Monday, September 26, 2016

A Great Start to the New School Year!


We are several weeks into the new school year and I think we can all agree we’re off to a great start! Our Open Houses were well attended and the energy at Metcalf is very positive. We all enjoyed the Welcome Back to School event with DJ Ooch...the rain didn’t stop us from having fun! With the beginning of year events now behind us our students are settling into to their new routines and feeling comfortable. It’s going to be a fantastic school year!

Mrs. Laurie Gross is the 
Exeter-West Greenwich Teacher of the Year!

Please help us congratulate Mrs. Laurie Gross on being named the Exeter-West Greenwich Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Gross has proven herself to be a most valuable asset to Metcalf Elementary School. She is the grade three team leader, serves on numerous committees, and truly leads by example. I am honored to be her principal and was delighted to be in attendance while she was honored this past Saturday evening at the Rhode Island Department of Education sponsored ceremony which took place just prior to Waterfire. It was a beautiful evening and an incredibly special event. Please enjoy the pictures below.

Mrs. Gross, you represent us well and make us 
"METCALF PROUD" every day!! 





Thank you for all you do for our school, students, and families. :)


Who’s new at Metcalf?

We have a few new faces at Metcalf this year while some of our familiar faces are out on leave. Please help us welcome Mrs. Sheri O’Neill who is substituting for Mrs. Black in the library. Mrs. O’Neill has jumped right in and is very excited to share her enthusiasm for literature and technology with her new Metcalf students.

Ms. Breann Stewart is substituting for Caitlin Blake while she is out on maternity leave. Breann did a few long-term positions for us last year and did a fabulous job. We are lucky to have her back again this year. Her presence has already had a positive impact on our students!

Mrs. Alicia Skaggs is thrilled to be joining the Metcalf Team as a long-term art substitute for Mrs. LaFrenaye while Sharon is out on maternity leave. After graduating from Syracuse University, Alicia spent time as a textile designer and then taught art in North Kingstown, at Fishing Cove and Quidnessett Elementary Schools. She is looking forward to working with your children this year and sharing their wonderful artwork on Artsonia!

Ms. Christine Gardner is our new Occupational Therapist. Ms. Gardner graduated with a Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2011 from Quinnipiac University. Since then she has worked in several states across the country specializing in pediatrics, most recently working at Bradley Hospital. Christine is excited to be here at Exeter-West Greenwich to work with the students on their journey of academic success and personal growth.

Fifth Grade Science Fun 
with Mrs. Hanley and Ms. Ryan!


















     We're sure you can see that WE LOVE SCIENCE!!!!!

Upcoming Events & Information!
  • Don't miss the Scholastic Book Fair at Metcalf this week.  We are always happy to see books in our students' hands.  
  • The Book Fair is open to families on Friday evening.
  • The PTA will be running the Walkathon on the morning of October 5th.  This is fun event for the Metcalf community and a very important fundraiser so don't miss the information that was sent home last week! Students in grades 3 & 4 will walk 8:50 to 9:35, grades 5 & 6 will walk from 9:45-10:30.
  • Thank you to Mrs. Tanya Chipman for volunteering to be our Box Top Coordinator this year. We appreciate the time and energy you spend heading this program for us! We use the funds generated by this program to supply additional classroom resources to our teachers and students.  Please collect and send in your Box Tops so we can continue supporting creative activities at Metcalf School!  Please thank Mrs. Chipman when you see her!
  • Thank you to Mrs. Stephanie Levins for volunteering in our library this year!  Your assistance with book organization and shelving is very much appreciated! Please say thank you to Mrs. Levins the next time you see her!
  • Thank you to our PTA for the one year Discovery Education license for our Metcalf students and teachers! We are SO excited!  

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Lockdown Update



Good Afternoon,

Late today I received the final information from the State Police regarding the incident that occurred on Friday, resulting in a district-wide lockdown. At this point, I can share some additional factual details. The threat was received at Metcalf School by a third party, concerned about potential violent actions of another individual. The threat was not directed toward any one individual or group of individuals. The police were contacted immediately and a district-wide lockdown was put in place as per protocol.

We were aware that the person of concern was reportedly on the way to the school district, so police were on scene to be sure that did not happen. We wanted all individuals to be inside and certainly did not want to convey a message of panic that would undoubtedly bring many concerned parents to the school buildings while the police were in the process of locating the reported individual and conducting their investigation. At no time during the event did anyone of concern enter any of our campuses, and the procedures at every school were executed as planned.

I was notified late this afternoon that there was no credible evidence that the reported concern would come to fruition. As we did for the remainder of the day on Friday, all classes and activities will resume as normal on Monday morning. Principals at each building will debrief with their staff and staff will debrief with their students. Administrators will also meet to debrief to be sure that everything in place was executed as planned, and to look at ways to make our current procedures even tighter.

We spend a great deal of time in schools preparing for the unthinkable, but when we have to put things in place outside of the typical drills that we conduct, it is a very different feeling. Our teachers and principals acted with confidence and bravery - remember that they were not privy to all of the facts as they unfolded either - but they took care of your children as their first and only priority under difficult circumstances. I cannot thank the staff, building administrators, and the state and local police for their handling of a very serious situation. Although we never want to experience the reality that many schools have faced across our country, everyone can rest in the comfort of knowing that our district is prepared to handle such a situation to the best of our ability should the need ever arise.

I have had a chance to see several parent responses to the initial e-mail that I sent out within minutes of the lockdown being lifted. I appreciate the many notes of thanks and your patience in waiting for the additional relevant information that I said would be released when it became available. I am very relieved to hear the results of the investigation, and I am confident that we will return to school tomorrow in as safe an environment as we have always had.

Again, thank you for your patience and understanding. Know that all of your children were outstanding listeners during the event and I have heard nothing but praise from teachers about the way their students responded to what was asked of them on Friday. Please take the time to reinforce to them the importance of these safety procedures and convey my appreciation to them for their behavior on Friday.

Sincerely,

James Erinakes
Superintendent