Kitelet From Director
September 29, 2023
Dear Families,
We are already a full month into the school year, and it is so wonderful to see so many happy, smiling faces up and down the hallways. Friendships form so quickly when there is fun to be had. Changes and new routines are never easy… for children or adults. It is always so fulfilling to see children grow in comfort and confidence. We hope you are enjoying your time with us as much as your children. We are working hard behind the scenes and promise you a year ahead of fun, adventures, and new relationships.
Together We’re Stronger
Each year, as a school, we create a common theme together to help unify our team, enhance our curriculum, and guide our trainings. This year’s focus, Together We’re Stronger, applies to our amazing staff, our children, boards, classrooms, and community. We have many wonderful ideas to highlight and will share them with you as the opportunities arise.
Upcoming Events
Looking ahead, we have many fun events in store for you. Our apparel sale is coming up next week for a chance to purchase some GCS wearables for you and your children (see front entrance). There is also an adult social event this upcoming Monday, October 2nd at 7:30pm. We would love to have you join us at our Annual General Meeting for some delightful snacks, to hear about the school’s upcoming goals, and to socialize with our wonderful volunteer board and amazing staff members. Also, please mark your calendars and stop by our GCS booth at Grotonfest on Saturday (tomorrow), as well as attending our Fall Fix-Up on Saturday, October 21st (sign up to follow).
Seasons Change
With September also comes the changing of seasons. Darkness falls early, the cool temperatures are around until late in the morning, and families dig out warmer clothes with hopes that maybe some things still fit from the year before. If you find you have clothing that you are no longer needing, the Lowell Wish Project is looking for donations of basic needs clothing. We have a basket out front and will do the transporting. It is great opportunity to help your children to be part of caring and giving. Check out their website (www.TheWishProject.org) for more ways that you can help.
Wellness at GCS
We have a new wellness@grotoncommunityschool.org email to relay any health-related messages to the school (absences due to illness, informing us of any contagious diseases, sending physicals/lead tests, etc.) Please refer to our Child Illness Policy when your child is not feeling well. Both the Child Illness Policy and COVID-19 & GCS Policy are online in the “Family Login” page at www.grotoncommunityschool.org.
Congratulations
Congratulations to the Fotino family on the birth of their son, Lenox (brother Wesley is in the MWF AM Blue Room) and to the Yeager family on the birth of their son, Nicolas (brother Gabriel is in the TTh PM Blue Room).
Thank You!
We’d like to give special thanks to past parent and artist, Janine Halliday, for re-painting our peace dove at the front entrance of the school. She and her daughters come back each year to “touch up” the dove since she originally painted it in (year).
Thank you to the following families who donated various science books to enhance our STEM Kits: The Ayers family, the Braide-Moncoeur family, the Daruwala family, the Hodenpel family, the Kuzdeba family, the McAteer family, Lindsay Miller, and the Oshiro family.
Thank you to Laura Babin and her aunt for beautifying our planters out front with Fall plantings.
We’d like to thank families for their many donations over the Summer and in September: The Babin family for bubble wrap & Force of Nature Kit; Danielle Delaney for games; Kelly Gaulin for coffee filters; the Laverdure family for plastic bags; the MacDonald family for Sterilite bins; the Morrison family for books; the Ray family for Playmobile; the Schaefer family for crip sheets; and to Susan Young for 3-ring binders.
We’d also like to thank the Friedman, Guaraldi, Hankin, Ma-McCormick families for their contributions of snacks for the GCS Staff… Always appreciated!
We are all here for our families and wish you all a fun and exciting year full of laughter and learning. Please feel free to reach out to any of us with questions, thoughts, concerns, or advice.
Linda Kosinski, GCS Director
Dates to Remember
Saturday, September 30th GCS at Grotonfest on Legion Common: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Monday, October 2nd Annual General Meeting & Parent Social: 7:30 PM
Monday, October 9th Columbus Day – NO SCHOOL
Thursday, October 19th Curriculum Day – NO SCHOOL
