CatalinaElementary School

September 22, 2021

Catalina Elementary Families,

It is hard to believe that we are already heading into October! Together we have navigated a unique start to the school year. I appreciate the flexibility and adaptability of our students, families, and staff. We have all been making the best of a challenging situation and are making sure that the focus remains on teaching and learning. I am proud to say that the Catalina community is incredibly tight-knit, passionate, and resilient. Those traits are the very components we need this year as we navigate a school year that has thrown us some curveballs.

We look at the 2021-2022 school year as an opportunity for our children. They will view and remember this time of their lives through a lens of optimism only if we model it positively for them. You are your child’s greatest cheerleader for learning. We ask that you continue to have conversations about what they have learned each day. Ask them to show you what problems they have solved, stories they have written, pictures they have drawn. Have them retell stories they have read, and what they liked or disliked about the characters. Make independent reading (and reading aloud) a regular part of your nightly routine.

In partnership, please work diligently to ensure your children arrive to school on time.  Instruction starts promptly at 8:15 each morning.  Arriving late not only impacts your child’s success but it also disrupts the morning routine for others in the classroom.  If at all possible, have your child to school no later than 8:00 so they can have breakfast and be ready to learn.  Additionally, if your child is not feeling well, please keep them at home so we can continue to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on our campus.

Finally, we will continue to communicate any changes coming from the OCPS district office via our teachers, Connect Orange calls/emails, our school website, and on our Facebook page. Please make sure your contact information is up-to-date in our system by contacting your child’s teacher or our school office.

Thank you for all you do to support our students and the school.

Sincerely,
Mr. Maguire
Principal