October 1, 2016
 
Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
Each day on my drive to Central Falls, I cruise by the reservoir in South Attleboro.  I always try to be in the right lane on Route 95 because I love to try and see the swans. On the best days, there are 5 or more swimming nearby. Their beauty always carries me into my day at Robertson and Captain Hunt.  So much 'swan magic' has happened in our first month of school. :) The teachers have been busy establishing rituals and routines and as I pop into classrooms at both schools each day, I am in awe of incredible students who are bright, capable and overall, seem joyful within their new classroom communities. 
 
This month, we would love to have you visit our classroom communities; meetings have been planned for families to come into our classrooms to visit this Wednesday, October 5th from 4-5pm at Robertson and on Tuesday, October 25th from 4:15-5:15pm at Captain Hunt.  At these group meetings, the teachers will speak with you about your child's daily schedule and also about Curriculum Highlights and learning goals.  These include our process to help Kindergarteners become READERS and to help Preschoolers to learn to identify their name, the letters in their name, shapes, colors and beyond. We hope that your will be able to attend. (Children are welcome to come as well.)  At the beginning of November, we will follow with individual family meetings regarding each child's individual progress. The group meetings in October will be in the classrooms but will be for each classroom community as a whole and include information about the classroom schedule, curriculum and general learning goals for the group.
 
During September, the teachers and I met a few times. We reflected on the beginning of the year and the amazing progress that young learners are making already. However, many faculty and staff are already worried about the number of times that some of the little ones have been absent from school.  We know that sometimes young children become ill. Certainly, if your child is not feeling well, we absolutely understand that he/she needs to be home and seek medical attention, if appropriate. That said, we desperately want children who are well to be at school in order not to miss lessons/curriculum. In the last 5 years, Robertson and Captain Hunt have increased the rate of attendance of our students by 10 percent but we are eager to work collaboratively with you to do better than that. With the help of our District Attendance Officer, "Miss Marlene," who came aboard in CF last year, we are excited to collectively realize our hope of having children attend 95% or more of our school days. With #95 on our horizon, Miss Marlene is currently in the process of making plans to visit all of the families of students who attend Captain Hunt and Robertson. #homevisits (Some families may already have had a visit.) Her intention, on our behalf, is absolutely not to intrude but instead to be an ambassador for our school community. She is going to reiterate that we are eager to be partners with you as your early learner begins his/her education. At the short visit with you, she hopes to share research with you on the importance of attendance. She is also collecting information about what our schools can do to improve and be helpful to your family as your child begins his/her school journey in CF.
 
I recently googled 'swans.' I found out a lot of things that I didn't know about them. I love that they stay together for life, are highly intelligent and know and remember who has been kind to them. With those & other 'swan facts' on my heart, I absolutely hope that your amazing, young child is having a 'swanlike' experience at school this year with lots of kindnesses remembered. Thank you in advance and always for your partnership as the teachers and I work with you to help your early learner love learning and thrive within this first school experience.
 
With October Gratitude,
 
 
 
 
 
Beth Tanner, MS Ed
Principal
 
PS This month, we are also excited to welcome more volunteers into our classroom communities. Please email or call our Home School Liaison, Miss Lucellis or email her at nievel@cfschools.net to sign up to volunteer or return the form that she sent home last week. We need and are excited to have your help and support. #ParentsAsPartners
 

 
Summer, 2016
 
Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
I love lupines!  In my favorite children’s story, Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, Miss Rumphius is a librarian who tries to do something to make the world more beautiful. She travels to faraway places and eventually lives by the sea (in a place that seems like Rhode Island) but wants to do something grand. She eventually sows lupine seeds everywhere and the world is changed with the sea of color the lupines create.) Most of the teachers and staff know that I LOVE Miss Rumphius.  And so, last June, one of our teachers gave me some lupine plants from her garden. I brought that big green bucket of earth and plants home from Rhode Island in the trunk of my little MINI Cooper and transplanted them that night to our little city garden in Beantown. A few days later, I came home from school and noticed that all of the plants were in full bloom ~ a rainbow of colors. It made my day!
 
