Happy New Year!
January 1,2022
Welcome Back Message from Mrs. Kilday
Happy New Year Rodman Families!
I am eager to ring in 2022 with our staff, students and families! What a wonderful gift…to have a new beginning! It will be a busy year I am sure and although we may be off to a rocky start with the COVID surge, I am optimistic it will be a good one.
I am eager to work with all of you and our staff as we help our preschool friends grow and develop. I am looking forward to finding more opportunities to connect with all of you as we move forward this year. Our program will be working on a self study process as we work toward NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) accreditation. Through this process we will take a close look at our curriculum, teaching, practices etc. and you will be important partners for us in this work. We will seek your input often. I applaud our staff for continuing to value the importance of this process as we work toward achieving the NAEYC torch of excellence. Your children deserve the highest quality early childhood experience and we are committed to making sure that is just what they are getting!
Speaking of parent involvement, we have an opportunity to offer you. Our program has a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee designed to guide our work in this area and support our values of inclusion and belonging for all. We are looking for parent volunteers to join us. We meet once a month on Mondays from 1:45-2:30. Please email me if you are interested in joining our group. We need you at the table! We need your voices!
Our community peer lottery will be happening in February. More details will be coming on this soon so watch your email! If your child already attends the program, you will have first priority for the lottery. The lottery is only for placement for students NOT on an IEP. If your child is on an IEP their placement is determined by the IEP team. This Thursday, January 6th, I will be presenting to our school committee an overview of the preschool, which I fondly refer to as the “State of the Preschool Address”. I will also be sharing proposed tuition for the 202-2023 school year to our school committee. Please consider viewing this meeting. I think you will enjoy our presentation.
Now, regarding the COVID surge we are seeing in our state. You have, and will continue to, receive information from our district on how we are responding to this latest wave as well as information regarding updated isolation and quarantine guidance.
I will continue to update you on the positive cases in our school. Right now I know of one positive case. Because of the break, this person has not been in school and so no close contacts at the Rodman have been identified. I know this surge, along with a return to school, is weighing on the minds of many of you. I hear you. Please know that you can reach out to myself or Nurse Bailey at any time. We are here for you.
Let me highlight a few of our plans to address this latest surge in cases:
We have thoroughly cleaned all of the buildings over break.
All of the unit ventilators have been vacuumed and oiled. All of the filters have been changed and are working properly.
We continue to have a custodian, Mr. Steve, on staff to help keep our facilities cleaned during the day. We are very fortunate to have him and the kids love him!
Our staff will have the opportunity to pick up a rapid, at home COVID test to be used prior to returning to school on Monday.
Pool testing will resume on Tuesday morning for all who have signed up. If you have not signed your child up yet. PLEASE consider doing so! We need to utilize every tool in our tool box to contain this virus and protect our preschoolers. Our little friends may often be asymptomatic, so early detection is important to their safety and to curb the spread. We would like to invite our three day friends to come in on Tuesday between 9:30 and 10:30 to participate.
If you wish to sign your child up for the pool testing, or any of our testing options please follow the links below:
To participate in the testing program BOTH forms must be completed.
To register and sign the consent for student AND staff COVID-19 Testing, please click HERE.
To select COVID-19 testing OPTIONS for students AND staff, please click HERE.
Testing options include Test and Stay, Symptomatic Testing, and Covid Safety Checks (Pooled Testing done on Tuesdays weekly).
Thank you to all who have already participated in this option.
We know our youngest learners do best when they are in school, playing, learning and being with their teachers and peers. It is our sincere hope to keep them in school and yet we acknowledge their vulnerability regarding this virus. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns. We appreciate all that you do in partnering with us to make this happen.
Finally, may 2022 be a year that brings us all good health and happiness. May we see our children soar higher than we ever thought possible! We have high expectations for them!
Have a great night everyone.
I look forward to seeing you next week.
Donna
Donna M Kilday M Ed
Early Childhood Coordinator
Rodman Early Childhood Program
Email: kildayd@cantonma.org
Website: www.cantonma.org
Location: 960 Washington Street, Canton, MA, USA
Phone: 781-821-5060
Twitter: @CPS_ECC