GRES Principal's Message

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August 2009

Dear Parents,

On behalf of the staff, I want to welcome you to Garden Road School! Garden Road is a friendly, child-centered place, driven by the belief that “all students can learn”. We’re looking forward to a positive, mutually-supportive relationship with you to insure that your child’s educational journey is successful. The following information should answer your questions, but feel free to call the school at 858-748-0230 or check our website at http://powayusd.com/pusdgres/.

SCHOOL BEGINS on Thursday, August 20.

SCHOOL HOURS
Grades 1 through 5 8:00 – 2:20 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:00 – 12:40 Friday

Kindergarten from 8/20 – 9/3 8:00-1:00 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 8/20 to 9/3
8:00 -12:40 Fridays from 8/20 – 9/3

Kindergarten beginning 9/8/09 8:00 - 2:20 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:00 - 12:40 Friday

PEPP 8:00—11:20 Monday through Friday all year

ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is critical for student success. State law requires that pupil attendance be verified. Please call the Attendance Line at 486-6273 when your child is absent. If the school is not notified by 9:00 a.m., we will call you at home or work for verification. Unverified absences are considered truant. We ask that ALL medical appointments be after school. If that is not possible, please bring a doctor’s note for this to be considered an excused tardy.

CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENTS
Classroom assignments will be posted on the Multipurpose Room windows that face the street on Tuesday, August 18 at 4:00 P.M. It is possible that these assignments may change due to changes in enrollment.

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
There will be an orientation for new students and their parents on Wednesday August 19 from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in our Multipurpose room. An overview of our school and a tour will be provided.

KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE
Kindergartners and their parents are invited to our Kindergarten Open House on Wednesday, August 19th between 8:00 and 9:00AM in our Multipurpose Room. Parents and students will receive an overview of our kindergarten and school programs and will meet their child’s teacher.

BEFORE-SCHOOL SUPERVISION
Children should not arrive on the playground before 7:40 a.m., the time that supervision begins.

CHILD CARE
Extended Student Services (ESS) is open from 6:30AM until 6:00PM on our campus. This program is fee-based. Students must be registered in order to participate in ESS. Contact Mary Nichols, ESS Supervisor, at 486-1176 for information.

CLOSED CAMPUS
Garden Road is a closed campus. Once children arrive, they may not leave unless a parent or other authorized person comes to the office to sign a release. You will be required to show I.D. when you pick up your student.

SCHOOL LUNCH ON AUGUST 20
Entrée choices for the first day of school are Chicken Corn Dog, Cheesy Bean Nachos, Bean & Cheese Burrito, Combo Salad with crackers, or Yogurt with crackers. All entrees are served with a self-serve salad bar with a variety of fruits and vegetables, and either low fat white or non-fat chocolate milk. Lunch costs $2.00.

SCHOOL LUNCH
The price for lunch is $2.00. Please prepay for lunch when possible. Checks should be made out to PUSD Food Service or you can pay on-line at www.MyLunchMoney.com If a student forgets to bring a lunch or money he /she will be allowed to call home. The school does not lend money. If you qualified for free or reduced-price lunch in 2008-09, you will receive free or reduced-price lunch until September 30. If you want to receive free or reduced lunch in 2009-10, you must complete a new application, available at http://www.powayusd.com/Nutrition/freeReduced.shtml or in the school office.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL
If your child is on medication, a “Physician’s Recommendation for Medication” form must be obtained from the school office, completed by your physician, and returned to school. NO MEDICATION WILL BE GIVEN AT SCHOOL WITHOUT THIS FORM. An adult must bring the medication to the school office. Children may at no time have medication in their possession. This includes aspirin, inhalers, and cough drops.

BICYCLE RIDING
Riding a bicycle is limited to children in grades 3, 4, and 5. Each child must wear a helmet, have a lock for his or her bike, and have a permission slip on file in the office. Skateboards, roller shoes, and rollerblades are not allowed on campus.

PARKING LOT
The parking lot attached to the school is for staff parking, except for marked “Handicapped Parking.” The street and parking lot across the street are for parents and visitors. Please drop off and pick up your child in front of the Multipurpose Room.

VOLUNTEERING AT GARDEN ROAD
If you would like to volunteer, please complete a background check and a TB test. Forms are available at
http://www.powayusd.com/volunteer/ or in the office. Your clearance is still valid if you were cleared to volunteer last year.

REGISTRATION
It is critical that all student information is updated. If your child is a continuing student, you must do this before school begins. You will need your student’s ID number which is available in the school office. You also need a parent user name and password, available at 858-748-0010 X2854. Then go to http://www.powayusd.com/registration/

BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT
This is an opportunity for parents to meet their child’s teacher and learn about classroom expectations, homework policies and curriculum. Back to School Night is Thursday, September 3. This is an ‘adults only’ evening. I am excited to work with our talented, dedicated staff in a school where parents are supportive of our efforts. You have enrolled your child in an outstanding school where we make a difference, one child at a time!

Sincerely,

Jeannie Miller
Jeannie Miller, Principal, Garden Road Elementary School