Grammar School News

September 24, 2026

 

 

A note about conferences

As you know, parent-teacher conferences are just around the corner, and they are such a special time in the life of our Grammar School. As a teacher, conference day was always one of my favorite days of the year. It gave me the opportunity to connect with parents and share what I had come to know about the precious children entrusted to my care—their growth, their strengths, the areas where they were being challenged, and the little things I noticed each day.

One thing that always felt a little out of step with those conversations was the progress report. So much of what I wanted to communicate to parents could be distilled down to a single grade, leaving little room for the nuance and insight that are such an important part of knowing and teaching a child.

In an effort to have our reporting more closely reflect what we actually do in the classroom, we have changed the format of our progress report. It will no longer look like a traditional report card. Instead, it will focus on the most important information your child’s teacher wants to communicate with you at this point in the semester. We believe this will provide a clearer, more meaningful picture of your child’s progress while also bringing our reporting practices in line with current educational standards.

While the progress report will look different, nothing about our classroom practices or our commitment to your children has changed. You will continue to receive the same thoughtful communication you have come to expect from our wonderful teachers. Our midterm reporting will simply allow us to communicate more fully what we see in your children each day.

We are excited about this change because it better reflects both our high standards in the classroom and our deep commitment to the discipleship and care of each child entrusted to us. We look forward to sharing those insights with you during conferences.

 

October 7

Please note that Wednesday, October 7th will be an early release. Grammar carpool will begin at 12:45 that day. There will be no Extended Day or Charlotte Mason Afternoons offered that day.

 

Speech evaluations for grades E-5

This fall, we are offering speech evaluations for students in grades E-5.  For Explorer-5th graders, this evaluation will assess articulation (how sounds are produced) and receptive and expressive language. If you have any concerns about your child's articulation and/or language development, we highly recommend having your child participate in the speech evaluation. Correcting speech patterns is exponentially easier for a young child than an older child with well-established speech habits.

Before referring your student or child please refer to the list on this form describing the difference between a SPEECH DELAY and LANGUAGE DELAY.   

Please click HERE to read a letter from our speech pathologists and register for a speech evaluation.

 

Chicken Eggs

Every Thursday, 4th grade will sell fresh eggs from our C. Mason Coop under the pavilion, beginning at 7:30 am until they are sold out. They will be $10 for a dozen and $5 for half a dozen.

 

Announcements

4th Grade Living History Day

We are getting ready for a wonderful time-travel adventure back to America's colonial times on Wednesday, September 30!  We will hear from historical leaders, try our hand at colonial crafts, taste delicious foods, play historical games and much more!  

Here are the details:
Date & Time:8:30am-12:15pm on Wednesday, September 30
Location:  Heritage Farmstead Museum (1900 West 15th Street in Plano)
Lunch:  Lunch will be served for the children at Heritage Farmstead.  Student lunches will include chicken tenders, fries, roll, a cookie, and water. Parents and volunteers can join the children and teachers for a delicious, colonial-style lunch!  (Students and teachers do not need to place a lunch order.)  All parents/volunteers will need to order lunch no later than Friday, September 25.  Lunch is $13.75 for parents/volunteers and billed through FACTS. Lunch will include roast chicken breast, green beans, twice baked potato, roll, and water. Volunteers/parents can order their own lunch through the link HERE. (Please note that volunteers are asked to stay through lunch to help clean up.)
Costumes: All attendees will need to be in colonial costume. 
Arrival: Students will need to arrive at school by 8am for a prompt 8:15 bus departure. Backpacks can stay at home.
Dismissal and Extended Day:  Please note that no student will be dismissed from the venue; they must all return to school on the bus. Parents will stay behind for a quick tear-down and clean-up and then be back to campus in time for the 12:45 pm carpool.  Extended Day will be offered for $30 and billed through FACTS. Please sign up for extended day HERE.
Parking: Cars can park in the Heritage Farmstead Museum parking lot or along Pitman Drive.  There is more parking behind BT Furnishings. Please do not park at Chase Bank, in front of houses, or in fire lanes.
Check-In: All parents please sign in at the front gate when you arrive.
Volunteers:  Thank you to those of you who have volunteered to help with setup, acting, activities, and food. You will receive an email with additional information.

We are looking forward to experiencing colonial times together!

