Sunday, December 16, 2012

Season's Greetings!

Season’s Greetings!
Please forgive me for not communicating via this blog in over a month. As some of you may be aware, I’ve been out of the building quite a bit during these past four weeks recovering (or should I say, trying to recover) from hip surgery. The building seemed to run smoothly without me thanks to the great staff we have here at East Hill. Thanks to Christine Calandra, administrative intern, who oversaw the building in my absence. I’m fortunate to work with such great people, that’s for sure.
The December Character Education assembly was all about Caring and Compassion, organized by Miss O’Keefe. To start things off, Miss O’Keefe engaged everyone with “Fit Friday” exercises (see picture). After we were all warmed-up, Miss O’Keefe taught us about compassion by sharing different definitions of compassion, sharing two stories about compassion (including the recent story in the news about the New York City Police Officer purchasing a pair of boots for a homeless man), and having students share ideas about how to show compassion. The assembly concluded with everyone dancing and swaying to the song, Lean on Me. Wow! It was powerful! We are certainly fortunate to have Miss O’Keefe here at East Hill.
Speaking of caring and compassion, the soldiers came last week to retrieve the Salvation Army barrels which were overflowing with canned goods and other non-perishable items, thanks to your generosity and that of our students. The PTA’s annual Community Giving project was also a huge success. Due to everyone’s generous contributions, six families in our community will have more under their tree.
While we celebrate the holidays in the coming weeks, we know that the Sandy Hook community in Connecticut will be grieving. Our hearts and prayers go out to them at this time. I can assure you that we do everything possible at East Hill to keep your children safe. Mrs. Farley knows almost everyone in our school community, but if she does see an unfamiliar face she asks them to provide identification. I know this is sometimes inconvenient for people, but it is a necessary precaution that we must take. We also do not allow anyone to pick up your children if not listed on your emergency contact list. If you need to add anyone to your emergency pick-up list, please do this in person. Transportation changes must be in writing; parents cannot call to make a last minute change. This is also in the interest of safety. We practice many drills throughout the year, including fire drills, lock down drills, stay-in-place drills, and bomb threat drills. Administrators meet regularly to brainstorm and discuss what we would do to keep students safe in a variety of situations. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of your children.
On a happier note, holiday parties are scheduled for this Thursday at 2:00. If you are one of the scheduled parents helping out in the classroom, please leave siblings at home, sign-in at the office, and don’t arrive before 1:50pm. This helps us preserve as much instructional time as possible. On behalf of East Hill Elementary School, I wish you a safe and happy holiday spent with family and friends.