Gerald E. Talbot Community School

February 2, 2022

Hello Families!

We are two years into a pandemic and still going Talbot strong! Please continue to keep your children home if they have any signs of illness such as a stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, fever, vomiting or diarrhea. If you have questions about getting your child tested for Covid to return to school, please reach out to Nurse Lynn at pellely@portlandschools.org or call 874-8210. Please ensure your children come to school wearing a mask that fits. The school does have a supply of disposable masks available to students for when they forget one.

While our school nurses have been dealing with the Covid pandemic, other childhood issues have not gone away. Lice continues to be a nuisance in children of all ages. Please check your student’s head regularly for lice and/or nits. Students are not removed from school for lice and we no longer do regular checks as lice is not considered a health issue, just a nuisance. You can visit Nurse Lynn’s webpage on lice for more information on treating head lice: https://sites.google.com/a/portlandschools.org/riverton-health-office/home/head-lice?authuser=0

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to Nurse Lynn.

PK and K Registration

February is the time of year to start enrolling your Kindergarten and/or Pre-K student for the 2022-23 school year. The Kindergarten registration can be completed online from February 28 thru March 11. Children must be five years of age on or before October 15, 2022 in order to attend Kindergarten. To enroll your child online, login to the PPS website at www.portlandschools.org, click on families and then “School Enrollment.” This will give you the link to the online enrollment portal. For families who need assistance completing the application in English, please call the Multilingual & Multicultural Center at 874-8135 for translation/interpretation services. If your child is currently enrolled at Portland Public Schools in one of our Pre-Kindergarten (4 year old) classrooms, it is not necessary for you to re-enroll in Kindergarten. Your child's enrollment will automatically "roll up" to your neighborhood Kindergarten elementary school according to your primary home address.

Portland Public School’s Pre-Kindergarten pre-registration period is from February 14-March 4. Children must be 4 years old by October 15, 2022 to be eligible for Portland’s Pre-K program. Applications submitted after March 4 will go on the waitlist. For more information, please go to the Pre-K page of the Portland Public Schools’ website.

Friendship Day (AKA Valentine’s Day!)

On February 14, many classrooms at Talbot will celebrate Friendship Day. Students are invited to bring in friendship cards (aka valentines) to share with each member of their class. Cards can be homemade or purchased. Any cards that have individual pre-packaged treats attached are allowed, but due to Covid, any unwrapped or homemade treats are not allowed. It is not expected that you have your child participate in a Friendship Day card exchange. Please check with your child’s teacher if there will be a friendship card exchange happening in their class on Valentine's Day. Also, as a 5-2-1-0 school that promotes healthy habits, we do not have Valentine’s Day parties with lots of candy, cupcakes or other sugary treats. Any candy included with a valentine will be sent home with students to enjoy with their family after school.

Mid-Year Attendance Reminders

Attendance matters and every day counts! Building a habit of good attendance is your child’s ticket to success in school and eventually on the job. Some absences are unavoidable. We understand that children will get sick and need to stay home, especially to prevent the spread of Covid. It’s important to support your children’s good attendance to school when they are healthy, and to communicate with the school when your child will be absent due to illness. As we prepare to take a short break from school over February vacation, we want to express our gratitude for everyone who makes it possible for our students to come to school every day, on time, and ready to learn. Attendance matters and every day counts!

We thank:

· Our students and families for making daily attendance a priority.

· Our wonderful teachers who make each classroom an exciting place for exploration and knowledge for children.

· Our support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need.

Morning Drop Off Reminder

Thank you for following our arrival routines and dropping students off at the Community Doors. We want to remind parents and guardians that morning drop off should not occur earlier than 7:25 a.m. as there is no supervision before this time. Also, please do not use the bus circle at arrival or dismissal times. The visitor loop is only to be used for PK students and students in the Bridge program. Mrs. LeSieur and I offer a sincere thank you for working with us at morning drop off and dismissal by following the posted signage, keeping traffic flowing smoothly, and, most of all, creating safer conditions for our students. Your patience and efforts are deeply appreciated!

Upcoming Events:

February 2: Early Release, 1:10 Dismissal

February 3: PTO, 5:00, virtual

February 9: Early Release, 1:10 Dismissal

February 14: Friendship Day

February 16: Early Release, 1:10 Dismissal

February 21-25: February Break, No School

March 17-18: Parent Teacher Conferences, Early Release Days, Dismissal at 11:10.

Sincerely,

Ann Hanna

Principal