Transition to Creek- information for incoming 5th graders!

The following information is to help incoming 5th grade students and their families get to know Creek before starting school. Please reach out to Creek-office@crprairie.org with any questions.

I’ve been hearing about Neighborhoods. What are they?

• Prairie Creek Intermediate has about 850 students divided into eight Neighborhoods. There are four neighborhoods in each grade. Neighborhoods have 4 or 6 homeroom classes. The neighborhood concept is meant to create identity, foster relationships, and build a sense of community.

• Neighborhoods have a common schedule including Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, WIN (What I Need), Encore, Recess and Lunch.
• 5th grade students will have a teacher for Literacy and a teacher for Math/Science/Social Studies. One of these teachers will be their homeroom teacher and we refer to the other teacher as their switch teacher. 
• In 6th grade your student will have a Literacy teacher, Science/Social Studies teacher, and Math teacher.

How are students placed into Neighborhoods and Homerooms at Prairie Creek?

• Neighborhoods and homerooms at Prairie Creek are formed in ways that are similar to the elementary class placement process. We want groups to be balanced in terms of the number of boys and girls, as well as academic needs for intervention and extension. 

Students from elementary schools are divided in this format.

Students from Crest and View are mixed and placed into 8 homerooms in Neighborhood 51 and Neighborhood 53. 

Students from Heights, Hill, and Ridge are mixed and placed into 10 homerooms in Neighborhood 52 and Neighborhood 54.

• 4^th grade teachers provide information to the Creek staff about academic achievement and specific social-emotional needs for each student in order to support the class placement process for their students. 
• Homerooms will be shared with families prior to SOAR to Creek night so students can meet their teachers.
• Homerooms and neighborhoods include a diverse group of students that your child will get to know over time. While many students are used to the familiar faces and routines of elementary school, intermediate school brings new peers with different personalities, backgrounds, and ways of interacting. Teachers are there to support students as they adjust to this new environment, and they’re also here to partner with you as your child builds new relationships and navigates these changes.

What additional support is provided to students at Prairie Creek?

•  Prairie Creek has two school counselors, each assigned to two 5th grade neighborhoods. They “loop” with students, staying with them from 5th to 6th grade to build strong, supportive relationships over time. The school counselors are available to all students who may need social or emotional support. Some students may meet with a counselor only a few times, while others might benefit from more ongoing support. Common reasons students connect with a school counselor include friendship challenges, conflict resolution, grief, or navigating the emotional ups and downs of growing up.

Counselors provide support through individual counseling, small groups, and crisis intervention when needed. Unless there is a safety concern, parents or guardians will not be contacted every time a student meets with a counselor.

In addition to working with students individually, our school counselors support classrooms during dedicated Social Emotional Learning (SEL) time built into the school day.

• Creek has two facilitators who support students in learning to SOAR: being Safe, Optimistic, Accountable, and Respectful. They design and develop the daily social-emotional learning (SEL) lessons taught each morning by homeroom teachers. Their goal is to provide structure and support for students’ social-emotional and behavioral growth.

Facilitators may work with students individually or in small groups to help build a positive, inclusive learning environment where every student feels a sense of belonging at Prairie Creek. When students are struggling, facilitators collaborate with teachers, families, and students to create individualized supports and plans. These plans are designed to help students develop the skills they need to succeed, while ensuring that all students have a safe, respectful, and productive space to learn.

What is a student’s day like at Prairie Creek Intermediate School?

• Much of the instructional experience in 5th grade will feel similar to elementary years. During the intermediate grades there is a gradual shift in the number of teachers, room locations and variety of students in their day.

5th grade daily schedule will include:

• Literacy (reading & writing) – 120 min.
• Math – 60 min. 
• Science/Social Studies – 60 min.
  • (math, science and social studies are taught by the same teacher in 5th grade)
• Recess & Lunch – 35 min.
• Encore – 45 min. a day on a 4 day rotation
• SEL (Social Emotional Learning) – 20 min. 
• WIN (What I Need) – Two 30 min sections

What are the start and end times for Prairie Creek Students?

• Creek students who are dropped off in the car line are let in the front doors at 7:30 am and report to their classrooms or the cafeteria for breakfast. Students who ride buses wait outside and let in the back doors of the school for breakfast or their neighborhood collaboration space. Students will be marked absent if they haven’t arrived at their classroom by 7:45 a.m and must sign in at the attendance office when they arrive. The school day ends at 2:40 p.m. 

• The transportation department determines the pick-up/drop off spots for students riding the bus and they are subject to change. Final bus stop locations and bus times will be communicated to families by the transportation department in August through the Parent Portal.

• Attendance can be communicated by emailing creek-office@crprairie.org or call the main office at 319-848-5310 Option #1. When there is a change of end of day transportation, communication to the office must be done by 2:00 PM. 

What about Specials at Creek?  

• Prairie Creek calls the special subject classes Encore.

• All 5th grade students participate in General Music, Art and Physical Education. Students can elect to take instrumental music (band and/or orchestra) or Informational Technology.

