Welcome Back from the Principal: September 1, 2017

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great summer and are able to enjoy the last few days of vacation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families in Houston as they recover from Hurricane Harvey.

The start of school is almost here! Can you feel it? This is a time period when we can sometimes get anxious about everything going “right.” I want to assure you that the goal of the first few weeks is to define exactly what that means. Our hard-working and caring teachers will define, unpack, teach, and reteach our expectations, schedules, school policies, and all the important basics so that your child will be able to succeed. We will also work with students to develop their social skills through positive relationships and peer interactions. We take pride in our many innovative and unique academic initiatives, but the glue that enables our students to learn and take risks is our social emotional learning. We will work together as a caring community to instill an atmosphere of trust, respect, and kindness. At home, please continue to check with your child about what they have learned at school and keep supplying authentic encouragement.

Our students are incredibly talented, humorous, and kind. They enter our school with a heart that is bigger than they are, and we can’t wait to celebrate their learning this year. We know it will be the “small” successes that lead to the larger touchstones. We are looking forward to a great year!

Yours truly,

Gerald Yung

Friendly, but Important, Attendance Reminder
Please make sure your child is here on time. School starts at 7:55AM. The majority of our classes begin the day with a “Morning Meeting” and this may be the only opportunity in the day for your child to learn about other students (for instance, what they did over the weekend, a meaningful experience, or a social lesson). We have scheduled some classes to begin their day with specials like art or PE, and arriving late can also be very confusing and disorienting for students. Additionally, it is state law that students be on time to school and it builds good life skills.

Please welcome our new teachers:

• Ms. Folake Staveley has been selected as our new 2nd grade teacher this year. She is currently on a maternity leave. Please welcome Ms. Cecilia Holm as her extended term substitute.
• Ms. Sara Engel has been selected as our new art teacher.
• Ms. Xuemei Li has been appointed as our new part-time Ni Hao Chinese teacher.
• Ms. Geuibui Li has been appointed as our new part-time Ni Hao Chinese teacher.
• Ms. Kayla Coleman has been appointed as our new Kindergarten aide (Chinese Immersion with Ms. Hill).
• Ms. Sanaya Kondaskar has been selected as our new occupational therapist.

Important Dates

Class Placement
Placement letters were mailed last week. Please call Ms. Mason if you did not receive this important information (617.349.6562).

Drop-off (7:30 - 7:55AM)
For the first week of school, families may come into the classroom to say their “goodbyes.” Starting on September 18, families will say “goodbye” at either outside the school or inside the cafeteria.

Pick-Up (3:55PM; 1:55PM on Wednesdays)
Student pick-up is outside the main entrance on Putnam Avenue. In case of inclement weather, families may use the inside lobby right outside the main office.

What supplies do I bring?
We are thankful that classrooms all have their own supplies to provide students from the district funds. Certain teachers may ask for supplies depending on their individual needs and preferences and, of course, you are free to supply your child with supplies as you desire (some students like back-to-school shopping).

Allergies
If your child has an allergy, please contact our School Operations Manager, Ms. Carmen Cohen, to implement a 504 plan. The 504 plan will travel with your child through all classes and is especially important when we have substitutes or field trips. This information and our collaboration on a good plan will ensure your child’s safety.