Thursday, August 16, 2018

Our first week in review at PCE!

Good afternoon PCE Parents!

We are off to a great start!  We have great students, teachers and parents that have worked really hard to make this year a good one.

During this first week, we have reviewed and analyzed some of our beginning of the year practices! As we continue to grow as a school we are noticing that we are having trouble fitting the entire student body in one spot (flag raising was a great example) so we will restructure events that are for the entire body to create more room and less chaos!  Thank you for your patience as we work through these growing pains!  Currently our student body is 645 students kindergarten through 6th grade so that's a lot of bodies in one space!

Speaking of students, as you can see we have grown in total numbers, which means we have grown in class sizes.  We pride ourselves on maintaining small class sizes, but as we grow we are running out of physical classrooms.  Please know this DOES NOT mean our class sizes will just grow and grow without support!  We have hired more instructional assistants and staff to support all of our students!  We will continue to watch classroom sizes and adjust accordingly.  Currently our largest class size is 28 and thankfully we only have a couple that high.  Depending on grade level our class sizes vary between 22 and 28.

I want to thank all of our parents that have abided by the right turn only as they exit the driveway during arrival and dismissal.  Being a creature of habit myself,  I know it is hard to break routine but I do feel like this is much safer for our children.  I have noticed that many parents turn on FireBrick and then take a u-turn to get back on Bradbury Ranch.  It dawned on me that parents that do not live in this immediate neighborhood may not understand the side streets!  So... If you choose to turn on Firebrick -- you can continue around the loop and you will come back to the four-way stop at  Auburn Hills and Bradbury or you can turn left and that street will eventually take you out to Jordan or Main Street.  If you choose to take the Night Heron Way--  Night Heron will loop around the back of the school and you will end up at the north end of Bradbury Ranch by the light at Main Street.  Both of these routes circle back to Bradbury Ranch and taking advantage of these loops decrease traffic congestion right in front of the school and make it safer for our students.  Right Turn MAP

I also want to remind all parents that we have many children with food allergies. Due to this concern and our healthy schools initiative we do not allow birthday treats in the classroom.  We know how important birthdays are to kids so we celebrate them in other ways, they are recognized on the morning announcements, within the classrooms, they also get a small treat (pencil/sticker) from the office and have their picture taken for the TV outside the office.  This year we have also given parents the option of "renting" the big electronic sign for a birthday message.  Please know we are not trying to be insensitive but rather keep all kids safe.   Birthday Message Sign ups

This year you also have the opportunity to customize your own PCE spirit wear!  Follow this link to check out what you can create--- flyers will be coming home soon for free shipping code that you can use during the weeks of August 24th through September 10th.  PCE SPIRIT WEAR

On Monday, August 27th we will have a kick-off assembly for our PCE fundraiser  RUN WITH THE PACK!  The actual Fun Run will be held September 6th.  We are raising money  to continue our technology program, playground improvements, and community events.  Last year, PCEA gave us money for a shade area and it was finally installed this week.  It looks great!

Don't forget about Back to School night on Thursday August 30th from 5:30-7:00!  We will have food trucks and lots of information to share!

Save the date!!  September 4th our first PCEA meeting (Prairie Crossing Educational Alliance/ Parent Teacher Organization) will be in the library at 6:30pm.

Thank you for all you do to support Prairie Crossing!

Carrie Rotherham
Principal

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