Dear GCS Families:
We sure are beginning to feel the cool and crisp air that only the start of fall unveils. Children in each of the classrooms are engaging in all that the seasonal changes bring. The hard work of raking leaves, followed by the anticipation and feeling of delight one then gets when jumping into the pile. It is so much fun to watch! Pumpkins and spiders are beginning to emerge from classrooms, and we love seeing the huge array of children dressed in PJ’s that arrived through the front door for some Trick or Treat fun. Have you taken a “storywalk” yet with your child? If you haven’t, please do. It is located over in the far corner near the playground. Your children will be able to guide you. The current story is Cat’s Colors, by Airlie Anderson, with a new one on the way soon!
GCS COMMUNITY TOUR
I hope you were one of the lucky families that were able to attend our first ever Groton Community Tour, a scavenger hunt that was organized by our hardworking parent Board of Directors. What an adventurous day full of surprises and fun for all that joined in, while also being a very successful fundraiser for GCS, raising just under $14K! We are grateful to our community and to our families for attending the tour and for being so generous with donations and ticket chances. We were so pleased that the weather gave way to sun at just the right time so that folks could enjoy deciphering clues and traveling through the streets of our community as #GCSKiteSeekers. There were animals to pet, kites to fly, pumpkins to decorate, and bird feeders to make, among the many family-friendly activities. Thank you to our sponsors and advertisers, our artisans and vendors, our families, our Board and Staff, and our community for making this event possible – we are truly fortunate.
HAVING FUN SAFELY
We are so grateful to be here at GCS, in person, with all of our remarkable staff and all of your amazing children. We are laughing, playing, learning, and growing… while also being as careful as possible. Like so many other organizations, the obstacles are many and the need to be flexible and creative is never ending. We continue to carefully follow health and safety guidelines put forth by Early Education and Care, adhering to the square footage requirements, practicing physical distancing, requiring all children and adults to wear masks, and following stringent cleaning and disinfecting protocol. We do our very best to keep staffing in classrooms at a minimum, eliminating any and all guests, consultants, and limiting other staff contact. A close eye is being kept on the Department of Public Health state and community COVID -19 tracking, listening to our local government, and being as safe and as cautious as possible. While the situation is not at all what we are used to or wish for, we are grateful to you, our GCS families, for trusting us and doing your part in keeping children home when even the slightest health concern arises. We appreciate your efforts, communication, complying with early morning daily screening, and being patient with us during drop-off and pick-up times. We are confident that we are doing all that we can during this difficult time, and we are grateful for your support and patience. I can’t imagine how hard it is for families to say goodbye at the door and not be able to accompany your child to his/her classroom.
KEEP IN TOUCH
In light of these times, continued and frequent communication, both with the school administration and your child’s classroom teachers, is more important than ever. If you haven’t taken advantage of the classroom Fall Phone Call, please do so. Teachers have appreciated the time to connect one-on-on to share developmental goals and accomplishments, as well as any questions and perhaps concerns. As always, we appreciate your thoughts and communication and always want to hear from you. Please reach out, call, or email anytime.
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS
With Daylight Savings ending in the Fall, it is always an added bonus in terms of gaining an extra hour in our already busy and hectic schedules. However, it does mean that colder weather is coming our way. Time to begin breaking out the winter gear. In the meantime, continuous progress is being made down the street at 110 Boston Road. We are looking forward to a couple more fabulous months here in our temporary home and moving over the holiday break in time to reopen at the start of the new year in our newly expanded and renovated building. We have begun to collect boxes so that we can start packing up some non-essential items in the school. We could use your help by bringing in any packing boxes that you may have over the next couple of months. Anything you have would be greatly appreciated! Exciting times are coming, and we will continue to keep you posted.
PARKING LOT SAFETY
An important reminder that we are on the Lawrence Academy campus, and there are residents and children that live down at the bottom of the parking lot and the entrance from 119. We ask that you please use caution when driving in and out, and be aware of children and adults who may be walking.
FLU SHOTS
Just a reminder to families that all children attending school and/or child care centers are required by the state to get the flu vaccine by December 31st. Please provide GCS with a statement, receipt, or some form of proof of your child receiving the vaccine.
THANK YOU!
A special “Thank You” to the Cassa family & WellBeing Fitness for their generous offer of two weeks of free online yoga & fitness classes plus 20% off coupons for all other services for our Staff.
We’d also like to thank the following for their various donations to the school: Anchor-Seal (Heather Spinney-Laidlaw) for hand sanitizer for the Community Tour; the Burke family for Keurig coffee pods; Inga Nuccio for books; the Pudans-Colllins family for spare clothing; the Sinagra family for glue sticks; and the Wiczynski family for spare clothing & pull-ups.
Happy Fall!
Linda Kosinski, Director
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Monday, Nov. 9th, Zoom Board Meeting, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 11th, Veteran’s Day, NO SCHOOL
Wednesday – Friday, Nov. 25th – 27th, Thanksgiving Break, NO SCHOOL
