Dear Stockbridge families,

Welcome back! It is great having students back in the building after the long vacation. This week we are in full swing reviewing learning expectations and jumping back in with academics. Next week will start Winter Wellness! Please review all the details if you have any questions.

Winter Wellness at Pico Mountain begins next Friday! Students in grades 1-6 will travel by bus to Pico Mountain for skiing or snowboarding for 6 consecutive Fridays beginning January 13. Included in Thursday folders will be one final permission slip that must be returned to school prior to January 13.

Students in kindergarten, as well as those in grades 1-6 that elected not to ski/snowboard will stay at Stockbridge Central School for a mix of indoor and outdoor activities including ice skating, snowshoeing, and more to be determined.

Students should come to school dressed warmly for skiing/snowboarding. Please have your student(s) already in their gear when they arrive at school, since we will leave for Pico at 8:10. This includes:

We will have a limited quantity of winter appropriate socks and mittens available for students that do not have them at home.

Students that have their own equipment should bring it to Stockbridge School each morning of Winter Wellness. PLEASE REMEMBER HELMETS! Helmets are required for the group to ski/snowboard at Pico. Gear should be lined up along the front wall of the elementary building no later than 8 a.m. Parent volunteers will transport equipment to and from Pico Mountain each week. Students are permitted to bring ski/snowboard boots on the bus so they stay warm, but other gear will be transported. PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILD(REN)'S ITEMS WITH THEIR NAME! This helps tremendously if/when an item is left behind or misplaced - and is especially helpful for parent chaperones trying to load gear that may be left alongside other Pico guest gear.

Students that have their own Pico pass must bring it with them EVERY FRIDAY of Winter Wellness! We do not have access to individual ticket window passes this year, so if your child does not bring their pass, they may not be able to participate that day.

Students who will be taking lessons need to arrive dressed and ready to go! Equipment will be issued at PICO prior to the start of lessons.

Early release dismissal during Winter Wellness: On the early release Fridays (Jan. 13, 27 and Feb. 10), dismissal will be at 12:15 instead of 12:00, to allow students to finish their lesson, eat lunch, return to Stockbridge and be dismissed in their appropriate fashion. This is a 20 minute delay to allow for flexibility in loading buses/getting back to school timely. Lessons run from 9-11 a.m., then students will eat lunch at Pico before loading the bus and heading back to Stockbridge.

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