Dear SKS Families,
Here’s the latest at SKS – including details about operations during inclement weather and our closing procedures.
Veterans Day
We had a beautiful tribute to our Veterans on Monday morning. We had over two dozen Veterans come to the ceremony including parents, grandparents, relatives, friends and parishioners. We were honored to welcome them. Our students listened attentively to parent and veteran, Steve Miller, talk about his experiences and what he learned from being in the service. Ask your child about three things he mentioned and see what they remember, then send it back to me. The first twelve get a DD Pass and Golden Ticket!
School Mass
This morning our School Mass hosted by the 7th grade was well attended and beautiful. Our Peacemakers were honored (once every trimester we do this). If you haven’t made it to a school mass as yet, try to make it happen.
Snow/Ice Weather Alerts – School Closings
There is a call for snow and ice for tomorrow (Thursday) morning AFTER school starts. We make decisions about school closures in conjunction with the school districts serving SKS. Our three primary school districts are Radnor, TE and Upper Merion. It’s a decision made on safety conditions for the surrounding neighborhoods for buses and cars.
In the event of any school closing, before or during school, you are contacted through our Option C communications. You will receive an email, a text, and a voicemail. Also information will be posted on our school website sksschool.org, SKS Facebook, 6ABC, and KYW. Short of sending you a smoke signal over your house or knocking on your front door, you will be notified about what is going unless you are living under a rock. It’s vital that you keep your phone handy in case an alert comes in from us at any time during the school day.
When bad weather hits us, we have basically four options when dealing with poor travel conditions:
- Remain open and have students arrive at regular time
- Close for the day before school opens
- Two hour delay – students arrive at 10 am
Option 4 is the most annoying option – close early when school is already in session after regular arrival time. In other words, as soon as you get your second cup of coffee and get to your desk/meeting/appointment your phone will start dinging with notifications. Please make sure you have a Plan B set in case of any event.
Decisions are based mainly on those three school districts and their transportation plans for that day. Anne is in close contact with the school districts. Sometimes a school closing is made the night before (yeah!) However sometimes the judgement call by the school districts is made early that morning ( as early as 4:30 am, and as late as 6:30 am.) It’s a bit of a lottery and every situation is different. If Radnor is closed; we usually follow suit. If Radnor is open, and TE and UM are closed, it’s a coin flip based on conditions and weather predictions. We make decisions based on safety and usually err on the side of caution. In short, we do the best we can and we won’t please everyone. Some love snow days; for working parents it can be a nightmare.
SKS Wildcat 102 Videos
Here is the link to the November edition of the SKSWildcat102 Video. It’s a fun way to see our school in action and is produced by our 8th grade team:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7ocotRcgiA
Also, check out our archived videos!
November – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yJAnSAejMo
October – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-5yAEtf4fo
September – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6twL_cE_Z6Q
Forensics for Grades 6, 7, & 8
We are looking for more students to get involved in Forensics in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, especially boys. Why should your child participate in forensics? With permission, I have copied an email below from SKS parent Marilou Reeder, about her daughter Sasha (SKS Class of 2018) who is a freshman at Conestoga High School. Sasha, is the lead in the school play The Miracle Worker, playing the part of Helen Keller. For information about Forensics, I can have Mrs. Jeanne Turn, our coach, get in touch with you.
Hi Jeanne,
I wanted to let you know of the many things that are going well for Sasha in high school, as a result of her forensics experience at SKS. Sasha wanted to write you herself, but her schedule is a little crazy right now, so I am writing instead.
Sasha auditioned for and was cast as Helen Keller in Conestoga’s production of The Miracle Worker. Guess what she used as her audition piece? The Tell Tale Heart! She also auditioned for Mock Trial and was given a major role, which is unusual for a freshman. And all her class presentations have been earning top marks. Sasha and I wanted to thank you for all your support and encouragement last year. Forensics has had a positive impact on her!
Sasha performs in the play this Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm, if you know anyone who might be interested. 😉
Thank you!
Marilou Reeder (& Sasha)
BLOCS Application for 2019-2020 (NEXT YEAR)
Application for BLOCS tuition money for the next school (2019-20) is now open.
You can start your application at: http://blocs.org/apply-scholarship/
Safe Environment Lessons
Each year the faculty presents two lessons on safe environment to our students. The lessons are age appropriate and can be reviewed at: http://oceteachers.org/395/
As primary educators for your child you can choose to opt out from your child participating in this lesson by filling out the Opt Out Letter (click here.) If you choose to opt out please fill out the form and send it to Anne Condello who will forward it to your child’s teacher.
Take care,
Bud