Welcome back to school news you can use from the Marion Cross School Principal
Welcome back to school information for you
I received this information from Shawn Gonyaw, Marion Cross school principal, and thought it would be nice to share it with the community so that you stay informed with the welcoming back to school guidelines.
Marion Cross School Welcome back information
Shawn Gonyaw
Principal
Greg Bagnato
Coordinator of Student Services
Welcome Back Information
I hope this message finds you enjoying the fresh snow and many days of quality family time. This break has been relaxing for me, as the HVAC work has forced me to spend my time at home rather than at the school building. I must admit that working from home during school vacation is much more enjoyable than coming to work in a building void of students and staff.
Yesterday, Superintendent Badams sent out a message sharing the status of the HVAC project. The great news is that we will be coming back to a building that is fully compliant with all air quality standards. Our school is certainly fortunate to have been eligible for the federal grant funding that supported this project. The not so great news, especially for all the students and staff eager to return to school, is that the project requires one additional day to complete. This will result in Monday, January 4th being a no school day for students and staff. This includes in person and remote learners. Our first day back from the holiday break will be Tuesday, January 5th. Thanks once again for your flexibility.
Talking about our return on Tuesday, January 5th, we have another exciting announcement. Because of work done by Greg Bagnato, Jamie Teague, and members of the SAU office, all MCS students now qualify for free breakfast and lunches. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please visit our website, create a Fresh Picks account, and order the meals that you would like for your child. All meals are delivered to MCS and are free of charge. Moving forward, all milk orders will also need to be done online using the Fresh Picks account. Please visit, https://www.marioncross.org/resources/food-service to learn more and to create an account. Free breakfast and lunch will be available to MCS students through the remainder of the school year.
We continue to do everything possible to keep MCS students, staff, and families healthy. Health screenings will continue during morning drop off, along with temp checking, and increased sensitivity about allowing sickness to enter our building. The weather over the next few months will only continue to get colder. Because of this, there are a few requests that will make the drop off time smoother and faster. Those staff members who stand outside in the cold each morning appreciate you considering the following…
Please have your children ready to exit the vehicle. That means backpack in lap, and mask, jacket, boots, and mittens on.
Please have the child you are dropping off seated on the passenger side. It is dangerous for parents and children to get out of vehicles on the driver’s side. As snow accumulates and the drive gets narrower, it is essential that children exit the vehicle on the passenger side.
Please do not come late. All members of the screening/greeting team have other commitments once this time is over. Please plan to come between 7:50AM and 8:10AM.
Please continue with the friendly good mornings. As a morning greeter, I enjoy seeing students and families each morning. Your kind words and greetings keep us warmer on cold mornings!
I wanted to inform you that starting Tuesday, January 5th we will use our gymnasium for classes. The air quality will allow the gymnasium to be safely used. Students will continue to wear masks and we will only have one grade level using the gymnasium over a two week time period. The HVAC renovation coincided perfectly with the coming of cold weather.
Finally, please continue to work with us to allow in person school. Be sure to keep children home when they are sick, avoid social gatherings, maintain distancing, and wear masks. In looking at our attendance data and comparing last school year and this one, we have much better attendance this school year. Without a doubt, the careful screening we are doing and your efforts to keep sickness out of our building are paying off.
I look forward to welcoming students back to school on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:50AM. Enjoy the remaining days of break.
See you soon!
Shawn
