As I walk the hallways during arrival time I always enjoy seeing our children reconnecting and enjoying conversation.  I don't know if you all have noticed older kids nowadays; they are often not talking, rather they are texting, instagraming and facebooking even when sitting in the same room.  As an educator and a mother of two young children this frightens me greatly.  Everything is about relationships and there is no substitute for authentic face to face dialog.  

Over the last few months I've noticed some of our children spending those precious moments before the classroom doors open playing on their parents' phone and iPads.  We do have a rule about not playing video games and not using electronic gadgets at school.  Please refrain from that easy hand off when in our school building and instead encourage your child to speak with a classmate, or better yet a friend who may be in another class.  Another good suggestion is take use of our library up on the second floor, room 224.  Susan, our volunteer librarian, is more than willing and very available to help children select and check out appropriate books.  Susan is at school Wednesdays through Fridays.  You are welcome to stay with your children in the library and read with them on Mondays and Tuesdays too.

The main event for this week is our March Family as Learning Partners' Meeting:  What the TECH is going on?  Michael Steinberg, our Technology Coordinator, will be presenting about how technology is integrated into our everyday classroom life, including curriculum and teacher development.  You don't want to miss this!  We will begin right after drop off in Thuan & Jia's room 114 on Wednesday March 5.

Our Annual Town Meeting planning committee is working hard to shape what is looking like an amazing day.  We have several alumni coming to speak, recollecting their experiences at our school and sharing how they were prepared for life beyond it.  Some of our alumni panelists are in their mid-twenties; it will certainly be fun and interesting to hear their perspectives.  Our theme, Knowing the Whole Child, will be explored through various break out groups led by teacher and parent facilitators.  Please make sure to join us on Saturday March 22 from 9:30 - 2:00.

If you have not done so already, please make some time to read our Community Outreach's recent e-mail about our forum on high stakes testing taking place on Monday, March 10 at 6pm.  Please also look out for a separate e-mail from me on Wednesday evening about this very important, complex topic.

Best,

Alison