Barnstable Horace Mann Charter School
Ms. Kara Peterson
 Vision: A School with Tomorrow Inside

Mission:  Excellence for All!   Excellence by All!

Boletim de notícias no Português ~ Boletín de noticias en Español

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June 1, 2010

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It doesn’t seem as though the school year should be wrapping up, yet here we are in June, with only fifteen and a half days of school remaining!  If your son or daughter is entering Barnstable Intermediate School, this newsletter will serve as one of my last communications with you.  If you are the parent of a student in grade four, my next official correspondence will be in the summer.  As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact me at 508-420-2272 or feel free to send me an e-mail at kpeterson@bhmcs.org. 

The 2009-2010 school year has been positive.  We have come a long way, together, from the beginning stages of the district reorganization and aftershocks of budget reductions.  Seven elementary schools have come together under one roof and the enthusiasm and spirit of staff, students, parents, and families has been contagious.  My thanks go out to the fourth and fifth grade students who made BHMCS 4/5 a success, along with all of the grade four and grade five teachers, support staff, and administrative team.  In order to ensure we are able to continue meeting the needs of current and future students, please fill out the attached survey and return it in the envelope provided to your child’s homeroom teacher.  Your feedback is important and we want to hear from you.  Please return the survey by Friday June 11.  Responses will be tabulated, help formulate adjustments for 2010-2011, and be shared in our Annual Report.

Board of Trustees Update:
The Board will be having an end-of-year meeting on Thursday June 24 at 5:00 p.m. in our Library.  Following the Annual Meeting, the regular monthly meeting will be held which will serve as a wrap-up of the school year.  Remember, Board meetings are open to the public and all are welcome!

Health Office News:
Over the course of the school year thousands of students have benefited from the services provided by our School Nurse, Kathy Teague and Health Assistant, Ms. Remmers appreciate all of your support and assistance.  In order to ensure a healthy end-of-year, please note the following:

 

If you have questions or need assistance, please call the Health Office at 508-420-9054.

Summer Send-Off:
As children grow older, it is important to consistently reiterate your expectations and provide tools for your son or daughter to stay out of harm’s way.  With summer just around the corner, I thought it might be helpful to share safety tips provided by the Barnstable Police Department:

  1. If children are home alone and are allowed to answer the telephone, they should never tell the caller that they are home alone.  Make sure that they have a list of phone numbers (neighbors, friends, family) that they can call if they should become frightened, or in the event of an emergency.  Assure that they know how to call 911 and when it is appropriate to do so.   Also, establish a schedule for the children to check in with mom or dad.

 

  1. Establish house rules for use of the computer, especially the Internet.  The computer can be a valuable learning tool, but it is not a good babysitter.  Make sure children know never to give out personal information on the computer.
  1. Children should always be required to check in with a parent or trusted contact person before leaving the house and when returning home.

 

  1. Teach your children that it is best to be in a group of friends when going places.  When using public restrooms, go as a group.  There is safety in numbers!
  1. Parents should know the route children will be taking to and from a given location.  Remind children never to take shortcuts or deviate from the route agreed upon.

 

  1. Make sure that your children know never to talk to anyone that they don’t know.  They should be comfortable talking to you about things that may have happened that they aren’t sure how to handle, or things that make them uncomfortable.

Remember, the best defense to an unsafe situation is to prevent it all together!

Upcoming Events:

 

Thank you for a terrific school year, and
best wishes for a safe and enjoyable summer vacation!

Sincerely,

 

Kara Peterson
Principal

BHMCS Mission:  Excellence for All!