INFORMATION REGARDING LATE STARTS

 

Dear Families,

            This past June, the Amherst School Board voted to approve “Late Starts” for the 2008-2009 school year, which means that the employees of the Amherst School District will join their counterparts from the Souhegan and Mont Vernon School Districts by participating in ten “Late Start” days throughout the school year. On these days, staff members will begin school at the regular time and will engage in professional development offerings related to school and district goals.

            Students will begin their school days at 10:30 A.M.   Child care for Clark and Wilkins students who need before school care will be provided by New Morning Schools, our current after school care provider, who will offer the service at the Wilkins School multipurpose room on “Late Start” days only. Those children who do not require before school care will ride their regular buses to school with the route pick up times moving ahead two hours, in the same way that bus pick up times change on delayed opening days.

            As part of the “Late Start” initiative, all Kindergarten students will attend five extended days of school and will have five No School days. For the September, October, November, December, and January “Late Start” dates, morning Kindergarten classes will not attend school at all, while the afternoon classes will start early at 10:30 A.M. and will stay at Clark School until 2:45 P.M. For the February, March, April, and May “Late Start” dates, afternoon Kindergarten classes will not attend school at all, while the morning classes will start at 10:30 A.M. and will stay at Clark School for the balance of the day. On “Late Start” dates only, the Kindergarten students who are attending school will begin school at 10:30 A.M., ride the buses to school in both directions, and will be able to have their lunches and recesses while they are at Clark School.

            Students in all other grade levels—one, two, three, and four—will attend school on “Late Start” dates from 10:30 A.M. until the end of the school day, in the same way they would attend school on delayed opening days. Students in these grade levels can also access the New Morning before school care from 8:00 A.M. until 10:30 A.M., if they require the service. Parents will be responsible for dropping children off at the before school care. There is no fee for this before school care.

            We recognize that implementation of this initiative will require families to alter some of their child care and transportation plans on the targeted dates. The district calendar, which can be accessed at www.sprise.com, highlights important dates including the ten “Late Start” dates. Please call Jess or Linda Shapiro, directors of New Morning Schools at 669-3591 to make arrangements for your child to attend the before school care on “Late Start” days or to attend the after school program on any of the days that Clark-Wilkins are in session. Remember that during this pilot year of the “Late Start” initiative, there will be no cost for before school care on the “Late Start” mornings. Families will continue to pay for any after school care they access.  Any questions can be directed to me via email at gstamand@sprise.com.

 

Regards,

Gerry St. Amand

Principal   

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________