Asheville Primary School
Family Connection 9/2/2020
SELF CARE
- eat healthy meals
- breathe
- drink water
- get plenty of rest
- play every day :)
WE THINK YOU ARE DOING AMAZING! Thank you for all you are doing to support your child's success in school.
A Message From Dr. Gene Regarding Parent Questions About Last Friday's Message
Following last Friday’s message, I’ve received a few inquiries asking for further clarification. Thank you for reaching out and advocating for your school community.
First and foremost, please understand that my intention was not to create a sense of fear or panic. I simply knew people would be concerned if they saw a group of folks walking around the building, and I was just trying to be as transparent as possible.
Earlier this week, I had the chance to meet with both Tima Williams, the Primary School Principal, and Susanna Smith, the Director of the Preschool Program. And, I wanted to share with you a bit about our conversation.
As we review our district-wide capital project plans over the next five years (including APS as well as Asheville High School’s track just to name a few), please know and understand that we are working together to find the best solutions. We want your child to have a safe, loving learning environment. However, due to the age of the Asheville Primary campus, there are certainly a few items we need to address in order to ensure the continued safety of our students and staff members.
For example, based on my experience with school renovations ($300+ million throughout my career), I believe there is mold and/or asbestos in presently undisturbed areas of your campus, like the floor or ceiling tiles away from our current classrooms. Additionally, our windows are antiquated and easy to break. And, of course, I always have the I-26 connector project in the back of my mind. Not only will the project eliminate parent and staff parking as well as limit bus access, but it’s also set to bring cars 40 to 50 feet closer to the building, which has me concerned about increased traffic sounds and air pollution from the highway being that much closer.
No final decisions have been made. In fact, these are just a few of the projects we’re exploring as part of the district’s behind the scenes work to support your child and family. But, I can promise you that, as your superintendent, I do not believe your school’s current structural condition is the best it can be for our staff, students and family. We can and must do better!
Before any recommendations are brought before The Asheville City Board of Education, I would appreciate hearing more from you. That’s why I’ll be hosting two virtual town halls on Tuesday, September 15th and Tuesday, October 13th at 5:00 PM. We’re still determining the best platform, but please know more information will follow.
Have a great night, and thank you for your time and understanding.
A Message From Principal Williams Regarding Upgrades to Our School Campus
The project to remove the mold and repair the piping issues has been completed. I will add a video of the new materials below. There have also been repairs to the roof, replacements of water and mold damaged materials, cleaning of the gutters and storage spaces to ensure a clean environment for our school family.
The next phase will be to clean and sanitize the air units in the classrooms. Each unit will be disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled to ensure good air quality in all the rooms.
I will continue to update you as we make improvements to our campus. Our children and staff deserve the best environment for learning that we can provide.
Tima
MONTESSORI
APS COUGAR CLUBS START TUESDAY: See details below
PRESCHOOL
WASH, WAIT, WEAR, THANKS
We wanted to let you know that beyond the washing of hands, waiting 6 feet away, and wearing face coverings, our custodians are cleaning and sanitizing classrooms, entrances, and hallways several times a day. We appreciate their hard work in helping to keep it safe for everyone! Please consider sending them a little gratitude this week with a sweet note, treat, or artwork to hang. Mr. Burt and Mr. Richard are on the "front lines" every day at APS and we would love for them to feel the gratitude!