Dear PBY Knights Families,

Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year! I am thrilled to begin another amazing year serving as your Principal and Instructional Leader at Plummer Bernard Young, Sr. Elementary School — Equity & Excellence Learning Center. Educating our young scholars is not just our mission; it’s our passion!

As we continue our shared journey of developing competent, confident, and compassionate students through dynamic instructional programs and enrichment opportunities, we remain committed to building strong partnerships with families and community stakeholders. Together, we can ensure every child reaches academic excellence — No Matter What!

The NPS School Board has set district-wide goals centered on literacy, accountability, and attendance, and we are proud to align with these efforts. At PBY, a major focus this year is continuing to build fluent readers across all content areas. To achieve this, we ask for your partnership in supporting our goal of 14.2 minutes of nightly reading at home. Your engagement is essential — your involvement strengthens your child’s academic success and confidence.

We remain dedicated to fostering continuous growth in every student, aiming for 100% proficiency across all assessments. At PBY, we are unwavering in our mission to provide every student with high-quality educational experiences — No Matter What!

This year, we’re excited to welcome new teachers and staff members to the PBY Knights family! You’ll have an opportunity to meet them during our Open House on Thursday, September 11, 2025, from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. Our teachers will continue to use technology and small-group instruction to personalize learning and meet students’ individual needs. In addition, we’re proud to continue offering enriching after-school programs through our Equity & Excellence Learning Center (EELC) — designed to inspire creativity, uncover hidden talents, and provide engaging extracurricular opportunities.

Please note the updated staggered schedule for this school year:

· Doors open at 8:35 AM.

o Pre-K students enter through the back gate (near their classrooms).
o Kindergarten through 2nd grade students enter through the front doors.

· Dismissal times:

o Pre-K: 3:10 PM (back doors of classrooms)
o Daycare and bus riders: 3:15 PM
o Walkers (K–2): 3:20 PM

· Early dismissal ends at 2:45 PM.

· Parents and guardians must present government-issued identification when visiting the school for any reason.

A reminder that school uniforms are required:
· Dark purple or mustard yellow polo-style shirts
· Khaki bottoms
· Sneakers are required daily for safety during PE and recess

· We also encourage students to keep a lightweight jacket or sweater in their backpack for comfort throughout the day.

We are energized and ready to begin this exciting new school year — and we can’t wait to welcome you all at Open House!

Thank you for your continued support. Let’s make this a year of excellence — together.
Take care and stay safe,
Principal Candiase B. Driver, M. Ed.,
Plummer Bernard Young, Sr. Elementary School      Equity & Excellence Learning Center