Dear Parents,
This week, we were reminded once
again how powerful Mother Nature is as Hurricane Sandy caused widespread
destruction in the Caribbean and North America and Cyclone Nilam unleashed a
fury of high wind along the south east coast of India. Here at school, we did
not escape the wrath of Nilam as we did have some minor structural damage on
the playground and some trees were uprooted. The affected areas were cordoned off
Thursday morning to allow workers to clear away the fallen trees and to conduct
the necessary repairs. Thank you to the clean-up crew for your efficient work
and for making the playground safe for our students. I would also like to thank the students for
respecting our request to stay clear of the affected areas.
The Halloween parade is always a
highlight for our students but as the wind intensified in the afternoon, the
decision was made to cancel the parade.
Although children were looking forward to the parade, their
disappointment soon turned to happiness once classroom Halloween parties began.
I had an opportunity to visit some of
the parties. Wow, our teachers and parents sure can throw great parties for the
children. Give yourselves a pat on the back!
We held our first parent-teacher
conferences of the year Thursday after-school and today. While it is too early for me to know the percentage of families who attended, it is always very high. Thank you so much for coming! When
discussing the conference with your child afterward, review the positive
aspects that were covered and be forthright when sharing any concerns that were
identified. If an action plan was agreed upon, review with your child what was
arranged. Please continue to keep in touch with the teacher, even if everything
is going well. When a child knows parents and teachers are regularly working
together, the child will see that education is a high priority requiring
commitment and effort. Please know that we encourage you to contact your
child’s teacher whenever you have a question or concern about your child. This year, we encouraged parents to bring their child to the conference. Beginning in the fall of 2013, we will introduce student-led conferences.
On a final note, please join Ms Sweet
and me on November 7th for our third “Parent Coffee with the ES
Administration.” Ms Megan McCrindle, Literacy Coordinator, will give an
overview of the reading workshop model and she will explain what is meant by
reading levels. This session will be held in the ES Cafeteria from 8:45 to
9:45.
Have a great weekend,
Kevin Hall
Elementary School Principal
