Maintaining and Enhancing a Successful Learning Community through CARE

Collaboration, Achievement, Respect Enthusiasm

May 31, 2010

Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.

Richard Bach

Dear Bollinger Community,

One of the things that I often lay awake thinking about is if I have thanked you enough as a community for providing so much support for our school.  Our Ed Fund, PTA, and Site Council are remarkable entities that have provided a structure for parent involvement and input.  The donations of financial support and time have been phenomenal.  Your additional support in the classrooms, noon duty, library, and a myriad of other ways is recognized and appreciated more than I can say.

As we move into planning for next year, here are recent changes and decisions that will impact our school.  Because of class size increases, we have lost three teaching positions.  One is resolved by virtue of Bob Dolin’s retirement.  He will be sorely missed but look for him to still play a part in providing opportunities for some after school enrichment programs related to Robotics and/or Lego construction classes.  The other two positions to be eliminated through site seniority are Michele Ludwig and Eileen Healey.  Michele will go to Creekside Elementary and Eileen will go to Live Oak Elementary.  We are extremely sad over losing these wonderful ladies.  Our loss will be the other schools’ gain and I wish Michele and Eileen the best of luck and can only hope that someday we will bring them back home to Bollinger.

Our school bell schedule will remain the same as this year.  School calendars will come out with more complete information in the very near future.   We still have 4 kindergarten classes and remain on the same AM/PM schedule that we had in the past.  2^nd grade students return to a full year slip schedule. 

In order to accommodate shifting grades and numbers of classes, Karen Hoskins and Cristy Schaad will move to 3^rd grade.  As of today, this leaves us with four kindergartens, three 1^st and 2^nd grades, four 3^rd grades, and three 4^th and 5^th grade classes.  These numbers are “tentative” and could change due to enrollment changes during the summer.

We were very recently advised of a loss of funding for our Health Clerk position and will be saying a very sad farewell to Jani Mulholland.  Our office will not be the same without her boisterous laughter and friendship and I know you join me in wishing her well.

So, like the duck swimming in water, things may appear calm but I am paddling like crazy to stay afloat.  The great thing is, I love being here; I feel fortunate to have this outstanding staff, supportive parents and community, and of course our exceptional children. 

Our farewells next Thursday, to students and co-workers, will certainly be amongst friends, young and maybe not quite so young, the duration brief or maybe a bit longer, but as friends we will manage to stay in touch at least in our hearts and minds until we meet again.

Sincerely,

Shawn Wells