Panther Press

Wellness Wednesday:

Wellness Wednesday will take place on Thursday next week. Students will attend a Panther Pride Assembly, take part in an outdoor Scavenger Hunt promoting creativity and teamwork, and enjoy a mindful moment and muffin with Mrs. Thomas. Please have students dress appropriately on Thursday with warm clothing and appropriate shoes.

End of Quarter One:

SchoolTool is live at noon today with marking period grades for Quarter 1. Students in UPK-12th will have an opportunity for a printed report card at parent-teacher conferences. If you are unable to access SchoolTool to view student progress or would like to request a paper copy to be mailed home please contact Chelsea Johnston in Guidance at extension 24406.

Parent-Teacher Conferences:

Students in UPK-Grade 12 will be released at 11:30am on both Thursday, November 20th and Friday, November 21st. Staff will be available to schedule conferences in the afternoons on Thursday and Friday. If a parent/guardian would like to schedule a conference with a particular classroom teacher, please reach out directly. It is important that we increase communication between school and home and vice versa. Conferences are a great way to connect our teachers to our families!

The Scholastic Book Fair will be open on Thursday and Friday from 11:30-3:00. Families may browse the book selections and take a peek at our growing donated books that are looking for new homes. The Book Fair will be located in our newly finished Science Classroom on the 2nd floor past the Library.

Cafeteria Updates:

The Cafeteria will continue to undergo a complete transformation in both the cooking and seating areas. As we wrap up November and move into December food items may change a bit. Students in Grades K-8 receive a frozen treat on Fridays. A la carte items will be limited to one chip purchase or one drink purchase a day until January when a la carte items will be discontinued.

Friendly reminder to families regarding daily snacks, the "share bin" will be limited during this transition time and many students frequent the share bin after breakfast and lunch daily. Please provide a daily snack for your student when able, and reach out to Ms. Johnston in the Guidance Office if you could use additional assistance.

Attendance Letters:

At times the template letter regarding the number of days of school a student has missed brings frustrations and uncertainty with our families.

In hopes to clarify this requirement from NYS:

Schools are required to track attendance and send attendance letters home when students reach certain thresholds of absenteeism
We appreciate the level of communication between home and school when students are ill, have appointments, and documentation is provided to deem an absence as excused.

An absence is an absence and NYS does not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences- this is the point that becomes alarming to families when the note comes home with a much higher absentee number.

School Safety Update:

Panther Community- building security will be increasing in terms of visitors having access beyond the front foyer area. Parents/guardians/community members will not be allowed access beyond the foyer area unless authorized in advance.

In the past, we have let relatives of staff members and parents in at times to walk to the Nurse, deliver a forgotten lunch and/or birthday treat, or walk their child to their classroom upon arriving late.

For everyone's safety we will no longer be allowing this so we can keep our students and staff as safe and secure as possible.

Thank you for your continued support!