Microsoft Word - final revised summer letter.docx

Dear%Parents,%

Summer%vacation%is%quickly%coming%to%a%close%and%we%are%preparing%for%your%

child’s%arrival%on%August%30

.%%Summer%School%ended%on%August%10,

%and%our%

custodians%have%done%a%fabulous%job%cleaning%the%building%in%a%very%short%time.%%%

It%has%been%a%very%busy%summer,%and%you%will%see%some%new%faces%when%you%come%

back%to%school.%%Let%me%start%by%introducing%some%of%our%new%staff%members:%

Mr.%Mike%Reid,%former%Assistant%Principal%of%North%Street%School%will%be%our%new%

Assistant%Principal,%as%Barbara%Oxer%has%transferred%to%Glenville%Schoo l.%%I%know %

you%join%me%in%wishing%her%the%best%of%luck,%while%welcomin g%M ike%to %C os %C ob %

School.%%Mike%spent%the%2017-2018%school%year%at%North%St.%School%as%the%Assistant%

Principal.%Prior%to%last%year%he%served%the%district%as%an%Instructional%Coach%working%

in%various%schools %inc lud in g%C o s%C ob %Sc ho o l.%Be fore %be co m in g%an %In stru ctio n al%

Coach,%Mike%was%a%2nd,%3rd,%and%4th%grade%teacher%spending%most%of%his%teaching%

years%at%North%Mianus%School.%Mike%is%married%with%two%da ug hte rs:%Evie%(4)%an d%

Maggie%(7).%Evie%is%in%her%second%year%of%pre-school,%and%Maggie%will%be%going%into%

second%grade.%%%

Sue%Striker%has%retired%and%Margaux%Frankel%will%be%our%new%art%teacher.%%This%will%

be%her%seventh%year%teaching%Art%in%the%Greenwich%Public%Scho o ls.%%She%has%taught%

at%New%Lebanon,%North%Mianus%and%Hamilton%Avenue%Schools.%%She%is%also%a%

photographer,%and%has%spent%this%summer%working%on%her%underwater%

photography.%%We%are%delighted%to%have%Margaux%join%our%team.%

Mrs.%Kris%Mahoney%has%retired%from%our%Media%Center%and%we%have%not%hired%

anyone%for%that%position%yet.%%I%know%you%join%me%in%wishing%both%Sue%and%Kris%

much%happiness%and%health%as%they%embark%on%this%exciting%new%chapter%in%their%

life.%

Staffing%changes%also%include:%%Laurie%Brehm%returning%to%Kindergarten%along%with%

Holly%Molis;%Kathleen%Falla%will%be%joining%our%First%Grade%team%as%our%first%grade%

enrollment%has%increased,%and%we%were%granted%another%section%of%first%grade.%%

We%are%delighted%to%welcome%Meghan%Viola%to%our%Third%Grade%team.%%Meghan%

comes%to%us%from%Parkway%Schoo l%wh ere %sh e%tau gh t%third %grad e.%%She %previo u sly%

taught%fourth%grade%in%the %Dan b ury%Pu b lic%Scho o ls.%

Lori%Leibowitz%has%accepted%a%position%in%Norwalk%Public%Schools%as%the%District%

Coordinator%of%the%Gifted%and%Talented%program.%%While%we%are%thrilled%for%her,%it%

is%a%tremendous%lo ss%to %o ur%c ommunity.%%Mr.%Christopher%Muccio%will%replace%Lori.%%

Chris%comes%to%us%from%Darien%and%resides%here%in%Cos%Cob.%%Jessica%Sta rgardter,%

ALP%teacher,%has%also%accepted%a%teaching%position%in%Norwalk.%%We%wish%them%

both%the%best%of%luck.%%We%are%in%the%process%of%hiring%a%part%time%ALP%teacher%to%

replace%Jessica.%

Ann%Collin%will%be%moving%to%Hamilton%Avenue%and%Lisa%Edele%will%be%joining%Chris%

