From the desk of Mike Rich
August 2008

Welcome back! While the past two months seem to have flown by, we have accomplished a tremendous amount of renovations here at Davis.

The lower part of the new building has been completed and fifth grade has moved in to their brand new classrooms for the 2008-2009 school year. In the cafeteria building, we have renovated four classrooms and the dining room. These rooms received new ceilings, new floors, and some new walls to create the best possible learning environment for our students. The whole building received a fresh coat of paint and looks great.

The gym roof has been replaced and new guttering installed. The gym floor has been repaired, repainted, and refinished. The restrooms and locker rooms in the gym have been completely renovated.

We have also made some repairs and renovations to the rock building to create some exciting new learning spaces for our students, including a science lab, an indoor play area for our PreK and kindergarten students, and a CHAMPS room.

This fall, we will be installing new computers, ceiling mounted projectors, and Promethean boards in the computer lab and classrooms. We will also be spending significant amounts of time learning to use technology to change the way teaching and learning occurs in the classroom.

In all, the school system has invested over four million dollars in Davis Elementary School over the past few years! Thanks to continuing support from our school board and district, we now have high quality facilities and cutting edge technology for our students and teachers.

On a more personal note, we have some new procedures and school policies. Thanks to our PTO, we now have floor savers on much of our furniture to create quieter learning environments, new books in the media center, and homework folders for every student.

Your child will receive a student agenda (grades K-5). The student handbook is located in the front of the agenda and contains many of our school policies and procedures. Please take a few minutes to review this information and contact your child's teacher if you have questions. Some of the changes located in the student handbook include new dismissal times for car riders, new BEE GOOD café procedures, and new opportunities for our students after school.

I look forward to working with you to provide an exciting year of learning for our students: the best kids in the world!

Mike Rich