SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
Monday, September 7
Labor Day – NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, September 8
First Day of Preschool
Thursday, September 10
School Council Meeting – 3:15
PTO & Parent Volunteer Meeting – 5:30
Monday, September 14
School Committee Meeting – 6:00pm
Last Day of Preschool – Celebration at 11:30am
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IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE
Welcome Back!
What a fabulous start to the school year! I have just made my rounds of each classroom and, as is the case every year, continue to be amazed at how quickly children settle in and friendships are established or renewed. Tuesday night’s picnic was a terrific prelude to our first day. For me, it was quite a different experience from last year, when almost every face was new to me. Now, I feel like I’ve been part of the Leverett family forever! It was also a nice occasion for our new Superintendent, Jennifer Haggerty, to meet Leverett families.
Kudos to our custodial staff for getting the building spiffed up over the summer. It is quite a task to move every stick of furniture in order to wax floors, and to manage to get it done without anyone walking in wet wax!
We are very fortunate to have a couple of months of overlap in secretaries, so that Marilyn Putnam, who will retire in October, can share her twenty-two years of knowledge with our new secretary, Kate Rice. I have told several people that I wish I could connect them via USB cable and do a data transfer, given the vast amount of information, but Kate is a quick study, and we are in good hands.
The Family Handbook is awaiting approval by the School Committee on September 14th, and will go home immediately thereafter. This handbook contains very important information, and it is important that you take some time to make sure that you are aware of essential policies and protocols that are in place, for everything from attendance to water quality!
There is a slight change in the visitor sign-in procedure. In a recent meeting with safety officials, a recommendation was made that we tweak our system for ensuring the safety of both visitors and children in all aspects of the school day. With that in mind, visitors will be asked to sign in on the Visitor’s Log (which is now in the office), and to wear a ‘Visitor’ badge while they are visiting or volunteering in the school. This will help staff to know that every adult has completed the CORI check or is an authorized visitor, and will help us to account for visitors in the case of a drill or an emergency. When there are classroom performances, visitors are asked to simply sign in. Staff will also be issued staff IDs, but will not be required to wear them, except during an emergency.
The vitality and superb environment that makes LES such a unique place to grow and learn does not happen without the energy and commitment of many, many people. Right now we are at a critical moment in our need for volunteers to assume roles, both big and small, in helping to sustain our PTO, our programs and our spaces. I am issuing a challenge to every LES family to pledge at least ten hours (that’s one hour a month) of volunteer time to the school. Whether it’s weeding the garden by the front entrance, helping to create our new Parent Room, joining a crew to fix the Play Structure, participating in a PTO meeting or activity, manning a booth at Harvest Festival, writing a grant—there are SO many ways that you can help! Attached is a form that you can return to the LES office that helps to know the many talents of our parents and caregivers, and what you might be able and willing to contribute to help our school continue to flourish.
I look forward to a year with not too many snow days, no burst pipes, lots of smiles, and many incredible words of wisdom from your children!
-Margot Lacey
SPOTLIGHT ON . . .
PTO & PARENT VOLUNTEER MEETING
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 5:30 p.m.
Please join us next Thursday in the school library to talk about opportunities for becoming more involved in our school. We all know what a great place LES is, but you can help to make it even better. Hope to see you there!
CONTACTING THE OFFICE
Marilyn is preparing to retire next month, and Kate Rice is already here learning the ropes. If you are emailing anything that is time sensitive, please send it to both of us, as we’ll both be part time for the next several weeks: [email protected] and [email protected].
MONTHLY CALENDAR
Attached to this week’s copy of the Friday Post is the school calendar for the month of September. Please keep it in a handy place. On the last Friday of each month the calendar for the next month will be attached to the Post. A one-page calendar for the whole school year will be included in the Family Handbook and also is available online at www.leverettschool.org
FORMS, FORMS, and MORE FORMS!
Many, many thanks to all the parents/guardians who have already filled out the avalanche of forms sent home in the back-to-school mailing. For the few who haven’t done so yet, please send them in soon – especially the emergency information form (green) so that we are able to contact you if necessary.
TOO MANY FRIDAY POSTS?
If your family is getting more copies of the Post than you need, please call Marilyn or Kate at 548-9144 or e-mail [email protected], and let me know which of your children should bring home the Post. Also, if you would prefer to have the newsletter e-mailed to you instead of getting a hard copy, please let us know.
Breakfast is served daily at LES!
Enjoy a bowl of cereal and fresh fruit. Students come to breakfast directly off of the bus.
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COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
(Items listed here are not school sponsored)
The Enchanted Forest: A Non-scary Halloween Event “Nature’s Myth Busters ”
Friday & Saturday, October 23 & 24 , 5pm-8pm each night
Come to the Enchanted Forest for a magical treat. You will be led along our pumpkin lit forest trails where creatures will emerge to share their stories. This year, learn fact from fiction from some of your favorite local critters. Fun for all ages!
· Adult: Members $10/ Non-members $12
· Children: Members $5/ Non-members $6
· Under 3 years free
· Registration required, please call to sign up for a walk time, space is limited.
· Call: 256-6006
Piano Studio of Daphne Bye
Daphne teaches piano out of her home in Montague Center. She specializes in helping children learn quickly which, in turn, feeds their momentum and joy of learning. Ask her about her integrative approach to Suzuki education that creates strong musicians who love the process, read well, and play beautifully. Ages five and up.
DESE and Suzuki certified, with degrees in both piano and music education from McGill University, Daphne has over 30 years of joyful experience teaching piano.
Two or three spots still available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reserve a spot now for this coming school year: [email protected] 413-834-0597
The Happy Valley Children’s Chorus will continue to rehearse on Monday afternoons, 4-5:00, at the First Congregational Church. There will be ten rehearsals, Sept. 21-Nov. 30th (No rehearsal on Columbus Day, Oct. 12th) with a performance on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 6th, at 1:30. Children ages 5 and up are welcome.
Cost is $100/child, with scholarship support if needed, so all can participate. Contact Dorothy Cresswell, 413-668-4189, or [email protected] to learn more and register.
Family Peace Concert honoring International Peace Day, Sunday, September 20th, 3:30-5:30 at the First Congregational Church of Amherst, 165 Main Street, Amherst. Admission is by donations to benefit our local Youth Action Coalition and for humanitarian relief to refugee families through the Valley Syrian Relief Committee. FEATURING: Sarah Pirtle,Roger Tincknell, Katie Tolles and Dorothy Creswell, the Youth Action Coalition Drummers, and the Happy Valley Children’s Chorus. For more information, contact 413-668-4189.
If you would like to put a notice in the Community Bulletin Board section of the Friday Post, please submit notices to be published no later than Thursday at noon. The easiest way to do that is by e-mail to [email protected]. Flyers for non-school sponsored events can be attached to the Post. They must contain a disclaimer “This is not a school-sponsored event” and a sufficient number of copies (125) should be provided to the office by the end of the school day on Thursday.