Sept. 30, 2017
Our school year got off to a great start. Students, families, and staff adapted quickly to the routines of school and our operating procedures are now well established. We started the year with excellent momentum and assets in place that we will build on this year. Our future is bright! Some of our accomplishments so far this year include:
· We launched our school wide PRIDE behavior expectations in classrooms and throughout the school. The purpose of PRIDE is to establish and maintain a learning environment that promotes the social, emotional and academic success of all. You can learn more about PRIDE on our PRIDE Student/Parent Showcase which is also available on our school website in the Students section.
· Music classes for students in grades 1-6 were launched and continue weekly. We ask that students who are in the instrumental classes remember to bring their instrument for class every Thursday.
· Attendance Awareness Month – thank you to students, families and staff for their attention and effort on attendance in September. More children were in school every day which positively impacts each child’s learning. Continue to make attendance a top priority, especially on Mondays and Friday which tend to be lower attendance days here at Rowland Elementary. I am confident that we can show our Rascal PRIDE values of responsibility and determination to change that pattern.
· 99% Attendance Challenges – Great job to everyone on the challenges! We met the challenge on one of the days so we will be having the Slime the Principal event that students voted for. Stay tuned for more information in coming weeks.
· Our PTA membership drive continues, so please join our PTA. PTA is raising funds for our school by asking students to collect Box Tops and bring them to school. Students who participate will be eligible for a monthly raffle.
· Our recognition for National Hispanic Heritage Month ends next week. Students learned about and recognized the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to our culture in classroom learning activities and we posted Hispanic Heritage information on social media all month long. We have an assembly planned for students that will feature a live Latino author/storyteller who will share about the process of writing and the need for perseverance, and will entertain students with his published stories.
As we look ahead to October and beyond, there is plenty to look forward to. One item I want to highlight is National Anti-Bully Month. Throughout the month of October, we will be teaching students about ways to address bullying and we will have an educational assembly in support of this learning. We will also be posting Anti Bully messages on Facebook and Twitter. We ask that you have discussions at home with your kids about bullying. It is very important that kids are able to share their experiences and feelings and that the adults in their life are good listeners. Also, it is every adult’s responsibility to teach kids how to take steps to address and solve problems so that they build confidence and independence. Together, we can make our school a place where kids feel safe and bullying is not tolerated.
Sincerely,
John Martinez
Principal, Rowland Elementary School
Remember to stay connected with Rowland Elementary School on Twitter and Facebook, and visit the Rowland Elementary web page for helpful information. Downloading the Rowland App and signing up for PeachJar are more ways to stay connected.
Principal's Corner is a recurring feature consisting of stories and information about Rowland Elementary School.
Click here for the Principal/s Message, which is an annual greeting and message from Mr. Martinez.
