Welcome Back 26-27!

Today, the district released information in Genesis that will need to be read and signed off on in order to receive your child’s homeroom information when it is released on Monday, the 24th. Please be sure to read our handbook carefully. There is a lot of important information that will help you navigate the school year.  You will need to electronically mark your understanding of each item in Genesis as those items require a response from you.  

If your student is new to our school, you will receive an email from Genesis with your log-on credentials.  If your student has previously attended Stony Brook, please use the same log-on credentials that you used to access their report card last school year.  Once you have logged into Genesis, please click the “Forms” tab on the top center of the screen.  You will need to read through and acknowledge each form in Genesis. Once you have acknowledged the required documents, your student’s homeroom teacher will be available beginning Monday, August 24th.

Our Open House will be held on September 1st from 1:00-2:00 pm. Please feel free to bring your child to Stony Brook to see their classroom, meet their teacher, and see the other areas in the building that they will visit throughout the day. We are looking forward to welcoming our new students with this special sneak peek! Additionally, we have new staff members joining our Stony Brook family this year. Kara Cornell is joining our 4th grade team. Corina Aresta and Tulin Aydin are coming to us from Whiton and will join 5th grade. Also returning to Stony Brook are Lorien Holderbaum in 5th grade and Danielle LoCascio in 4th grade.  We are so happy to have them join our Stony Brook family. 

Wednesday, September 2nd is our first day of school. This is a full day of school and lunch will be served.  Students that are being dropped off by a parent, ride their bikes or walk must not be in front of the school before 8:10. There will be no adults on duty prior to that time to support our students. I really need your cooperation in following this safety requirement. Our parent drop-off procedures are listed in the handbook. Please be sure to review those procedures carefully. Our staff will be asking for ID from all parents picking up during the first few weeks of school. Please be sure to have your ID handy. Our dismissal procedures will take a little longer during the first few weeks of school. Please be patient as we guide our students to their buses, and our amazing drivers deliver them home. 

Our One School, One Book for summer reading is One Word for Kids by Dan Britton. One Word by Dan Britton teaches us that choosing one special word can help us focus on the kind of person we want to be and the choices we want to make. Your word can be a reminder to try your best, grow, help others, and make a positive difference throughout the year. Here is a link to the read-aloud version of the story as well. 

Other important information to start the year off right:

• Stony Brook functions on a 6-day schedule. Homeroom teachers will send out schedules for specials as soon as school begins. 

• Students should bring a healthy, nut-free snack (no tree nuts or peanut products please) and a water bottle each day.

• The Breakfast Program - The cost is $2.50 (free for students who qualify).  We know the importance of being ready to learn and a morning breakfast can impact this readiness. Students will stop by the cafeteria to get a grab-and-go breakfast on their way into school. They will grab their items and head to homeroom.

• For the 2026-2027 school year, lunch is for purchase and costs $3.75. A school lunch that meets federal nutritional standards includes these 5 food components:  

  • Fruit: Fresh, Chilled, or 4oz Fruit Juice (choice of two)

  • Two Vegetable Choices  

  • Low Fat or Fat-Free Milk

  • Whole Grains

  • Meat/Meat Alternative 

Students should select at least 3 of the 5 components, including a fruit or 

vegetable, for a complete meal. Should students desire second helpings or additional a la carte options, those items will be charged to the student’s account.  Lunch is not served on a single session day. 

• Please note that students whose family financial circumstances meet eligibility standards for free or reduced-price meals must submit a free or reduced lunch application to the school to be eligible for additional benefits related to P-EBT, state funding, or other school benefits that may be implemented throughout the school year.

• Additionally, the student’s free or reduced status during the 2025-2026 school year will carry over into the first thirty (30) days of the 2026-2027 school year.  Only those students deemed eligible this school year will receive free or reduced lunches at the start of this school year.  Applications are available on the District website.

• Back to School Night for Stony Brook is scheduled for the evening of September 8th from 6:30-8:30. Please save the date. 

• School picture day is scheduled for September 22nd with a make-up day scheduled for November 11th. More information will be sent home regarding picture day once the school year begins. 

Soft Start. As we continue to keep student well-being a priority, our school will continue with our soft start program during homeroom each morning.  Students will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of activities when they first enter the classroom. This will give them a few moments to get settled and ready for the learning ahead of them. I am resharing Mrs. Knoke's video here to help explain what a soft start will look like at Stony Brook this year.