For questions, please reach out to Becca Hyden (214-984-1656), Debra Milam (336-775-7150), or Meredith Ratliff (214-608-2008)

 

Conference Sign Ups

Conference sign-ups are here. Be sure to sign up for BOTH Fall and Spring (make sure you see the leaves and tulips!). The conference dates are Friday, October 2nd, and Friday, March 19th.  If either of these dates are a conflict in your schedule, please email either Erin Howell (for grades E-2) [email protected] or Laura Mountjoy (for grades 3-5) [email protected]. Sign-up links are HERE.

 

Library

Open Library! 

The Grammar school library is open for students and parents to come check in and check out books Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 7:45 a.m.- 8:10 am. Parents, please accompany Explorers - 2nd graders. 3rd-5th graders may visit by themselves. 

*Reminder: the Grammar library is right next door to the Grammar Administration office on the Grammar West deck.*

 

After School Care

Extended Day

Covenant's Extended Day Program is for Explorers through 2nd Graders who need to stay on campus on Mondays and Fridays between 12:45-2:45.  This after-school care gives them time to play and enjoy a provided snack. Mondays, 2nd graders will have time to complete their homework. Here is additional Extended Day FAQ linked HERE! Should you have any questions, please email Deedra Pace at [email protected]. HERE is the registration link to sign your child up.

 

Charlotte Mason Afternoons

Charlotte Mason Afternoons is underway! If you have any questions, please contact Erin Howell at [email protected]. To catch a glimpse of what happens during Charlotte Mason Afternoons, click HERE to watch a short slideshow.

 

Uniforms

Uniforms for 2026/2027

Parents, for the 2026/2027 school year, please follow the guidelines from our Parent/Student Handbook: Please follow THIS LINK to view uniform guidelines. They are on page 2. Uniforms are available exclusively through Risse Brothers.

 

Dress Code Clarifications 

Some issues that need clarification:

  • Black, red, and white plaid skirt with sewn-down pleats, no shorter than 4 inches above the crease in the back of the knee and no longer than the top of the kneecap.
  • Black, red, and white plaid jumper for girls in E-2.
  • Black shorts with built-in liner worn under skirt for PE (grades 3-5).
  • Black shorts with built-in liner or modesty shorts worn under jumper (E-2)  (Black shorts with white trim are also acceptable).
  • White middy blouse with black tie (3-5) or Peter Pan collar and jumper (E-2)
  • Boys' tennis shoes need to be low-top, athletic/court-style tennis shoes. No high-top type basketball shoes. Tennis shoes need to be all black.
  • Girls' tennis shoes also need to be low-top, athletic/court-style tennis shoes. No high-top basketball shoes. Tennis shoes need to be all white. Girls are also not permitted to wear fashion tennis shoes, even if they are all white (ie, Golden Goose, Veja styles).
  • On casual dress day, students can wear any low-top or high-top tennis shoe of their choosing.
  • Boys' socks should be all-white without a logo.
  • Girls' socks should be all-white without a logo, except for socks with a Covenant plaid ruffle sold through our uniform vendor.
  • Hairbows and headbands should match the uniform in colors: red, white, black, grey, or Covenant plaid.
  • Boys' hair needs to be no longer than the eyebrows, mid-ear, or shirt collar.
  • Covenant sweatshirts, sweaters, and fleeces can be worn in the classroom. At recess on cold days, all of the above should be worn with a coat when extra warmth is necessary. It is also fine to wear a sweatshirt or piece of outerwear purchased from the Armory for extra warmth during outside play.
  • Uniforms must be clean and not ripped, frayed, or excessively stained.

 

Rain Gear

If you haven’t already learned, you’ll find that we take our rain gear VERY seriously here at Covenant. On rainy days, we recommend durable, hooded rain jackets for your students. Especially for our little ones, it can be much easier to manage than a clunky umbrella. If you choose to send your student to school with rain boots, please be sure to pack sneakers so they are prepared for PE. 

 

PE Attire For boys and Girls

Both boys and girls in grades E-2 will keep their entire standard uniform on during PE.  For Grades 3-5, please send your girls to school with modest, loose fitting black shorts underneath their skirts. If students wear spandex shorts, they will be required to keep their skirts on during PE. Thank you for your cooperation!

 

Parent Information

Smart Watches 

This is a gentle reminder that students may wear watches to school as long as they are limited to telling time only. Watches with additional features—such as messaging, calling, internet access, GPS, cameras, or games—are not permitted during the school day, even if these features are disabled. We appreciate your partnership and support in helping us maintain a focused learning environment. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

 

​Early Student Pick Ups

If you need to pick up your child for an appointment, please notify BOTH your child’s teacher and the front desk by cc’ing [email protected] the date and time of pickup. This will help the front office prepare to call the teacher when you arrive, so your child can be in the office more quickly. Parents must come to the Administration Front Office to sign their child out (remember you can use the fire lane to park since you are leaving quickly). If returning to school, the student will need to sign back in.

