With 2023 coming to an end, we are so proud of everything that our students have accomplished this year. It is always important in the middle of the year to remember everything that goes into keeping our children and staff safe throughout their school day.
Safety Drills: Each year, our students and staff practice fire drills, lockdown drills, and also tornado drills. Our teachers talk with the students before the drills and then they reflect after the drills are over. All of our Falcons have done a great job practicing this year.
Front Parking Lot/Bus Lot: Just a reminder that our front parking lot is our bus parking lot. With two dismissal and arrival times, this parking lot needs to be kept clear during certain time periods of the day. Also, traffic only should be going one way in and one way out. This is a safety concern if cars are parked in this lot and go against the bus traffic. If buses are in the lot, we ask that you wait in a parking spot, until all buses have pulled out. This allows our drivers to start their route, and to get our students to school and home safely. Our morning drop off periods are from 7:15-7:45 and then again from 8:30-9:10. Our afternoon pick up times are from 2:10-2:35, and then again from 3:30-4:10. During those time frames, we ask that you use an alternative lot, or wait patiently in a parking spot until buses pull out.
Winter Weather: Heading into winter always leaves us with little predictability with our weather. One of the ways that we are able to keep students safe is to provide consistency with winter gear and recess. If the feels like temperature is 39 degrees or below, students will need to have coats, and other gear is optional depending on what the students plan to do at recess. We highly encourage students to bring all winter gear if they plan to be in the snow. Students will only be in the snow if they have boots on, as we don't want them to be uncomfortable during the day if they get their shoes wet. Between 40-54 degrees (feels like), students will need to have long sleeves on, and 55 and above, students can wear what they are most comfortable in. If your child is need of a winter coat, please reach out to our front office. We will go outside as long as the feels like temperature is above 5 degrees. Our staff will use best judgement on the wintery conditions on those days, if we need to have indoor recess. Our goal is our student's safety when they are outside playing.
Pick up and Drop Off: Please make sure you are following procedures for pick up and drop off. Practicing patience and safety is our priority. If you notice something out of the norm, please reach out and I work closely with Officer Schrems (our School Resource Officer), and the Tittabawassee Township Police to keep Powley and 7th Street as safe as possible. Please fill the parking spots first before using the streets, and please follow the flow in the morning for drop off.
End of Day Messages: If you need to get messages to your child in regards to changes in their end of the day schedule, please make every attempt to do so at least 30 minutes before their dismissal time. This will allow our front office staff to relay that message in a timely manner to your child.
We appreciate your support when it comes to our building safety. The saying is that it takes a village, and when it comes to the safety of our staff and students, that phrase is so accurate. I am so fortunate to be a part of this village. I hope your family has the most wonderful and joyful holiday season and the happiest New Year!
And, Go Blue!
Your Proud Principal,
Mrs. Kali McKenna
Kali McKenna, Principal
Lauren Hall, Secretary
Meghan Maxwell, Secretary
Annette Moore, Secretary
