Happy Labor Day weekend, Alcova families!

Beginning THIS Wednesday, September 7th, we will be hosting another round of auditions for ANOTHER musical opportunity for your talented students! The Alcova D.R.U.M. ensemble is an instrumental ensemble that focuses on instilling our young musicians with the core principles of Discipline, Respect, and Unity through Music. Auditions are open to all 3rd - 5th grade students who are looking for challenging and engaging performance opportunities. Please scan the QR code found on the attached flyer or visit the link found below for more information and to sign your child up for an audition. Spots are limited!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4ca8a92eaafdc52-20221

Thank you, and have a wonderful long weekend!

Mr. Holder

We still have many parents who have not completed the Free and Reduced Lunch application and their student is in a pending status until September 14th. After September 14th they will be charged full price per meal.

Parents: If you have not already, please complete the annual Lunch Form. For the past two years, this has not been required as all meals have been free. However, moving forward, lunch meals in our cafeteria will be charged to students/adults. While this does qualify families for Free and Reduced Meals, please compete regardless as it also can qualify parents for additional benefits to both families and the school for additional resources, etc. This year, I am asking for all families to complete the form as we are returning to a typical school year. Please click here to be directed to the Free and Reduced Lunch Application.

Please check your student(s) cafeteria balance and sign off on important orientation agreements by going to My Payments Plus.

If you have a emergency transportation change request you must email 978.transportation@gcpsk12.org for the change to be processed. Please use this email only for "day of" emergency changes, where you were not able to send a note in with your student. Change request must be received no later than 1:30 pm to guarantee the change request will be processed.

Thank you for your continued patience as we try to make our car rider line as efficient as possible given the volume of vehicles we have each day. I am working with GCPS Facilities, Planning, and Construction and the Department of Transportation. They designed our traffic pattern and will be tweaking it to find the best route.

Here are a few tidbits to help us in the meantime.

In the mornings:

• If you arrive to school early, your child must remain in their vehicle until 7:45 bell.
• Follow the traffic pattern
• Pull all the way forward before letting your child out of our vehicle
• Only turn right out of the driveway
• Do not remove barricades or cones
• Do not let your child out of the car in the parking lot or on the side of the road
• After 8:15am, please park and check your child in tardy at the front desk

In the afternoons:

• Pull all the way forward before stopping to let your child in your vehicle
• If you’re checking out your child, the cutoff time is 2:15pm but I would recommend earlier to prevent a delay getting out of the parking lot
• Do not remove barricades or cones

Additionally, I am trying to find a crossing guard to help our walkers cross the driveway to the nearby neighborhoods, but there is a shortage. I have also submitted a request to have a police officer to help direct traffic.

If you are willing to volunteer your time to assist our teachers in the parking lot, I encourage you to use this link to indicate your interest.

Again, thank you for adhering to the abovementioned.

Below is our traffic pattern- please review the BLUE arrows on the map for Alcova ES Parent Drop off and Pick Off Plan.

It is hard to believe that it is time to start thinking about the holiday season. Please check out the flyer below from the Salvation Army if you are in need of a little assistance this year.