COLONIAL ELEMENTARY

District Announcements

• Trouble contacting teachers/ staff? Please read

  Dear Parents,

   

  A recent technology systems upgrade resulted in the resetting of all Pelham Public Schools faculty's email passwords. Because of this, some teachers and staff who are not working over the summer may not yet have access to their school email accounts. If you are having difficulty reaching a teacher or staff member, please call your school or the District office. Please know that our technology department is actively working to resolve this issue.

  

  District- Good to Know

• Christa Acampora Announces Resignation from BOE

  Dr. Christa D. Acampora announced Monday night that she is resigning her seat on the Pelham Board of Education to accept a position as Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

  “I would like to thank my fellow board members and our excellent administrative team for providing great models of leadership and being terrific colleagues,” Dr. Acampora said. “It is with truly mixed emotions that I go.”

  Dr. Acampora was elected to the Board in 2016 and served as Vice President for the 2017-18 school year. During her tenure, Dr. Acampora served on the Board’s Policy, Monitoring, and Governance, and Audit committees, was the liaison to Hutchinson School and the Pelham Education Foundation, and participated in the District’s International Baccalaureate Oversight, Safety and Security, Diversity Oversight, and K-12 Innovation committees.

  Superintendent of Schools Dr. Cheryl Champ added, “I’d like to congratulate Dr. Acampora on her new position and wish her the best of luck in her new career. Her contributions to the District over the past two years have helped bolster our educational program. We will miss her collaborative spirit, leadership and strategic vision, which were instrumental in improving our academic program, planning the bond referendum and understanding the needs of the Pelham community.”

  The Board of Education will communicate a process for filling Dr. Acampora’s seat, as well as the open seat vacated by Tom Imperato, who announced his resignation earlier in the month to pursue new career opportunities. Both seats have one year remaining on their terms. More detailed information about the selection process will be shared with the community in the coming weeks.

  District- Need to Know

• Board Appoints Susan Lockhart and Sean Llewellyn as Interim Asst. Superintendent, MS Asst. Principal

  We are pleased to announce the appointments of Susan Lockhart as Interim Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services and Sean Llewellyn as Interim Assistant Principal of Pelham Middle School.

  Please read Dr. Champ's letter announcing their appointments and join us in welcoming them into their respective new roles!

  District- Need to Know

• Lynn Sabia to be Appointed Middle School Principal

  Lynn Sabia, currently the assistant principal of Pelham Middle School, is expected to be appointed principal at the Board of Education's meeting at 8:15 pm on Wednesday, June 20. Please read Dr. Champ's announcement for more information. 

  District- Need to Know

• School Budget, Bond and BOE Election Results

  Budget/Bond/BOE Election Results:

   

  Budget Proposition Passes: Yes-1723; No-550

  Bond Proposition 1 Passes: Yes-1584; No-698

  Bond Proposition 2 Passes: Yes-1412; No-848

   

  Jessica Young (1682 votes) and Eileen Miller (1522 votes) were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Education

   

  Thank you voters!

  District- Need to Know

• Bond Referendum Set for Tuesday, May 15

  Eligible Pelham voters may vote on a two-proposition bond proposal to fund facilities/infrastructure projects and athletic facilities/fields upgrades on Tuesday, May 15, 2018. Visit the District's updated bond page to learn more about the proposal.

  District- Need to Know

• A note from Dr. Champ about the Tragedy in Florida

  Dear Pelham Parents, Staff and Community Members,

  I am writing you with a heavy heart over the tragedy that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida yesterday. For all of us – parents, students, teachers, and staff – violence in a school, especially the loss of innocent lives, hits far too close to home.

  During this time when media attention is heightened around this most recent school shooting, it is especially important that we help our children make sense of this disturbing act of violence. Please know that our school counselors, psychologists, administrators and principals are all available to support our students and staff. We encourage you to reach out and ask for support.

  The safety of our students and staff is something that I take extremely seriously and something that our staff thinks about on a daily basis. Each instance of school violence gives us pause as we think about how we improve the safety of our buildings and facilities.

  Over the course of today and tomorrow, our middle school and high school administrators and support staff will be meeting with students to review our safety protocols and remind students of the resources available to help support them emotionally.   

  In the coming days and weeks, our elementary principals will review our building protocols with our staff and parents and remind them of the importance of following our safety procedures. As always, our staff is available to address any students’ concerns in a developmentally appropriate way.

  Our District safety and security committee will also meet shortly to review our procedures and discuss ways to make improvements, as necessary.

  Each year we practice a variety of drills, such as lock downs and lock outs, to help us prepare for a day that we pray will never come. Over the past several years, each of our campuses have been equipped with enhanced security features to control who is entering and leaving our buildings at all times and notify those outside of the buildings when an emergency situation is occurring. Our security and facilities team and our administration maintains a close working relationship with our police and fire chiefs in each village and they too practice and prepare for emergency responses routinely and seriously. Together, we strive to make sure our efforts are efficient and coordinated in the event of any emergency.

  Preparation is key to ensuring that our schools are safe and welcoming places for our students and staff. The social-emotional wellness of our students is a core tenet of educational system and that will always be the best preventative measure we can take. We also must be persistent in ensuring that potentially dangerous and violent situations are known before they become tragedies. It sounds simple, but please, if you see something, say something. We will investigate, and we will work to make sure our students are safe – it is our most important function as a school system.

  Finally, the Employee Assistance Program has produced a helpful guide with tips on dealing with the trauma from the tragedy. Click here to review this document.

  Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. Please keep the families of Parkland, Florida in your hearts and minds and thank you for your continued support.

  Respectfully,

  Dr. Cheryl Champ, Ed. D.
  Superintendent of Schools

  District- Need to Know

• John Condon Appointed Director of Facilities

  The Pelham Public Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of John P. Condon as Director of Facilities effective February 26, 2018. Mr. Condon will take over the position from current Director Anthony Mandile, who is retiring on February 28. Please read more about this announcement.

  District- Need to Know

• Transportation to Out-of-District Schools due by April 2

  Please note that parents requesting transportation to out-of-district schools for the 2018-19 school year MUST complete and send in the Request Form before April 2, 2018 (this is a one-day extension due to the Easter holiday.

  District- Need to Know

• Sign Up for Email Blasts

  Please sign up for email blasts from the Pelham Public Schools to learn more about District events, the upcoming bond referendum and important announcements. 

  Sign-up here

   

  District- Good to Know