Dear Mary L. Welty Families,
Welcome back to Quarter 2! I hope you all had a wonderful and restful fall break. Now, it is time for our Roadrunner pack to jump back on the trail and finish out the semester with a bang!
As we trek into this exciting new quarter, here are a few key guidelines and reminders to keep our safari on track:
Programs & Explorers' Clubs: All after-school adventures—including Tutoring, 21st Century, and student clubs—will continue as scheduled!
Daily Learning at Home: Spending 30 minutes a day reading together or watching TV with English captions helps build critical vocabulary skills. Look out for practice resources sent home by your child's guide (teacher)!
Monthly Birthday Celebrations & Safari Snack Guidelines: Classroom birthday celebrations will be held monthly on the last Friday. Under the Arizona Healthy Schools Act (A.R.S. § 15-242.01), shared treats brought for parties must be free of specified artificial dyes and additives. Wildly spicy snacks and candies (such as Takis or Flamin’ Hots) are strictly off-limits at school. Great dye-free choices include fresh fruit kebabs, veggie cups, popcorn, pretzels, or non-food favors like safari stickers and pencils. (Note: These guidelines do not apply to individual lunches or snacks packed for your own child).
Safari Uniform Expectations: Our young explorers must wear their official uniform every day. Tops should be maroon, gold, or white, and bottoms must be khaki (no jeans allowed). Shirts should be tucked in, shorts/skirts must meet mid-thigh length, and comfortable closed-toe shoes are recommended (no caps, Crocs, or flip-flops). Parents will be contacted to bring a change of clothes if a student is out of uniform.
Staying Healthy on the Trail (Sick Day Policy): A regular routine keeps our pack moving forward together. However, please keep your child home if they have a temperature higher than 100.4°F, have thrown up two or more times in 24 hours, or have watery diarrhea. If they only have a mild cough or runny nose without a fever, they are good to explore at school!
Thank you for your continued partnership and energy as we navigate this learning adventure together! We’re Doing our best to be the best!
Warm regards,
Mariebeth Silva, Principal