Ensuring each student's safety is paramount to everything we do, including where they go and what they do at dismissal time.  As a result, I am beginning this letter with a request regarding changes in dismissal plans.  Since school opened, we have been experiencing a significantly high number of calls at the end of the day from parents with changes in dismissal plans for their children.  This puts the office staff at a tremendous disadvantage in answering all the calls, taking the information and then communicating it with the various staff members in a timely manner.  We understand an emergency may arise, occasionally, resulting in after school plans needing to change, but many of these changes are a result of last minute play date arrangements.  Therefore, I am asking you to work with us in minimizing these changes and if a change is absolutely necessary, please call the school before 2:00 to ensure sufficient time is allotted for the communication between and among the staff members to occur.  We would all appreciate your cooperation in improving this situation.

Speaking of safety, we still have an outstanding number of forms that have not been submitted to the office.  These include medical forms, permission for publicity and handbook/directory forms.  If you fall in this category, please download the forms from our school's website and turn them in.

This past week, the staff attended a variety of professional learning sessions scheduled throughout the district on the early release day.  This year, there is a focus on personalized learning, not only for students, but for staff as well.  As a result, they can choose from a wide range of activities and workshops being offered on these days that they feel matches a personal professional need they have.   For example, first grade teachers attended a literacy workshop facilitated by a staff developer from Teacher's College, while the fourth and fifth grade teachers tuned into a webinar on a reading program called Big Universe, which they accessed right from our own computer lab.  Based on the feedback I received, it was a productive afternoon all around.

The Superintendent, Dr. Corda, spent several hours here at our school this past Monday morning visiting third and fifth grade classrooms.  He asked questions of the students related to their learning and I was so impressed with their responses, as was Dr. Corda.  The students were articulate and poised in sharing very thoughtful and detailed information.   Proud moment at ISD!

Sincerely,

Terry Ricci