Health, Safety and FYI

Dear Parents of Mid-Pacific Institute,

Just outside my door, I hear the excited, happy voices of the faculty and staff in the music room. They’re seated on the carpet, lunch in hand, taking a break between meetings to swap stories about teaching, vacations, books, family, food, health — and their energy and laughter are invigorating. We have spent the past few days moving, packing, sorting, cleaning, shelving, decorating, and meeting in preparation for August 15, our first day of school. It has been a wonderful challenge to set up a new learning environment, and we are making efforts to get the school bright and shiny for our first day and first year on the Manoa campus.

We will be communicating with you frequently through the weekly Thursday packet (first one will be August 18) and our website, but our most important reminders for this letter are about our children’s health and safety.

Registration Materials, Health Form, TB Test
Please turn in any of the registration materials that were due on August 1. Of critical concern is your child’s health form and updated immunizations. As required by state law, we will not allow any child to come to school who has not received a TB shot. We will also not allow any child to come to school without an updated health form, unless we have verification from the physician about a scheduled appointment at which time the immunizations will be completed. All other forms — emergency/medical, transportation release, etc. — must be in our office by Monday, August 15.

Traffic
Although the following information is in the handbook (p. 25-26), traffic is probably one of the most important practical concerns. With the addition of the preschool and elementary, the MPI campus will be moving an additional 200 cars through Kaala St., the main entrance. With your cooperation, our goal is to receive your children safely and to keep the traffic moving.

• All traffic coming onto Kaala St. is one way. Stay in the right lane, which will take you to Wilcox or to the lower drop-off area. Exit is through Maile Way. MPI personnel will direct traffic.
• Parents of Kindergarten through Fifth Grade students may BEGIN dropping off their children at 7:00am daily.
• The drop-off period is 7:00 – 7:30am. The first bell sounds at 7:30am, and students will enter into classrooms. Kindergartners will be taken to the dining room until their teachers come by for them. The 7:40am bell announces the official start of the day. We know there will be some adjustment the first week of school due to traffic, so don’t worry about possible tardiness to school.
• Preschool, Kindergarten, and Multiage 1-2 will drop off at the Wilcox turnaround. Either I or another teacher will welcome students, and the H.U.G.S.S. team will open car doors. For your child’s safety, please do not drop off at any other location by the turnaround.
• Multiage 3-4 and Grade 5 drop-off is below the elementary school by the covered walkway on the slope. A faculty member and the H.U.G.S.S. team will be ready to greet your child.
• Pick-up is the same entry onto Kaala and exit through Maile Way.
• Kindergartners will be ready for pick-up at 2:20pm, so Kinder parents should be at the front of the pick-up line. Students in all other grades (1-5) will only be at the autoline at 2:30pm.

Extended Day Information

• Between 3:00 and 5:00pm, students in Kindergarten and Multiage 1-2 may be picked up in Room 3, and students in Multiage 3-4 and Grade 5 from Room 4. After 5:00pm, please pick up your child from Room 4.

Schedule:
2:30 – 3:00pm Playground
3:00 – 3:45pm Study Hall
4:00 – 5:00pm Playground

Snack schedule:
3:10 – 3:30 Kindergarten
3:15 – 3:30 Multiage 1-2
3:45 – 4:00 Multiage 3-4 and Grade 5

After-School Program
You will be receiving information during the first week of school about the special programs we’ll be offering. Look for it in the Thursday packet.

Class Roster
Margery Jacobson, the office manager, has enclosed your child’s current class roster (which is not to be used for solicitation). Please look over the roster and let her know about any changes. This will be your last opportunity to provide updated information, as the only preschool/elementary school roster that you will receive this year will be sent home in the August 18 Thursday packet.

FYI
Last week, I informed all the preschool families about a possible delay in the August 15 preschool opening because we are awaiting our preschool state license. I am hopeful that a possible delay will be just another week. We are working very closely with the Department of Human Services to expedite receipt of our license.

Our Children First program continues! Although all of our faculty and staff have moved from Kaimuki to Manoa, this is nonetheless a new environment for everyone, including the children and parents. We will help the children feel welcomed and comfortable in their new home — our new home.

For our children,
Edna Hussey

Posted on August 11, 2005 7:28 AM | Permalink