Dear Abraham Lincoln Students and Families,
Thank you, All, for such a wonderful and smooth start to our new school year. It has been so wonderful to see old friends again and to get to know our new friends to Abraham Lincoln this year. Our staff is looking forward to a successful year working with your children and your families.
Arrival
Students may arrive between 8:40-8:50 a.m. each morning. If you plan to park your car and walk your child to the gate, please park on the opposite side of Forest Avenue or Somerset Avenue. There will likely be a lot of traffic and congestion so please drive slowly and bring your patience along. Pulling up along the school side of Forest Avenue in front of the school is reserved for car-riders who's student will unload with a staff member and walk into the gate independently while their parent stays in the driver's seat. This line keeps moving at a steady pace. We will unload 2 cars at a time. Please do not park your car and leave it unattended in this line. Everyone's cooperation makes the entire drop off and dismissal process so much easier for everyone.
Now that we have the first week of school under our belts, we ask parents to drop their student at one of the gates at 8:40a.m. This helps to clear congestion on the playground, allowing our staff to better supervise our students. It can be difficult to supervise small children with additional adults on the playgrounds.
If there is inclement weather and students are unable to play on the playground before school, all students will enter the school through the front entrance into the lobby and staff will accompany them to their classrooms. It appears we may be getting some rain next week. The adult at the front gate will notify students if they will be playing outside or coming directly inside to start the day. We really do try to tough it out if there is just a minor drizzle, as fresh air and free play is a wonderful way for everyone to start the day.
Dismissal
It is imperative that you have communicated with your child's teacher and/or the school office how your child will be going home after school prior to the first day of school. It is best to begin your child's regular dismissal routine on the first day rather than a special plan for that day. This will help ease anxiety for your child about the after school plan. If your child's plan will change at any point during the school year, please notify the school office prior to 2:30 p.m. that day to ensure we are able to communicate with your child's teacher. The best modes of communication are a note to your child's teacher sent in their school folder that morning, a call to the school office, or an email to the school office (abelincolnoffice@bangorschools.net.)
Attendance
Showing up on time every day is important to your child's success and learning beginning in Pre K. Building the habit of good attendance will help your child succeed in school. Some back to school routines to get a start on now include:
- setting a regular bedtime, typically 7-8 p.m. at this age,
- establishing a morning routine,
- a healthy meal routine,
- making lunches and laying out clothing and packing backpacks the night before and
- finalizing transportation and back-up transportation plans to and from school.
In looking ahead, try to schedule non-urgent medical appointments and extended trips when school is not in session. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school- and themselves. Start building this habit now so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in high school and beyond. If your child does need to miss school due to illness, please email or call the school office to notify us by 9:00 a.m. We must account for every student every day. If you're unsure whether to send your child to school due to symptoms, our school nurse can assist you. You can reach Nurse Wing at ewing@bangorschools.net or call the school office.
Contact Information
Information from the school will be sent primarily through emails, the Bangor App and push notifications. Please ensure your contact information including cell and email are up to date and notify the school office of any changes throughout the year. It is crucial that you keep us up to date with any changes to phone numbers, emails, and physical and mailing addresses in case we need to contact you during the school day should your child become ill at school.
I'm looking forward to a wonderful school year with you all. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Best,
Shannon Shaw, Principal
