The Gator Gazette

If you came to the Popsicle Pop-In, visited school this summer, or have sat through car rider line, you definitely have seen the construction progress at Allisonville! We have experienced the last and final phase of the building renovation and I am happy to report that we are nearly done. Over the summer we had a new addition built off the east side that includes a new kindergarten room and the Gator Academy, for students who need additional educational supports. The school’s kitchen was outdated and unable to service our student body, so updated our kitchen with new walk-in coolers, warmers, and a dish line. Casework and sinks that were outdated in classrooms were also replaced this summer with new cabinetry. Lastly, the parking lot was fixed, paved, and striped to accommodate our new bus and car flow. (Look for additional information about traffic flow from Mrs. Bobb in this Gazette.) Referendum dollars from 2016 and 2020 directly supported all of the renovation efforts at Allisonville and with our project finally complete; Allisonville wants to say THANK YOU to the community for your support and patience. Our learning spaces are student-centered and top-notch – we can’t wait to show them off at Back to School Night on August, 25th!

We are excited to welcome our first visiting author of the year to Allisonville next week. Children’s author John Shu will be presenting to students on Thursday to share his love of reading and his new book, This Is A School. Look for more library information in the Gazette from Mrs. Weiger, including information about the upcoming Book Fair and volunteers for that. As students get into the grove of school, we are starting to add fun events and activities like visiting author and book fair. The following week we will have our first Gator Gathering of the school year to kick off Gator Packs at Allisonville. More to come next week about that. In the meantime, have a great weekend Gators!

We Are The Gators! WE ARE AV!

Mrs. Reffett

Principal

8/18 – John Schu author visit

8/24 – Book Fair Opens

8/25 – Back to School Night

8/26 – Gator Gathering (note date change)

8/27 – Spirit Wear Store Closes

8/30 – Book Fair Sidewalk Sale

I am so excited to join Team Allisonville for the 2022-2023 school year!

This is my 15th year in education. I started my career in Warren Township in 2008 after graduating from IUPUI. Over the course of my career I have taught grades 2, 3, and 4, including high ability. My work with students has taken me to Warren, Lawrence, and Southern Hancock Schools. I finished my Masters Degree in High Ability Education through Indiana Wesleyan University in 2014.

During the 2021-2022 school year, I served students and families in Washington Township as District High Ability Coach. Although I loved coaching teachers and coordinating high ability services, I missed the daily interaction with students and the camaraderie that comes with working with school-based teams.

I have a 10-year old son, Max, and a dog, named Buoy. Together, we love camping, hiking, going on adventures, backyard fires, and basically anything outdoors! In our spare time, we also love trying out new ice-cream spots around Indy. We also love travel and music!

I am so thankful to be back in the classroom and teaching among the most passionate and talented educators in Washington Township! Go Gators!

Please help us speed up our car rider line by reviewing the following:

• Starting this week, after buses leave the lot, cones will be moved to allow cars to exit straight through the lot out of the west entrance. Security will stay on the west side to help with traffic. Please use this exit rather than the U-turn if buses are clear. The west entrance is the pick up for AYS; please proceed with caution as cars may be trying to make a right turn from 79th into the lot in the PM.
• Pull up as far as you can behind the next car in order to minimize space between vehicles.
• In the afternoon, if your child does not come out, please pull all the way up to wait for the next round of students when staff signals to move forward. If you are behind a stopped car, you may pull around them to exit the lot.
• Car Rider Numbers should be displayed on your mirror or dashboard. If someone else is picking up your child, please have them display your family number.
• All adults should stay in the car; school staff will help students in/out of the car as needed. Students should load from the sidewalk and not walk into the parking lot without a staff member.

Thank you for your help and patience as we continue to improve the car rider line at Allisonville!

As we complete our first full week of school, please remember a few things to keep our students healthy. If your student is not feeling well, experiencing a headache, upset stomach, sore throat, cough, runny nose or congestion, and fever, please keep him/her home until symptoms improve.

We welcome you to Back to School Night on Thursday, August 25th. Due to our limited parking, parents with students in grades K, 2, & 4 will attend from 5:15-6:00 pm. Parents with students in grades 1, 3, & 5 will attend form 6:30-7:15 pm. Specials teachers will also be available and their classrooms will be open during Back to School Night. Additionally, there will be a General PTO Meeting from 6:00pm-6:30pm in the cafeteria. All parents are invited and encouraged to attend to get a PTO overview for the school year. Back to School Night is an adults-only event and is an important time for parents and guardians to meet your child’s teacher. It is a great opportunity to hear about all the wonderful things they have planned for the school year. You can also ask questions about curriculum, grading, procedures, and more. Please plan to join us at Allisonville on August 25th for Back to School Night!

We are excited to welcome Mr. John Schu to Allisonville on August 18, 2022.

Mr. Schu has made a career out of advocating for kids, books, and the people that connect them. John is a children's book author, librarian, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and the children's librarian for Bookelicious.

Grades 2-5 8:15 - 9:00 am

Grades K-1 9:45 – 10:15 am

In his book, school isn’t just a building; it is all the people who work and learn together. It is a place for discovery and asking questions. A place for sharing, for helping, and for community. It’s a place of hope and healing, even when that community can’t be together in the same room. Mr. Schu crafts a loving letter to schools and the people that make up the communities within in a picture book debut beautifully illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison.

It's almost book fair time!

It's almost time for the Allisonville Book Fair: Reading Gives You Oceans of Possibilities! The book fair will be open during the school day and students can shop during their specials time. The book fair will also be open during the evening on August 24th during our Back to School Night. Our outdoor SIDEWALK SALE is scheduled for Tuesday, August 30th from 3:15 - 5:00pm. Students can shop during the day from Wednesday, August 24 - Wednesday, August 31.

If you know of someone who might be willing to volunteer, forward this email to them or send me their email address. The book fair is successful because of volunteers like YOU!

It doesn't take any experience to volunteer. We'll give you a quick training when you arrive. Please review the available slots below and go to the link to sign up. Thank you!

We need volunteers to help set-up the book fair on Friday, August 19th. We will start setting up at noon and will be finished by 3:20pm. If you can help any during that time, please sign up – or just stop by!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4AA8AA28A57-allisonville1

Order online at https://shop.distinctimages.net/Allisonville/shop/home

Shop closes August 22nd.