Dear Fairmeadow Community,

 

Every one of our Fairmeadow students brought their unique passions, their limitless spirit, their contagious energy, and their boundless curiosity with them to school last Tuesday, launching what promises to be an exceptional year of learning for all of us at Fairmeadow.  Each educator at our school holds sky-high expectations for the potential in each one of our students, and I can hardly wait to watch our flock of Firebirds soar beyond those expectations this year.

 

The first days of school always include the setting of daily rituals, routines, and rules, but as I walked through classrooms last week I witnessed far more than the basics. I observed skilled teachers building the foundations of classroom community through a variety of inclusive and well-planned learning activities. For example, I observed kindergarteners partnering in creative play and building, first graders sharing poetry and dancing, second graders deeply engaged in a morning meeting, third graders doing a design challenge, fourth graders silently assembling a class-created puzzle, and fifth graders co-composing a class compact. These experiences are a small sample of the many engaging exercises teachers led students through to set the stage for a productive year. Our classrooms abound with positive interactions, opportunities to inquire, and authentic learning experiences. Imagine what the weeks ahead will hold!

 

Come join us to find out more about what this year will hold for your child at Back to School Night, next Tuesday, August 30th. The kindergarten, first, and second grade presentations will run from 6-7 pm in classrooms, with the third, fourth, and fifth grade presentations running from 7-8 pm. Back to School Night is a wonderful opportunity to learn about your child's teacher, the instructional program and curricular approach for the school year, fun and engaging activities on and off school grounds, and volunteer opportunities. I look forward to seeing you all there.

 

Fairmeadow families may have noticed new gates securing three entrances to our school campus during school hours. We installed these gates this summer to ensure a safe learning and play environment for our students, and to encourage entry to our school through the front corridor by the main office during school hours. While we understand that walking to the main office corridor on East Meadow may present an inconvenient detour for those of you volunteering during school hours, it is a necessary step to ensure that all visitors to our campus have signed in to the office, and a precaution to limit access to our campus from the outside. Thank you for your flexibility with this important and necessary change.

 

Speaking of safety, if you drive your child to school, please be sure to follow our drop off guidelines in the front parking. When you arrive, please pull up as far as you can in the right side drop-off lane. Remain in your vehicle while your child exits the vehicle through the right side door only. Please do not drop off your child in the left hand lane, as crossing the parking lot can be incredibly dangerous in the minutes before school. If time allows, the best option is to park in the Mitchell Park parking lot and take the short walk through the park to campus.

 

Starting this Wednesday, Fairmeadow will be providing a free breakfast snack for any interested student at the start of the school day. Breakfast snacks will be available from 8:10-8:25 am each morning in front of the main office. This is a wonderful opportunity to make sure that all students are well-fed and ready for a new day!

What will the next week hold for your student at Fairmeadow? Let's work together to make it the best it can be! I look forward to seeing you at Fairmeadow soon.

Grant Althouse

Principal