Principal

Kathi Kusch Marshall, Principal
kathi.marshall@isd709.org
(218) 336-8825

August 17, 2018

Dear Congdon Park Families,

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I welcome you to the 2018-2019 school year!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer, I also hope you are relaxed, recharged and ready to start a new school year. I am so delighted that you are part of our amazing Congdon community. I welcome and value your positive energy and dedication to excellence in education.

At Congdon, we recognize that in order to be successful in school, our children need support from both home and school. We know a strong partnership with you will make a great difference in your child’s education. As partners, we share the responsibility for our children’s success and want you to know that we will do our very best to carry out our responsibilities. We ask that you guide and support your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she:

Attends school daily and arrives on time ready to learn
Complete daily assignments
Reads daily to develop a love for reading
Shares school experiences with you
Knows that you expect your child to succeed in school

I would ask that you please consider joining the Congdon Park PTA and giving to the One and Done. All students benefit from this money and your involvement and contributions to the school’s program is critical. I would encourage you to read the new PTA brochure that describes how this money is spent. We are very excited to introduce our new PTA Volunteer Coordinator Amanda Sutton. Amanda will be coordinating many school events and will be a great resource.

Student school day begins at 7:45 and ends at 2:15.

Breakfast is served at 7:20 and is open to all students.

Entry bell for students is at 7:35 (all students must wait at the door unless going to café)

Students should be in their classroom at 7:45.

Family Numbers for Parent Pick Up:

If you are a returning family to Congdon Park you will keep your original number. If you are a new family, please pick up a number at the New Family/Kindergarten Open House or the traditional Open House, from a staff member at a table on the 1st floor in the main entrance.

Arrival Procedures:

Families will enter driveway from Congdon Park Drive.
All cars must stay on the right side of the driveway closest to the sidewalk.
Cars must stop prior to the crosswalk and allow the students to exit (on the right side onto the sidewalk only).
Students must stay on the sidewalk and go directly into the main door.
Families, please stay in line as you are dropping off your child. The parking lot will be very busy especially during drop off and pick up times.
Once your child is safely out of your vehicle, we ask that you promptly pull away from the building as we may have several vehicles in queue.
NO PARKING is allowed in the driveway.
Cars will exit only onto Greysolon Place, traveling east.

Families who would like to park and walk their child into the building must park in the parking lot. Enter the parking lot from the east end parking in the visitor parking area. Please follow the cross walk and go directly into the main door. Due to the limited amount of parking spaces, visitor parking is very limited between 7:30–8:00 and 2:00-2:30.

End of the Day Dismissal Procedures:

Bussers will be picked up on Superior Street and leave Congdon Park no later than 2:20.
Walkers will be dismissed from door #6 facing Superior Street. If your child is a walker, please meet them outside and practice walking the route.

Car Pick up Procedures:

Families will be provided a number to put in their vehicle window.
Parents are to remain in their vehicle. A Congdon Park staff member will identify you and your vehicle number, and call your child from the designated wait area (by the main door).
Once your child is safely in your vehicle, we ask that you promptly pull away from the building as this is a very congested area.
Anyone who is not displaying their Congdon family number on their right-hand windshield will be questioned for appropriate identification.
Please notify the office or your child’s teacher of any changes.
All students who have not been picked up by 2:30pm will be brought to the office. You will need to come to the office to pick them up.
No students will be allowed on the playground without supervision at any time.
Dogs are not allowed in the school, unless they are a service animal. All dogs brought onto Congdon Park property must be on a leash at all times.

Student Placement:

A great deal of time, effort and thought has gone into the process of student placement. Careful consideration was given to input from staff and families as well as student learning styles. Classrooms have been balanced academically and socially. Our class lists are structured to provide equitable class sizes at each grade level.

Thank you so much for being positive with your child and helping him/her understand that we will have a great school year. All of our staff works hard to make school a positive learning experience. Thank you for understanding that it may take a few weeks for your child to acclimate to a new grade, peer group and teacher. Together we will support our Congdon kids. Your commitment to ensuring that Congdon Park remains a celebrated and successful school is amazing, I eagerly look forward to seeing you soon. It remains an honor and privilege to serve as your principal and please know my door is always open. Together, I know we will make this school year one of growth and achievement for all children.

A bus schedule has been included with this letter; check for your stop, if applicable.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 336-8825 or email at: kathi.marshall@isd709.org

Peace,

Mrs. Kathi Kusch Marshall, Principal