Dear Parents,
I want to welcome everyone back from summer break. I hope your summer was
everything you wanted it to be. I am extremely excited about the upcoming
year. A new Standard Based Learning System is being implemented district
wide. It will be a challenging task, which will take us a giant step
forward in assuring academic achievement for every student in every
school.
There will be two (2) Parent Information nights on September 29th and
30th, from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the cafeteria, in which I will review the
new system. I will also give information on testing and other programs in
our Academic Achievement Plan.
I would like to welcome Ms. Susan Crooke, Ms. Glenda Nicholson, and Duc
Van Nguyen to our staff this year. Ms. Crooke is the primary special
education teacher in Room 17. Ms. Nicholson is the Instructional
Assistant in Room 23 and Mr. Van Nguyen is the Vietnamese bilingual
Assistant. We are pleased to have them join our staff.
A different discipline policy goes into effect this year. A letter
explaining the new policy will come home tomorrow in the parent
information packet. I do want to clarify that teachers will continue to
use classroom interventions to diffuse or instruct students in appropriate
ways to handle differences or disruptive behavior. Students that are sent
to the office will fall under the guidelines of the new policies.
Arbor Heights received an approval notice to hire a full time volunteer
coordinator this year through the AmeriCorps Project. A flyer for that
position is enclosed with this bulletin. If you know of anyone that you
believe would be a good match with the school community please refer them
to the office.
Getting under way each year is a daunting task. I want to thank all of
the Arbor Heights staff for their tireless preparation in opening this
school year. I also want to thank Tish Hesse, Suzette, Ashley and Nicole
Nedervelt, Lynn Barnicle-Moy, Peter Moy, Char Hitch and Lori Matalone for
collating the massive amount of material that goes home each new school
year.
Let me conclude with this statement. Our children may not know, nor
perhaps even appreciate, the depth of our commitment to them now. Let us
join in actively supporting our children in the present so that we may
present a bright and glowing future to them all. I look forward to
working with all of you to make this year a tremendous success for all our
students.
Sincerely,
Barry S. Dorsey
Principal
News From The Office
Each student will bring home the Parent Information Packet on Friday,
September 10th. Please take time this weekend to go through the packet
and sign and return all the pertinent information on Monday. We refer to
the Data Sheet for all emergency phone numbers in case of an injury,
emergency situation, transportation problem, etc. Please go through the
Data Sheet carefully to be sure all the information is correct and make
any changes that are necessary.
Instrumental Music Instruction
Our new Instrumental Music Teacher, Brad Smith, was here this morning to
talk to fourth and fifth grade students about music lessons. The schedule
has not been set yet, more information will be going home soon.
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars: Kindergarten Parent Orientation - September 16th
at 3:30
Parent Information Nights - September 29th
and 30th at 7:00
Picture Day - October 12th
Open House - October 14th