Dear Parents,
Summer is upon us! I can hardly believe it. It seems as if the year has gone by so quickly. However, when I look at our girls, I see how much they have grown. Suddenly, they look big enough and ready enough to be in the next grade, and I realize how much has happened over the school year.
Below are just a few little reminders and hints for the days ahead.
Last days of School: Please note that the last day for the youngest students, in Kindergarten, Pre-First, First, and Second, will be June 5. This is Picnic and Field Day, and students are to wear a red or white shirt, depending on their team, with their RPCS shorts. They do not need to wear their jumpers that day.
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Graders are expected at school on Friday, June 6th. Third and Fourth Graders should be neatly dressed in their uniforms. Girls in these three grades may arrive any time between 7:30 and 10:00, but they need to be here no later than 10:00. Parents may park in any free space after 8:15. The closing exercises will be over about 12:00. If you are not staying for the program, please pick up your daughter no later than 12:30.
Report Cards: The final report cards for the year will be mailed on June 10th. Included with the report card will be the list of supplies that your daughter will need next fall. We will send this list out again in August, but some parents, who are going away for the summer, have asked to have the list early.
Summer Work: If your daughter is entering Second, Third, Fourth or Fifth Grades, she will receive a packet of language arts work to be completed over the summer. To keep her math skills current, there is math review for all students in these grades. Please encourage your daughter to spread the review work out over the summer to keep her skills fresh. Also, she needs to keep on practicing her math facts so that they remain strong.
Mrs. Edwards, our Lower School librarian, will send the Summer Reading List with the report cards. The booklet gives suggestions of authors and titles for your daughter to enjoy over the summer. This list, with some recent additions, will also be available on-line. Directions about how many books to read and other requirements will be in the packet mentioned above.
Summer Fun: In addition to the required work for school, there are two things that will be enjoyable for you and your daughter and will also aid in her development of communication skills. The most important and rewarding activity is reading aloud. There is nothing that will benefit her more than reading with you. She will learn vocabulary, expression, higher level critical thinking, and worlds of information. Related to reading and just as important is conversation. Conversing with your child at dinner, in the car, or on the beach is invaluable to the verbal development and intellectual growth of your daughter. Engage in conversation by eliciting her opinions and listening to one another as often as you can. I’m sure you both will enjoy the give and take of ideas.
Ordering Uniforms over the Summer: The School store, Bear Essentials, will be open over the summer. Therefore, if you find that you will need certain items, you can stop by and order them. Many items you may be able to pick up on the spot! What a wonderful convenience! Be sure to check on-line for all information regarding uniforms. Go to www. RPCS.org; click on ”Bookstore”; click on “Uniforms”.
Faculty News: It is with great pleasure that I tell you two pieces of news. One is about the Fourth Grade next year. As you know, the Fourth Grade will be divided into three homerooms. Mrs. Sandberg and Mrs. Meech will each have a section, and the third homeroom will be taught by Heather Himmelstein, an experienced Fourth Grade teacher from Baltimore Highlands Elementary School. She has a Masters of Arts in Education and taught for a summer in Shanxi Province in China. We are delighted that Heather will be joining our faculty!
The other news is that Jane Lancaster, who has taught Third Grade for a number of years, gave birth to a darling baby girl on May 19th. The baby’s name is Gayle Marie. We can all be sure that Gayle will get a lot of attention from our Lower School students whenever she comes for a visit!
It’s been a delightful school year with all of you! I have loved being with your girls and watching them grow, and I have enjoyed getting to know each family better as the years go by. I look forward to seeing all of you in the fall. In the meantime, my true wish is that you and your family will be able to relax and enjoy a long summer break. It’s wonderful to have some extra time to be together!
My best wishes always,
~ B.G.S.