Colby Elementary School
Welcome and Orientation Day
Tuesday, Sept 2, 2014
8:00-12:00 and 1:00-5:00
Colby Elementary will be having an Orientation Day on the first day of school rather than the
traditional first day of school. In order to create a welcoming environment that encourages children and
parents to participate in school, an “Orientation Day” will be held on the first day of school. This is not a
full day of school for Elementary students and bus transportation will not be provided. However, it is an
official school day and attendance is required and recorded. Parents are asked to come to school with
their children for a one-hour orientation. Students will meet their teacher and tour their room and
school to be prepared for their first day of school.
In order to accommodate numbers, we suggest you come at the following times
according to last name:
All students have a regular full day of school on Wednesday, September 3rd.
All families need to start in the gym to complete forms and collect important school
information. Many forms will be available to print and fill out ahead of time from our school
website.
Things to do:
Coming in the main door stop and get your student’s building permit/blue print
Continue on into the gym
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Pay lunch money and fill out free and reduced forms
Pay milk money
Get student bus numbers
Fill out emergency sheets
Students get a healthy snack from the cafeteria using lunch number
Visit the library media center and sign academic behavior compacts receive a family
curriculum guide, and get pictures taken
Visit the classroom and unpack backpacks. Meet with your child’s teacher.
Visit the playground and become familiar with our parking and pick up areas.
THE FAMILY IS CRITICAL TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
The evidence is now beyond dispute. When schools work together with families to support learning,
children tend to succeed not just in school, but throughout life. In fact, the most accurate predictors
of a student’s achievement in school is not income level or social status, but the extent to which a
student’s family is able to: create a home environment that encourages learning, express high (but
not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers; and become
involved in their child’s education at school and in the community. When the parents are involved in
their children’s education at home, their children do better in school. When parents are involved at
school their children go farther in school, and the schools they go to become better. From The
Family Is Critical to Student Achievement by Ann Henderson and Nancy Berta.