Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome, or welcome back, to the YMCA Academy for the 2010-2011 school year.  I am very excited to be starting my first full year as Head of School, and I look forward to meeting each of you as the year progresses.

This year introduces some important changes to our curriculum, as well as to our schedule.  For the first time, we are enabling those students who wish to proceed directly to university by offering several M level (university/college) courses.  We continue to support our students with workplace or college goals as well.

In addition, we have made some changes to our Thursday schedule.  In order to allow some of our classes to work together on projects and assignments, I have shortened our Thursday schedule.  During weeks when we have VOICES or TAP sessions (see attached School Calendar for dates), dismissal will occur at 2:25 p.m.  For all other Thursdays, dismissal will be at 2:55 p.m.  This will give teachers time for planning and collaboration to better serve their students’ needs.

Our regular schedule for Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays remains – and the school day runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

These schedules are posted here as well as in the student agendas, which they will receive on the first day back, Tuesday, September 7.

SCHEDULE FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL

  1. Tuesday, the first day of school, is a half day.  We will have an assembly at 9:30, followed by a shortened academic schedule, with each class being 20 minutes long.  We anticipate dismissing students at about 11:30 a.m.
  2. Wednesday is a regular school day.
  3. On Thursday, we will have a VOICES session, with a 2:25 p.m. dismissal.
  4. On Friday, September 10, we will be running according to our Shortened Schedule – school starts at 9:30 a.m., and dismissal is at 1:35 p.m.

Please ensure that all outstanding paperwork and documentation is delivered to the school with your child on the first day, and that they bring all required supplies with them.

Again, I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a very exciting year at The YMCA Academy.

Best Regards,

Don Adams

Head of School

Sept. 3rd, 2010 – First week’s schedule