May 31, 2024
Dear Families,
It does not seem possible that we are fast approaching June and the end of the school year! It is so wonderful to see how much the children have grown this year and how classrooms have become close-knit communities. As our theme says, Together We’re Stronger! Stay tuned for details for year-end celebrations in individual classrooms, and be sure to save the date of Friday, June 7th from 5 to 7 PM for our annual Family Picnic at the Town of Groton Gazebo by the Groton Public Library and Playground! Bring a picnic blanket and dinner for your family, and GCS will supply dessert for the children. We look forward to our picnic each year to celebrate the school year together!
Spirit Days
On the topic of community, GCS children are invited to show their school spirit for our annual GCS Spirit Days on this Monday and Tuesday, June 3rd and 4th! We will hold “pep rallies” with some chants, cheers, and songs during school-wide gatherings. The Board of Directors has a table set up in the lobby for a few cash and carry GCS apparel items if you are interested.
GCS Camp
Speaking of apparel, the much-anticipated color of our GCS Camp T- shirts will be revealed next week! Stop by the Front Desk to pick up GCS Camp t-shirts if your child is attending. Terri Martin (GCS Camp Director) and Heidi May (GCS Camp Assistant Director), along with our creative camp staff, have lots of fun activities planned for a summer filled with “Medieval Majesty”!
Special Remembrances
Last week we gathered school-wide for our annual Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony. Thank you to Master Sergeant Michael Kennedy for joining us to help teach children the meaning of Memorial Day in such an age-appropriate way. Classes were invited to wear red, white and blue, and share in patriotic songs, and representatives from each class placed flags with Master Sergeant Kennedy in our Memory Garden.
Thank you to Jennie Fitzkee for describing the importance of the GCS Memory Garden with attendees. Our Memory Garden was created years ago after the loss of a family member in our GCS community. Throughout the years we have gathered, both formally school-wide and also informally on a class-by-class basis, to say good-bye and remember lost loved ones, from classroom pets to members of our community. We believe that death and loss are a natural aspect of life, and that exposing children to these concepts as a part of our GCS curriculum can help them in the future when they themselves may be faced with a personal loss.
Celebrating our Staff and Board
The end of the school year is filled with so many wonderful traditions at GCS Each spring, staff members and the Board of Directors gather for our Staff Board Social to celebrate the school year, thank those Board members whose terms are ending, and honor staff longevity milestones at GCS. Special congratulations go to Jennie Fitzkee (40 years!), Naomi Lynch (10 years) and Meghan Zocchi (5 years). Each of these teachers brings so much to their classrooms and to our school, and we are so lucky to have them on our GCS team!
GCS Family Survey
Please be on the lookout for our annual Family Survey coming soon. Feedback from our families is welcomed, in our year-end survey and throughout the school year, to help GCS be the best that it can be! Results are shared via email with families. The Family Survey is just one part of our Annual Program Evaluation, along with respective surveys by our governing Board of Trustees, Board of Directors, and Staff. Your input is valued and appreciated!
Thank you!
We would also like to thank the MWF PM Blue Room Parents and Families this month for our sensational “Fun Friday” staff treat! Staff enjoyed the delicious Chipotle food and the very pretty place settings!
Thank you so much to Deedee Row for bee-ing such an amazing GCS Guest! Deedee shared her passion for beekeeping with classes early in May, and the children were absolutely enthralled. And yes, it was her actual bee-day (birthday)!
Thanks also go to the following families who made contributions to the school in April and May: the Babin and Harris Families for spare clothing; the Braide-Moncoeur Family for Staff treats; the Alling-Onishi Family for yarn; the Moccia Family for a wobble disk and puppets.
Welcome Back!
Finally, we are very happy to welcome back our amazing Director, Linda! She is doing well and beginning to ease back into her school schedule after her leave. It feels so good to see her smiling face at the Front Desk, in the hallway, and in classrooms once again!
Sincerely,
Lisa Stafford, GCS Assistant Director
Dates to Remember
Monday, June 3rd and Tuesday, June 4th
GCS Spirit Days!
Friday, June 7th
GCS Family Picnic, 5-7 PM at Town of Groton Gazebo·
Monday, June 10th
GCS Board of Directors Meeting, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, June 12th
Last day of school for 2023-2024
Tuesday, June 18th
Full Day GCS Camp begins!
Thurs. June 20th
GCS Book Club for grownups (Date has changed), 7 PM