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PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear St. Ann Parents,
Autumn has arrived and brought with it some cooler temperatures. This is always a welcome change for students and teachers. When the heat and humidity of summer lingers on, as it has done this year, it is difficult to leave the carefree attitude of summer behind and embrace the serious work of the school year.
The first weeks of school are those of transitioning when teachers and students get to know one another, set expectations for academics as well as behavior and begin to participate in established routines. We are entering into the fifth week of school and teachers are now holding students accountable for what they have been learning academically, socially and behaviorally.
Accountability looks different at each grade level. Our Pre-K have learned the classroom routines of unpacking, putting things in their correct place and beginning the day with their teachers. In kindergarten students are being held accountable for unpacking, getting things into the closet and making sure that they know where to keep all of their work materials. In grade one to grade three, students have been taught how to begin their day after unpacking. In these grades, they are expected to begin morning work, turn it in when it is accomplished and be prepared to start the school day after prayer. Our students in grades four through eight are challenged to check their daily schedule in preparation for organizing books and materials in order to travel to their first classes of the day. All students are being held accountable by their teachers to high standards of behavior and completing classwork as well as homework.
All of the protocols that helps students manage their days have been established and practiced for the past four weeks of school. It is at this time that students will be held accountable for completing these tasks independently. I am proud to say that your children have learned these protocols well and need fewer reminders each day. Our teachers at St. Ann Academy use a teach-model-practice and gradual release system to ready students for independence in both life skills and academics.
The teachers need your assistance and support in ensuring that your child does his/her homework each night so that he/she is prepared for their day. Please do not do it for him/her. Reviewing math facts and vocabulary (4-8) or spelling (1 - 6) is part of student homework each night.
I am also asking you to partner with us in support of positive and acceptable behavior. There have been way too many bus, recess and classroom incidents of unkindness. Children look to all of us for what is acceptable so please discuss this issue with your child and also hold them accountable at home.
At St. Ann Academy, we hold all to a higher standard. Each day, we try to instill in your child the morals and values that are counter to those often exhibited in our society. Thank you in advance for sharing the same message that we we give in school, that we are to love one another as God loves us.
Mrs. Griffin
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