November 30, 2018
Dear Families,
As the month of November draws to a close, all of us here at GCS want to express our immense gratitude for all the time, donations, and attention toward both our annual Home Tour and our Breakfast Food Drive for Loaves & Fishes. Both of these events are of great importance to us, and we are so fortunate to have had such wonderful family and community support. This year’s Home Tour was incredibly successful raising about $25K to be used toward curriculum materials, classroom enhancements, and staff training and development opportunities. We couldn’t have done it without our incredible board, staff, and all of you! It was a true labor of love, and we are most grateful. If you were not able to attend, please take a program guide from the front hall and patronize the participants (our sponsors, advertisers, and artisans/vendors are on our website) whenever possible, as we couldn’t have done it without them, too. For the Breakfast Food Drive, our classes managed to collect a combined total of 288 pounds of healthy breakfast foods that was delivered to the local food bank, Loaves and Fishes, earlier this month. We are reminded of how thankful we are for all that we have, and appreciate the opportunities to promote kindness and empathy in our classrooms.
HOLIDAY TIPS
With the change in weather, darkness is falling upon us earlier, and there doesn’t seem to be enough time to get things done. In the hustle and bustle of preparing for holiday celebrations, we are reminded to focus on the giving to others, the special family traditions that you have created, and to take time to care for ourselves. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the craziness that December can bring and lose focus on the simpler things in life. Enjoy a special children’s book together, bake a treasured family recipe, or enjoy a cup of hot chocolate… all of which will create lasting memories for years to come.
GCS PROJECTS
We continue to work on our NAEYC Reaccreditation, as we shared with you last month, and also on our Forward Motion Project (www.gcs.forwardmotion.org) Fundraising is still in process, as is our commitment to this exciting endeavor to expand our school. We do still have a few Peace Dove ornaments left from our Home Tour, with all of proceeds benefiting this project. Please stop by the front desk to take a peek. While there is not an immediate plan for a future relocation site during construction, we are exploring various options for the start of the summer, and will keep you informed through correspondence and future family forums. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns in the meantime.
POM CALENDARS
Please stop by the front desk to view a sample of our annual “Portrait of Me” calendar that will be for sale very soon. Each child contributed a self-portrait of themselves to this great keepsake, and they make great gifts to grandparents, as well! Calendars are just $6 each or 2 for $10. This is NOT a fundraiser. All proceeds are to cover the cost of printing for this project.
SCRIP GIFT CARDS
There is still time left to order your gift cards through our SCRIP Gift Card Program. You may order online, or there are paper forms to complete in the front reception area by the GCS Information Board. Deadline for ordering is next Friday, December 7th at 5 PM
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to the Weider family of the birth of daughter, Allison (Trent is in the MWF AM Blue Room)!
THANK YOU!
Thank you to our parent volunteers who provided food and beverages for this month’s Board of Trustees meeting: Michelle Currao, Donna Haggerty, Elizabeth Ly, and Tracy Noone.
We’d also like to thank the following families for various contributions made to the school this month: a leaf punch from Barbara Crampton, staff snacks from the DeLucia family, jars from Jess Marion, fresh eggs from the McAdams family, paper from the Morrison family, pens from Christopher Nuccio, books from the Ramsay-Gudelot family, Kleenex & Clorox wipes from Sarah Romano, sneakers from the Shah family, big books & puzzles from Mary Wills, and for staff snacks from the Wilson family.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Thursday, December 6th
Curriculum Day
NO SCHOOL
Friday, December 7th
Scrip Gift Card Orders Due – 5 PM
Monday, December 10th
Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30 PM
December 24th – 31st
Holiday Recess
NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, January 1st
New Year’s Day
NO SCHOOL
Until next time,
Linda Kosinski, Director
Groton Community School
