March Newsletter

March 1, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Happy March! It is hard to believe that the first day of spring is just 20 days away. This school year has been flying by quickly and spring is just around the corner.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Thank you to all of our families who were able to attend our virtual parent teacher conferences last month. We are grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with families as we work to support the academic and social growth of all of our students during this challenging time. I would like to take a moment to make sure you know how grateful we are at Talbot School for the ways you are supporting your child on remote learning days. We know how difficult this year has been, and it is wonderful to have you as an active partner in your child’s education.

Possip Survey

Thank you for sharing your feedback on Possip to tell us how we are doing educating your child during the pandemic. Although the response rate has declined since the survey began, I am thrilled to report that overall, Talbot parents are happy with the way Talbot School is handling hybrid learning. In our most recent survey, 90% of the respondents answered yes to the question “Are you happy with the Gerald E. Talbot Community School?” Some of the comments from the recent survey include:

· I keep being amazed at the great ideas teachers come up with to keep the kids entertained, happy and engaged in reading: dress up as your favorite book character, build robots to coincide with their current reading.

· Mon enfant se sent très content à l'école, Je félicite les professeurs de cette école. (My child feels very happy at school, I congratulate the teachers at this school.)

· Great job! Thanks so much for all your work!

· Teachers have been great!

· We love the school. Maybe more pajama days?

· Wishing there was a way for these kids to get back into school more than two days a week… But grateful for the safe and healthy experience.

Soon, you will be receiving a robo-phone call from me about a District Parent Survey. Thank you for taking the time to answer the 8 questions in the District Parent Survey. We need your feedback and ideas as we continue to improve our school programs as we safely work to meet your child's needs.

Kindergarten Registration

Portland Public Schools Kindergarten enrollment application can now be completed online. Using the new Online Enrollment Application process, parents/guardians can provide their child's information electronically, and save time and paperwork. If your child has been attending one of Portland Public Schools' Pre-k programs this past school year, you will not need to re-enroll. Your child will be entered into Kindergarten automatically.

How to Register Online for the 2021-2022 School Year:

To register your child for Kindergarten Please click here to go to our Online Registration Portal. Once your registration is complete, you will need to call Talbot to arrange a time to present supporting documents to have your online registration completed and verified. For families who need assistance completing the application in English, please call the Multilingual and Multicultural Center at (207) 874-8135 for translation/interpretation services.

Documents Needed for Enrollment:

After completing the initial online application, you will need to send the following documents to school to complete the enrollment process. For students whose families speak a language other than or in addition to English, please bring the documents to the Multilingual Family Welcome Center.

- Original proof of birth document (this document will be reviewed but not kept)
- Immunization records
- Proof of residency in Portland (electricity, cable, internet bill, or lease agreement/title of primary residence)
- Language use survey (found in the linked flyers below)

Kindergarten Flyer in Different Languages:

English, Acholi, Arabic, French, Khmer, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Please email Andrea at manuea@portlandschools.org with any questions, or call the Main Office directly at 207-874-8210.

Sincerely,

Ann Hanna

Principal