“And we’re back!” Greeting children and parents in the lobby each morning, I get a good sense of how the school day might unfold, and I was pleased to see the smiling faces of children and slightly relieved parents happy that routines were back in place after a few weeks off.
As a school person, I love the momentum that accompanies the January return. Children are familiar with norms and schedules, and teachers are in their stride. From now through the spring, it’s exciting to watch how much learning and growth occurs. Kids can take giant strides forward this time of year as literacy and numeracy skills expand, their self confidence grows, and they physically mature. As we move forward, there are several important items that I want to bring to your attention.
We ask that you return your tuition deposit at your earliest convenience. This helps us solidify our staffing model for the coming school year, something the teachers and I are eager to finalize. The deadline for re-enrollment is January 31, but it helps to know your plans as soon as possible. Please contact Liz or me if you have any questions.
School picture day, a first for Torit, will happen on Thursday, January 11 (Infant & Infant/Toddler classes will not have individual photos taken but Liz will get a class photo of them for the yearbook). We encourage children to dress up if they prefer. (I’m glad to share some choice 1970s school pictures!)
Snow is coming Saturday into Sunday, a fun reminder to get outside and play. If there is ever a snow day during the school week, I will endeavor to alert the Torit community by 8:00 PM the night before if at all possible via an all-school email and a notice on the website homepage. While we know many families live within walking distance, many of our teachers commute considerable distances to Torit, so with safety in mind, I’ll do my best to make the right call. (Full disclosure: as someone who worked at boarding schools for 17 years, including 5 years in Maine, my inclination is to keep school open whenever possible, but I also understand that if faculty can’t get here, that’s a wee problem!)
My favorite seasonal children’s book? Snow, by Uri Shulevitz. Enjoy the first blast of winter!
Onward,
David Liebmann
Head of School