Frequently Asked Questions

If the answer to your question isn’t here, please email us at pto@liljapto.org and we will do our best to help.


DROP OFF & PICK UP

Please carefully review the instructions provided by the school. Some tips:

  • Observe all traffic laws and DRIVE SLOWLY in the parking lot and surrounding roads during dropoff and pickup times.

  • Cars are NOT allowed to block Oak St while waiting to turn into the Sargent Field entrance to join the car line, particularly southbound traffic if waiting to turn left.

  • Have your children unstrapped, with their backpacks on and ready to exit on the passenger side as soon as you are in position and a staff member opens your vehicle door.

  • WATCH for families crossing the road, particularly at the pedestrian crossing on Oak St between Eisenhower and MacArthur Road, and on Bacon St by the bus loop.

  • If you arrive in the drop off loop after 8:30am and the doors are closed, you must drive to the front loop off Bacon St and sign your child in as a late arrival at the front office.

  • If your child is going to be late or absent, or needs to be signed out for an appointment or picked up early, or you are changing their dismissal plan (e.g. from car pickup to parent walker), please notify the school using Pickup Patrol

  • If picking up your child as a parent walker, you must park in the Sargent Field lot and walk up to the blacktop (basketball court by the playground). You cannot park in the bus loop at the front of the building or on Bacon St for pickup.

  • Leave your pets at home, dogs are not allowed on school property during school hours, as per the Natick Public School district rules.

school supplies

Your child will need a backpack, lunch/snack bag and water bottle. The pack should be big enough to carry the lunch/snack bag, a home/school folder and a library book or two. Extra space is helpful for winter time when extra clothes are needed for recess. LABEL EVERYTHING, the lost and found fills up quickly. The school and PTO provide all the supplies your child will need for their classroom. If anything else is required, your teacher will communicate this to you directly.

BREAKFAST, LUNCH & Snack

Breakfast & lunch is available for FREE to all students for the 2023-2024 school year. Breakfast is available from 8am in the cafeteria, students will need to come to the door by the cafeteria (where the car drop off loop is) and be buzzed in. When students arrive in their classroom in the morning, they can choose to either order school lunch or select that they have brought lunch from home. Please ensure your child is clear on which option they are having each day, students who did not select school lunch in the morning cannot change their mind at lunch time, as the Foodservice department requires all orders to be in in the morning to ensure sufficient meals for everyone. To check the menu, visit the Natick Foodservice website. Children have one or two snack times a day depending on the grade/class, which is brought from home. Your teacher will advise you if there is a student with a life threatening allergy in the class, and may not allow these allergens into the classroom as snacks. All kids should bring a named water bottle with them and there are places to refill these throughout the school.

Room Parents

Each class has one or two room parents who help in a number of ways, including gathering funds for extra crafts, class celebrations, teacher gifts, etc. It’s a great way to give just a little bit of your time to make a difference for your child’s entire class. Please consider volunteering for this and other positions in the school.

Before & After School Care

Natick Public Schools run before and after school care programs at each school called Early Risers & ASAP. New family registration occurs in March/April, spaces usually fill up quickly. Alternative programs which bus children directly from Lilja include:

The Natick Community Organic Farm also run afterschool programs, however you will need to provide your own transportation from Lilja.

Curriculum Night

In the month of September you will be given the opportunity to come to Lilja one evening and see your child’s classroom, meet their teacher and learn about the curriculum your child will be covering that year. In addition, you will be given information about frequently asked questions specific to that classroom and learn about classroom volunteer opportunities. This event is for parents and caregivers only.

BOKS

BOKS is a before school physical activity program.  BOKS prepares children for a day of learning and is an important step in helping children appreciate the benefits of exercise and healthy choices that will last a lifetime. BOKS was inspired by Dr. John Ratey’s book “Spark”. Dr. Ratey, of Harvard Medical School, states that “exercise is the single most powerful tool that we have to optimize the function of our brains.”  Classes are filled with team-oriented games and provide plenty of opportunity for play, since the program focuses on fun! The sessions run mid September through the first week of December and then start again the end of January through mid-May.

FIELD DAY

This is a fun filled day at the end of the year where the children compete in different events against the other classes in their grade level. The water balloon toss and Tug-o-war are two of the favorites! Parents and siblings are welcome to join, bring a blanket/chair, water and sunscreen. We always have extra popsicles to go around. Dates and a schedule of the day's events will be sent home in June.

K-BUDDIES

If you have a Kindergartener, you have probably have heard them mention their K-buddy. Each Kindergarten class pairs up with a 3rd grade class to work on their reading skills. This is a confidence building opportunity for both students in the pair and a special relationship.

MULTI-AGE CLASSROOMS

At Lilja there are 2 multi-age classrooms, which are half 1st graders and half 2nd graders each. If your child gets placed in one of these classes in their 1st grade year, they will continue with the same teacher for two years. In the spring information will be sent out from the school that explains more about these classrooms. You have the option of opting out of these classrooms in K should you feel they are not for your child, your K teacher will ask for opt-outs in April. For more information visit the 1-2 class blog.

PAWS

Any student, classroom, or grade that is “caught” being Respectful, Responsible, Kind, and/or showing Engaged Learning is awarded a Pride paw. Paws are awarded by everyone to anyone! A child does NOT have to be in a teacher’s class to be recognized by them! Paws can be awarded to individual students, to the classroom as a whole, or even to the grade level. Paws are collected by the child’s classroom teacher and tallied on a weekly basis. The school works together towards a goal to earn a Positive Reward. Examples could be extra recess, popsicle day, talent show, etc.

SPECIALS

At Lilja your child will partake in Gym, Music, Library and Art, otherwise known as specials. Kindergarteners have Library twice a week, while 1st-4th grade have Gym twice a week. Typically classes have one special a day, but sometimes scheduling requires otherwise. You will receive a schedule of these classes from your teacher.

STEP-UP DAY

On the last day of school the students are brought to the classroom they will be in the next year. They get to meet their new teacher and learn which other students will be in their class. 4th graders participate in a special day since they are changing schools.

4TH GRADE FUNDRAISING

As part of the excitement of graduating from Lilja, the 4th grade class gets to go on an all day field trip which includes a rope climbing course as well as a 4th grade day of fun! Every 4th grader also gets a T-shirt with everyone’s name on it. To offset the cost, fundraisers will happen throughout the year. Even if your child is not in 4th grade, please consider paying it forward and helping out.