Welcome to the 2008 – 2009 School Year
Included in your packet is everything you need to
start the school year and loads of information to make the year a smooth one for your whole family. Please read through everything carefully.
Wednesday Newsletters
Reading the Weekly Wednesday Newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what is happening at your children’s school. Unless you specifically ask for a paper version, a link to our newsletter will be sent home each Wednesday. Please make sure we have a good email address for you so we can send you an invitation to our parent list. Look for the newsletter link in an email every week and be sure to click through to it when it comes.
Staggered Entry
Please pay attention to the enclosed staggered entry lists, as teachers plan very carefully, and must know whom to expect and when. Though not every child starts on Wednesday, September 3, the first day of the school year, by Thursday, all the children in all the classes will be present. All Elementary II will start on Wednesday. However, only ½ of Early Childhood and Elementary I children will begin on Wednesday. On Thursday, all the remaining children will start school and all the classes will be complete. This staggered entry system aids in ground-ruling, and makes welcoming new, young children to the school as effective as possible. Thank you for helping us help your children make a smooth transition back to school.
Regular Routine, beginning, Monday, September 8, 2008
Between 8:20 and 8:40 AM, two teachers/staff will be outside the front door of the school to open car doors and escort children into school. To aid the teachers in this endeavor, please have children seated on the right side of the car whenever possible.
If you must enter the school building during the morning drop-off period, please DO NOT park in front of the school on either side of the street. Rather, pull up in front of the Church to park.
On the rare occasion that you must drop your child off after 8:40 AM, escort your child into the building and sign the attendance book at the reception desk.
End of the Day Pick-up All classes dismiss from the playground at 3:00 in fair weather. Please plan to meet your child on the playground, remind her/him to shake a teacher’s hand, and then leave through the gate.
If you are not here by 3:10 PM, your children will enter the extended day program where they will have a snack, play with friends, and be safely looked after until your arrival.
There is an “Extended Day Handbook” in this packet.
Rainy Day Pick-up
If it is raining at 2:30 PM, we make the decision to keep children inside and dismiss from the front hall. We ask that parents remain outside under the portico whenever possible, to keep traffic in the hallway at a minimum. A teacher at the front door will alert your children to your presence and they will gather up their things and join you outside. We make every effort to make this process as quick and effective as possible.
Attendance
If children are not in their classrooms by 8:45, they are considered late. Often, classes hold a morning meeting beginning at that time. When children miss that gathering they miss out on curriculum, classroom nuts and bolts, and an opportunity to start the day with their friends in an organized manner.
Please keep your children at home if they are sick. A child should be fever-free for 24-hours before returning to school. Always alert the office when you are keeping your children at home; the teachers like to know whom and what to expect. If your child has a contagion, please alert the office so that other families can be on the look out for signs of illness.
Parent Co-op Obligations ·25 hours per parent ·Driving on 1 Field Trip per Parent
Fundraising Easy As ABC (and D)!
In the coming year, EWMS has an incredible challenge to meet a fundraising goal of $65,000. Below are some simple things you can do to bring the school closer to meeting that goal: Award cards Link your Genuardi’s or Super G award card to EWMS. Box Tops Clip Box Tops for Education and save Campbell’s Soup Labels and send them into school. There’s a collection box in the Parent Information Center in the front hall. Cards & Cartridges Link your Target credit card to EWMS. We receive 3 – 10 % of your purchase amount, depending on how you use your card.
Collect, and send in to school, HP, Lexmark, or Dell printer cartridges for recycling at Staples.
While each Box Top represents pennies to the school and 3% on your Target credit card might not seem like very much, these simple and painless fundraisers accounted for over $1,000 in unrestricted funding for EWMS. These simple things translate into simple, low-cost, joyful experiences for your children.
Fish Tanks - Many EWMS students never fail to greet the fish upon entering school in the morning. Maintaining the tanks and caring for the fish costs about $1,000 per year.
Tooth Boxes - Has your child ever lost a tooth here at school? If so, you know how thrilled s/he was to have a safe box to transport the tooth-treasure home.
Pets - Cookie, Flora & Fauna, Frick & Frack – the beloved EWMS pets nibble up about $450 of the annual budget.
And last of all, here are two more easy ways to support EWMS. Donate: For those of you who contribute to the United Way, you can attribute those funds to the Elementary Workshop, Inc., by entering our name and account number (#9473) on the write-in line.
Donate all or part of your State Transportation Reimbursement to EWMS. For eligible families, there is information in this newsletter.
United Way contributions have earned us a further $5,000.00; the State Transportation Reimbursement has the potential to earn us $7,500.00. These amounts, together with the easy fundraisers listed above, can bring in over 20% of our fundraising goal very easily with your help.
Office Hours
For the remainder of the summer, the office will usually be open on Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM at a minimum.
During the school year, beginning on Tuesday, September 2, 2008, the office will be open from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM.
Morning Drop-off Routine Morning Extended Day, beginning September 3
Please escort your children through the back gate of the school and sign the extended day attendance book. If it is raining, come to the front door, ring the doorbell, and a teacher will let you in and collect your paperwork (enclosed). Be sure to sign the extended day attendance book.
The First Three Days of School, September 3 – 5
Please escort your children onto the playground between 8:20 and 8:40. You and your children will be greeted at the gate, where you will be asked to turn in your paperwork (enclosed), and will then be directed to the teachers who will give you further directions.