• Students do NOT need to “dress out” or change clothes for PE classes. As always, students are expected to wear athletic socks and shoes (i.e., no Crocs, flip flops) on the days they have PE.  Students are allowed to keep a pair of athletic socks/shoes in their locker if they prefer to change their shoes before going to PE or recess.

What is the process to enroll my student in the Prairie Band or Orchestra?

• Joining the Creek band or orchestra is typically the first time that your student is able to choose what class they would like to participate in at school. We know how confusing that process can be for students and parents who haven’t had that opportunity before! To help you plan for this upcoming opportunity together, all of the information about the process to register for band or orchestra is posted on our website. All students who would like to be a part of the band or orchestra, at any time during their school career, should sign up in 5th grade. The alternative pathway does not include coursework that is a prerequisite for future classes. 

Are there activities outside of the school day?

• Prairie Creek is an intermediate school and does not participate in inter-school athletic competition.

After school clubs vary from year to year. Some club options that have been offered are Chess Club, Lego League, Art and Choir Clubs, Green Team, Boys on the Run, and Girls on the Run. If you’re interested in supporting any clubs please contact the volunteer coordinator at 319-848-5224.

What school supplies will students need to bring?

• Like in elementary, supply lists for 5^th and 6^th grade have been developed. Supply lists are available on the Creek page of the Prairie website. 

• Combination locks are included on the supply list for both 5th and 6th grade. Students utilize their lockers to store coats, backpacks, phones, and daily school supplies. While a lock is not strictly required, we strongly encourage using one if any valuable personal items will be kept in the locker. For your convenience, the school store sells combination locks; a benefit of purchasing through the school is that we maintain a record of the combination should a student ever need a reminder.

• We do recognize that digital devices, specifically cell phones, are used for communication before and after school. All devices are to be off and in lockers throughout the school day so students are focused on learning and socializing with peers. 

Does Creek provide the option to purchase supply kits? 

• Yes! New this year Creek is working with ImPacks giving families the option to preorder supplies for next year. These kits will be delivered directly to Creek and ready for your student at Great Start Conferences. You can customize your order by removing or adding additional supplies. ImPacks allows both monetary donations and kit donation purchases. ImPacks provides a match with every donation. 

What is the School Store?

• Parents and Students are welcome to stop by the School Store (located next to the Attendance Office) for any of the following:
  • purchase band & orchestra supplies
  • purchase Prairie spirit gear and items
  • put money on student’s lunch account
  • pick up or purchase student ID cards/replacements and lanyards
  • lunch account questions
  • student fees and fines

• Typically the store is open in the morning from 7:45am – 10:30am, and in the afternoon from 1pm – 3pm. Students need to get a pass from their teacher prior to going to the store. If the store is closed, parents and students can stop by the main office to drop off money or leave the store clerk a message. 

We strongly encourage students to purchase locker locks from the school store. The store clerk has a copy of all combinations and a master key to assist students as needed.

Lunch Accounts

• Money can be added to lunch accounts online or it can be dropped off at the school store before school and specified times during the school day. Lunch money may not appear in a student’s account the day it is deposited. 

• The Creek Cafeteria offers a variety of meal options, including a main line, alternate line, pizza line, and a grab & go station. In addition, students may purchase a la carte items if they have funds available in their meal account. We encourage parents to have conversations with their child about expectations for cafeteria purchases. Please note that parents can set spending limits on their child’s account to help manage purchases.

• To help our lunch lines move quickly and ensure every student has as much time as possible to eat and socialize, students must have their lunch card to “charge” their lunch at the cashier station. This allows the cashier to verify the correct account and monitor food choices. If a student does not have their card, they will be asked to wait until the end of the line to check out. This allows the cashier to look up their account manually without stopping the flow of the line for their peers.

• Students have a 15-minute recess paired with their lunch time. Depending on the daily schedule, they will be led into the cafeteria by either their teacher or a recess supervisor. While we start the year sitting in homeroom groups to establish routines, students are soon transitioned to “neighborhood seating,” where they can choose to sit with any peers from their specific neighborhood.

What do I need to know about Ala Carte?

• Parents have full control over their child’s meal account through the Meal Magic Family Portal or by contacting the school store clerk directly. Through these channels, you can view specific purchases, set daily spending limits, or block the purchase of a la carte items entirely. Please note that a positive account balance is required for any a la carte transactions. To ensure the lines move efficiently, students are expected to have their ID cards ready at checkout. If a student forgets their card, they will be asked to wait until the end of the line so the cashier can manually enter their information without slowing down the process for others. The following items are currently available for purchase (prices subject to change):

$.75 – fruit snacks

$.70 – pop tarts, crackers, water

$.90 – chips, popcorn, rice krispies, jello, pudding

$1.25 – cookies, brookies, donuts, muffins, confetti rice krispies

$1.50 – can drinks, jerky

$3.35 – extra breakfast

$5.15 – extra lunch