Pawsome News
August 23, 2019
Loring School 2019-2020
Dear Pawsome Loring Families,
This year at Loring School we will be focusing on building connections and kindness. When students feel connected to the adults and their peers, they are happier and enjoy school more. Our goal is for every Loring student to feel safe, connected and excited about school each day! Stay tuned for more about our work with building connections and kindness, and how you can be a part of this important work.
To prepare for the first day of school and those after, begin easing into a bedtime routine. Chances are, many have strayed from set routines while enjoying the summer months. I know the Harvey family has! The day is poised for greater success when we are all well rested. Prepare what you can at night: pack the backpack, lay out clothing, talk about options for breakfast and lunch to minimize the morning madness.
We can't wait to see all of our Pawsome students on August 28th!
Sara Harvey, Principal
David Gaita, Assistant Principal
BooHoo/WooHoo Breakfast
Parents/guardians of kindergarteners and new-to-Loring students are invited to Loring's annual Boo Hoo/Woo Hoo breakfast! Join us in Room 1 after drop-off on the first day of school for coffee and munchies. Whether you are crying or smiling after sending your kids off, this is a great opportunity to kick off the new school year and meet other new Loring parents.
All parents/guardians attending Boohoo/Woohoo should enter through the Library doors to sign in and will be directed by parent volunteers and signs to Room 1.
Be aware that parking is limited, particularly in the school parking lot. Plan on walking or parking on side streets and walking. Both Alta and Wagonwheel (path through woods to Loring) are good options, but Cutler Farm is a no parking zone. There should be NO PARKING in the area for drop off (as long as you are in a parking spot or off property, you are fine.) Enter through the library door only to sign in and a parent volunteer will be available to direct you.
Websites
Back-to-School Packet/Aspen
If you are new to Sudbury or a kindergarten family, you have already filled out these forms during registration. You will receive your Aspen information this fall. The information will be mailed to you. You won't need anything in the Aspen Family Portal until report cards come out in November. You will have your access information prior to that.
Loring Core Values
At Loring School, we are PAWSOME because we show our Core Values!
Respect ~ Responsibility ~ Caring ~ Best Effort
In each family newsletter, I will share our Word of the Week and our Core Value Action for the next two weeks. Please take some time to talk with your child(ren) about these important concepts. Our Word of the Week and Core Value Action will be shared during our morning announcements each day and discussed in classrooms during different times throughout the week. It would be important to make connections with your child(ren) while discussing these words at home.
Week of September 3, 2019
Word of the Week: KIND
Being helpful, agreeable, nice, considerate and friendly.
Core Value Action of the Week:
At Loring school, students and teachers are kind. To be kind, you can smile and make someone's day a little better. You can invite someone to play with you at recess or hold the door open for someone coming into the building. Giving a compliment can make a person feel good. What are some other ways you can be kind at school and at home?
Week of September 9, 2019
Word of the Week: CARING
Feeling and showing concern, kindness, and understanding toward others.
Core Value Action of the Week:
As we start the school year, remember to be kind and helpful in all situations at school, at home and in also your community. When you are caring, you are constantly considering what others are thinking and feeling in order to monitor and modify your behavior.
Loring Staffing Updates
A Pawsome Welcome
Please join me in welcoming some new staff members to our Loring community this year. We are pleased to have such talented educators join our team. New staff members include:
Michele Korman - Special Education Assistant
Ms. Korman joins us from Curtis Middle School and had worked at Loring prior as a long term substitute teacher. We are so happy to have Ms. Korman back with us.
Olivia Hanlon - First Grade Teacher
Ms. Hanlon completed her student teaching at the Countryside School in Newton. She also worked as an education assistant in the first grade at the Pine Hill School in Sherborn and was a teaching intern at the Chestnut Hill School in Chestnut Hill. Ms. Hanlon is a Pawsome addition to our teaching staff.
Tracey Kersley - Speech and Language Pathologist
Ms. Kersley joins us from Swallow Union Elementary School in Dunstable. She has worked as a Speech and Language Pathologist there for the last 8 years with students in grades k-4. Ms. Kersley is a great addition to our Loring staff.
A Pawsome Goodbye
We are also saying goodbye to some Pawsome educators and are in the process of hiring some new members of our Loring Community. These new hires will be introduced soon.
