April is finally here!! The winter seemed
so long. Hope we’ve seen the last of the “S” word for this year. The daffodils
and crocus are waving hello in the courtyard and in front of the school to
welcome warmer, longer days ahead.
It’s already time to think about closing
out another school year. We held the peer partner lottery for preschool last
month and completed preschool screening. Our information and registration
nights for kindergarten were held in March as well. Our full-day kindergarten
program continues to be a draw for parents with almost four classrooms of
students already registered. If you have an incoming kindergarten student and
did not receive a packet of information or did not return registration
materials yet, please complete them and return the information to the office at
Meadow Brook as soon as possible. If your child is going to attend kindergarten
elsewhere please call us as well. This early information gives us an
opportunity to look at the numbers of students in the half day program as we
determine the infamous swing line. The swing line determines what streets fall
into either the Mountain View or the Mapleshade district (AM vs PM
kindergarten).
The line can change each year and is determined by what streets the incoming
kindergarten students live on. Our goal is to ensure that each session of half
day kindergarten (AM and PM) has an equal number of students. Kindergarten
parents will receive their session assignment at the end of June/early July.
The process works pretty much the same way for second grade students who are
entering Mountain View and Maple Shade for grade three. We place a pin in the
map of the town for each grade two address and then check the numbers in each
district. If either district has an inordinate number of students then we must
“swing” streets so that the numbers are equal. Sound confusing? It really
works. We check the map many times, and then review it with the Superintendent.
Grade two parents will be notified by mail of their assigned grade three school
in early May. Teacher assignments will be mailed home at a later date.
Meadow Brook recently said so-long to a loyal
and dedicated faculty member. Robin Fernandes, our Special Education Liaison
took a position with the Agawam school system.
Robin was known by most families at Meadow Brook. She always made the
special education process more understandable and less confusing with her
caring, gentle demeanor and extensive knowledge of special education law and
procedures. Robin was everyone’s
“go-to” person. We all relied on her skills and expertise. We will truly miss
her and wish her well.
Special
education staff from central office will chair IEP meetings until a replacement
is named. I will notify you with a memo home, hopefully, before April break.
Happy Spring!!
Sincerely,
Judith
Fletcher, Principal