TO-KNOW

1. Welcome back!! It has been wonderful to see all of you back at school. I know that for many of us the beginning of the year is full of a healthy mix of emotions…excitement and nerves…anticipation for the new year and sadness that summer is over…hope for new classes/teams/programs/ideas and fear of the unknown…and, for me at least, I’m just glad that we are all in it together! I could not ask for a better group of devoted professionals and people. I appreciate your tireless focus on what matters most…what is best for our students. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!
2. We will have a staggered entrance for our “Opening Ceremony” with 5th grade proceeding to the gym first. You may choose students to carry in your banner or carry it in yourself. A couple of other notes:
   1. The schedule for proceeding to the gym below is a guide, but may need to be adjusted based on what you see in the hallways!
      

      8:55 – 5th Grade (down playground side stairs)
      8:57 – 4th Grade (follow 5th grade down playground side stairs)
      8:59 – 3rd Grade (down poolside stairs)
      9:03 – 2nd Grade (follow 3rd grade)
      9:05 – 1st Grade (can use either/both stairs)

   2. We will have some sort of performance of our “Can’t Stop My Reading” song near the end of the assembly. (Thanks to all who helped to record it!) If you are not up for lip syncing, please considering doing a little dancing at least to show your enthusiasm!
3. A reminder that I will call bus riders down to the gym at 2:35 for a brief overview of bus expectations. Please review carpool expectations with your remaining students during that time. If you are not with a class during that time (e.g., IVSs, aides), please come to the gym to offer some extra adult support.
4. A reminder that we will practice two safety drills this week.
   1. On Wednesday, 8/17, we will have our first fire drill at 2:15pm. Please be sure to have your red and green cards and class rosters prepared.
   2. On Thursday, 8/18, we will have our first safety drill at 9:00am. This will begin with a brief announcement from me. I will then give you time to show and discuss the elementary safety video and will come on the announcements again to announce the start and end of a practice lockdown drill.

TO-DO

1. A few reminders from the “Back to School Checklist and Updates” document:
   1. If you haven’t already, please be sure that you have an accurate fire and tornado drill sign hanging in your classroom (keeping in mind that tornado drill procedures might have changed for your room after we made adjustments last spring). If you need a new sign or you aren’t sure if yours is accurate, please email Sarah Cox and she will take a look.
   2. By Tuesday, please be sure that your information is updated in the school-home communications listed in this document. I will be passing this along to Emily Buckley to update our website and will share at Curriculum Night. If you aren’t sure yet, please delete what is there.
   3. By Friday, please update your grade level or individual schedule in the tab for your grade level/area in the master schedule document. It’s okay if it changes later! I just need a starting point.
2. Curriculum Nights begin next week! K-2 parents are invited next Tuesday, 8/23 and 3-5 parents the following Tuesday, 8/30.  I will continue with the same format we have used in past years, with everyone (including teachers!) starting in the gym. I will give some brief overview remarks, introduce all of you, and then give you a chance to get to your locations before parents arrive. I’ve noted locations from last year below (or a note to let me know what you’d prefer if class numbers have changed). If there are changes for this year, please let me know!
   1. K – Cafeteria
   2. 1st – Gym/Outdoor Classroom
   3. 2nd – Individual Classrooms
   4. 3rd – Let me know what you’d prefer!
   5. 4th – Let me know what you’d prefer!
   6. 5th – Gym

TO-READ

10 Inspirational Quotes for the New School Year

While these quotes certainly aren’t heavy reading to begin the school year, they do give a lot of food for thought! I hope you might find one or two that you like and can hang onto as the school year gathers momentum. Happy 2016-2017!