Despite the afternoon rain and some FIRST DAY hiccups, Allenby is back in full swing and full of smiling faces. We apologize for the delay in the construction and the restricted playground area however the end is in sight. The good news is that we will be able to start setting up the two new classrooms today. For families with students not using the school agenda system this year, please read the School Information Handbook posted on the website with your child(ren). You may also request a hard copy from your child’s teacher.
Although the students are quickly learning (or remembering) the school routines, dismissal at 3:35 p.m. will continue to be an issue if parents/caregivers insist on waiting on the upper level at the front of the school. For safety reasons, all adults other than staff are to wait for students at the bottom of the stairs once kindergarten dismissal is over (3:25 p.m.). The grade 1 students from rooms 102, 103, and 104 need to use the front area near the main doors to line-up and wait for their teachers to dismiss them safely. We ask that everyone support Allenby with dismissal procedures.
Parents/guardians are also reminded that entry into the school early in the morning is strongly discouraged. Student washrooms are for students only, and parents/guardians are not permitted to go into the student washrooms with their children. During the school day, student washrooms are not considered public washrooms and are to be used by students only. The school does have adult washrooms that parents can use with their children in the case of emergencies.
Full Day Kindergarten is now implemented at Allenby. Due to the large class sizes, an additional English FDK teacher will be allocated to enable us to open a 5th English kindergarten classroom. Details about the English kindergarten reorganization will be sent out to affected families as soon as we have more information. The addition of FDK has increased the staff at Allenby by 15 new professionals, including teachers, Early Childhood Educators and Lunch Room Supervisors.
One way to meet the staff will be to attend the Allenby Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the gym for a general orientation, followed by two classroom information sessions. Teachers will not have time to discuss individual students however will provide information about classroom and curriculum expectations. UPDATE: Curriculum Night has been moved to September 23.
Please remember that many of our students have life-threatening allergies so it is essential that you adhere to the food restrictions that may be set up by your child’s teacher. As a school, we ask that no nut or nut products come to school at any time. For more information, please refer to the Allenby Guidelines for Allergen Avoidance.
Finally, we ask that all clothing and personal items coming to school be labelled. Every few months volunteers go through the items that are left at school only to accumulate in the Lost and Found area. Labelled items usually make their way back to the rightful owners.
Cate Spidle
Principal