EC Principal Letter
Dear ANCS elementary families,
Have you noticed that Ms. King and I are leaving the front of the building before 8:00 this week? We started having morning meetings again and that means that we will head inside each morning around 7:58 so we can begin our meetings right at 8:00. We meet with everyone via Zoom, as it is still unsafe to gather everyone in the auditorium all together at this time. It would be amazing if all our students could be in their classroom ready to go so they don’t miss any of our meeting, as it is a unifying and shared experience.
This week we introduced our first Guiding Principle: We come to school and every class prepared to learn and do our best. We emphasized that this means each day you come to school prepared to do your personal best and that the expectation is not that anyone is perfect. Teachers will spend time each day discussing with students how this principle helps to guide us through our school day. Students will be engaged in discussion about this in all their related arts classes, the library, and morning meeting throughout the week. Please take a moment at some point this week to talk with your child about what Guiding Principle #1 means to him/her.
Each week we learn a new song during our morning meeting. Ms. Wawerna is leading the song for this week, We Wish You Well. This song has students up and moving and connecting with their classmates. It is from our Conscious Discipline program. In the future, classes will sign up to lead a new song each week. We invite you to come inside to the auditorium to watch on the week that your child’s class is leading the song. Classroom teachers will keep you informed about when that is happening.
Additionally, we explained that one of the best parts of morning meeting is when students are actively participating. Each day we have a student lead the school in the Pledge. If your child would like to do that and knows all the words by heart, he/she can let the teachers know and they will get them signed up. Students also have the opportunity to perform during morning meeting. Some examples of student performances are playing a musical instrument, singing, sharing a poem or something cool that they learned, telling a joke, etc. Students who wish to perform in morning meeting need to audition with Ms. King, Ms. Wawerna or me first. Once a student has auditioned and is ready, we will sign him/her up on the calendar. You will be informed of the day this is happening so you plan to come into the building to watch if you are able.
As always, I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Wishing you well,
Lara
Lara Zelski
Lara Zelski began working at ANCS in 2007. Previously, she worked at the Howard School and taught art, Spanish, reading and math. She taught 6th, 4th, and 2nd in DeKalb County. She taught 4th and 5th grade in Decatur and then moved to Title One reading and math instruction for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. She taught 5th grade at the ANCS elementary campus for two years.
