Thank you for helping to make our Open House a success this week. The Franklin School is a community of hard working students supported by dedicated staff and families. The impressive number of parents in attendance at this event underscores your interest in and commitment to making your child’s school experience a success. When parents are well informed about a teacher’s expectations and methodology they become highly effective partners able to reinforce and extend classroom learning within the home environment.

 

This week the North Andover Fire Department conducted the first fire drill of the school year. We had previously practiced the evacuation procedures that include:

1.      Line up quickly and quietly when the alarm sounds.

2.      Stay in a quiet line while the teacher leads you outside to your classroom spot.

3.      Remain calm and listen carefully for instructions to return to the building.

I’m happy to report that the Franklin School students and faculty did an excellent job of exiting the building quickly while following all of the safety rules, earning praise from the NAFD.

 

I’d like to thank you for your continued cooperation and patience during Student Drop Off and Pick Up. We have been working with the North Andover Police Department to put procedures in place to ensure the safety of everyone and to assist us in managing the large volume of cars. We are making good progress.

 

            Morning drop off for Franklin students begins at 8:00 when cars may enter the circle to drop students off. Children should have backpacks ready and be prepared to exit on the passenger side at the curb. Parents are asked to remain in their cars so as not to delay the line of exiting traffic. All cars exit via the Hewitt Avenue gate. Only buses exit through the driveway. We must insist that parents refrain from parking to drop students off. No students should be crossing through the traffic to enter school.

 

            Students who are picked up at the end of the day wait in the gym. Vehicles form a double line along the right hand side of the driveway and school building. After P.E. classes are safely within the building, and students are assembled for dismissal, teachers will remove the traffic cones and signal cars to drive slowly to the rear of the building. A sign indicating your child’s last name should be visible in your windshield. The teachers on duty dismiss children to walk to their car. When all cars in a group are loaded, teachers signal them to move forward slowly and exit via Hewitt Ave.

 

10/1     R.A.I.S.E. Assembly

10/2     5^th Grade Squid Day

10/9     Elementary Picture Day

This week we will have our first all school assembly for the 2009-2010 school year. The purpose will be to familiarize our students with the Building Respectful Community Initiative. The BRC hopes to build a community of respect within the town of North Andover by establishing a common language through a set of essential standards that support social and emotional learning. The foundation of the common language will be the values represented by the acronym RAISE: respect, achievement, inclusion, service and empathy.

 

Each year the Franklin School identifies a motivational school theme that is also used for our yearbook title. This year during the assembly we will announce a contest for the school theme. Students will be invited to submit theme suggestions incorporating the word RAISE.

 

This week we will begin inviting students to sign up to lead the Pledge of Allegiance over the loudspeaker during morning announcements. This is a nice opportunity for individual students to experience a moment in the spotlight. Please encourage your child to participate if they are ready to take the risk!

 

A special “thanks” goes to Olivia Lopez and the Cebi family for their help getting the front entry and courtyard ready for the school year. Donations of daffodil, narcissus, tulip and crocus bulbs are welcomed for late fall planting.

 

As a result of the generosity and effective fund raising of our Franklin School PTO, three new SMART boards are being installed in classrooms this week and a fourth mobile SMART board is being permanently mounted. SMART board technology allows teachers to combine the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer. These interactive whiteboards enable teachers to respond to a broad range of learning styles by incorporating visual, auditory and interactive elements into lessons. This purchase allows us to provide the technology to all of our fourth and fifth grade classrooms. We are so excited and very grateful!

 

Examples such as this are proof positive that your participation in PTO fundraisers results in valuable benefits for our students. Please give your attention to the following message from the PTO and support this current project.

 

Thursday, September 24th – Thursday, October 8th

 

Last week you received the colorful Innisbrook catalogs showcasing some unique gifts and terrific wrapping paper. The Innisbrook fundraiser supports three core initiatives of the PTO that directly benefit your child - Mini-Grants to supplement field trips and resources to support the curriculum, Incidentals for classroom supplies and exciting Enrichment Programs brought to the school to enhance your child's education.  This year we are offering parents, friends and family the option, ease and convenience of placing orders online.  Every order placed entitles you to a prize. Every student who orders at least one item is also placed in a raffle for an iPod Shuffle or giftcard.  In addition, the student with the highest sales will receive an iPod Shuffle.  Support your school and stock up for the holidays!   Franklin PTO receives 50% of the proceeds from this fundraiser.

 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!