Dear Families,

 

I expect that this letter finds some of you wishing the carefree, summer days were endless while others may be crossing off each day on the calendar anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first day of school. With the 2010 2011 school year just weeks away, I know that you will all gain excitement for the first day of school. The first day of school for grades 1 through 5 and special classes is on Tuesday, September 7th. School will be on a two-hour delay schedule with a start time of 11:15 a.m. The first day of school for Kindergarten students will be on Wednesday, September 8th. Kindergarten A.M. students will begin at 9:15 a.m. and Kindergarten P.M. students will begin at 12:30 p.m.

 

As you probably recall, regular school hours have been adjusted to 9:15 a.m. 3:40 p.m. The change in time is the result of the implementation of triple tripping in the Transportation Department as per the budget vote. Additionally, all four elementary schools have increased the lunch and recess periods for grades 1 through 5. Previously, students had forty-five minutes to eat and enjoy recess, but this year, students will have a total of fifty-five minutes, allowing more time to eat and play.

 

Earlier this summer, I also communicated changes regarding the consolidation of space in our school. First, second, and third grade classrooms were relocated as grade levels to different areas of the building. Each grade level, as well as special education classrooms, will continue to have a designated classroom to maintain the integrity and delivery of our instructional programs. The District is in its planning stages of how to best utilize the available space. In the interim, the school and district is planning to utilize this space for various purposes including school activities, school related meetings, after-school activities, and recreational services. After further studies are conducted, information regarding the long term use of facilities district-wide will be communicated.

 

The Increase Miller Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) is making good progress towards completion. The Operations and Maintenance Department provided me with a recent update. The functional completion date of the plant has been tentatively set for Wednesday, August 25, 2010. At that time, there will be a detailed inspection of all systems in the plant by various agencies associated with the work and the plant will be certified. Final site work, planting and paving will take place as work inside the building winds down. This will be followed up by a start-up period from September 13 through October 11, 2010. Once the start-up phase is completed, the plant will be on line and fully operational. Daily operations and testing will be performed by a contracted, certified waste water treatment plant operator from that point forward.

 

As communicated in the spring, please continue to be aware of the posted 5 MPH speed limit through the construction zone as the site will still be an active area until the site work has been completed. This is to ensure the safety and security of workers, staff, and families.

 

On an educational front, Katonah-Lewisboro is continuing to move forward with district initiatives looking through the lens of 21st century skills. The district is continuing to focus on sustainability, and teachers in grades 3, 4, and 5 will be implementing the curriculum published by Putnam/Northern Westchester B.O.C.E.S. During the 2010 2011 school year, we anticipate an evaluation of our science curriculum from the Tri-States Consortium. The consortium is a group of local, trained educators who evaluate and report on district programs and student performance. Last year, the staff and I began reviewing the curriculum, piloting inquiry based units, and utilizing staff development opportunities to revise and hone our practices. We will continue with this focus this year. Balanced Literacy, Everyday Math, and Fundations, a multi-sensory reading program in the primary grades, will continue to be implemented and we will use the Long Range Plan as a compass for making revisions and changes in literacy, mathematics, and other disciplines. Other initiatives relate to character education and project-based learning. All will receive attention at the school and district level.

 

This year our school theme is, Making A Difference HereÈ Everywhere. This was an outgrowth of conversations at Compact Team, and relates to our sustainability and character education programs.

 

Throughout the District, there have been changes in staff, including Increase Miller. Some of you may have heard that Mrs. Alvarez, our art teacher, and Mrs. Corbett, one of our physical education teachers announced their retirements at the end of the school year. Soon after, Mrs. Labbe, one of our music teachers, also announced her retirement. Each of these women worked as teachers for over 30 years and we congratulate them and wish them well even though we will feel a loss as a school. Some familiar faces will be returning to IM to fill those positions. Mrs. Jennifer Fraczek, will be returning to Increase Miller in September. Some of you may recall that Mrs. Fraczek worked at Increase Miller as the part-time music teacher with Mrs. Labbe, and she has been a music teacher in the district for many years. We welcome her back! Previously, Mrs. Marijane Hamren, one of our Kindergarten teachers at IM and an art teacher at Meadow Pond, will now be one of our art teachers here at Increase Miller. Mrs. Amy Stockfield, an art teacher at Meadow Pond, will also work with our students at Increase Miller. Both art teachers are experienced and excited about working with our students. Mr. Joseph Murphy, one of our physical education teachers, will continue to work with our IM students and he will be joined by Mr. Chuck Scozzafava, an experienced physical education teacher in the District.

