Dear YES Families,
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! This year, perhaps unlike any other, you have been a big part of your child's daily learning experiences. As we take some time to acknowledge our appreciation for teachers and staff at YES, you are also a big part of that celebration! Thank you for your ongoing role as "emergency teachers" to support the work of our YES teachers with your children.
It certainly goes without saying how supportive that you have been of our teachers and staff during this transition to remote learning. Please know that we are so appreciative of your efforts to recognize the extraordinary work that is continuing to be put in by our YES educators.
I came across this article over the weekend: "Teacher Appreciation Week: What Teachers Would Like to Have During Distance Learning". Not surprisingly one of the big things that makes an educators day was summed up by one of the responses:
"Notes from my students would be amazing.... and also probably break me. Which is also okay in my book. All the feels! ️
I respectfully suggest that a note from your child on Seesaw expressing their appreciation to the educators who care so much for them would be wonderful. Please tell your children that it is their homework from Mr. Gleason this week!
NURSE APPRECIATION WEEK
As fate would have it, this is also national Nurse Appreciation Week. We are very fortunate to have a skilled, professional and caring nurse at YES in Alison Thomson. We greatly appreciate all that she does for our students, families and staff. We also recognize that many of you are professional nurses and healthcare workers who are doing so much for the state of Maine right now. As we recognize Mrs. Thomson we also want to give a shout out to all of you for your "superhero" work at this time!
TUESDAY, MAY 5: MEDICATION PICK-UP - FINAL CALL!
On a related topic, Mrs. Thomson has reached out to all families who still have medication stored at school. She is coordinating a curb side pick up of these items on Tuesday, May 5. If you have not already done so, please connect her directly so you can pick up your child's medication.
UPDATE ON ASBESTOS ABATEMENT & STUDENT ITEMS
One of the challenges we have had is determining a plan to distribute non-essential student personal items that are still here at school. Where teachers and parents are not in a place where they can be at the school to identify these items it has resulted in us waiting until that can occur.
Additionally, I have learned that our scheduled asbestos abatement of the classrooms will be moved up to begin on May 18. This is actual very good news as the original plan for this work was to begin in late June and would have made the timeline very tight for the beginning of next school year. This should allow access to all of those wings for the month of August.
As such, we will not be scheduling a pick up of the remaining student personal items until August. I have already communicated with you a way to pick up any essential items that students needed to have for the remainder of the school year. If your child has any items that are still in school that are essential to have before August please communicate with me directly before our asbestos abatement begins. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding.
MOVING FROM YARMOUTH?
We are at that time of the school year where we are planning for 2020-21. This includes the placement process and a host of other transition work. It is helpful for our planning if we are aware of any families who will be moving from Yarmouth and do not anticipate attending YES next year. If that is the case for your family please contact me directly.
As always, if you have any questions or if there is anything that we can do to support your child please reach out to me. Have a fantastic week!
Best,
Ryan Gleason, YES Principal
