What a gift it is to work or be a student in schools! Every year we all get a fresh beginning, a chance to start all over again. Not many situations allow that, but it’s the way school life rolls. This week, we welcomed six new kindergartners and one new upper grade student to Whiting School and said “happy to meet ya!” to two new staff members. Classes started right in on Wednesday, with some kids in new classrooms, or classrooms with summer make-overs that made them seem new, and a sparkly clean building. It didn’t take long for teachers to lead their students in learning and community-building activities,and that’s as it should be. Brains turned on, minds were activated, friends made and re-connected, and we’re off into a brand new school year. It’s pretty amazing to watch. We hope the summer-to-school change of routine was gentle and seamless for your family.

So students aren’t the only ones with homework! The first week is typically characterized by literally an avalanche of school papers and forms coming home, many requiring signatures and sign-offs needing to be returned to school. They’re all important, some are critical to get ASAP in fact (i.e. the emergency contact and medical information form), and we ask that they come back to school no later than the end of the first week. If they’re still on the counter awaiting your availability to read through them, it would be great to get them back on Monday. As always, please call/check in with the school for any clarification or questions. We know filling all these out is a huge deal, and we thank you for getting through and returning them.

Big Meeting to explain how it will all work and to address questions and wonderings to be held next Tues., 8/31, 7:00pm at the School. By now, most families know that Whiting will be partneringwith the Abbey Group, as most RNESU schools will, to offer a school meals/snack and milk program. It’s a majorprogram start-up, so we want to make sure Whiting parents who are interested in making use of this option for lunch, snack, milk and eventually breakfast have all the information needed. Please plan on attending the School Food Service Info Meeting on 8/31 at 7:00pm.

Apologies in advance or this being on the same night as our Food program meeting. Ever wonder about what is and what isn’t okay on those “social networking” sites like Twitter, Facebook and/or MySpace? Feeling out-of-the loop when it comes to text messaging and the dangers of sending photos over the internet, yet your (early or in the throes) adolescents are “using them?” Technicool is a Vermont-based program that helps parents learn and gain resources about the newest technology-related online activities and how kids and teens are using them. The program will be presented at Otter Valley H.S. on Tues. evening, Aug. 31, at 6:30pm in the Auditorium.