I would shoot with your kit lens and keep the 35mm handy. First time shooting at a school to document events isn’t about how “artful” the photos look…nor “wow, the bokeh” You will want to have the flexibility even for the short reach of the 55mm. Ideally you’ll want something along the lines of 24-105 or 24-70 (I’m a Canon shooter)

Suggest you learn more about photography in general with the aim of wildlife photography. There really should be some understanding of the basics (iso, aperture, shutter speed, focal lengths, etc) Having the knowledge of what it means to have “good composition” “framing” and so on. $1000 (assuming USD) is doable to start your photography journey. Per the other posters…buy used to start

Learning the basics of photography will give you more insight on WHAT you might want to buy. Crop sensor or full frame. Start with a bridge camera? or DSLR?