Fall is Here

It is hard to believe that November is just around the corner as we celebrate Halloween today with the younger students. The weather is cooling and rain is on the way (again). Snow is falling in the Rockies and winter will soon be here. The fall sports seasons have been completed and tournaments held. The Fall Athletic Banquet will be held next Thursday evening at Lakeview.

Tomorrow school will be closed for a Teacher Institute Day where staff members will be working on the District Writing Curriculum. Teachers will be reviewing the traits of writing as well as using various rubrics and evaluation tools. Normal classes will resume on Monday, November 2, 2009. Have a safe Halloween weekend!

National School Bus Safety Week

October 19 – 23 has been designated National School Bus Safety Week. Statistically, school buses are the safest mode of transportation in the country. These vehicles are designed to protect students in transit and do a superior job of safeguarding our children. More important than the design of the vehicle is the driver. School bus drivers are rigorously trained and monitored requiring annual license renewals and refresher training. Our drivers are also formally evaluated each year based on check rides and observation.

Center Cass School District 66 is fortunate to have a very professional and well trained team of drivers who transport our students each day in all types of weather conditions. At this point in the year, most students have received their annual training on bus safety provided on a school bus at each school. This program covers safe bus riding practices and emergency evacuation procedures. This training will be followed up by evacuation drills at each school building. The purpose of this instruction is to prepare students for any emergency that may occur. In celebrating this week, ask your children about safe bus riding rules and procedures.

Congratulations to our fine transportation team! Listed below are the dedicated drivers and support staff that provide safe daily service to and from school for your children. Drivers are listed as well as their initial service date with District 66

Pat Romaniszak, 1991
Walter Sangaila, 1996
Kate Nikiel, 1997
James Gismondi, 2001
Tom Tiede, 2001
Norren Dvorak, 2002
Zak Munoz, 2003
Jim Mathiasch, 2004
John Cesal, 2004
Art Mueller, 2004
Jim Hagen, 2005
Paul Jonauskas, 2006
Twanna Anderson, 2007
Manny Staiger, 2008
Michael Pappas, 2008
Thanks for all you do!

Fall is Here!

It is hard to believe the quick change in our weather over the past several days. As I write the clouds are gathering for a forecast several hours of rain. As the beautiful more temperate weather becomes a memory school activities begin to move inside for the fall and winter seasons. In the next couple of weeks the fall athletic seasons will conclude. Soon the football, cross country and volleyball seasons will be behinds us as will the marching band season. Before you know it tryouts will be here for basketball and winter activities and intramurals. Soon the snow will fall and we will be thinking about Thanksgiving and the Holidays!

It is amazing how quickly time passes. As the time passes remember that we are about half way through the first trimester and it is a good time to review your children's progress by checking their grades and meeting with teachers during parent teacher conferences. Enjoy these days of fall as the greens of summer give way to the browns of fall to soon been replaced by the white of winter snows. Think Snow!