Hello Johnny Appleseed Families!
Can you believe it is November? This will be a quick month. There are important reminders, dates, and announcements in this email, so please read carefully. Mrs. Bernard would like me to remind the students to wear sneakers on PE days. Crocs and winter boots (coming soon) are not the safest option. Sneakers are the preferred footwear for PE!
This week, there is no school for students on Tuesday, November 7th and Friday, November 10th.
Here is a list of important dates to remember in November:
November 7th - NO SCHOOL
November 10th - NO SCHOOL
November 20th - ½ day Early Release @ 11:30
November 21st - ½ day Early Release @ 11:30
November 22st - 24th - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break
VERY IMPORTANT PARKING ANNOUNCEMENT, PLEASE READ!!!
We are preparing for our NOVEMBER parent teacher conferences. Many of you have reached out to schedule an appointment with your child’s teacher. These 2 days are early release days (11:30 AM Dismissal). As many of you know, we have an arrangement with the New Life Church for overflow parking. Most of our staff take up the spots close to the school, which makes parking at the school not possible. Starting November 20th - 21st, the church parking lot will be closed for a paving project. We will ask that ALL cafeteria drop offs and pick ups happen at the Day Street entrance. This is a drive and drop off/pick up option (You will remain in your car). Since it will be an early release day, we will ask that you plan for delays, as we shuffle new students in/out of cars. Students can be dropped off as early as 7:45 AM - 8:15 AM. There will be additional staff on hand to assist with this. Below is a reminder of the procedures for picking up your child on Day Street. This will need to be the plan for 2 days - 11/20 and 11/21. We anticipate that the paving project will be completed by the time we return to school on 11/27.
In addition, due to the closure of the church parking lot, we are asking families to attend VIRTUAL conferences if at all possible. Parking will be extremely limited. Your child’s teacher will send you information regarding how to log on for a virtual conference. We also know that this may not be possible for all families, so some parking may be available at the school if virtual is truly not an option. The timing is extremely inconvenient, but the church and school have a nice relationship, and we hope that with enough pre-planning, this will be a minor inconvenience.
From Nurse Jenny:
Grade 5 Parents/Guardians: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires that Postural Screening be done for students in grades 5 through 9. A scoliosis-screening program will be conducted to detect postural problems on _Thursday November 30, 2023. The purpose for screening is to find early signs of possible spinal or postural problems in children in grades 5-9. This is not a diagnostic service, but a program to identify young people who should have further medical evaluation and treatment.
The procedure for screening is a simple one in which the student’s back is checked by the nurse or other trained individual. If your child has any possible curvature or unusual findings of the spine, you will be notified and asked to take your child to your primary care physician for further evaluation and follow up.
All students will need to wear clothing that will easily allow the nurse to look at their backs, such as a t-shirt or tank top.
Students will be screened individually. You must furnish a copy of a doctor’s note or physical exam stating that he/she has been screened for scoliosis during this school year if you do not want your child screened at school. The MD documentation should be in the Nursing Offices before the scheduled screening. Students NOT returning forms will be screened, per state mandate.
Soon, JA is taking part in our annual Holiday Food Drive! This is a friendly class competition. The class that donates the most non-pershable food items will have a pizza party!
Please follow our new instagram page: @JASCHOOL845
NEW PLAYGROUND NEWS: The crew has started demolition and construction! It will be very exciting to see the new playground take shape! We anticipate this project taking 2 - 3 weeks to complete! Check it out on Instagram!
DAY STREET DROP OFF/PICK UP PROCEDURES:
Drop off: Students should arrive between 7:45 and 8:15 AM. Please line up along Day Street. DO NOT block driveways as many of our neighbors need to leave for their own jobs. Please drive up and around the Day Street circle. We ask that you wait for staff to prompt your child to get out of the car. We also ask that you wait in line until the car(s) in front of you have driven away (ALL for safety’s sake). When arriving, DO NOT take a left from the lights at Day Street into the lot. You must go down Day Street and find a place to safely turn around and get in the line. There can be delays. Please plan for this. We appreciate your patience as we shuffle parent drop-offs to one location.
Pick up: This is a similar process. Pick up will begin at 11:30 - 11:45 AM. Please line up along Day Street. DO NOT block driveways along Day Street. Please go to the end of the line and wait patiently. You may not take a left into the line. Staff will direct the children to their cars. If you are new to Day Street, please have a tag with the last name of the student(s) you will pick up on the passenger visor. This helps keep the line flowing. Be prepared to show Identification in the event that school staff are unfamiliar with the adult at pick up. We also ask that you wait in line until the car(s) in front of you have driven away (ALL for safety’s sake).
*** Cafeteria Parents: If you would like to practice this before 11/20 - please send a note to your child’s teacher(s) about this change in transportation.
*** PARENTS WHO DROP OFF AFTER 8:15: We understand that not all mornings are perfect, so if your student will be late, you MUST walk them in through the main doors and press the buzzer. Do not drop off your child alone. ALL students who arrive late must be with an adult.
PTO News:
November 13 - 17: Fall Book Fair - you are welcome to come shop with your child - volunteers needed
November 18 - JA at the Railers - Our chorus is performing the National Anthem! Purchase tickets through https://fevogm.com/event/Leominsterschools
November 3 - 17: Holiday Plant Sale - Flyers were distributed and orders are due no later than 11/17 (see attached)
Important Dates: MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Monday, November 6 - Friday, November 17: School-wide Food Drive (see attached flyer)
Tuesday, November 7: NO SCHOOL
Friday, November 10: NO SCHOOL
M-F: November 13 - 17: Fall Book Fair - you are welcome to come shop with your child - schedules have been sent home
Monday/Tuesday, November 20 and 21: Early Release @ 11:30 - Parent Teacher Conferences - VIRTUAL CONFERENCES ARE MUCH APPRECIATED DUE TO PARKING CONCERNS (noted above).
W- F: November 22 - 24: NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving break
Have a wonderful week ahead!
Principal Tapply