The teachers and I are so excited for the 2016-17 school year and wish that we could welcome each family with a bunch of lupines. We are eager for your partnership. Please consider volunteering in our school community this year. Research shows that our school will be a more effective if parents are involved; with that on our hearts, we invite you to participate in our early learning community in big and little ways. Please call Miss Kathy at Captain Hunt School or Miss Michele at MI Robertson Elementary to receive information about volunteering during this year. We are excited to work with you! This is going to be a big year.
 
In both Preschool and Kindergarten, we hope to help your child to feel safe in our classroom communities with routines and rituals that we establish to guide your child’s day. The Kindergarten teachers will quickly work to help the Kindergartners to learn all of their letters and sounds and then, by the end of the year hopefully, be reading fluently and be able to identify 100 sight words. The Preschool teachers will work to help the students to identify their names as a symbol and then, by the end of the year, work to learn as many letters and sounds as possible. In Math, the students at both schools will be Sorting, Classifying, Patterning, Adding, Subtracting and learning Numeracy skills ~ even using ’10 frames’ in Kindergarten. The teachers and I know that we will work as hard as we can to help your child; ultimately, your child’s success depends on our partnership with you. Thank you in advance for your help on this ‘beginning of your child’s schooling’ journey. Preschool and Kindergarten today and tomorrow, Brown University, Providence College, URI or Rhode Island College!
 
The afternoon that I found the sea of lupines in our little patch of city green, I was so ‘tickled pink’ that I immediately shared my joy with my husband. He started to laugh. Unbeknownst to me, he had gone to the garden shop while I was at school and bought lupine plants in full bloom. He had added the rainbow of flowers to the plants that I was given. When I went back outside and looked closer, I realized that the plants that I was gifted were still there and the buds were just emerging but the plants in full bloom were a little bit different. Nevertheless, they were all beautiful and had blended into a sea of color. The teachers & staff know that I especially love Miss Rumphius because, to me, the flowers are a metaphor for each unique child in the world.  We look forward to meeting your amazing gift as well as your family at our Family Barbecue from 4-6pm on Tuesday, August 30th at Captain Hunt School or 4-6pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at MI Robertson Elementary.  We may not have bunches of lupines for each family but we promise to have yummy hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, watermelon and ice cream for your entire family. We hope to see you there!
 
Happy School!
 
Warmly,
Beth Tanner, MS Ed
Principa

02 de junio de 2016
 
Estimado Padre/Tutor:
 
 El aniversario de bodas de mis padres es el 14 de junio. Mi foto favorita de mi Mamá y mi Papá, ese día, es una foto de mi madre en su vestido de novia tocando la batería con la banda y, en los alrededores, mi papá se sienta en el borde de la tarima con la cabeza en sus manos. Muchos años después y 6 niños más tarde, recuerdo que mis padres llegaron de un viaje de compras. Mamá quería un nuevo portarrollos de papel higiénico. Papá había estado enfermo desde hace unos años y a pesar de que no se estaba sintiendo muy bien y mis padres no tenían mucho  dinero en efectivo en el momento, llevo a  mamá hasta la ferretería de madera  Dill’s Lumder Yard. (Nuestra versión de Home Depot) En la ferretería de madera, mi papá le compró a mi  mamá el portarrollos más lujoso  que había. Entre su boda y muchos años antes  de la compra de ese portarrollos de papel higiénico, mi mamá y mi papá habían vivido años de 'felices para siempre.'
 
