|
 |
Good morning, RJ Grey Families:
I thought I sent the message below on Thursday afternoon. Better late than never! I hope you had a nice long weekend.
Jim
This is the final edition of Eye on the Junior High for this school year. Thank you for reading these weekly messages. I hope you found them somewhat helpful in telling the story about what goes on at RJ Grey, apart from what your child shared on their own. Thank you, also, for being great families to partner with this year. During the teacher interview process, candidates tend to ask me, "What's something that you enjoy about working at RJ Grey?" One of my go-to answers is always, "Our kids are great. And that's because they come from great families who value education." Your work in supporting your students in their learning is unique and deeply appreciated. You've helped us to create the joyful, inclusive community of engaged learners that we seek.
Working backwards from next Thursday, I want to highlight our plans so that you're aware:
Thursday (6/25): Early Dismissal at 11:10 am, whole school assembly at ABRHS, Tug-of-War competition, and grade-level yearbook signing
Wednesday (6/24): Last day of team and exploratory classes, Relay races on Leary Field by grade level, Yearbooks distributed; Chromebooks and chargers returned
Tuesday (6/23): Last day of PE and Health, and Grey Block classes
During our assembly on Thursday, we will have several student performances, we'll give out some student awards, and we'll honor those educators who are retiring from RJ Grey this year. Since you've come to know many of our teachers, sometimes by name only, I want to share a bit about the dedication that our three retirees have shown to RJ Grey over their careers.
Mrs. Jean Tibbetts is retiring from being the cafeteria manager at RJ Grey. Mrs. Tibbetts has worked in the kitchen at RJ Grey since 1999 as a cook and cafeteria manager. Over the years, she has helped lead the RJ Grey Cooking Club and Speech Club. Our Food Services staff answered the call in 2020 when schools were closed due to Covid. Jean managed and prepared meals, and supported families with breakfasts and lunches for curbside pick-up to make sure every child could have meals if they needed them. We will miss Mrs. Tibbetts' organization, focus on cleanliness, and priority on healthy meals.
Ms. Debbie Ahl began working at RJ Grey in 1999 as an English teacher. She filled that role for most of her career at RJ Grey before switching to teaching French over the last several years. These years, combined with many years of teaching in California and Texas, round out a full career of working with young people. In addition to teaching, Ms. Ahl has taught summer school, supervised the gym after school, coached cross country and track, and led Student Council. If your child has attended any afternoon or evening celebration over the past two years, thanks are due to Ms. Ahl for her work. We'll miss Debbie's commitment to her students and our school, and we wish her the best in her retirement!
Ms. Melanie Scalice has taught English at RJ Grey since 1994. During those years, she has served as the co-chair of the department, along with serving as a mentor to many novice English teachers. Ms. Scalice has always prioritized stories as a way for students to think about themselves, one another, and the world around them. As an avid reader, Ms. Scalice has turned thousands of students on to new texts and authors over the years. Her retirement will leave a void in our English department, for sure!
At our final assembly on Thursday, I will talk briefly about these three women and our students will give them a thunderous round of applause. Being cheered on by your colleagues and students would be a great way to go out, in my opinion!
Thank you all for a great year. I hope you have a safe, healthy, and enjoyable summer with your families. Please encourage your kids to put down their technology and pick up a book or two this summer!
Take care,
Jim
Friday, June 19: Juneteenth - No School
Thursday, June 25: Schoolwide assembly at ABRHS; Early dismissal at 11:10 am
Monday, August 31: First day of school for students in grades K-7 and 9
Tuesday, September 1: First day of school for students in grades 8, and 10-12
|
|
|
