Dear Parents,

When you picked up your children today, you most likely observed how tired they were from their first full week of school.  The stamina required to stay attuned during the school day takes time and energy to build as the year progresses. Summers are typically paced to rest and unwind a bit more.  It takes a little time for everyone to adjust to not only the schedule of school but the physical and mental energy required in a school day.  I hope that your family can take some time to rest and connect over the weekend. Your children will benefit from some down time.

This week I could feel the love.  I sensed the glowing faces in classrooms as students became more acquainted with their peers and teachers. I felt the teachers' love and concern for their students at our faculty meeting Wednesday afternoon as teachers brought up additional ideas on how we can keep our LS students healthy and well. I observed smiling eyes and heartfelt hugs at arrival and dismissal between students and teachers. This truly is a community of love, and I'm honored to be a participant. 

I’ve included some reminders, updates, and upcoming events in this week's Lower School newsletter. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about any school related topics.  We are here for you!

Sincerely,
Sunny Huckaby

Friendly Reminders
Bring a water bottle labeled with your child’s name every day. Please send two extra face coverings labeled with your child’s name in their backpack each day.  Sometimes face coverings fall in the dirt or get sneezed on.  It is helpful to have extras on hand that are comfortable for your child.  

Griffins Table Update
Our students are enjoying the yummy choices that Griffins Table offers on a daily basis. Last year they offered a birthday cart service, but after careful thought and consideration, we have decided to discontinue this service.  Parents may contact their homeroom teacher if they desire to make arrangements to drop off a small birthday treat at the school.

Carpool Tags
Please display your carpool tag in the front passenger window or hold it up for the duty teachers at pickup so that they can easily recognize your car and load children.  We appreciate your help so much!

Back to School Night for Parents
We have slightly modified our plans for Back to School Night due to some rising COVID-19 numbers in our area.  Please mark your calendars for your child’s applicable grade level.  Preschool parents are invited to campus on Tuesday, September 7.  Kindergarten through fourth grade parents are invited to campus on Thursday, September 9. Teachers are sending out a sign up sheet next week for you to select the time period that best suits your family on that evening. Teachers will send information home in advance of the evening for you to review. We are inviting small groups into classrooms for a short presentation from teachers. Please remember, this is not a night to discuss individual student progress (we’ll have parent-teacher conferences in November for that purpose), but instead, for you to find out more about your child’s unique learning environment. Also, this is an evening for parents and guardians only. We ask that all parents wear a face covering on campus, and physical distancing is recommended.  We look forward to showcasing your child's learning space and curriculum.

Updates in Lower School
We are carefully attuned to the health and wellness of our students and are making adjustments in our days in order to keep everyone healthy and continue with in-person learning at school. We are strongly recommending that preschool students wear face coverings to school. We have started to provide more distance in spaces such as the Dining Commons for lunch and the Library for early care. We are utilizing our outdoor spaces for activities such as PE and are sometimes wearing our masks outdoors if we are not able to physically distance. We are now wearing face coverings at PE if we are indoors. We've postponed our gatherings such as Friday in the Dent. We continue with many protocols such as handwashing and cleaning of surfaces. At this time while numbers are high, we are encouraging families to be mindful of their time in the evenings and on weekends since these activities can impact the school. We are currently not able to pass out birthday invitations to the class until we again see numbers decline. Our Lower School students do not currently have the opportunity to vaccinate and realize that they are therefore more vulnerable and susceptible to this virus. We continue to listen to medical guidance and make adjustments, as needed. Our focus remains on health and safety, in-person learning, and engagement and experience. Thank you for partnering with us as we aim to make the best decisions for children.

Upcoming Dates
September 6        Labor Day (school closed)
September 7        Preschool Back to School Parent Night 
September 9        Kindergarten - 4th Grade Back to School Parent Night 
September 17      Early Dismissal Day/ Faculty PD