School Picnic, September 18, 5:00 – 7:00 PM Please plan to bring your whole family for this get-to-know-you, back-to-school event. This is an opportunity for you to meet the other children and parents in your child’s class, put a face to your committee chairperson’s name, and share some good food with your EWMS family. Please bring:
chairs or blankets for your family and
a dish to share with the group.
A – F bring a salad, fruit, or snack item
G – P bring a casserole or side dish
R – Z bring a dessert
EWMS will supply hamburgers, rolls, condiments, and tablewares.
Parent Handbook
Every EWMS family received a Parent Handbook as part of the enrollment packet. If you have not yet done so, please take time to read through your handbook, as it includes lots of important information about the day-to-day running of the school and about Montessori teaching and philosophy.
Lunch Box Mail
Any communiqués from teachers and the administration that cannot be sent via email will be sent home via your child’s lunch box. Please check the lunch box each evening so you don’t miss anything. If you need to send a note in to your child’s teacher or the office, you, too, may use this ingenious system. It will be helpful for you to alert your child to the presence of a note, so that it will be sure to be passed on at lunchtime.
Dress Code
Please refer to the Parent Handbook for and be mindful of the EWMS dress code.
New Parent Orientation: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 6:30 PM
To expedite your understanding of EWMS, a new parent orientation meeting is held each fall. Please plan to attend if you are new to the school this fall, or if you need a refresher. You will learn all about the Co-op Obligations, how to record your hours, slippers, pizza lunch, “lunch box mail,” and everything else that makes this school special. All your questions will be answered. You will also have an opportunity to meet with other new parents, the parent co-op coordinator, and the director over refreshments.
Slippers/Inside Shoes
Children wear slippers at EWMS so they will be comfortable when they sit on the floor, so they will be safe and quiet when walking on the steps, and so we can keep outside dirt at a minimum in the school. Please keep these things in mind when you purchase slippers or inside shoes for your child. They should be close-fitting, and have a back. Some suggestions include simple canvas sneakers, water shoes, and Isotoner-type ballet-style slippers. Many families buy two pairs, one to fit now, and one, in a larger size, for later, as these shoes/slippers will get a lot of wear, and your child’s feet will grow in the course of the year. Please avoid large, thick novelty slippers as they prove to be more cumbersome than comfortable, are not as safe on the stairs, and are often quite a distraction.
On the First Day of School
There is a First Day of School checklist in this packet. Please refer to it as you prepare for September.
Pizza Lunch Thursdays You have the opportunity to order pizza and juice boxes for your children to be delivered here most Thursdays throughout the school year. Pizza orders must be submitted in advance, as the order is placed ahead. We prefer that parents order for the year, though semesterly and monthly orders are also acceptable. The first pizza lunch will be Thursday, September 11 and orders must be received in the office by Friday, September 5, 2007. There is a form in this packet.
Hours Opportunities Maintenance, Saturday, August 23, 8:00 AM – Noon
There is a Maintenance Day held each month, (usually on the third Saturday). Members of the Maintenance Committee, and anyone else interested in helping with small repairs, painting projects, or yard work, is invited to show up. This first Maintenance Day helps get the school ready for the teachers and children. Larry Carson’s in charge:. Many hands make light work! Teachers’ Aides/Helpers for In-service Week, August 25 – 29, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM
The teachers welcome a lot of help in their classrooms during the before school in-service. This is an excellent opportunity for you to get to know your child’s classroom and teachers before the school year starts in earnest. Please contact Kanchalee Reeves to learn more, or to alert her to your availability.
During the school year, we would like to have some parent help during the lunch/recess hour. If you would be interested in spending that time at school in your child’s class on a regular basis, please contact the office. Pizza lunch coordinator: This job requires some organization and would be most easily done by someone with comfort on the computer. It entails keeping track of who has ordered pizza and/or juice each week, and letting the school know how many pies and juice boxes are necessary. Housekeeping Committee Members: Members of this committee choose it because it is regular, uncomplicated, and an easy way to guarantee getting one’s hours done. Once every three weeks or so, on a rotating, scheduled basis, you will be scheduled to spend an hour cleaning either the lavatories or the steps and halls on a Tuesday or a Thursday late afternoon or evening. This committee’s value cannot be stressed enough.
Art Committee: This group will help with displays, glazing clay and other art room related activities.
EWMS T-Shirts and Sweatshirts Each year, we make it possible for you to order T-shirts and sweatshirts with the EWMS logo on them. Again this year, we’re going GREEN, using organic cotton t-shirts. (Sadly, we could not find affordable organic sweatshirts.)
T-shirts come in natural, and sweatshirts come in grey or red. Though it is not required, we appreciate it when children are dressed in an EWMS shirt on field trips: they are easily recognized and also show the world what a lovely group of children our school has. If you are interested in ordering shirts for your family, please return the enclosed order form and a check made payable to EWMS to the office by Friday, September 5.
All classes dismiss from the playground at 3:00 in fair weather. Please plan to meet your child on the playground, remind her/him to shake a teacher’s hand, and then leave through the gate. 
Please plan to bring your whole family for this get-to-know-you, back-to-school event. This is an opportunity for you to meet the other children and parents in your child’s class, put a face to your committee chairperson’s name, and share some good food with your EWMS family. Please bring: 
You have the opportunity to order pizza and juice boxes for your children to be delivered here most Thursdays throughout the school year. 
Each year, we make it possible for you to order T-shirts and sweatshirts with the EWMS logo on them. Again this year, we’re going GREEN, using organic cotton t-shirts. (Sadly, we could not find affordable organic sweatshirts.)