Frequently Asked Questions

One of the best ways to learn about a student’s progress is by talking with the teacher. A parent-teacher conference early in the year helps to set the plan for the student's school year. Parents/guardians should call the school office at 601.584.7660 or send a note to plan for a conference.

Students must develop good study habits and organizational skills to be academically successful. Homework is assigned to reinforce what has been taught at school. Contact your student’s teacher if you have questions.

Contact the school office or your student’s teacher. There is also a safe, anonymous, confidential way to report bullying at: 601.300.6336. Further information about our school’s bullying policy can be found in our Student Handbook.

Contact the Child Nutrition Department for concerns about cafeteria accounts.

A written note from the parent/guardian must be sent to change the transportation status for a student. No phone calls, emails or verbal exchanges are allowed for transportation changes. The student should bring a written permission note from their parent/guardian on the day of the change. The note must have the date, as well as the name and address of the person they are going home from school with.

The drop off/pick up location for students is on Ogilsvie Street (south) side of the school. All students who arrive at school before 7:35 a.m. or are picked up by private vehicle must do so in this area. The front parking lot will be open to bus and faculty traffic only from 7-7:35 a.m. and from 2:15-3 p.m.

All other vehicle traffic involving student pick ups and drop offs will be done on the Ogilsvie Street side of the campus.

The drop off and pick up traffic lanes are one way. The traffic flow on Ogilsvie Street will remain two way. Parents may wish to plan their routes to easily align their arrival with the designated pick up and drop off lanes.

For safety reasons and to reduce congestion, parents/guardians are asked not to drop off students on the corner of 8^th and Hillcrest.

Drop offs may begin at 7 a.m. Avoid arriving exactly at 7:35 a.m. as this will cause both congestion and students to be tardy. The gate at the loading area will be locked for security reasons at 7:35 a.m.

Students will be dismissed to the pick up area next to Ogilsvie at this time between 2:30-3 p.m.

Routes to the school should be planned to avoid making U-turns on Ogilsvie. Traffic inbound on Highway 42 should take Corinth Road to Ogilsvie. Vehicles arriving from north of the school should either consider taking Hillcrest Loop to Collins Road (near the tennis court) and Pecan Terrace to Ogilsvie. Traffic arriving from the south should consider taking Cassill Street to Byrd Drive to Ogilsvie.

If your student needs more help, email the teachers and allow them the opportunity to initiate interventions within the classroom. If you feel your student is still struggling, a parent/teacher conference can be scheduled.

PUES classes begin at 7:35 a.m. Students may begin arriving at 7 a.m. Car riders dismiss at 2:28 p.m. Early bus dismissal begins at 2:30 p.m. and late bus dismissal is around 2:50 p.m. School attendance daily is critical to a student’s academic success.

Arriving at school on time and staying the entire school day is crucial to the learning process, especially at the elementary school level. Since students are engaged in learning activities the entire school day, parents are strongly encouraged to refrain from bringing a student late to school and from checking a student out of school.

Students are expected to present a clean, neat and well-groomed appearance at school. It is the responsibility of parents and guardians to see that their student is properly attired for school. The administration reserves the right to make the final decision concerning the appropriateness of clothing and overall appearance at school. For more information, please review the Student Dress Code.

Our nurse will call you if your student has presented any concerns that need further attention. For more information, visit the Health & Wellness page.

The nurse can administer medication to your student with appropriate medication forms completed by your physician. A parent must bring the form and medication to the school and give it to the school nurse. For more information, visit the Health & Wellness page. 

Students are provided a plain red folder at the beginning of the year. However, a parent/guardian signature is not required each night. The red folder contains notes sent home and all homework. These notes may be sent home daily.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all information is given to parents/guardians and homework is completed by the assigned due date. Students’ test papers are not sent home weekly in red folders. Students may log in to their Edulastic accounts to view their assessments and parents may log in to their Active Parent accounts to view their student's grades. Parents may also contact their student’s teachers for more information about assessments.

Contact your student’s teachers through email. Allow a 24-hour grace period for a response. If you do not receive a response within 24 hours, please call the school front office. For all questions not related to the course, please contact your student’s homeroom teacher.

If you have not received a response within 24 hours, please call the school office.

Students will not take AR tests at PUES. While some books will be assigned throughout the year, students will mostly be able to read books that they select themselves based on their interests. Through Literature Circles and various reading challenges, students will continue their growth as readers.

Students will change classes with each change of subject. Subjects include ELA, math, STaR (science, technology and research) and activity. All teachers stand outside their doors, and other staff members are stationed along hallways and sidewalks to assist students. If your student is lost, there are multiple avenues of redirection.

In fifth grade, students can experience all the electives on a schedule that rotates every nine weeks. At the end of fifth grade students will be given a choice sheet that contains their options for sixth grade.

Utilizing Active Parent is the best way to keep up with student’s grades. Please contact the school office at 601.584.7660 if you need to create an account.

• Car Line
  • Parents/Guardians must have a car rider sign posted on the front dash of the vehicle to show the staff on duty. Petal Upper will issue a sign when school starts. Please make your sign until one is sent home.
    • Write your student's name in big, bold letters on a piece of paper.
• Office Procedures
  • We encourage you to call ahead before coming to campus, 601.584.7660.
  • A photo I.D. must be provided when checking students out of school.
  • Transportation changes must be made in writing.

• Google Classroom
  • After school starts, have your child check the Petal Upper Students Google Classroom to view daily announcements and access other school information.
• Facebook
  • @PetalUpperElementary
• SchoolStatus App
  • Teachers will use the SchoolStatus App to call and text parents throughout the school year. Be sure to save your teacher’s SchoolStatus number in your contacts. You can use this number to text your student's teacher.

• www.typing.com
  • Username: 5thpuelastname (+first initial for some students)
  • Username: 6thpuelastname (+first initial for some students)
  • Password: computer
• Google Apps
  • Username: firstname.lastname@petalstudents.com
  • Password: 5thpantherslunchnumber
  • Password: 6thpantherslunchnumber
• www.studyisland.com
  • Username: firstname.lastname@pues
  • Password: 5thpantherslunchnumber
  • Password: 6thpantherslunchnumber
• Non-Fiction E-Books
  • Username: pueslibrary
  • Password: read
• www.petaledmodo.com
  • Username: firstnamelastname (may vary by ELA teacher)
  • Password: (student chose password)