 

Morning Covenant Parking and Drop Off

Parents, we need your help! As you are aware, parking on campus is an adventure at times!

Drop Off and Daytime visits:

  • If you choose to walk your child to class in the morning, you may park in spots on the back row marked "S" (for student) only if you are leaving campus by 8:10 am.
  • If you are on campus during the day staying longer than 8:10 am, park in “Visitor” on the West Drive or at The Church in Dallas. Do not park in spots labeled "F" (faculty and staff) - Our faculty needs to be able to park and start their day when they arrive.

 

Parking Lot reminders

In an effort to ensure our students and families are safe, we ask that you be extra vigilant about closely monitoring your children and only crossing the street at the designated crosswalks. There are a large number of people coming and going on our small campus each day. In order to stay safe, it is important for everyone to do their part in ensuring that safety protocols are maintained.

 

Parent Resources

WHEN MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED 

“When More Information is Needed.”  - a recording from Dr. Cristina Sevadjian, Erin Howell, and Laura Mountjoy. Exploring the topics of academic testing, dyslexia, and the importance of early intervention. 

WMIIN Podcast Link (2 Parts) - Parent Portal password- Classical27

 

Click the links below to see the classes for Grades E-5

EXPLORERS
FIRST GRADE
SECOND GRADE
THIRD GRADE
FOURTH GRADE
FIFTH GRADE

 

Friendly Reminder - Early morning drop off

Please drop off your students no earlier than 7:30 am. Prior to that, there is no supervision in Covenant Hall. Students will need to wait with a parent/ride until then. It poses a safety risk to have children waiting outside without an adult present. Thank you for your cooperation.

 

It’s You I Like

Click HERE to view a blog by Laura Mountjoy, lovingly titled, “It’s You I Like”. This will be a landing spot for inspiring and winsome words, now in a way that will allow you to refer back to previous posts.

 

Absentee Request Form

The Absentee Request Form is a form that must be filled out for any planned absence.  If you know that your student will be absent from school for a special event, family trip, etc., we ask that you complete the form for each student at least 2 weeks in advance. This allows our teachers to better prepare to help your student catch up on makeup work. The form can be found in the Parent Portal under “Resource Documents” and is also linked HERE for your convenience. If you print the form and want to deliver a hard copy, please return the signed and filled out form to your student’s homeroom teacher. If you wish to scan it electronically, signed forms can be emailed directly to Allison Wedeberg at [email protected].

 

 

 

 

 

Carpool Safety

Although carpool is running smoothly and efficiently, we want to make you aware of some rules to ensure the utmost safety for our students. 

  • If you must pick up your student early, you must retreive them from the office by 2:30 pm at the absolute latest. Please don't loiter under the pavilion to pick up your stduent. 
  • Absolutely NO talking or texting on your cell phone while in the carpool line.
  • Do not drive too close to the curb as you pull up to your cone.
  • Students MUST enter the vehicle on the driver’s side. If you need to fix seating arrangements, you will need to exit the west gate before doing so. Simply drive through the west gate, park by the pond, rearrange, and you’ll be on your way! We cannot have students entering on the passenger side during such a high traffic time. Thank you for your cooperation. 

 

Carpool Changes (NEW)

If your child is going home with another family: Email must include the following information:

  1. Full names of all children involved

  2. CC one parent from each family involved

  3. Indicate which carpool, Grammar 12:40, 2:50 or Logic

  4. Example: “Mary Jones will be going home with Lizzie Smith today (Tuesday) at 2:50 carpool”

  5.  Grammar School: [email protected]  or Logic School: [email protected]

 

Grammar School Carpool Pick Up Times 

Monday
12:40 pm - E-2
2:45 pm - 3-5

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
12:40 pm - E
2:45 pm - E-5

Friday
12:40 pm - E-2
2:45 pm - 3-5

    If You Need to Reach Grammar School

     Contact Allison Wedeberg, Grammar School Coordinator, at: [email protected]

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Join the Covenant Parent Facebook page, Covenant Chatter.

    COVENANT PHOTOS

    It's easy to share your photos with the community and the yearbook staff. Click this link and to unlock, use Classical26.