Dear Families,
I hope you were all able to have some relaxing and memorable moments during the winter break. It certainly helped to have had several spring-like days thrown into the week. These warmer temperatures were a tease to us, and we are excited that a change of season is quickly approaching. How many days left until spring?
GCS Community Lecture
Do you want some great parenting advice? How can you help your child to succeed? A reminder about our upcoming GCS Community Lecture this Thursday evening at 7 PM, “Preschool and the Future of Our Children.” Please click here to join us for an informative evening of parenting advice and the latest research on children’s brain development from author, Suzanne Bouffard. This evening is free of charge, so please join us for some refreshments, networking with other families and staff, and also hear the latest about the school’s Forward Motion Project! Suzanne will also be available at the end of the evening for questions and book signing.
School Safety
With our thoughts and concerns focused on those families and teachers of the recent Florida school tragedy, we can’t help but think of the safety of all schools, and GCS in particular. To reaffirm for families, GCS takes the role of safety very seriously. While we certainly hope to never have to implement it, the school does have a well-thought-out emergency plan that is reviewed and practiced throughout the school year with staff. We also work closely with the town police department to ensure good communication and strong practices. With the intense social media and television coverage, along with general conversation that naturally occurs, some information will inevitably leak through to young listeners. As parents, you do have some control as to what your children are exposed to at home. Children all internalize and process information differently. Making sense about such a tragedy is so difficult. Pay attention, answer questions, and be open and honest while also assuring them they have a safe place to ask questions and discuss fears and feelings. It is also okay to show emotion about events. All of us offer our hearts of healing to those so affected by these events. Click for helpful information from NAEYC about “Coping with Stress and Violence”.
Health Awareness
Promoting good health and wellness practices is another other important priority here at Groton Community School and one that families are often concerned about. With the on-going flu season still with us, we wanted to share our school policy with you regarding prevention, awareness, and protocols. Perhaps the two most important methods of prevention are good hand-washing practices, and keeping sick people away from healthy people.
What we do at school:
- Staff model and teach proper hand washing methods to children. All staff wash hands upon arrival and often throughout the day. We also ask that children wash hands at arrival time and throughout the day (before eating, after using the bathroom, after outdoor play, after handling pets, after water play, and after sneezing or using a tissue).
- Staff model and teach “etiquette”, of coughing or sneezing into a tissue or elbow if no tissue is available.
- We disinfect toys/materials diligently, and have thorough routine cleaning practices in place. Bleach and water is the required disinfectant that we use to clean surfaces, toys, food preparation areas, and our bathrooms.
- Staff do their best to stay home when they are sick. Our staff Floating Subs step in or we take advantage of other school substitutes in the event that a teacher is absent. Those with flu-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
- We do our best to separate children with flu-like symptoms and a fever over 100 degrees F from others until they can be sent home.
Registration
In-house registration for currently enrolled families is complete and acceptance packages have been sent. Please remember that deposits are due this week. A reminder to families that if you need to make alternate payment arrangements for your deposit, to please let Bonnie or Linda know.
GCS Open House
Our annual Open House is this Sunday, March 4th, from 1-3 PM. Please spread the word if you know of a family or families who may be looking for a program for their child either now or in the future.
Box Tops
Calling all Box Tops labels! There is a shipment going out this week, so search your cupboards and pantries. Your children are great spies, so keep them busy and ask them to go on a hunt!
Lost & Found
Our “Lost & Found” basket is overflowing with clothing and other items that are looking for their home. Please take an extra peek, as we will be dispensing items not claimed by the end of the week.
Thank You!
Thank you to the Halloran family (Brayden is in the Toddler Program), for the beautiful February wreath for our front door and the added decorations in the planting barrel.
Thanks, also, to the Dulavitz family for spare clothing and to the Plotkin family for spare crib sheets.
Dates to Remember:
Thursday, March 1st GCS Community Lecture – 7-8:30 PM
Friday, March 2nd All Tuition Deposits Due
Sunday, March 4th GCS Annual Open House – 1-3 PM
Thursday, March 8th Curriculum Day – NO SCHOOL
Monday, March 12th Board Meeting – 7:30 PM
Until next time,
Linda Kosinski, Director
Groton Community School