Para mí,  se siente como un ' feliz por siempre ' cuando los maestros y yo  nos reunimos  con sus increíbles niños en reuniones familiares en Agosto del año pasado. Desde ese tiempo, muchas cosas han pasado! Nos hemos reído mucho con los  chistes de knock knock  y hemos llorados al dejar a sus hijos por primera vez en el kínder. Bailamos al ritmo de la banda de títeres Toe Jam Puppet Band  y los hemos llamado para hablar de cosas  grandes y pequeñas que sucedieron en la escuela. Vimos el Ballet y visitamos el Zoológico. 
Conocimos  un Cocodrilo y  a  Mamá Ganso. Nos vestimos con nuestras camisetas de uniforme rojo, blanco y azul con orgullo pero a veces demostrábamos nuestro espíritu escolar con pelo, medias disparejas, y nos vestimos con trajes  tontos. Los estudiantes de kindergarten aprendieron a leer y escribir y hacer cálculos de 10. Los preescolares aprendieron Letras y sonidos, su nombre y cómo contar. Practicar siendo amable y aprendieron a tener: 'ojos mirando, cuerpo calmados, orejas escuchando, boca cerrada.' Después de todo, nos convertimos en una familia de la escuela.
 
Cada vez que estoy  en 'casa' con mi familia en Nueva York, veo ese lujoso portarrollos de papel higiénico.  A propósito sepan que incluso con  una pequeña halada, el portarrollos que  nunca realmente  ha trabajado termina volando por el piso del baño. Nunca me he frustrado por esto.  Siempre me hace sonreír porque es un símbolo del amor de mi papá a mi mamá. En nombre de todos los profesores y personal, gracias por regalarnos  el privilegio y el honor de pasar un año con sus pequeños. Gracias por un año de amor.
 
Con Mucho Agradecimiento,
 Beth Tanner, Ed MS
Directora

June 2, 2016
 
Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
My parents' wedding anniversary is June 14th. My favorite picture of my Mom and Dad, on that day, is a photo of my Mom in her wedding gown playing the drums with the band and, nearby, my Dad sits on the edge of the bandstand with his head in his hands. Many years and 6 kids later, I remember my parents coming home from a shopping trip.  Mom wanted a new toilet paper roll holder. Dad had been sick for a few years and, even though he was feeling kind of crummy and my parents didn’t have a lot of cash at the time, he took Mom down to the Dill’s Lumber Yard. (Our version of Home Depot) At Dill’s, Dad bought Mom the fanciest toilet paper roll holder there. Between their wedding, many moons before, and the purchase of that toilet paper roll holder, my Mom and Dad had lived years of ‘happy forever.’
 
For me, it kind of feels like a ‘happy forever’ since the teachers and I met your amazing children at family meetings last August. In that time, so much has happened!  We have laughed big belly laughs at tons of silly knock knock jokes and cried huge tears at drop-off. We danced to the Toe Jam Puppet Band and called you to talk about little and big things that happened at school. We saw the ballet and visited the zoo. We held an alligator and met Mother Goose.  We wore our Red, White and Blue uniform shirts with pride but sometimes showed our school spirit with Crazy Hair, Crazy Socks and lots of silly costumes. The Kindergartners learned to read and write and do Math with 10 frames. The Preschoolers learned letters and sounds, their name and how to count. We practiced being kind and learned how to have: ‘eyes watching, body calm, ears listening, voices quiet.’  All in all, we became a school family.
 
Whenever, I am ‘home’ with my family in NY, I see that fancy toilet paper roll holder. Please know though that with even a little tug, the tp and the holder that never really worked ends up flying across the bathroom floor. I never get exasperated. It always just makes me smile because it is a symbol of my Dad’s love for my Mom.  On behalf of all of the faculty and staff, thank you for gifting us with the privilege and honor of spending a year with your little one. Thank you for a year of love.
 
