Holiday Greetings to All!
How did the holiday season sneak up on us without snow? As the season is fully upon us, we tend to get wrapped up in the busy time and our schedules can get a little hectic! Remember to reflect and enjoy the season, enjoy one another’s company, and be sure to keep the health and well-being of you and your family at the forefront.
Safety First
The well-being and safety of our students is always a priority,
and your help is needed regarding safety protocols. As a small school community, we tend to
become lax about safety rules, until something drastic happens in the news
calling for our attention. At this time,
it is necessary for me to remind everyone to be vigilant in adhering to these
practices:
·
Always announce your arrival in the school. Once you are “buzzed in” the front door, or
if someone from inside opens the door to you, you must stop at the main
desk. Parents and guardians arrive at
various times during the day to pick up a child, drop off an item, or bring a
child in late, so stopping at the main office should always be a priority.
·
NO visitors should be in the school hallways
without a visible visitor’s badge. Refrain
from walking down the hallways unannounced.
While it may seem harmless to drop off something to your child at
his/her classroom door or to go pick your child up from his/her classroom, this
is a violation of our safety protocols.
As stated above, you must stop at the main office upon every arrival at
school.
·
Dismissal should take place at the main entrance
only. Even if you have parked in the
back parking lot, you must walk around to the front door for your child to be
dismissed from there.
·
If you are picking your child up at the end of
the day, remember that dismissal time is 3:15 and you should wait in the main
lobby near the office.
·
You must sign your child out at the main office
if he/she is being picked up from school for any reason, including
dismissal. This helps us to keep track
of all students’ whereabouts.
Together we can keep our children safe, but everyone needs
to follow the established guidelines!
Renovations Are in Our Not-So-Distant Future!
You may have noticed a new addition parked at the north end
of our front yard. Last week we welcomed
the arrival of our contractors’ work trailer.
This trailer will remain on site for the duration of our construction
project. While the bulk of our school
renovation will take place next summer, the work will begin after the holiday
season.
In January, contractors will be creating a driveway into the
courtyard. This driveway will lead from
the front of the building (the north end where the work trailer is located),
around that side, and into the courtyard closest to the primary wing.
In February, we will be relocating some teachers and
reconfiguring some small group teaching spaces.
I do not anticipate moving full classrooms at this time, but I will keep
you informed if/when the time comes to move any classes.
Weather permitting, we anticipate breaking ground on or
around March 1st. Literally,
this means digging the ground in the courtyard, which will eventually be the
floor of our new library. Recall that
the existing library will be converted to a cafeteria, and a new library will
be built as an extension into the courtyard.
The students will be excited to watch the trucks and equipment as we
enter this phase of the renovation.
Please understand that as always, the safety of our students
and staff remains a priority. There will
be very few contractors inside the building during the school year, but those
who will be here have district-approved identification badges and access to the
building. This is not my first school
renovation, and I am very familiar with the rules and safety regulations. I will be working closely with the foreman,
and I will do my best to keep you informed of the progress and phases of the
project. If at any time you have any questions
about the construction, please do not hesitate to call me. I will also give updates at our monthly PTA
meetings, so be sure check the calendar for those dates.
Thank you for your continued support from home. Have a wonderful holiday season with your
family and friends!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Clark
Dates to Remember
- Wednesday, 12/16 – Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 at WGHS
- Wednesday, 12/23 – Whole-school Sing-Along - Students are welcome to wear pajamas to school!
- Wednesday, 12/23 – Classroom Holiday Celebrations – Last day of school before holiday break.
- Thursday, 12/24 through Friday, 1/1/16 – School closed for holiday break
- Monday, 1/4/16 – Welcome back to school! Happy New Year!
- Wednesday, 1/6 – Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 at WGHS
- Wednesday, 1/13 – PTA meets at 6:00 at WGHS, not at OR. *Please note the time and location change!
- Monday, 1/18 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Schools are closed.
- Friday, 1/29 – Report Cards are distributed. This is a half-day 11:30 dismissal for students.
