Dear Parents,

Please help us help you at the end of the school day. I’m writing this to you because we need your help in finding a better way to insure that your child is safely sent to the correct location and with the adult you have designated.

The beginning of the year is challenging for working moms and dads until a set schedule is in place so teachers are purposefully flexible during the first few weeks of school while glitches are being worked out.  During those first weeks, they build time into their day to read e-mail and check voice mail for any changes or to call home, work or cell phones to confirm changes to the regular end of day schedule for their students. It is not unusual for a teacher to spend 10-15 minutes trying to track down where one child is supposed to go. If you multiply this time by even two or three, I think you will agree that we need to find a better way. In that spirit, I’m sending this today in the hope that the end of day routine can become more consistent for all students.

 Beginning this Wednesday, October 3^rd, teachers will no longer have the flexibility to check e-mail during the school day. Most will be checking at the end of the day and will therefore not receive any changes you may send for that day. Additionally, voice mail will be checked at 7:30 each morning and again after dismissal. Please do not leave changes after 7:30 and during the school day as they will not be heard. In those rare times when a change does need to be brought to a teacher’s attention, sending in a note with your child is the one way to insure your child’s safe return from school.   In the absence of a note, your child will be sent to their usual destination or released to the usual designated adult. Staying for after school programs requires a written note. Any time your child is staying after school, he or she will need a note from you indicating why they are staying, the time they will be picked up and who will be coming to get them. If your child tells us he or she forgot their note or that she thinks she is supposed to go to a different location after school or that he is sure you are picking him up today, we will be unable to call you for confirmation. Honestly, we just don’t have an extra 30-45 minutes per class to spend when you forget to send the note. We want very much for you to continue to feel you can count on us to keep your child safe and hope that you will appreciate that this responsibility is to 150 different students. Thank you in advance for your help and understanding.

Sincerely and on behalf of our faculty,

Roberta Barone