October 1, 2024

Alcott Newsletter

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful first month of school.  It was wonderful to see so many of you at Back to School Night!  I want to express my appreciation on behalf of the staff for the PTG sponsored breakfast following Back to School Night.  It was a wonderful treat after a long (but meaningful) night!

October’s newsletter includes information about turtles, student council, cell phones and more!

Blanding’s Turtles: If you have a fourth grader, you already know that the turtles have arrived!  In late September, each 4th grade class welcomed the two Blanding’s turtle hatchlings that they will care for over the course of the year.  In the spring, Walker, Lil’ Timmy, Pickle, Nugget, Lord Timmy and Pumpkin will be released into the wild to help repopulate the species.

Save the Date – Bike, Walk, Roll to School Day: Thanks to a partnership with our PTG and Safe Routes to School, students are invited to participate in the annual Bike, Walk and Roll to School Day on Thursday, October 10, 2024.  Stay tuned for more information.

Student Council: I am excited to share that, for the first time ever, Alcott’s 5th graders have the opportunity to participate in a student council.  Students were introduced to the process on Monday.  Interested individuals are working on an application, which will be shared with their homeroom.  A vote will occur next Monday to elect two representatives per 5th grade homeroom.

Coffee with the Principal: You are invited to this year’s first (in person) coffee with the principal on Friday, October 18th at 9:30.  At this coffee, I will be joined by our ELA Curriculum Specialist, Katie Carr, who will be sharing an overview of the DIBELs assessment, which is our universal dyslexia screener as well as the tool we use to measure the acquisition of early literacy skills.  You can also save the date for future coffees:

  • December 6 (virtual) at 9:30
  • January 17 (in person) at 9:30
  • March 7 (virtual) at 9:30
  • May 9 (in person) at 9:30

Cell Phones and Smart Watches: Please note that if a student brings a cell phone to school, it should be powered off and put away for the entire school day.  If your child wears a smart watch, we ask texting be disabled or put on “airplane” mode.  We ask families to help us maintain a distraction free learning environment by not texting their child during the school day.  If you need to contact your child during the school day, we ask that you call or email the main office to relay messages.

Arrival Reminder: This is a reminder that there is no supervision outside of the school until 8:50.  We ask that you remain with your child if you arrive before the doors are open.