Smooth Start.....

The opening of the school year was very smooth, especially considering all the changes and improvements during the summer months. Students, teachers and parents are all adjusting well to the new schedule, where the day begins with homeroom followed by the morning meeting. Many parents and teachers feel this gives more structure in starting the day.

Mr. Roy, having significant experience as head of several notable schools, has been a wonderful interim head of school at FIDS. He is always available to respond to questions and requests from the parents and teachers in a timely and professional manner.

Another great success has been Chef Richard. The children are enjoying healthy meals and exploring new flavors made by our new Chef. Also in addition to the regular daytime cleaning, the school has hired Coverall Cleaning, a health based cleaning company that works to keep the school germ free. They use environmentally friendly products.

The Parent Association is an integral part of the FIDS community. The purpose of the association is to support the students through social events and activities which bring children, parents and teachers together. Every parent of FIDS is a member of the Parent Association. We welcome and encourage any level of participation. Every parent is a valued member.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO PAY YOUR DUES FOR PA.

Your contribution goes directly to the students and their functions and activities. Thanks for your support !

The next PA meeting is Tuesday October 5 beginning at 9:00 am at the Tennis Center on Fisher Island and will be followed by the Effective Parenting Series which will start at 10:00 a.m. The topic will be "Consequences That Work."

PLEASE ALSO REMEMBER TO GET A FLU SHOT FOR THE SEASON FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN.

UPPER SCHOOL NEWS:

The 2nd-5th grade children are diligently working on improving their vocabulary skills. They are learning to define words in the context of a story and across the curriculum in the core subject areas.  The children have learned in order to comprehend new vocabulary it is a good idea to attach the new word to something they already know.  In this way they are better able to use the word in their own writing and speaking.  In addition to using context for definitions, the students are also using dictionaries and online resources to define new words.

LOWER SCHOOL NEWS:

New knowledge and understanding is built upon already existing knowledge and understanding. A solid foundation (created during a child’s earlier years PK- SK) creates the necessary groundwork for later years. Missing integral building blocks from the early years creates very difficult gaps in later grades, which are much more challenging to fill while maintaining grade-appropriate learning tasks within the classroom. For these reasons it is integral that students receive a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding in their earlier years of school, so that they have the necessary knowledge to successfully meet challenges in later years.

Halloween News:

 Please have children bring their costume to school on October 29 . The festivities will begin at 2:00 p.m. starting with the Annual Costume Parade. Students should bring their costumes to school and plan to put them on just before the Halloween parade.The toddlers will have their costume parade and party at 11:00 a.m. After the parade, the students will be going back to their respective classrooms for Halloween treats, games and crafts.

Surprise! FIDS parents have donated a horse drawn hayride for all of the children. The rides will begin at 9:30 am and will be conducted by grade level, so that a minimum of class time will be missed. Please be sure to fill out a permission slip in order for your child to be able to participate. Permission slips will be available in your child's classroom. We are all excited about this wonderful event for the children.

Everyone is invited to the Charouhis family's Halloween dinner party at their home. Our sincere thanks to the Charouhis family! This will be followed by trick-or-treating on Fisher Island. Please remember if you live on the island to have a person present at your residence to pass out candy for the children.