Dear Cherry Drive Elementary Students, Parents and Guardians:

Welcome back!  We hope you’ve had a safe and fun summer and are looking forward to a wonderful new school year!  Our students and teachers voted on a theme for this year, and the winning selection is, “We Have an ‘APP’titude for Learning!” Our staff is committed to helping your child meet all of their educational and behavioral goals and in the process, implement some extraordinarily innovative educational experiences!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

On August 18, 2014 we will be having our “Meet the Teacher Night” from 4:30-6:30. This is a great opportunity to get to know your child’s teacher and to get a feel for what your child will be doing in class this year. If your child participated in Virtual Summer School and took their iPad home with them over the summer, please make sure to return the iPad and all it’s accessories to your teacher during this event.  We hope that your child thoroughly enjoyed the Virtual Learning Opportunity as much as we did! All parents and students will access their Cheetah Ticket on their iPad, that will lead them through the learning adventure including meeting their new teacher, set up lunch accounts, meet the office staff, sign the iPad user agreement for the school year, and learn about our Before and After School Program (BASE). Once the Cheetah ticket is completed, your child will win a prize!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The First Day of School is August 20, 2014. Students may begin arriving at school at 7:35 a.m. When they arrive on campus they will enter the building and go directly to their classrooms. All students will be supervised in their classrooms from 7:35 to 7:45. School Begins promptly at 7:45 and all students should be in their seats and ready to learn at that time. Students will be counted tardy at 7:46.  Students should not be on campus before 7:35 because supervision will not begin until then.  Students that are participating in our breakfast program will be allowed to be on campus at 7:20.  Students that are eating breakfast will be let in to the cafeteria at 7:20 and will then be dismissed to their classrooms at 7:35.  If you plan to walk your child to class, you will need to stop by our office  to check in and to get a visitor’s sticker.

This year we will continue to provide our communication through email and our website.  All newsletters and updates will be sent through email.  Our Parent-Student Handbook and all District 12 policies will be located on our school and district website. Please update your email address on the enclosed form to ensure that you receive these items. If you need a hard copy of any of these items please notify the office.

Just as last year, Cherry Drive will be purchasing all of your child’s school supplies this year and the $45.00 district assessed textbook and materials fee will be waived for all Cherry Drive students. Families are only responsible for providing a backpack for their child, and to pay the $60.00 Instructional device (iPad) rental fee that will be assessed to your child’s account in October.

We have had some wonderful new teachers join our staff this year. Please welcome, Tasha Chaney; Speech Language Pathologist, Rebekha Frey; Learning Specialist, Emily Longville; Second Grade Teacher, John Kollar; Third Grade Teacher, Kelly Teitelbaum; Literacy Coach. Ms. Starbuck will be taking on the .5 Learning Specialist position and will also continue to be our .5 Teacher Librarian. We have also had a few of our teachers that have moved to a new grade level this year. Mrs. McDonough will now be in 4^th grade and Mrs. Lecumberry and Mrs. Carreon will be in 5^th grade!

All of our families are an important and valued part of the Cherry Drive Elementary School community.  We truly appreciate your participation and support that you have so generously provided.   We will have many innovative academic/instructional plans, activities and events this school year.  We appreciate your input and volunteer work! Please feel free to call, email or stop by if you have a concern, question, or just want to share some exciting news about your child.  Go Cheetahs!

Sincerely,

Tina Hepp, Principal