Powers%and%Megan%DeBona%in%our%Music%Department.%%Ryan%Davis%will%return%as%

our%building%permanent%substitute.%%Stephanie%Iachetta%has%accepted%a%long%term%

teaching%assignmen t%at%North %M ian us %Scho o l.%%%We%are%also%welcoming%a%student%

intern,%Anna%Kayenpao%from%the%University%of%Bridgeport.%

I%know%you%will%giv e%o u r%ne w %s taf f%a %w arm%welcome%to%Cos %C ob %S c ho o l!%

This%letter%contains%a%great%deal%of%important%information%for%you%to% review%before%

the%beginning%of%the%schoo l%year.%This %year%all%pertinent%documents%are% being%sent%

digitally% in% an% “ePacket”% and% will% not% be% mailed% home.% % % We’ve% also% posted% this%

letter%to%our%website%in%the%“ePacket”.%%%Please%make%pa rticu lar%no te%belo w %of%the%

significant% change% in% the% procedure% regarding% the% celebrations% of% birthdays% in%

school.%%%

!"#$%&'(&)*$% " + %

Please% sign% and% return% the% following% 5% required% forms% found% online% in% yo ur%

ePacket%by%the%first%day%of%school%and%any%other%forms%applicable%to%your%children:%

REMINDER'all'REQUIRED'forms'are'to'be'turned'in'no'later'than'SEPTEMBER '4,'

2018'

ü ,&-./(&)0"/%1/(23)4$(&'2&)*$%")56078!609:)

ü ,2;$$<)='(.>$$?)@2?($A</.1/"/(&)*$%")56078!609:)

ü @-&;$%BC'&B$()D$%)E/.B2'<)4'%/)*$%")56078!609:)

ü F%/++)F-><B2B&3)F/%"B++B$(G9/(B'<)*$%")56078!609:)

ü !(&/%(/&),'D/ & 3)'( . )@ 2 2 / # & '> </ )8 + / )H # & )H-&)*$%")56078!609:)

Additional%forms%to%be%returned%if%applicable%%

• School%Lunch%Debit%Account%Form%(if%applicable)%

• Free%or%Reduced%Lunch%Form%(if%applicable)%

• Student%Accident%Insurance%(if%applicable)%

)

,2;$$<)4'</(.'%)

The% district’s% 2018-19% school% calendar% is% available% on% the% Greenwich% Public%

School’s% website,% listed% at% the% end% of% this% letter.% Some% important% highlights%

include:%

• We%will%have%a%school%wide%visit%on%August% 29

%from %11:00%–%12:00%AM.%%All%

students% are% invited% to% visit% their% new% classroom% and% meet% their% new%

teacher.% % Our% Kindergarten% students% are% invited% to% remain% on% the%

playground% for% a% kindergarten% playdate% sponsored% by% the% PTA.% % That% w ill%

begin%at%12:00%PM%

• The%first%day% of%school%for%all%students%will%be%I;-%+.'3J)@-1-+&)KLJ)MLNOP) )It%

will%be%a%full%day%(8:45%AM% -%3:15% PM).%Students%may% arrive%at%8:30%AM% in%

the%morning .%%Parents%are%invited%to%walk%their%child%to%their%classroom%and%

attend% a% PTA% sponsored% back-to-school% parent% coffee% at% 9:00% AM% in% the%

school% cafeteria.% % This% will% provide% you % w ith% an% opportunity% to% meet% new%

parents%and%to%learn%all%about%the%wonderful%o pp o rtun itie s% our%PTA%offe rs%

and%sign%up%for%committee%work.%%

• Open% House% for% all% elementary% schools% in% Greenwich% will% be% I;-%+.'3J)

H2&$>/%)NN

P))A%detailed%schedule%will%be%sent%home%prior%to%the%event.%

• There%will%be%a%number%of%+2;/.-</.)/'%<3)%/</'+/).'3+%this% year.%%F</'+/)

"'%?)&;/+/)$()3$-%)2'</(.'%)'(.)($&/)+&-./(&+)AB<<)>/).B+"B++/.)'&)NQNR)

FE)

)

§ ,/#&/">/%)MS)) I/'2;/%)F%$D/++B$('<)9/T/<$#"/(&)

§ U$T/">/%)MN) I;'(?+1BTB(1)6/2/++)

