Hello Gardner Elementary School Families!
We apologize for any inconvenience our delayed opening caused but I am thrilled to welcome you to our new elementary school for the 2022-2023 school year! Bigger classrooms, state-of-the-art technology, wonderful views, and brand new furniture are just a few of the many benefits this beautiful school affords. The shine of the new floor will be matched only by the positive “gleam” staff will exude as they welcome your children to start the year. I look forward to embarking on a lot of firsts with everyone! Here is some other important and relevant information we wanted to share:
Your Child’s Teacher:
- This will be sent out in a few weeks once all our student information is transferred to the new database system.
Important Dates:
- Monday, September 12th - First Day of school for GRADES 1-4
- Tuesday, September 13th - Kindergarten orientation for students only with the last name A-J - **This is a short day where parents/caregivers MUST accompany their child. Parents/caregivers can ride the bus with their child and be transported home by bus at the end of orientation. The orientation will begin at 9:30, and will end between 10:45 and 11:00.
- Wednesday, September 14th - Kindergarten orientation for students only with the last name K-Z - **This is a short day where parents/caregivers MUST accompany their child. Parents/caregivers can ride the bus with their child and be transported home by bus at the end of orientation. The orientation will begin at 9:30, and will end between 10:45 and 11:00.
- Thursday, September 15th - First official day for ALL Kindergarten students
- Monday, September 19th - First official day for Preschool students (see enclosed letter for more details)
Additional Important Information:
- School Hours: Our doors will open for the students to enter at 8:30 but the school day officially begins at 8:45 a.m. We ask that you do not drop your child off before 8:30 a.m. as staff are not available to monitor and escort children to their rooms before that time. Dismissal will be at 3:00 p.m.
- Busing: Busing is available for all Kindergarten students. Grade 1-4 students who live over a mile from the school are also eligible for this service. More specific information (Bus #, stop, etc.) will be published on the district website in the coming weeks. We ask that you please inform your child’s teacher which method of transportation he/she will be using.
- Parent/caregiver Pick-Up and Drop-Off: The system involves K - 4th grade parents entering from Pearl St. (across from Dunn Pond) and driving to the side of the building where your child will enter. The process will be similar to what was done at Waterford Street School. We ask for your patience during the first week as the wait time might be longer than usual. Preschoolers will enter in the same location but we require that parents park and then walk their child to the entrance. We’ll have signage that lends clarity to the process.
- First Day of School: We ask that your child come with a backpack and a snack. School breakfast and lunch will be provided free of charge for all students again this year but your child can certainly bring a lunch from home if that’s preferable. There is no supply list of items for families to purchase as we aim to provide these needed items for our students. However, if there are certain items you wish to purchase for your child, feel free to do so.
- Please visit our school website and Facebook page to receive additional updates and notices throughout the year.
School and Family Connection:
- An additional GES goal is to partner with families to aid our students’ success as we recognize the important role you play in your child’s education. To that end, we’ll have events and a variety of opportunities for you to connect with the GES staff. If you’d like to take on an even greater role in this partnership, I’d encourage you to reach out to one of our Family and Community Engagement Coordinators - Misti Torres (rahaimm@gardnerk12.org) or Chelsea Maillet (mailletc@gardnerk12.org) - who can discuss ways to do that throughout the year. If you are interested in joining the PTO, feel free to reach out to Shannon Ouelletteor Kellie Perkins at geswildcatspto@gmail.com .
At GES, we are committed to being a place where all community members experience joy, achievement, and care. We strive to accomplish this by:
- Learning and practicing what it means to be a safe, respectful, responsible, and kind Gardner Elementary School citizen - these four words make up our school mantra. We teach and live these values daily.
- Providing a rigorous, enriching, and enjoyable academic experience. We want your child to come home every day with knowledge to share, skills to demonstrate, and a smile on their face!
- Fostering positive relationships between the staff, students, and families.
- Infusing your child with a sense of belonging and pride in their school. Go GES Wildcats!
- Incorporating every child’s family as part of the school community. My door is always open and I welcome questions, concerns, and ideas parents/caregivers and other members of the community would like to share. I also hope to see you at events we’ll have throughout the year celebrating the great work our teachers and students are doing.
For those who have been a part of Gardner elementary schools, we look forward to seeing you again! For those new to our school, we can’t wait to meet you!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Sincerely,
Earl Martin
Principal