A Message from the Principal

August 2010

Dear Ohlone Families,

Welcome to the 2010 – 2011 school year!

I hope you all had a wonderful and restful summer break. I’m really excited about the upcoming school year. This year promises to be an exciting adventure in so many different ways.

First of all, the programs that the teachers have been planning and thinking about over the summer are sure to excite and motivate your child. The ones that I’m aware of presently sound terrific. Many teachers have spent a lot of time reflecting, organizing, acquiring new skills, and preparing over the summer. They are an extraordinarily committed and dedicated group of professionals who are also extremely hard workers. We include in our faculty two new teachers in the MI program. They are Claire Albert and Lu Sun. We also welcome Yasmin Shirole, who will be working part time in Room 9 with Suzy Anvar, and Laura  Losier, our new Friday librarian. And finally, we welcome back Mary Lowe who is a former Ohlone teacher and parent.  These new staff members complete an already talented group of teachers.

Second, we will have an abundance of construction going on throughout the year. I’m sure all of the noise, dust, movement and activity will add to our excitement level. By the time you get to school, there should be a lot of fencing that is visible to everyone. There are already four new portables located on the blacktop in front of Rooms 11-14. These will be temporarily for the MI students as rooms #24 (closest to the library) to Room 27, (closest to the office). Unfortunately the new construction and fencing will hinder the ability to drive or park behind the 2/3 wing. To assist the staff members who can no longer park there, we have restricted the area behind the MP Room and the office to staff-only and to the two auction winners from two years ago. (You will get a chance to procure these spots yourself at this year’s auction.) In the meantime, this year, even more than in the past, it will be extremely helpful for you to carpool. More information about this will be coming your way in the future.

For those of you who enter Ohlone through the back gate near the Farm, with the new fencing you will be taking a more circuitous route along the trees and around behind the newly placed OKC and Rooms 23 – 19.  This little jaunt through the “forest”, or “Redwood City” , as it is affectionately known to our kids, should be a nice way to start school each day.

There are also so many other aspects of Ohlone that will be new and exciting this year. I’ll tell you more about these in the future. I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at 8:30am on August 24th  at this year’s opening ceremonies.  At this moment, a decision as to where that will be has yet to be made. A lot will depend on whether or not all of the protective fencing has been put up or not.  Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer and I’ll see you soon.

Bill

read the Principal's blog at http://www.ohlone.pausd.org/principalblog.html