§ 9/2/">/%)S)V)NN) @D&/%($$()0</"/(&'%3)4$(D/%/(2/)9'3+)

§ E'%2;)NK) ) I/'2;/%)F%$D/++B$('<)9/T/<$#"/(&)

§ @#%B<)MW) ) I/'2;/%)F%$D/++B$('<)9/T/<$#"/(&)

)

• School% w ill% be% closed% on% ,/#&/">/%) NL

) '(.) NX

)

) for% the% Jewish% High%

Holidays.%%

• School%will%be%closed%on%Election%Day,%U$T/">/%) Y

)and%on% Z'(- '%3)KL

%for%

professional%learning%for%the%staff.%

• This% year% we% will% offer% one% /T/(B(1) D$%) 0</"/(&'%3) 4$(D/%/(2/+) $()

9/2/">/%) NK

&;)

D%$") S[O) FE% (in% a dditio n% to% the% two% afternoons% listed%

above).%

,2;$$<)<-(2;Q%All%lunch%forms,%including%the%online%debit%program,%have%been%sent%

home% electronically% and% are% available% on% the% GPS% website.% )% The% hot% lunch%

program%will%start%on%the%first%day%of%school%and%the%lunch%menu%for%September%is%

posted%on%our%web%page.% %If %your%ch ild %forgets%lunch%mon e y,%he%or%she%w ill%receive%

lunch%and%we%ask%th at%p are nts %reim b u rse%th e%c afete ria%th e%fo llo win g%d a y.%%

@++B1("/(&)>$$?+Q)We%will%continue%to%help%children%develop%strong%study%habits%

and%organizational%skills.%%As%part%of%this%plan,%students%in%grades%3-5%will%con tinue%

to%be% give n%a%special%Homework%Assignment% Bo o k.%%Each% student% is% responsible%for%

maintaining%this%Assignment%Book%as%well%as%completing%classroom%and%homework%

assignments.%%Details%on%the%district-wide%homework%policy% will%be%given% to%you% at%

H#/()=$-+/.%

,2;$$<)+-##<B/+Q)%A%suggested%school%supply%list%is%located%in%the%“Back%to%School”%

section%of%all% our%summer% information%on% our%website.% %Additionally,%we%request%

that%students %wear%sneakers%on%gym%d ays,%bring%an%over-sized%t-shirt%to%u se%as%an%

art% smock,% and% a% labeled% backpack% or% book% bag.% %For% those% parents% who% pre-

ordered%school%supplies%through%the%PTA,%your%supplies%will%be%delivered%directly%

to%your%child’s%classroom%prior%to%the%first%day%of%school.%

\-+) &%'(+#$%&'&B$(Q) Bus% schedules% will% be% sent% home% directly% to% parents% via% a%

parentlink%to%all%parents%and%will%be%published%in%the%Greenwich'Time'newspaper%

later%this%month%for%b us %stu de ntsP%%%%

Please%be%aware%that%beginning%last%year%there%is%a%new%Greenwich%Public%School%

policy%for%Birthdays.%Parents%are%no% longer% permitted%to%bring% in%any% food% items%

for% birthday% celebrations.% %The% school% w ill% announce% the% child’s% birthday% each%

morning% following% the% Pledge% of% Allegiance% and% all% classroom% teachers% will% give%

each%birthday%student%a%birthday%pencil%and%bracelet.%%This%policy%is%posted%on%the%

Greenwich%Public%School’s%website.%

All%student% absences,%early% dismissals% and%dismissal% changes% must%b e% entered% in%

the% ,4=H H]) 9!,E!,,@]) E@U@^06P) Please% be% sure% to% rea d% carefully% the% Scho o l%

Dismissal%information%enclosed%in%this%mailing.%%It%will%also%be% posted% on% the% school%

website.%%%

In% closing,% I% hope% that% you% enjoy% th e% final% days% of% su m m e r.% The% staff% and% I% are%

looking% forw ard % to% se ein g% you% at% our% meet% an d % greet% o n % August% 29th% and% in%

welcoming%you%back%to%the%first%day%of%school%on%August%30.%%%

Sincerely,%%

Gene%Schmidt%