Administrative Assistant to the Principal - Mrs. McLaughlin
Spanish Teacher - Ms. Alberto
School Psychologist - Mrs. Mahoney
Arrival For First Day, August 28th
Kindergarten: Kindergarten students will meet their teachers in the Lunch Room. If students are walking, they should be dropped off at the outer Lunch Room door (SED door) where a staff member will meet them and direct them to their teacher/class. If students arriving by car or bus, staff members will help them get to the Lunch Room to meet their teacher/class.
1st/2nd Grade: Students in 1st and 2nd grades will meet their teachers in the gym. Students will enter the building and be greeted by a staff member to direct them.
3rd/4th/5th Grade Students: Students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade will proceed directly to classrooms.
Other Information:
Students:
- Arriving by Car - will enter through the doors near the gym or library
- Arriving by Bus - will enter through the front doors
- Walking -
- will enter through the outer Lunch Room doors (kindergarten only)
- will enter through the front doors (grades 1-5)
Kindergarten and 1rst grade students will be escorted off the buses on the first few days by staff members.
Unless previously arranged or staff determines other arrangements are necessary, parents are asked to plan on parting ways with their children at the school doors. This will allow staff to easily direct students and eliminate any unnecessary crowding in the lobby and hallways.
There will be a lot of staff available to help all students get to where they need to be. Please do not worry!
Car Drop Off/Pick Up
Car Drop: Staff members will be outside on the sidewalk between the gym and library doors at 8:45 a.m. Please do not leave your child(ren) without staff members present. Car drop off is an active process to keep the cars moving. At 8:55 a.m., school doors will be closed and secured. If your child(ren) arrive after 8:55 a.m., they are late but still Pawsome. Please park and sign your child(ren) in at the front office.
Car Pickup: Please remember to display your yellow card for pickup on your dashboard visible to staff members on duty. If you are new to Loring, you will be receiving one the first day of school in your child's backpack. If you do not have a yellow card after the first day, please email Sara Harvey and David Gaita with your child's name and teacher.
The gates for car pickup will open at 3:00 p.m. each afternoon. The car pickup process is the same as last year, which is entering by the baseball field and following the drive around the school and exiting on the opposite side. Car pickup is an active process to keep the cars moving. If you have any questions at all, please reach out.
Car pickup ends at 3:35 p.m. All remaining students will be brought to the front office to be picked up there.
Walking
If your child is a Walker this year, here is some helpful information for a safe and smooth arrival and dismissal.
Arrival - If your child walks to school in the morning, it is important to know that they should enter through the front door of the school. The doors open at 8:45 a.m., when we are staffed. Your child should not be arriving much earlier than 8:45 a.m., as the doors will not be opened, and we do not have staff available to monitor the safety of your child.
Dismissal - Walkers are provided a color coded (Pink-Green) walker card to exit the building. This card displays the students name, the days of the week that they are dismissed as a walker, and any clubs they may attend.
Walkers should exit through the dining room only. All walkers need to check out with the Loring staff member where they will hand in their walker card as they leave. The front office checks the walker cards each evening to ensure that all walkers have picked up their card for the day, and exited the building at dismissal. Phone calls are made to families/guardians of any student(s) who have not turned in their card on a day that they should be walking.
Below is an explanation of the color coding system. Walker cards are placed on a table at the entrance of the dining room. We try to provide an appropriate color walker card for your student, but feel free to let the front office know of any changes or adjustments.
- Pink - A pink walker card indicates that your child may not walk alone, or check out with the Loring staff member unless they are with an older sibling who has a green walker card, or a parent or guardian accompanying them. Students who typically have a pink walker card are grades K-3. All parents/guardians of students with a pink walker card must enter the building and escort your child out, checking out with the Loring staff member.
- Green - A green walker card indicates that your child may walk alone. Your child will exit through the dining room and check out with the Loring staff member.
Please let us know if you have any questions regarding the walker policy or process.
Bus Information
Throughout the year if there any questions or concerns about the bus you can e-mail our Assistant Principal David Gaita at david_gaita@sudbury.k12.ma.us
Contact Us
Email: sara_harvey@sudbury.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.sudbury.k12.ma.us/Domain/9
Location: 80 Woodside Road, Sudbury, MA, USA
Phone: 978-579-0870
Mark Your Calendars:
- No school on Friday, August 30th or Monday, September 2nd
Picture Day, September 11th
Leopard Fest, September 14th at 5 pm
General PTO Meeting, September 18th at 9:15 am
Open House, September 24th (schedule coming out soon)
Rosh Hashanah (No School), September 30th