Dear Allenby Parents,
Welcome back to a new school year! We hope that all families had a happy and safe summer holiday.
Start Up Procedures
Grade 1 – 6
On Tuesday, September 4th, the first day back at school, there will be classroom number signs along the fences. Teachers will be standing by the signs and the students will meet them there to line up. The room number for your child in September is written on the June report card.
We need to ensure the safety of all our students and this is a shared responsibility between parents and the school.
The teachers will be spending time training their students in entry routines and dismissal routines and it is important that they learn the routines as soon as possible. Please do not bring your child to the classroom. We need you to help us train them to line up with their class in the yard and come in with the rest of the school. Teachers of students in younger grades will be outside to meet them during the first week or two of school.
At dismissal time, please wait for your child at the bottom of the stairs, or ask whoever is picking him/her up to do so.
At entry time and at both recesses, we have 6 teachers on duty to support the students, and these teachers will be wearing vests for easy recognition. Students need to go to one of those teachers if they need help. At dismissal times, there is a teacher on duty at the top of the stairs to help ensure that older students also make their way quickly and safely to the bottom of the stairs.
Grade 1
Grade 1 students are particularly vulnerable because they are getting adjusted to new routines. We have a special dismissal policy for Grade 1 students. This policy will be in place for the first two weeks of school, possibly longer, if needed, starting on the first day.
At dismissal time, teachers will line up their classes along the fence on the landing. Please wait for your child at the bottom of the stairs, or ask whoever is picking him/her up to do so. When they see the person who is picking them up, they will tell their teachers, say goodbye and make their way down the stairs. If you have a kindergarten child and wish to arrange for your child to find you near Castlefield on the landing, please inform your child’s teacher of this on the first day of school.
The students will be trained in this new routine and it will be reinforced often by their teachers. The other students in the school are also informed of this, and their teachers will reinforce with them the importance of moving safely and watching out for smaller students on their way out of the school.
Kindergarten
The students will meet the teachers in the kindergarten yard on Castlefield. There is supervision starting at 9:00 in the mornings and 12:45 in the afternoons. The teachers will explain the dismissal location and routine at that time.
School Updates
It has been an eventful summer in some ways. The kindergarten floors have been retiled, which was planned. What was unexpected is that during the big rainstorm a couple of weeks ago, there was a big leak that caused considerable damage in Room 206 and 205A. The floor in 206 is being completely replaced, as is the ceiling in 205A.
Staffing Updates.
Caroline Rosta, who was to teacher the .5 am bilingual math, is on leave again, and we have hired Alanna Julian to teach that subject. This means that Ms, Julian will be teaching the math in the morning and the drama dance in the afternoon.
Susa Jovanovic has extended her leave and we have hired Andrea Morgan to take her place in HSP and Bilingual Resource.
Amy Ringel got a contract position, so we have hired Denise Bleak for the French Immersion Grade 2/3.
The LTO for JK/SK in Room 101 p.m. is David Krygier-Baum.
Cathy Britchford has retired due to some unexpected personal circumstances.
The teacher for JK/SK in Room 109will be Lauren Charezenko.
We look forward to welcoming the students back to another great school year at Allenby.
Jennie Ucar
Principal