 

There have been some changes with classroom teacher placements as well. Ms. Patricia Patwell moved from fourth grade to third grade. Mrs. Gretchen Morfea will be returning to Increase Miller as a fifth grade teacher. Prior to that, Mrs. Morfea taught remedial reading in the district and fourth grade at IM for many years. Mrs. Monica Lambert will be teaching one of the afternoon Kindergarten classes this year. Mrs. Lambert previously worked at Lewisboro Elementary School and has taught various grade levels throughout the years. Mrs. Allison Emig, who has worked in both special education and regular education in the district, will be one of our special education teachers at Increase Miller this year. We welcome new and returning teachers and look forward to their positive contributions at Increase Miller.

 

Finally, Diane Riley, our Office Assistant, announced her retirement in June, and she said her goodbyes over the summer. Since then, Linda Ghirardi, our school secretary, has been managing the office and helping to prepare the school for opening day. We look forward to securing a new Office Assistant in the near future to assist us in the daily responsibilities at Increase Miller.

 

You have received many important forms in this mailing:

* Class Photo flyer

* Meal Pay Information

* Class Placement for your child/ren

 

If you have already submitted your Emergency/Contact Information Form and Media Permission Form, we have enclosed your childs placement in this mailing. If we do not have your emergency form, we ask you to bring the information packet to the school as soon as possible. We will not release your childs placement information until we have the emergency records submitted. We know you can appreciate the importance of us having accurate information before your child arrives on the first day of school.

 

With regard to class placement, a great deal of time and effort was put into the placement process and we are confident that parents will be supportive of the decisions made. Communication with the teacher is, of course, key to a successful year for all students.

 

The Transportation Department will also be mailing home information on August 27th. During the first week of school, we will be sending home the Be Your Best Code of Conduct. The Family Handbook will now be available online for your reference. If you need to obtain a hard copy, please call the main office (763-7155) and we will provide you with a copy. Staff will be reviewing these guidelines and procedures with students, but we ask that you do the same to ensure understanding of expectations.

 

As you enjoyed your summer days, Increase Miller was quite active. The Operations and Maintenance Department installed new lighting in D wing classrooms (third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms) and the shared space in the hallway. Our custodian crew, Rich, Adam, and Joe have been working tirelessly to move materials and clean and organize classrooms for opening day. Our school secretary, Linda Ghirardi, has been working hard in the main office registering families, inputting data, processing paperwork, and organizing materials in preparation of the return of both staff and students. PTA members have also been behind the scenes preparing for programs, events, and activities. I would like to extend a special thanks to all of them for their focused efforts as we quickly approach the first day of school.

 

Since staff members are still preparing for the opening of school, the building is not accessible to the public at this time. If you have a question or you need information, please inquire in the main office and we will assist you.

 

Over the next couple of weeks, many activities and events will take place. Both our Kindergarten Bus Orientation and New Student Orientation is scheduled for Thursday, September 2nd . A separate letter was mailed to communicate details about both events. School Photos will take place on Monday, September 13th with a raindate of Tuesday, September 14th. Curriculum Night for K, 1, and 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, September 22nd and Curriculum Night for 3, 4, and 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, September 29th. Our Welcome Back Picnic is also scheduled for Friday, September 24th from 5 pm 7 pm. Fridays are our designated backpack days at Increase Miller so be sure to look in your childs bookbag or folder for school updates. Also, please be sure to check our school and District website and the district calendar located online throughout the course of the year for current and future events.

 

As a reminder, Katonah-Lewisboro school hours for the 2010-2011 school year for grades 1-5 are 9:15 a.m. 3:40 p.m. but the first day of school, September 7th, start time is 11:15 a.m. We look forward to seeing you and enjoy the remaining days of summer!