Dear Families,

Below is a copy of the letter that went home via our news alert system as well as a hard copy to all of our families.  I am including this information here for your convenience and as a resource.  As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Amanda Wadsworth

Principal, CLES

October 14, 2014

Dear Parents,

            Weather permitting, our Halloween parade and parties are scheduled for Friday, October 31, at 2:00 P.M.  Students are not to wear their costumes to school but will begin to dress up at 1:30 P.M.  To ensure that this event is one of harmless make-believe and fun, we ask for your help to ensure the enjoyment and safety of all who participate.

• Please purchase or create a costume that is easy to wear without dangling strings or loose pieces.
• Toy weapons and masks are not allowed in school as part of a costume.We appreciate adults adhering to this as well to ensure we are safely able to recognize all attendees.
• Please choose costumes that are interesting and creative in nature.
• Costumes are not to depict violence or frightening characters.
• Latex balloons or costumes are not allowed due to allergies.
• Parking will be a challenge.Please be patient and careful.
• We will adhere to Policy 9090 for all food and beverages served.
• Our parties will focus on fun activitiesJ

For any families not wishing their students to participate, we are attaching the alternative activity form to fill out and return.

PARADE ROUTE and PARTIES

In order to ensure the safety of our students and staff, we are making a few changes to the parade route and the procedures for signing in to the parties. 

Parade Route

Our parade will take place on the fields behind the school as we have in the past.  The route will go once around the oval and then return to classrooms through the gym doors. (See attached map.) All other doors will be locked as students exit the building to ensure our building is secure.  You do not need to come into the school and receive a visitor’s sticker to watch the parade.  Report directly to the fields behind the school by 1:50 P.M.  The children will parade around the perimeter of the fields before re-entering school through the gym doors for their parties.  Cones will create a large oval on our fields and mark the line to the gym doors.  We ask parents to find a place to view the parade inside the oval or outside the route to the gym doors. The children will parade once around the outside of the cones before going back into the school.

Parties will immediately follow the parade.  When the parties end at 2:50 p.m., we are encouraging parents to allow their students to follow their normal dismissal routines.   If you want to take your student home after the parade and party, we will have a sign out process in each classroom. 

Procedure for Signing in to the Parties

Given the large number of adults anticipated for this event, we are following a new procedure for the volunteers and attendees of the Halloween parties.   As shared above, all adults are asked to come in through the front doors to sign in for attendance/volunteering at the Halloween parties.   This will help ensure the safety of all of our students and staff.  If you plan to attend the party, please fill out the form attached so that we can create a list for each classroom.   There will be staff members by the front office who will have each classroom’s list of attendees/volunteers and will help you sign in efficiently with a focus on safety.   Younger family members are welcomed to come and watch the parade, but attendees/volunteers should be adults only.  Any adult not on the list will be sent to the front office for normal sign-in procedures.

We know this is an exciting and fun-filled day, and we look forward to spending it with you all!   

Sincerely,

Amanda Wadsworth                                                                                  

Principal