Friday Update 11/12/2021

November 12, 2021

Good afternoon Siwanoy Families!

We have had a very productive week and were able to cover a lot of ground. Our PTA and Siwanoy Diversity committee meetings were jam packed with awesome dialogue and much needed conversations. In the spirit of gratitude, I would like to let you all know how thankful I am to be the principal of Siwanoy and for all of your support. We were able to get through these last two weeks together because of your thoughtfulness, collaborations, and flexibility. This community is special and I am looking forward to building on this energy.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Your child’s teacher will reach out to you to schedule a virtual parent/ teacher conference. Conferences will be scheduled for Wednesday, December 1st from 5:30-8:30 pm or on Thursday, December 2nd from 8:15-12:00 and from 1:00-3:15 pm. The purpose of the conference is to provide time for parents and teachers to share observations and data related to your individual child’s educational journey.

If you would like to schedule a conference with any of your child’s special area teachers, please feel free to reach out directly to the following teachers:

• Art- Mrs. Taveras etaveras@pelhamschools.org
• FLES- Ms. Lavin clavin@pelhamschools.org
• Physical Education- Keith Maley kmaley@pelhamschools.org
• General Music- Mr. Vamos rvamos@pelhamschools.org
• Instrumental Band Music- Mr. Dolgon adolgon@pelhamschools.org
• Instrumental Strings Music- Mrs. Bean mbean@pelhamschools.org

Native American Heritage Month

We started November off with Native American Heritage Month! Our bulletin boards look amazing thanks to Ms. Diano and our diversity committee. Thank you so much for all of your hard work.

Student Government

Congratulations to our student government winners!

• President - Nora Resnick
• VP - Josephine Gilmartin
• Delegates - Maddie Fitzsimons and Gianni Decicco

COVID Testing Reminder

ALL Covid tests must be returned Monday morning. Thank you so much for your continued support in getting these tests back to us first thing Monday morning.

Mask Reminder

Please make sure that your child is coming to school everyday in a tightly fitted, properly worn mask. (We have had more than a few children coming in with masks below their noses). We are looking forward to throwing these masks away permanently and really appreciate your help in getting us there.

What to do if your child has COVID-19 symptoms

It is critically important that you monitor your child’s symptoms. If any child is showing symptoms of COVID-19, they must not attend school and you should notify our school nurse, Mrs. Keller. (Please do not yell at Mrs. Keller. She is only trying to keep all of our children safe). Students who exhibit one or more of the following symptoms may return to school ONLY if they receive a negative PCR test. A list of testing locations is available on the District website. As a reminder, COVID-19 symptoms include:

• Fever
• Congestion or runny nose
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Muscle or body aches
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• New loss of taste or smell
• Nausea or vomiting

Town Halls

3rd & 5th grade town halls on Friday, 11/19

Pets on school grounds

Please remember that pets are not allowed on school grounds during school hours (including arrival and dismissal).

Word of the Month

This month's word is GRATITUDE! In our morning announcements, we are asking our 5th graders to say something that they are grateful for. So far, we have heard gratitude for a new dog, having lots of friends and being able to come to school. We truly have a lot to be thankful for.

The week ahead:

• 11/15 - Day 3
• 11/16 - Day 4
• 11/17 - Day 5
• 11/18 - Day 6
• 11/19 - Day 1 - 3rd & 5th grade town halls

Keep spreading the love! #everydayabetteryou

Farid Johnson

Principal, Siwanoy School