From the Principal

Welcome to the new year! We are off to a smooth start. Thank you for supporting the school and making sure your children are ready for optimal performance each day. I hope you were able to read and discuss with your child my opening letter to the children. Because we are so safety and security conscious, your understanding about saying good-bye at the door is particularly helpful. Special thanks to Mrs. Voltz, Mrs. Prusik, Mrs. Frias and Mrs. McQuaid for helping organize a smooth opening for the students.

Birthday/ Healthy Nutritional Habits - We want to do our part to encourage healthy nutritional habits. Fast food lunches are strongly discouraged. Healthy lunches and snacks each day are encouraged and welcome. By Board of Education policy, small edible treats are permissible for birthday celebrations. Teachers need three days’ notice of what will be sent in due to the need to compare ingredients to student allergies. Treats must be simple finger foods carried in by the children at morning arrival. Mini muffins, munchkins, or something similar would be acceptable. Generally these snacks will be shared during morning snack. Because Coles will allow small edible treats, no non-edibles will be allowed. Please remember goody bags are not permitted for any occasion.

Back to School Night - Please keep the evening of Thursday, October 4 open. Coles will host a Back to School Night program. (Details are forthcoming.) It is a wonderful opportunity to visit and hear from the teachers. Remember, it will be a single session school day. We look forward to your participation.

Lunch Money - Please note that there has been an increase in milk prices. Lunch and milk service will both begin on Monday, September 10. In the meantime, please remember to send your child in with his/her lunch and snack. Lunch orders need to be placed by Wednesday. No late orders will be accepted.

Lunch Cancellation – If your child is absent due to illness and has ordered lunch, when you report the absence, you must also specifically request a credit for lunch for that day. Credits are given for illness absences only.

Coles Student Parent Handbook – This handbook is available on the Coles School website. You are encouraged to review it.

1. Absences and tardies, and their reasons, must be phoned in before 8:30 am
2. Bus riders - non-bus students may not ride district buses
3. Play dates must be arranged prior to entering school.

Playground - While the weather is nice, the children want to enjoy the playground. It would be very helpful if you could reinforce the following safety-based playground rules with your child:

1. Sneakers are needed for all climbing.
2. Students must stay in front of bushes where they are visible.
3. Reinforce school rule #5: Keep hands to self (No touching).
4. Within the railroad ties around the playground, no running.
5. On the slide, one at a time. Climb stairs, slide down with legs, feet, arms inside. NO running up slide or jumping off the top.
6. The barrel: One student at a time. (No pushing another student on it.)
7. The grade levels rotate so that one day they play on the blacktop, and the next day they play on the playground.