With Much Gratitude,
 
 
 
Beth Tanner, MS Ed
Principal
 

06 de mayo de 2016
 
Estimado Padre/Tutor:
 
A los ochenta años y pico, la  abuela de mi marido es muy graciosa. Es posible que dulcemente le haga burla alguien que está tomando la vida demasiado en serio y al mismo tiempo regalar un símbolo sentimental conectado con el corazón. Cuando estoy en su presencia, ella tiene una hermosa manera de tocar mi espíritu mientras simultáneamente pongo  todo el caos de la vida en perspectiva. Lamentablemente, mi esposo y yo  no la llegamos  a ver tanto como nos gustaría. Ella vive en los bosques de New Hampshire con el abuelo de mi esposo  'Papa'. En un reciente viaje a New Hampshire  mi esposo me contó algunas historias sobre su infancia. (Sus abuelos solían vivir solamente un bloque lejos cuando era pequeño antes de que se mudaran a New Hampshire.) El recordaba que él y su hermano pasaban todos los días  co 'La abuela' y 'Papas' ~ excepto el jueves. El jueves, "abuela tomaba el día libre "
 
He estado pensando mucho acerca de la 'Gracia' de la abuela últimamente y su capacidad, incluso en años atras, de cultivar el equilibrio con el ajetreo de la vida cotidiana. Ella estaba en mi corazón mientras estaba sentada en el Auditorio de la Escuela Secundaria de  Central Falls para celebrar la jornada y la finalización de nuestro programa  de involucramiento de familia con la beca de  i3. Los 3 años han llegado a su fin y el Instituto Annenberg para la reforma de la escuela daba un informe sobre los resultados. Los padres, socios de la comunidad, Facultad de CF y personal celebraron todos los progresos realizados en los últimos 3 años. Las metas de la beca  estaban relacionada con la mejora de la asistencia de los estudiantes, mejorando el comportamiento  y aumentar/mejorar la participación de las familias dentro de nuestra comunidad escolar. El año pasado, nuestra asistencia combinada entre nuestros dos edificios pre-escolar y kínder  fue de 89%, incidencias del comportamiento  en la escuela habían disminuido y la incidencia de la participación de los padres en actividades escolares fue de 87% en la escuela Captain Hunt  y 51% en la escuela de Robertson. Los resultados de la participación de los padres fueron particularmente poderosos debido a la investigación sobre la capacidad del estudianted de mejorar el rendimiento cuando la familia participa activamente en actividades familiares en la escuela. Toda esa información fue emocionante pero estaba particularmente impactada  por las madres increíbles como Carmela y Rosa de la escuela Captain Hunt que presentaron  para todos nosotros sobre cómo se han voluntariado/participaron  en iniciativas de i3. Yo estaba/estoy asombrada de cómo muchos padres  trabajo/voluntario sin parar, casi 24/7, para hacer una diferencia para sus niños y sus familias. En ese evento, yo no podía sentirme mas que inspirada en la devoción, dedicación y la resistencia de nuestros padres. Los maestros, profesores, personal y estoy  muy agradecida, no sólo de haber  participado en el  i3 en los últimos 3 años, pero tener  el privilegio de asociarme con tantas madres/padres increibles.
 
Mientras estaba sentada  en el auditorio, sin embargo y aplaudiedon para las mamás que presentaban, 'La abuela' estaba  en mi corazón. Ella fue resonando en mi alma para las mamás que celebrábamos ese día y para todas las mamás de nuestro CF. Si sólo pudiera regalarle a  cada una de nuestra mamá fenomenal con un 'jueves de la abuela'; un momento, una hora o un día cuando las madres son capaces de respirar  y honrar todo lo que hacen cada día en nombre de sus pequeños.
 
Feliz jueves,
 
 
Beth Tanner, Ed MS
Directora

May 6, 2016
 
Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
At eighty something, my husband’s grandmother is a hoot. She is just as likely to make sweet fun of someone who is taking life a little too seriously as she is to gift a sentimental little token connected to the heart. When I am in her presence, she has a beautiful way of touching my spirit while simultaneously putting all of life’s chaos into perspective. Unfortunately, my husband and I do not get to see her as much as we would like. She lives deep in the woods in New Hampshire with my husband’s (grandfather) ‘Papa.’ On a recent ride back from a New Hampshire visit though, my husband told me a few stories about his childhood.  (His grandparents used to live only a block away when he was little before they moved to New Hampshire.) As an afterthought, he mentioned that he and his brother spent every day at ‘Grandma’ and ‘Papas’ ~ except Thursdays. On Thursdays, "Grandma took the day off."
 
