The Gayman Gazette
Respect-Responsibility-Cooperation-Good Sportsmanship
August 30, 2013
Upcoming Imortant Dates
Tuesday, September 3rd – First Day of School for all Students
Thursday, September 5th – Rosh Hashanah – NO SCHOOL
Monday, September 9th – Back-to-School (Kindergarten & Grade 1) – 5:45 – 6:45 PM
Monday, September 9th – Back-to-School (Grade 2 & Grade 3) – 7:15 – 8:15 PM
Thursday, September 12th – Back-to-School (Grade 4 & Grade 5) – 5:45 – 6:45 PM
Thursday, September 12th – Back-to-School (Grade 6) – 7:15 – 8:15 PM
Wednesday, September 18th – Kindergarten/New Family Picnic – 5:30 PM
Monday, September 23rd – Picture Day
Thursday, September 26th – Home & School Meeting in Library – 7:30 PM
Friday, September 27th – Evacuation Drill to Tohickon Middle School
GAYMAN'S 2013-2014 GOALS
1. RELA (Reading & Language Arts) - We will be examining current research about inquiry-based learning in reading and grammar instruction.
2. Health & Wellness - In accordance with the Pennsylvania State Health & Wellness Guidlines, we will promote the importance of healthy eating and routine exercise for our students to lead healthy lives.
3. (IST) Instructional Support Team - We will streamline our procedures to best support all students and educate our community about our IST procedures.
Recess Before Lunch
As part of this year’s Health & Wellness Initiative, we will be moving to recess before lunch as opposed to recess after lunch.
Mr. Testani has been considering making this shift for quite some time as there is much research to support it:
Children's behavior improves during afternoon instruction
- Children’s ability to focus during afternoon instruction improves
Children’s diet improves and amount of plate waste is reduced (which suggests children are eating more of their lunch)
- Frequency of visits to the nurse reduces during the afternoon
While hand sanitizing and hand washing opportunities will be made available to the children, parents are encouraged to send a small bottle of hand sanitizer to school with their children (particularly if they are packing a lunch).
New Dismissal Car Rider Routine
This year we will be instituting a slightly new dismissal procedure for car-riders. If you plan to pick-up your child from school, please display your “family name” placard in your car window. This makes our car-rider dismissal safer and more efficient. Placards will be distributed during car-rider dismissal the first week of school. Please clearly write your last name on the placard and place on the dashboard so it is visible from the curb of the school. These will also be available in the office throughout the school year.
Also, please pull your car all the way through the curve in front of the new flagpole. This allows more cars to pull into the parking lot enabling the maximum number of children to safely board.
We appreciate your attention to this new procedure.
Ice Cream Social - Come One, Come All!
Please join us on Friday, September 6th at 6:30 PM on the Gayman playground for our annual kick-off Ice Cream Social.
For more information and registration form please click here.
2013-2014 Cafe Prices
Breakfast Meal-$1.55 If eligible - Reduced price $0.30
Lunch Meal-$2.45 If eligible - Reduced price $0.40
Milk $0.70
Children are encouraged to take a fruit or vegetable with every lunch they purchase in our cafeteria. This is consistent with the USDA requirements.
BACK TO SCHOOL FOR OUR PARENTS
Back to School Night - September 9th, Grades KDG & 1st, 5:45 - 6:45 PM
Back to School Night - September 9th, Grades 2nd & 3rd, 7:15 - 8:15 PM
Back to School Night - September 12th, Grades 4th & 5th, 5:45 - 6:45 PM
Back to School Night - September 12th, Grades 6th, 7:15 - 8:15 PM
Register for the Parent Portal
In an effort to minimize paper usage, most future communications will be through the parent portal. If you have not done so already, sign up for the parent portal to access information regarding Gayman’s many school and Home & School events.
From the Nurse
Please take a moment to visit The Health Office section of our website. You will find a great deal of health and contact information on this website.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE TEXT ALERTS ON YOUR CELL PHONE!
In addition to the email messenger alerts that you already receive, we are now able to provide text messaging for emergency school closings, delayed openings, early dismissals, and bus transportation issues to your cell phone. Text messages will only be sent to recipients who have subscribed to receive them. Follow the instructions on the website in order to receive alerts from CBSD, Gayman and Transportation. Please go to:
- Parent Resources (Tab at the top)
- Look for Quick Links
- Choose Text Message Alerts Information under Quick Links - follow the instructions.
Your cell phone must be on file with us. Parents can review the cell phone we have on file by reviewing their demographic information on the Parent Portal.
PARENT PORTAL INFORMATION
To check your infomation in our system go to www.CBSD.org go under Parents/Students and then Parent Portal on the left.
Boomerang Award
This year, Gayman will continue to accept nominations for the Boomerang Award, which is our way of honoring students who best demonstrate their own developmental assets. What are Developmental Assets? Students possessing a combination of “40 Assets” are typically most successful in school and in life. These assets have the power to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. For a complete listing of the 40 Developmental Assets visit: www. Search-institute.org.
September: #2 Positive Family Communication. Young person and his/her parents communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents.
VISIT US ON THE WEB
Gayman Elementary School
4440 Point Pleasant Pike
Doylestown, PA 18902
267.893.4350