Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Hail, Hail, the Gang’s all Here!

The rain held off just long enough for all students to enter the building dry. What a wonderful day for students! Reconnecting with friends, meeting a new teacher, and exploring a new classroom all topped the list of favorite things to do today. Students were sporting their fashionable new clothes and shared their spiffy look with friends. The excitement could be felt throughout the building. There are several more photos included below to help you get a glimpse into our day.

Arrival Procedures
Tomorrow we will begin our full day schedule (9:00 a.m. –  3:17 p.m.). Please take care when dropping off students at 9:00 a.m. in the parent circle. It is a one lane and one way circle. Pull up as far as you can and have your child exit on the passenger side of your car and proceed directly to the sidewalk. This morning, students were ready to exit quickly and walked directly onto the sidewalk. Traffic flow moved swiftly and safely. Thank you for a job well!

Dismissal Procedures
All parents picking up their children at the end of the day should report to the Blue Cafeteria.  Doors open for pick up at 3:10 p.m.

I would like to take this opportunity to review dismissal procedures. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that children arrive home safely and stress free!  If you plan to pick up your child, you must write a note notifying the teacher.  This note must be sent in the morning with your child.  The note is then sent to the office and the child’s name is recorded on the daily sign out sheet.  If you will be picking up your child every day all year long, you should write one note which will suffice for the year. This needs to be done at the beginning of each school year.
Today we called over 50 classrooms in a matter of 20 minutes (between 11:20-11:40) to make arrangements for students who did not have a note.  We then made 50 last minute transportation changes. I’m sure many of you do not understand the impact that this many unplanned changes have on our dismissal process. This creates too much room for error and confusion at dismissal. 
If you have not sent in a note, and it is past 2:30 p.m., please plan to meet your child at home. I will certainly work with anyone who finds themselves in an emergency situation. Safety is our foremost concern. Thank you in advance for adhering to these guidelines.

New Teaching Staff
Welcome to our new teachers! This year we welcome Mrs. Farrow and  Miss Kolis, both of whom are teaching first grade, and Miss Finger who is teaching second grade. 

Mrs. Farrow welcomes a student into her first grade classroom today.

Miss Finger sits in a circle on the rug with her second grade students as they shared information about themselves. 


Miss Kolis admires the work of one of her first grade students.

Open House
I look forward to seeing parents at our upcoming Open House on Sept. 11, 2014. This is an important night for parents to learn about grade level curriculum, classroom routines, and upcoming events.  A more detailed letter with grade level presentation times will be forthcoming.  Please mark your calendars!

In closing, please take time this week to establish homework routines and reestablish bed time routines. both will ensure successful days! As always, feel free to contact me at the main office (487-4633) with any questions or concerns.


Lori