I have been thinking a lot about Grandma’s ‘grace’ lately and her capacity to, even years ago, cultivate balance with the busyness of life. She was on my heart as I sat in the Central Falls High School auditorium to celebrate the journey/ending of our i3 WE ARE A VILLAGE Family Engagement grant. The 3 years have come to an end and the Annenberg Institute for School Reform was giving a report on their findings. Parents, Community Partners, CF faculty and staff celebrated all of the progress made in the last 3 years. Goals for the grant were related to improving student attendance, improving safe classroom behavior and increasing/improving family engagement within our school community. Last year, our attendance combined between our two early childhood buildings was 89%, incidences of unsafe behavior in the school had decreased and the incidence of parent participation in school activities was 87% at Captain Hunt School and 51% at Robertson School. Our parent participation scores were particularly powerful because of research on student capacity to improve performance when their family is actively engaged in school family engagement activities. All of that information was exciting but I was particularly impacted by amazing Moms like Carmela and Rosa from Captain Hunt who presented to all of us about how they have volunteered/participated within i3 initiatives. I was/am in awe of how many of our parent’s work/volunteer non-stop, almost 24/7, in order to make a difference for their children and families. At that event, I couldn’t help but be inspired by the devotion, dedication, and stamina of our parents. The teachers, faculty, staff and I are so grateful to, not only have participated in the i3 grant over the last 3 years, but to have the privilege of partnering with so many amazing Moms/parents.
 
As I sat in the auditorium, though, and clapped for the Moms who were presenting, ‘Grandma’ was on my heart.  She was resonating deep in my soul for the Moms who we were celebrating on that day and for all of our CF Moms. If only I could gift each one of our phenomenal Mom’s with a 'Grandma's Thursday;'  a moment, an hour or a day when Moms are able to intentionally breathe and honor all that they do each and every day on behalf of their little ones.  
 
Happy Thursday,
 
 
Beth Tanner, MS Ed
Principal
 

April 4, 2016
 
Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
My father-in-law bought his dream car this weekend; a big black Camaro with tinted windows. He has been talking about that car for years. I first heard about his dream right after I was introduced to my husband's family years ago. I have to admit that I thought that he would never buy it. We were all so surprised when we got the text with a picture of the fancy car in their driveway. If you have ever been to a game at Fenway Park or a basketball game at the TD Garden in Beantown, he might have sold you a cold drink or even a RED SOX or Celtics sweatshirt. I don't think that he and my mother in law ever purchased a new sports car before - much less a shiny, black one.
 
It seems that a lot of dreams are coming true lately. In the last few weeks, we received the news that our preschool classrooms have received Brightstars4 and now have the highest rating of a public preschool in Rhode Island with the highest score of  '5' in nine of the ten categories and 4.81 in the 10th standard. Miss Karen's class at Captain Hunt School has also been rated as the ONLY public school preschool classroom in Rhode Island to be honored with CECE Approval; the Rhode Island Department of Education's (RIDE) highest rating to indicate quality in a preschool. In Kindergarten, RIDE has determined that 80 percent of the students at Robertson should be able to meet the end of year DRA2 Literacy benchmark. Right now, 78 percent of the students meet the rigorous benchmark for this time of year and so, with a lot of great team work with families, our Kindergartners will meet that goal by the end of this school year by having extensive sight word vocabulary (50-100 words,) reading left to right, being able to point to words and understanding the meaning of simple stories. We are almost there; we must dream big and dream fierce!
 
