Principal Monica Macaluso

School hours:
9:05 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

From the Principal

          This time of year I frequently write about the challenges of keeping up with academic skills over the summer. The statistics really scare me – time at the computer (too much), time reading and engaging in challenging problem solving (too little). “Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds” is a report that was released in January by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The research found that children between 8 and 18 devote an average of seven hours and 38 minutes a day to using entertainment media, including television, music players, computers and video game devices. A study by Allington and Franzen found that, for average students, one summer equals a three-month loss of academic skills. Do the multiplication and you’ll find that most graduating fifth graders have lost over a year of academic growth because of their six summers of not reading, writing, or working with numbers.

            Our staff members frequently share lots of ideas for keeping your child engaged over the summer, especially in terms of reading. If you stop in to the cozy room, you’ll also find a wonderful display posted by our counselor, Mrs. Pat Bevan. The display outlines some of the many summer camps and courses that your child might find interesting. Please ask if you have a special interest for your child and we will see what connections we might have for you.

            Aside from attending summer camp and keeping up the reading skills, I really want to bring to your attention the importance of allowing your child some time to play freely, without gadgets or deadlines. This topic is at the forefront of my mind since my 21-year-old son brought home the book Last Child in the Woods and asked me to consider the book’s message. One line from the book that caught my attention: “Much of our learning comes from doing, from making, from feeling with our hands, and though many would like to believe otherwise, the world is not entirely available from a keyboard.” (Author Richard Louv) Later in the text Louv refers to a study by the Kaiser Foundation that found that nearly 1/3 of children from six months to six years of age live in households where the TV set is on all or most of the day! All of these statistics make me worry that childhood – and summer in particular - has lost its luster of lying in the grass, building forts, playing spontaneous games of kickball, and helping parents in the garden.

            As you make your plans for summer, please consider making time every day for reading, allowing your child the freedom to play outside without electronics or adult-directed play, and exploring some kind of interest that he/she cannot explore during the school year.   These childhood years are the best of years. Help your child make good choices this summer so that your family is not part of the statistics!

Taylor Building Plan for 2009-2010 (doc file - 112kb)

typical day in kindergarten (ppt file - 4,205kb)
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kindergarten registration opening show (ppt file - 5,538kb)
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