Principal’s Back to School Letter 2015

Dear Families:

Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year! The Coeur d’Alene Avenue School staff looks forward to working with you and your children. Our staff and I promise to continue making your children’s educational growth our top priority. I am excited to be returning as a member of the innovative learning community at Coeur d’Alene. This past year, we continued to expand educational opportunities for our students, grew together as a community, finished our second year as a Cotsen Art of Teaching fellowship school, and strengthened our approaches to teaching and learning in response to the Common Core State Standards. Our students once again have exceeded our expectations; and we have our teachers, support staff, and families to thank for the ongoing growth in student achievement.

School officially begins on August 18, 2015. The staff and I will be ready to receive you and your child(ren) at 7:45 AM. Breakfast will be served daily from 7:50 AM until 8:10 AM. Teachers meet students on the yard lined up on their room numbers. Our line up bell rings at 8:10 AM, so please arrive by 8:05 AM to allow time for your child(ren) to get into line. School starts at 8:15 AM. The regular day school schedule is 8:15 AM until 2:35 PM, except on Tuesdays when students are dismissed at 1:35 PM for staff professional development. This year we will dismiss one hour early every Tuesday, and as a result we had to add 5 minutes to our instructional day. Our minimum days will start at 08:15 AM and end at 12:35 PM and are scheduled for November 18-20, December 18, March 9-11, May 27 and June 9-10, for a total of 10 minimum days.

Your child’s class assignment (except for TK & K) has been post mailed to you. Your child can report to his/her number on the yard that corresponds to his/her room number. For safety reasons all gates will be locked by 8:20 AM. Students who arrive after 8:20 AM must report to the office. Please help your children form good habits by being on time every day. Late students miss valuable instruction as well as interrupt lessons for other students. Finally, the first day of school is always exciting for students, families, and staff. Please support our teachers as they get to know their students, establish routines and procedures, and acquaint their students with their new learning space by saying goodbye to your child(ren) on the yard, unless the teacher invites you to accompany the class.

Dismissal is at 1:35 PM on the first day of school. Our plant manager and I will open the gates on Coeur d’Alene Avenue and Garfield Avenue 5 minutes before dismissal for families to meet their children on the yard. (If you’re interested in participating in our valet pick-up on Garfield Avenue, please sign up in the office and let your child’s teacher know.) Teachers in grades 1-2 will dismiss their students on the big yard on the number that corresponds to their classroom. Students in grades 3-5 are dismissed from their classroom and either meet their families or go to their afterschool program. Staff will be available the first week to make sure all students are safely dismissed. Students in first grade will be brought to the office if families are late. Families of students who choose to play after school need to sign up with the After School Playground with Youth Services (Coach Matthew; Grades 2-5) or the YMCA program (Grades TK-5). (The YMCA is a “for fee” program.) In addition to our after school staff, Coach David will continue as our campus aide from 2:00 – 5:00 PM, engaging students in organized play and ensuring safety for our students. Our gates on Coeur d’Alene Avenue and Garfield Avenue close at 2:50 PM and 01:50 PM on Tuesdays.

Our enrollment continues to grow. This year we have enough students to open a fifth fourth and fifth grade class, and we have approximately 30 students who qualify for transitional kindergarten. Because of our numbers, we have created three dual grade classes: a transitional kindergarten / kindergarten class, which will be taught by Ms. Welch; a first / second grade class, which will be taught by Ms. Block; and a fourth / fifth grade class, which will be taught by a newly hired teacher, Ms. Flaxman. We are excited to welcome her and our new resource teacher, Ms. Smith, to our team. Ms. Flaxman has been teaching since 1997 and comes to us with a wealth of experience, especially in the integration of technology into instruction. Ms. Smith has been working as a resource teacher for 8 years and brings with her a deep understanding of research-proven strategies in the teaching of English language arts and mathematics. Both teachers were interviewed by a team of staff and parents and were highly recommended by their former administrators, colleagues, and families. We are impressed by their enthusiasm and understanding of research-proven practices and techniques. Please join us in welcoming them to our team.

Because of our approaches to the teaching of English language arts using readers’ and writers’ workshop and mathematics using Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), descriptions of which are on our website, dual grade classes are easily managed. We have thought very carefully about the placement of children in all classes, and our teachers have received and will continue to receive extensive support and professional development on our approaches to teaching and learning. Our teachers will also share their curriculum and year with you at our Back to School night on Tuesday, August 25, 2015. Kindergarten through second grade sessions start at 05:25 PM, and third through fifth grade sessions start at 06:15 PM. I will give a brief Back to School night address at 05:10 PM in our courtyard.

We are again asking for families to provide a set of instructional materials for their child. While these supplies are recommended and not mandatory, your efforts to purchase them for your child will help us direct school monies to instructional enrichment supplies. Please see the list at the end of this post. Your child’s teacher may also ask for additional items at the start of school. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Thanks.

Additional information regarding school policies and procedures, safety guidelines, important dates and events, instructional programs, and Back to School night will come home with your child on the first day of school. All of our scheduled events, early release Tuesdays, holidays, and minimum days will be on our website’s calendar. This is a resource we encourage you to use as it is updated weekly. Finally, an orientation for new families in grades 1-5 will be held on August 17, 2015 at 2:00 PM in our auditorium.

Please make sure to fill out and turn in your child’s Emergency Card and review and sign any agreements regarding student discipline, dress code, and school policy. Again, we look forward to a productive year as we facilitate the intellectual, emotional, and social growth of all of our students so that they may reach their full potential. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Sincerely,

Andrew Jenkins
Principal

School Supplies Wish List:

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