We are so proud of all the hard work of our teachers, support staff, and most especially you, our parents, for the hard work and dedication to help our little ones to learn and to love learning. Dreams do come true!  And, if you are in Massachusetts and see a black camaro drive by, it is probably my father-in-law driving to one of his jobs. After all of his hard work, he deserves it. #DreamBigDreamFierce
 
Warmly,
 
 
 
Beth Tanner, MS Ed
Principal
 

Abril 4, 2018
Estimados padres/Tutor
Mi Suegro compró  finalmente el coche de su sueños este fin de semana; un gran Cámaro negro con vidrios polarizados. Él ha estado hablando de este coche durante años. La primera vez que supe de su sueño, fue justo después que conocí a la familia de mi esposo años atrás. Tengo que admitir que pensé que nunca lo compraría. Estábamos todos tan sorprendidos cuando recibimos el texto con una foto del coche de lujo en su entrada de coches. Si alguna vez has estado en un juego en el Estadio parque Fenway o un partido de baloncesto en el TD Garden de Beantown, mi suegro podría  haberle  vendido una bebida fría o incluso una sudadera roja de los Red Sox o Celtics. No creo que  mis suegros nunca antes compraron un coche deportivo y mucho menos uno tan brillante y negro.
Parece que muchos sueños se están haciendo realidad últimamente. En las últimas semanas, hemos recibido la noticia de que nuestras aulas del preescolar han recibido Brightstars4 y ahora tienen la calificación más alta de un preescolar público en el estado de Rhode Island con la puntuación más alta de '5' en nueve de las diez categorías y 4.81 en el estandarte 10º. La clase de la señorita Karen en la Escuela Captain Hunt también ha sido calificada como el único salón  preescolar en escuela pública  en todo el estado de Rhode Island para ser honrado con la Aprobación del CECE; la más alta calificación de Educación que puede recibir un prescolar. De acuerdo al Departamento de Rhode Island (RIDE)
 En Kindergarten (RIDE) ha determinado que el 80 por ciento de los estudiantes de Robertson deberían de cumplir con los requisitos de Alfabetización  del (DRA 2) para fin de año.  En este momento, el 78 por ciento de los estudiantes está cumpliendo con los requisitos  de Alfabetización. Cumplir con el punto de referencia (o meta escolar) riguroso para esta época del año y por lo tanto, con un montón de esfuerzo de un gran equipo  trabajando juntos con las familias, nuestros niños de Kínder van a cumplir con un riguroso objetivo a finales de este año escolar van a tener un vocabulario amplio de palabras visuales (50-100 palabras,) la lectura de izquierda a derecha, conocer y señalar a las palabras y entender el significado de las historias sencillas. Estamos casi allí; hay que soñar en grande y feroz!
Estamos muy orgullosos de todo el duro trabajo de nuestros maestros, y personal de apoyo, y muy especialmente a ustedes, nuestros padres, por el trabajo duro y la dedicación para ayudar a nuestros niños a aprender y amar aprender. ¡Los sueños se hacen realidad! Y, si se encuentra en Massachusetts y ve un cámaro negro conducir por, la carretera es probablemente mi suegro conduciendo a uno de sus puestos de trabajo. Después de todo su arduo trabajo él se lo merece. # sueñegrandesueñeferoz!
Calurosamente,
Directora
Beth Tanner, MS Ed

Estimado Padre/Tutor:
 
Mi hermano, Chris me llamo el sábado. Él intentó persuadirme para ir a esquiar unos días con él, mis sobrinos, uno de mis otros hermanos y a los otros  sobrinos preciosos también. Chris quería que yo tomara tiempo libre de la  escuela para reunirme con ellos en la montaña. Cuando le dije por 5 º vez que yo no podía faltar a la escuela, él sugirió que me prestaría  un robot de su negocio Silicon Valley. Dijo que el robot puede visitar cada una de las clases y poder hablar con los niños y maestros en forma remota mientras esquió. #GraciosoTanners:)
 
