Welcome Back!

I hope you are adjusting to our new normal and ready to begin a new school year. I also hope you are relaxed, recharged and ready to get back to the routine of school work. I am so delighted that you are part of our amazing learning community. I welcome and value your positive energy and dedication to excellence in education, and I look forward to working with you and your children.

All signs point to another incredible and productive school year. Our skilled and devoted staff is already planning and preparing for your child’s return. Our enthusiastic office team is registering new families, ordering needed materials and updating student files. Mrs. Tonya Smarr and Mrs. De’Borah McNeil continue to be willing to assist you in any way they can! Our hard working and conscientious custodians have spent the entire summer thoroughly cleaning the facility and preparing for us to be able to safely return in the coming days. The school looks amazing, and we have been working really hard to put some new safety practices in place as the students return! Our much-appreciated PTO is gearing up to help me welcome back staff and families in this new way of doing school, while preparing for a new way of coming together virtually each month. We thrive on being a joyous and caring community with the common goals of nurturing responsible, caring students and promoting high-levels of learning.

New Staff

Change is one of the most spectacular aspects of life…and what a year of change 2020 has been for us – worldwide. I am excited to say that each year brings positive change for Great Falls Elementary. This includes new additions to our staff, some staff adjustments, and two new structures for students to attend school (The Hybrid Model and The Virtual Model). We are delighted to welcome many new staff members. Although she joined us shortly before school was canceled, as a result of the pandemic, we want to welcome back our new assistant principal, Mrs. Tonia Moore who is back with us. We are so thankful – because she is such an incredible addition to our staff – and is doing an amazing job! We would like to also welcome Ms. Marissa Williams and Ms. Caryn Heath, who will be working along with her, to our Pre-K team. We will be welcoming Ms. Courtney Adams to our Kindergarten team. Mrs. Sonja Wilson will be moving back to Kindergarten to work along with Ms. Adams. Mrs. Brooke Rabon will also be joining the Kindergarten Team. Mrs. Lelar Douglas will be returning to work along with Mrs. Rabon. Mrs. Alison Howe, has transitioned from Pre-K and will be working as a Virtual Academy Kindergarten teacher this school year. Mrs. Darlene Williams will continue to work with our first grade team – so we would like to welcome her back to first grade. Mrs. Ma Elisa Dugger and Ms. Janice Salmorin will both be transitioning to teach third grade in the Virtual Academy. We would like to welcome Mrs. Tracy Honeycutt to our second grade team. In third grade this year, we are excited that Ms. Tanisha Couts and Ms. Molly Young will become our new team. Mrs. Lourdesa Abdula will be transitioning to the Virtual Academy to teach fifth grade this year, as well. In fourth grade, we are welcoming back Mrs. Gail Stalls and welcoming a new addition to our third grade team, Mrs. Judy Finucane. We are welcoming Mr. Brian Finucane to our fifth grade team. We would like to also welcome Mrs. Allison Brooks to our math coach and interventionist position. Finally, we would like to welcome Ms. Julie Woodley, who will be transitioning from third grade to our art position. WHEW – lots of new and exciting changes to continue to move our school forward! We are very excited about what this school year will bring!

Facilities Update

As you may know, our 2019 – 2020 school year was abruptly interrupted by the closing of school due to the world wide pandemic we were (and are still) facing. As such, facility updates to the school were minimal this year. New security doors and additional security cameras were installed throughout the district this summer. Additionally, hand sanitizing stations were installed throughout the building and in every classroom with the exception of Pre-K – as it is against D-HEC regulations to have sanitizer in four year old classrooms. It is my hope that we will still receive lights on the car ramp and speed bumps for the drop off line.

Student Placement and Cohorts

A great deal of time, effort, and thought goes in to student placement. This year placement looks very differently as we are operating two structures of schooling. Students who will be attending face to face, in-person school have all been assigned to either a Cohort A or a Cohort B. Cohort A students attend school on Monday and Tuesday and participate in at home learning Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Cohort B students attend school on Wednesday and Thursday and participate in at home learning on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. During the at home learning days, your child’s teacher will assign work to be reviewed, completed, and/or may assign students to intervention sessions or small group work. It is imperative that students log on and complete assignments and participate in scheduled groups – as this will be a part of how they are graded this year. All students have been assigned a laptop – so that at home learning is possible. What Great Falls Elementary is calling Cohort C are the students who will be learning virtually Monday through Friday. These students have been assigned a Virtual Academy teacher – and will receive instructional directions from him/her. This is going to be new way of schooling – so I encourage each of you to be patient as we work to ensure that your child has the best learning experience possible. Mr. David Spencer is the administrator for the Virtual Academy and is happy to assist you with anything you may need. However, as your home school principal, if you need to reach out to me at the school, do not hesitate to do so. I am happy to help you in any way that I can.

Thank you for understanding that it can take a few weeks for a child to acclimate to a new grade, peer group and teacher – please trust that we share your goals for success for your child – and will be right here to help all students make a smooth transition back to school. We are taking extra care to ensure that we are aware of how the children are feeling and providing them with the support and security they need to know that we will be doing everything we possibly can to keep them safe during the hours they are at school.

Student-led Conferences

I encourage you to sign up for Parent Portal so that you can see how your child is progressing on a regular basis. Students are going to be responsible for managing and maintaining their data this school year, just as they did on last year. Students will be sharing this data with you during virtual student-led conferences. This level of responsibility will help students to work harder to reach their potential. It also helps students to be accountable for their learning. You will need to be patient, as this is going to be a learning year for our students and teachers…as we create more academically responsible students in a virtual environment. Our first conference will be towards the end of October. You will be receiving more information from your child’s teacher about this very soon.

School-wide Expectations

Great Falls Elementary School will continue to implement our Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports program this year. We will continue with our school-wide expectations that are in place that ALL students are expected to follow. Please reinforce these expectations at home, as well. The expectations are below:

1. Be Safe!

§ Be Aware!

§ Walk!

2. Be Responsible!

§ Think!

§ TRY!

§ Report Issues!

§ Be Prepared!

3. Be Kind!

§ RESPECT!

§ Be Positive!

§ Share!

4. Be Great!

§ (Be the BEST you – you can BE!)

***Additionally – as a new expectation under being “SAFE” this year will be the expectation that students wear their masks at all times. We also expect students to practice social distancing and staying in their own space. This is important for everyone as we try and keep students and staff safe every day. Be sure to encourage your child to keep his/hands to him/herself to avoid the unnecessary transmission of germs. Be sure they remember hand washing is required with soap and water. As I mentioned before, we have hand sanitizing stations in every classroom that students are able to use to keep their hands clean, as well.

All water fountains have been covered and hopefully will be removed from the building. I am asking that you please provide your child with his/her own bottle of water each day…as children need to stay hydrated. As a school, I am looking in to trying to get water coolers for individual dispensing – however, that is and will not be in place for a while.

Finally, if your child is sick (and we have included a checklist in your child’s handbook) please keep him/her home. Do not assume that the child is suffering from allergies or a common cold. Again, this is very important to the safe operation of the school.

Thank you to all who are helping prepare for the new school year. Your commitment to ensuring that Great Falls Elementary becomes the GREATEST school it can be - is awe-inspiring. I eagerly look forward to greeting students and families again. It remains an honor and privilege to serve as your principal. Together, I know we will make this school year one of tremendous academic growth and achievement for all children.

Warmest Regards,

Tammy Smith Taylor

Principal

Great Falls Elementary School