It’s hard to believe that the summer is over and a new school year has started.  I shared with the students this morning that it is always very exciting to see them return in September eager to start a new year and seeing how much they’ve grown in the two months we’ve been away.

We are having a fantastic first day, setting the stage for an awesome 2014-2015 school year.

I wanted to share a few things with you as this first day comes to an end.  First, I want to let you know that the School Council is hosting a Welcome Back BBQ at Meet-the-Teacher Night on September 11.  The BBQ will run from 6:00 to 7:00 and Council will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs and cold drinks.  The Meet-the-Teacher portion of the evening will run from 6:30 to 7:30.  This will provide families with the opportunity to reconnect after the summer.  School Council will be providing more details about this event later this week.  I hope many of you will be able to attend!

Second, I need to remind you to pay close attention to the road signs around the school.  Parts of William Street in front of the school are designated ‘No Stopping’ zones while sections of William Street leading up to the school are designated ‘No Parking’ zones.  I did notice a police officer was present this morning speaking to people who had stopped in the ‘No Parking’ zone this morning.  Historically, we’ve had concerns about student safety as they cross the street at the start and end of the day and I believe the township is in the process of reviewing signage around the school and the potential of a crossing guard being posted on William Street.  I will keep you informed if any changes are made.

Finally, we are looking for people interested in being Supervision Monitors.  This is a paid position that requires you to supervise children during nutrition breaks while they eat for 20 minutes and while they play outside for 20 minutes.  At this point we have 7 40-minute duties that need to be covered.  If you are interested please call the office.  Thanks!

I am thrilled to be returning to Riverside for my 4th year as principal.  It really is an amazing school community and I look forward to working with all of you again this year.

Brent Hatcher,  Principal