Mi conversación con Chris me hizo pensar en el ausentismo y la historia que una de las estaciones de TV de RI corrió la semana pasada. Ellos estaban informando el número de estudiantes con ausencias  crónicas del 2013.  Ausencia Crónica  es el 10% o más del año escolar (equivalente a 18 días de un año escolar de 180 días) sin importar si las ausencias son justificadas o no. Al día siguiente, investigué los datos para dar sentido a lo que informó la estación de noticias. Aunque nuestros alumnos estuvieron presentes 86% de los caso, 66 por ciento de los alumnos que estuvieron ausentes ese año tenían asistencias crónica. (Una vez más, ausente más de un 10 por ciento del año escolar.) Según los estudios, "los niños crónicamente ausentes en el kínder muestran bajos niveles de logros en matemáticas, lectura y en conocimiento general en el primer grado. Asistir  a la escuela regularmente en los primeros años es especialmente crítico para los niños... Ausencia crónica en preescolar predice los niveles más bajos de logro educativo en el quinto grado. "
 
Coincidentemente, la semana pasada, nuestra consejera en la escuela, la Sra. Nancy, estaba ocupada compilando la listas de asistencia. Ella les ha enviado cartas a  todas las familias de los niños que han estado ausentes por 10 o más días en este año escolar. Ella también hizo las listas de los pequeños para mí para trabajar junto con la Señorita Lucy, nuestra coordinadora en la escuela, la Sra. Esperanza y el  Sr. Edgar (nuestro colaborador) estaremos en contacto con cada familia y trataremos de averiguar  cómo podemos ayudar a esas familias con 10 o más ausencias para que la asistencia mejore.
 Queremos ayudar a su familia para que su hijo/a asista a la escuela cada día. #LaasistenciaImporta
 
Cada día, los niños en la escuela Captain Hunt y Robertson me sorprenden con su inteligencia, su humor y su amabilidad;  Los niños son increíbles. Gracias de antemano para que la asistencia de su hijo/a sea una prioridad de esta manera nuestros hijos se puedan sentir lo más exitoso posible. Nuestros Robots KIBO de aprendizaje temprano que Tufts  nos regaló  son muy buenos pero no puede sustituir  la humanidad de nuestra comunidad de aprendizaje temprano.
 
Con gratitud por su colaboración,
Beth Tanner, Ed MS
Directora
 
 
 

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Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
My brother, Chris called me on Saturday. He tried to cajole me to go skiing for a few days with he, my nephews, one of my other brothers and those precious nephews as well. Chris wanted me to take time off school in order to meet them at the mountain. When I told him for the 5th time that I couldn't miss school, he suggested that I borrow a robot from his Silicon Valley business. He said that the robot could visit each of the classes and I would be able to speak with children and teachers remotely in
between ski runs. #SillyTanners :)
 
My chat with Chris made me think about absenteeism and the story that ran one of the RI TV stations last week. They were reporting the number of chronically absent students we had in 2013. Chronically absent is missing 10 percent or more of the school year (equivalent to 18 days out of a 180 day school year) regardless of whether absences are excused or unexcused. The next day, I researched our data to make sense of what the news station had reported. Although our students had been present
86 percent of the time, 66 percent of the students who were absent that year were chronically absent. (Again, absent more than 10 percent of the school year.) According to studies, "Children chronically absent in kindergarten show lower levels of chievement in math, reading and general knowledge during first grade. Going to school regularly in the early years is especially critical for children...Chronic absence in kindergarten predicts the lowest levels of educational achievement in fifth grade. "
 
Coincidently, last week, our School Counselor, Miss Nancy, was busy compiling attendance lists. She crafted letters that will go out to all families of children who have been absent for 10 or more days this school year. She also made lists of those little ones for me in order to work together  with  Miss Lucy, our Home School Liaision, Miss Esperanza and Mr. Edgar (our Parent Collaborators) to contact each family and try to find out how we can help those families with 10 or more absenses have better
attendance. We want to help your family to have your child attend school each and every day. #AttendanceMatters
 
Each day, the children at Captain Hunt and Robertson surprise me with their intellect, their humor and their kindness; they are amazing children. Thank you in advance for prioritizing your child's attendance in order for our children to be and feel as successful as possible. Our KIBO Early Learning Robots that Tufts gifted us are pretty cool but they can't replace the humanness of our early learning community.
 
With Gratitude for your partnership,
Beth Tanner, MS Ed
Principal