Dear Sprague Community,
This week’s note will cover two important topics—class placement for the ’17-’18 school year and some reminders about school security.
Teacher Appreciation
Additionally, I’d like to mention that the week of May 8-12 is National Teacher Appreciation Week. In some past years, it has been celebrated during the first week of May, so some districts are doing so this week. Please feel free to appreciate your child’s teacher anytime during the next two weeks. You may recognize the good work of a teacher by writing a note of appreciation, having your child write a note or draw a picture of something he or she appreciates about his/her teacher, or send a treat. Please do not feel that a gift is in order. Our teachers work very hard to provide a warm and challenging learning environment for all of our students and a simple note or card is often the highest compliment.
School Security
As I have written before, our teachers are trained in ways to respond in crisis situations. However, our first form of school security is really keeping our doors locked and knowing who is in the building during the school day. This is why our staff wear ID badges and why we ask ALL visitors to sign the visitor book in the office and state the reason for a visit. Please be sure to follow this procedure even if you come to the school often and feel that many people know you. Please do not be insulted if a staff member asks you if you have signed in or if he or she can help you. They have been instructed to ask visitors such questions to maintain a safe and secure setting here at school. Forgotten items can be left in the office and we will call your child to come pick them up. After school ends at 3:05, the door remains locked. We must ask that students remain outside once dismissed. This again, is in the interest of safety and knowing who is in the building at any given time. Students should not return to the school to use the bathroom or to get something they forgot unless they are accompanied by an adult. This may seem like a change, but we will need your support on this. We want our school to remain the warm, welcoming place it has always been while also ensuring security and safety for all. (We are making the after school request because there have been unsupervised students in the building after school and our custodians have had to clean up unnecessary messes during those hours. Some student athletes and visitors using the Sprague athletic fields request entry after school and we are not able to accommodate them due to these same concerns.)
Student Placement for ’17-‘18
Please read this information about the student placement process for the 2017-2018 school year. Teams of teachers will work to create classes that are heterogeneous and as balanced as possible.
Your child’s teacher will work with the other members of the grade level team to create effective instructional groups. They will take into consideration many factors, such as class size, boy/girl ratio, social relationships that work well in the classroom environment, individual learning characteristics and parent input. It is a process that we take very seriously and we work to make the best placement for each child.
As part of this process, we welcome your input. If you wish, you may complete the Placement Information Form and return it to the main office by Tuesday, May 9th. Your comments should include specific information related to your child’s academic priorities and any social-emotional considerations. If you return it, your Placement Information Form will be reviewed by your child’s current teacher. Please do not request an individual teacher, as we are unable to honor requests for specific teachers and or classmates. Also, please remind us of any concerns that you may have raised in past years.
As we begin the final stretch, I want to again thank you for another wonderful year with the Sprague community. It is truly a special place. Thank you for supporting our efforts at Sprague.
Placement Information Form 2017.doc
Parent Placement Letter 2017.doc
Dates to remember:
May 5: Kindergarten Screening
May 8-12: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 11: PTO meeting at 8:45
May 12: Walk to School Day
May 15-19: Food Drive—more info to follow
May 22: School Council at 3:15 PM
May 29: No school—Memorial Day
June 2: Grade 5 Chorus, Band, Orchestra Concert—parents invited
June 8: Tentative date for Family Picnic
June 15: Field Day—raindate is June 16
June 19: Grade 5 Farewell Assembly at 9 am
June 20: Last day of school-12:00 dismissal