To the families of Tamarac Elementary School,
I hope this update finds you well and enjoying this summer - it is a break that we have all needed. We've been busy trying to get our school "back to normal" for the start of the school year. We are still awaiting guidance on how we can open, but we are all hoping for a traditional look to the start of school. We will update our school community as much as necessary on our back-to-school protocols and procedures.
There have been some changes in staffing over the summer, as change is one of a school district's constants. We have had two new hires, and one grade level change since the school year ended. Mrs. Gela, who had been in 4th grade, will now be teaching in 3rd grade. She will be joined in 3rd grade by one of our new hires, Mrs. Michelle Wyanski, who is one of our Teaching Assistant's. She has been working in a number of capacities within our building over the past few years. Our other new hire will be Mrs. Kristin Zakrzewski, who will be replacing Mrs. Gela in 4th grade. Mrs. Zakrzewski taught our 4th grade remote learners this past year, and has years of elementary school experience, mostly at St. Augustine's in Lansingburgh. I look forward to seeing Mrs. Gela working with our third graders, and Mrs. Wyanski and Mrs. Zakrzewski in their new assignments. These staffing changes will not result in any student placement changes, as class composition/make-up, determined by teachers before the end of school, remains more important than assignments with individual teachers.
Kindergarten enrollment has been quite dynamic this year, increasing by almost 30 students since June 1st and by 10 students since the 4th of July alone. We have been working on these classes and their composition since we completed kindergarten screenings, and classroom assignments will be shared with households by early next week. At present, we have four classes at each grade level, K-5, with two classes in our expanded pre-K program. Any future changes in staffing will be relayed as soon as it is practical to do so.
Although this past year was loaded with challenges, some good practices came out of it, especially our arrival and dismissal procedures. I anticipate both drop-off and pick-up being very similar to last year, with only some slight changes in arrival and dismissal times being expected. These times will be shared as we get closer to the start of school, but will vary by no more than 5-10 minutes than last year's times. Other updates will be shared as they become available.
Please enjoy every day of this summer. Weather-wise, we are surely getting a little bit of everything. Stay positive, be kind. We'll be back together before you know it.
Sincerely, Rich Pogue
Principal, Tamarac Elementary School