Friday, January 11, 2013


Highlights of the Week
Happy New Year!
It was wonderful to welcome the students back from winter break!  They were excited to reconnect with their classmates and they transitioned back into classroom and school routines easily.  It was great to hear from the children how you spent your vacation.  Like many of you I too spent time with loved ones.  When I reunited with friends and family the question that I was routinely asked was how do you like Gold Rush and our school District? I found myself immediately smiling and sharing how much I love it!  I shared that while I have had the privilege of working in several great schools, Gold Rush was certainly my favorite.  I pin pointed our positive school culture, dedicated and caring faculty and supportive community as some of the things that make Gold Rush a wonderful place.  I feel fortunate to be a part of our school community and I look forward to many more wonderful years at Gold Rush!

Team Spirit!
Students and staff showed their spirit for the Broncos on Friday by wearing their team gear.  Go Broncos!



Safety
Teachers Talk Bullying
Gold Rush staff continued discussions around how to prevent bullying prior to winter break.  School staff reflected on current practices as they discussed several articles on the subject.  Staff identified that bullying differs from conflict in that bullying puts one person to be in a position of power over another.  They discussed how bullying is harmful to not only the victim, but also to the bully and witnesses.  Staff shared a collective belief that bullying is not a normal part of childhood and that it cannot be tolerated.  They were optimistic in their ability to prevent and bullying and they felt they could do so by paying close attention to student dynamics and by being visible. Read on for additional parent resources:
* Click here for information on bullying.
We look forward to continuing discussions on how we can prevent bullying from occurring.

Police Review Arrival and Dismissal
You may have noticed the Parker Police Department during arrival and dismissal.  We are pleased to be working with the police who are currently helping us review our drop off and pick up procedures.  We will continue to observe these practices in the coming weeks to determine if there are ways that we can increase students’ safety.  I look forward to sharing with you our findings in the future.

Announcements
New Phone Tree
You may have noticed that Gold Rush’s answering system was revised over break.  You are now able to immediately select the direct extension you are seeking. If you want to leave a message for your student regarding dismissal instructions, please press 0 or wait until the main line picks up by 3:30PM. We will check messages left on the main line at 10:00AM and 3:30PM. Please be sure to select #1 for the attendance line. Do not leave attendance information on the main line.  We hope this system will allow us to be even more efficient!

Mark Your Calendar
·        No school Friday, January 18th  -  Staff  Professional Development Day
·       No School Monday, January 21st – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
·       January PTO Meeting Rescheduled - Now February 5th @ 6:30 PM

Reminders
·        Please remind your child to come to school with all of his/her supplies for the day (i.e. homework, lunch, warm clothes) as this helps your child transition into the day smoothly.
·        With winter weather upon us students are prone to illness. Students should only return to school after 24 hours of medication for the following conditions: strep throat, conjunctivitis, infected skin eruptions, other conditions requiring antibiotics. They must be free of fever, diarrhea and/or vomiting for 24 hours once symptoms cease.  Giving students the time needed to fully recover from sickness keeps our school community healthy.
·        Your cooperation is appreciated!