform allows parents to monitor their children’s academic progress, update student demographic information and monitor their student’s attendance. For newly enrolled families, the office will be sending out instructions on how to set up your Parent Portal account soon.
Konstella
This is Holmes internal communication platform, where parents and teachers can connect with each other, and parents can also communicate with other families throughout the school. Our wonderful PTA Communications representative will be reaching out soon with instructions on how to set up a Konstella account. Please watch your emails.
Classroom Assignments Will be Shared Via Email on Friday, August 7th by 5:00 PM
Classroom Placement Process
I would like to explain the process we use for placing students into classes. Class placement is done as a team. In order to achieve the best result for the maximum number of students, our school district subscribes to the practice of heterogeneous grouping students. Research into students’ learning supports the practice of creating classes that are relatively balanced with high, average, and low achievers, boys and girls, etc. Our goal is to create classes that are as equal as possible.
The following criteria will be used to create “balanced” or heterogeneous classes:
• Balanced boy/girl ratios
• Balanced distribution of student abilities
• Balanced distribution of student’s w/identified learning problems/special needs
• The clustering of identified GATE, IEP, and English Language Learners into teachable
groups for support
• Equal class sizes
The teachers and I dedicate much time and effort toward achieving a “balance” in each classroom. Each student’s current teacher completes a profile describing the student’s academic performance data, on-task behavior, ability to work independently, special program participation, class conduct, and other students that should not be in the same class. We are fortunate to have an outstanding teaching staff that works closely with parents to meet the unique needs of each and every student. We find that most students can perform well with any number of teachers. If you have specific concerns regarding your child’s health or learning needs, you may provide me with an email or written note regarding the type of environment you feel would enhance your child’s learning. Please do not make a request for a specific teacher. Due to the extreme difficulty of balancing classes, we cannot honor parent requests for specific teachers. Please also note that because one child in a family has had a specific teacher, it does not mean that another child in the family will have the same teacher. Thank you for your cooperation.
SDUSD Phone Free School Day Policy
The San Diego Unified Board of Education adopted the new Phone Free School Day Policy during the summer of 2025. This means cell phones and smart watches should be "Off and Away" during school hours. Students may not use their devices during school hours. This includes calls or texts home. Students may use classroom, main office, or health office phones for communication home. Parents can contact the school directly if you need to contact your child. Student cell phones must be turned off and stored in backpacks (not pockets). Smart watches may not be used as communication devices during the school day. Thank you for your partnership in enforcing this policy.
No Dogs Allowed on Campus
Although we love your pets, they are not allowed on campus. Please do not bring pets on School grounds. Please see the district policy below.
- Animals are permitted at school only when needed for the instructional program and when
under the strict control of qualified instructors or handlers.
- Therapy and Service Dogs are allowed with proper certification.
- Domestic pets shall not be allowed in classrooms, on or around campus.
Health Office Information
Our Health Office is staffed five days per week. Below you will find links to forms that you may need for your own children's health care needs. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Health Office with any questions throughout the year.
Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan
Asthma Symptom Action Plan
Physical Education Modifications for Injury or Illness
Physician’s Recommendation for Medication During the School Day
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
School Hours 8:30 am - 2:55 pm (M, T, Th, F) and Wednesday 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Please review the 2026-27 Holmes School Map for room locations, drop-off/pick-up flow of traffic, campus gates, and bike racks.
Gates will be open to students at 8:20 am
Students will walk directly to classrooms and wait outside the classroom for instruction to begin. Parents will be permitted to drop off and pick up children from the classroom. Parents can help carry school supplies, identify a safe/direct route, and establish a pickup location.
We will have staff in yellow vests at perimeter gates to support you if you have any questions.
Holmes Bell Schedule
2026-27 Holmes Student and Family Handbook
We look forward to reconnecting with returning families and meeting new ones on the first day of school and at our meet and greet events!
With respect and appreciation,
Jonathan Saipe
Principal
Holmes Elementary School