Dear Parents,
I am so happy to welcome you and your children back to Central Elementary for the 2009-10 school year. Now that vacation is almost over, I am looking forward to catching up with you and all your summer news. I hope you have enjoyed your vacation and are looking forward, as we are, to the first day of school. It is wonderful to be back on site getting things ready to start a brand new school year. As teachers return and begin setting up their rooms, the excitement of a new year starts to build. But the school does not live and breathe until our students are back with their smiles and boundless energy. We have some very exciting improvements over the summer that you may notice when you return. Site Improvements: * Electrical upgrades in rooms 1-12 * Upgraded phone systems * New student information system * Repaired and repaved driveway to playground * Resealed, weather coated and freshly painted playground * New signage on office doors and library (courtesy of our PTA) Please stop in to take a peek at the new improvements!
Staffing: Along with our "new" look we are thrilled to welcome four new teachers to our staff. Mrs. Julie Grogan-Crane, our new PM Kindergarten teacher, received her Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education in England. She taught in South England for six years before moving to California. Mrs. Grogan-Crane is well known to us as an outstanding substitute teacher and Central parent. Ms. Jennifer Sanchez will be our new First Grade teacher, giving us four first grades this year for the first time. Ms. Sanchez has taught in primary grades and served as a Reading Specialist for nine years in Southern California. She holds a Master's Degree in Education and has been a Language Arts professional development trainer of teachers throughout the state. Ms. Cristin Coleman will join our Fourth Grade team. Ms. Coleman completed her education at UC Davis and Dominican University of California. She served as Nicole McKee's Student Teacher this past year in Mill Valley for those who remember Nicole. She is assuming Claire Brown's position. Mrs. Brown will be moving to second grade at Central. Ms. Dawn Angelica, our new K/1 Special Day teacher, comes to us from Esther B. Clark School in Palo Alto, where she has worked for the past seven years. She has her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and will replace Joane Nelson who has left the district. We are very fortunate to have these outstanding new teachers as part of our teaching team.
The STAR (SAT 9) test scores for Belmont-Redwood Shores school district arrived over the summer. Students who took the test last spring should receive their individual results in the mail within the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, if you wish to see Central's overall test scores you can go to the following: star.cde.ca.gov/star2009/viewreport.asp.
Just a reminder: Your child's class and teacher will be posted at 3:00 on Tuesday, August 25 in front of the school. School begins at 8:25 for grades 1-5 on Wednesday, August 26. Wednesday is a minimum day, which means the first day of school dismissal for grades 1-5 is 12:20.
Please add to your calendar our upcoming Back to School Barbeque on Sunday September 13th from 12:30 - 3:30. This annual event will be held on Central's playground area and is an excellent chance for families to come together to renew friendships and make new ones. I will be looking forward to the first day of school and to sharing an exciting, productive and successful school year.
Warmest regards,
Cori McKenzie
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