September
19, 2013
Dear
BFCS Gilbert Campus Families,
We
have had quite a bit of progress made here at our new campus, so I thought an
update and sharing some new information would be helpful. Here are some matters of business:
1. Playground
Update: We are all, including my
own children, waiting anxiously for the playground to be completed. I know this has been a frustrating issue for
all of us here. Without the playground
area, we have been making use of the back courtyard and parking lot area. This has been a successful temporary
solution, but is not meant to be long-term.
Please know that we are doing everything we can to push this project
forward. Our completion date has come
and passed several times at this point, but after a lengthy walk-through with
the inspector last week, we were once again assured that the playground would
be complete within the next two weeks.
2. Building
Security and Safety: We now have the capability to lock up the
exterior doors. This is an exciting time
for all of us and our children because we now have the opportunity to secure
our building and better protect the students within.
We
need your help to learn and enforce our safety rules!
Here
are some guidelines:
-
First things first, all rules apply to everyone, even if they are
inconvenient. If we don’t have every
parent, student, and staff member working together, then it will be difficult
to keep our school secure. Let’s
not wait for a tragedy to teach us a lesson here. Let’s be proactive in preventing issues!
- Always enter the building through the front office and sign in. We need to know who is on campus!
- If you are waiting to pick up a child, we would ask that you stay in the lobby area. Parents and siblings standing in the hallways just before school ends have become a distraction for the teachers who are diligently trying to wrap up the school day and prepare an entire class to go home for the day.
- Don’t be afraid to refer an adult without a visitor’s sticker to the office.
- Do not let people in through the side doors.
- Siblings under the age of 18 are not allowed to visit during school hours.
- Pets on campus (even those who are carried) are prohibited as they can present a safety hazard.
- The school building is not an appropriate venue for congregating or lengthy visits in the halls. We welcome volunteers and parents who come to school with purpose and intent to help in classroom, observe, and volunteer.
- Picnic tables are also now provided out in the courtyard area to accommodate waiting parents during band and orchestra. Any unaccompanied student or sibling will be asked to wait at the front of the school near the entry for pick-up.
- Always enter the building through the front office and sign in. We need to know who is on campus!
- If you are waiting to pick up a child, we would ask that you stay in the lobby area. Parents and siblings standing in the hallways just before school ends have become a distraction for the teachers who are diligently trying to wrap up the school day and prepare an entire class to go home for the day.
- Don’t be afraid to refer an adult without a visitor’s sticker to the office.
- Do not let people in through the side doors.
- Siblings under the age of 18 are not allowed to visit during school hours.
- Pets on campus (even those who are carried) are prohibited as they can present a safety hazard.
- The school building is not an appropriate venue for congregating or lengthy visits in the halls. We welcome volunteers and parents who come to school with purpose and intent to help in classroom, observe, and volunteer.
- Picnic tables are also now provided out in the courtyard area to accommodate waiting parents during band and orchestra. Any unaccompanied student or sibling will be asked to wait at the front of the school near the entry for pick-up.
3. After School Pick-up: For this week, we have the north drive
blocked until the end of the day.
Students will be outside at recess until 2:00pm, so we cannot have cars
driving through to wait in our temporary playground area.
4. Drop-off
and Pick-up Times: Please be aware that in the mornings,
supervision for students is not provided until 7:45am. In the afternoon,
supervision ends with the dismissal of band and orchestra at 3:50pm. Our aides stay long enough to help with
pick-up, but by 4:00pm, students should be on their way home.
5. Parent-Teacher Conferences: If you choose to bring younger siblings with
you to your conference, please keep them with you at all times.
I
know this is a great deal of information, but it takes time and patience to
learn the routines when a new campus is “blooming”! Thank you for your help and support! Remember to thank our teachers as you meet
with them this week as they have taught through this extraordinary time in the
history of our BFCS Gilbert campus with strength and professionalism. Enjoy your conferences this week!
Sincerely,
Mrs.
Diana M. Dana
Principal
Benjamin Franklin Charter
School Gilbert Campus
13717 S. Val Vista Dr.
Gilbert, AZ 85296
Office: 480-632-0722
