October 23, 2009
Dear Parents,

Here’s the latest news on upcoming events at Holy Family School:

· Thanks to Kate Conron for chairing the Halloween Float Committee, the Keators for allowing us to work on it at Norwich Beverage, and all the volunteers (old and young alike) who planned and worked on the “Thriller” float. Don’t miss the parade on Saturday, October 24th beginning at 2pm. If you are a float participant or would like to walk next to our float, please meet at Francis Ave. at 1:40pm. Your support will be greatly appreciated!
· Thanks to Melissa Tworkowsky, Sarah Stroh, Stephanie Coggins, Stacey Russell and the entire PTO Committee for planning and organizing this Friday’s Harvest Dinner at St. Bart’s from 5-7pm. This was definitely a team effort with parents baking pies, children and parents bringing in food items for the dinner, and the work force of parents, students and staff.
· Thanks to Eric Diefenbacher, our science teacher and the rest of our staff for organizing last Friday’s trip to Howe Caverns. Our 2nd graders and students in grades 4 through 7 attended the field trip. Many of our parents joined us on this field trip. The feedback was fantastic! The children and parents loved it and the Howe Caverns personnel raved about how polite, respectful and inquisitive our students were. It’s nice to hear compliments like this about our students!
· Our kindergarten through third graders just returned from a fun day at Critz Farms, located outside of Cazenovia. They went on hay rides, picked their own pumpkins and even ventured out into a corn maze! I believe these experiences are so important in the total educational program. While public schools have been cutting or reducing these types of experiences, we’re fortunate at HFS to be able to continue providing these types of experiences. Believe it or not, the Box Tops that you send in help to pay for the cost of bus transportation to these field trips. Last year we raised $991 from Box Tops. We’re off to a good start this year, with the 4th grade slightly ahead of the 2nd grade. It’s good to see our older students in grades 5-7 also pitching in. They’re currently in 4th place.
· Thanks to Dianne Fiorina for organizing the bowling field trip to Plaza Lanes in Norwich. Our 5-7 graders will be bowling during four afternoons as part of their physical education program. Many have shared with me stories of their experiences and good times while bowling. Thanks also go out to Belinda Keator for helping to transport our students and all the parents for changing their schedules to pick up their children at a later time.
· Health items to put on your calendar:
November 5th: All students in grades K-7 will have their eyes
and ears checked
November 16-18th: Students in grades K, 1, 4 and 7 and all new
students who have not had their annual physical will receive them on this date.
· Please note that the Norwich School calendar is incorrect. On Friday, November 5th, we have a full day of school at Holy Family.

Please remember not to leave children unattended in your cars when you
drop off or pick up your children at school.

Hopefully you have noticed that I have begun sending parents individual emails when I need to share information. If you haven’t given us your email address, please do so as soon as possible. If we have a snow day, you will receive an email stating that school is closed.

Please be on the lookout for the consent form and letter concerning the H1N1 Vaccine Clinic. I’m hoping that they will arrive this week. Have a great weekend!

God Bless,

Gene