SARANAC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS – June 18, 2010
Awards Ceremonies: Wednesday, June 23rd, at 9:00 for Grades 3-5 and at 12:00 for K-2.
Early Dismissal: Thursday, June 24th, at 11:00 – Breakfast will be served. (Last day for students) The school calendar indicates an 11:30 dismissal but that is incorrect.
Transfers: Due to a reduction in class sections for next year, Saranac Elementary School will only have two sections at grades 3 and 4. We will retain the Pre-1st and have 3 sections at grade 5. Morrisonville will no longer have a Pre-1st and will only have two sections at grade 5. This re-structuring plan created the least number of student transfers.
As a result of restructuring, it will be necessary to transfer students to Morrisonville Elementary School at grade 2 (going to 3) and grade 3 (going to 4). Earlier this month, a letter was sent home to parents of students in grades 2 and 3 asking for volunteers to move. We will now begin the process of developing a transfer list in accordance with the District Policy.
As this process will not be completed by the end of June, a letter will be mailed to parents indicating their child’s placement and teacher for next year as soon as the transfer list is completed. You will also receive a supply list at that time.
Move Up: On June 24th students will move up to the next grade level for a half hour to meet classmates and the teacher for next year. Students for grades 3 and 4 for next year will have a general meeting about expectations for their grade level as placement will not be decided at this point.
Classroom Placement: Please be advised the following criteria is carefully considered by teachers and service providers when establishing class lists:
- The Child’s Learning Style: We all learn in different ways. Our staff knows that a major key in helping a student be successful is to become knowledgeable about how that student learns best. Teachers also have styles and we try to match learning styles to teaching styles.
- Academic Balance: We believe that classes should include children of varying abilities.
- The Child’s Personality: Once again, we realize that as human beings, we naturally vary according to personality traits. We try to match the child to a class make up which best accommodates him/her.
- Class Environment: As with academics, we believe that a variety of children make for a healthy class environment.
- Peer Relations: Sometimes one’s “best friend” is not always his/her best classmate. Often, new experiences and the chance to make new friends prove to be beneficial for a student.
- Gender Balance: We try to maintain a balanced ratio of boys and girls.
- Class Size: Each section of a grade level should have the same amount of students, unless there are special circumstances to consider.
The development of class lists is a long process with input from teachers,
Psychologist, the Guidance Counselor, AIS Teachers, Resource Room Teachers, related service providers and the Principal. Multiple meetings were scheduled during the first two weeks of June to develop class lists. During this process, all of the above items were discussed and taken into consideration when placing students. As this was a tedious group process and decisions were made by consensus, changes will not be arbitrarily made to class lists.
Memory Book: We still have a few Memory Books available at a price of $10 a book. They will be on sale for $10.00 the day of the Awards Ceremonies (June 23). Don’t miss the chance to save the memories.
HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE SUMMER