A warm welcome to our new 2024-2025 families!

December Principal’s Update

Posted December 17, 2020

Students on the playground hugging their teacher

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Dear McKinley-Thatcher Families:

We are excited to share our plans for January 2021, and we are thrilled that we will be welcoming students back in the building on Monday, January 11, 2021. We will also continue to offer a “100% remote” option for families who have selected that choice.

Week of January 4 – January 8, 2021

There is no school on January 4 (this is a staff professional development day). Remote learning for ECE-3 through 5th grade will resume on Tuesday, January 5 and go through Friday, January 8. Discovery Link Remote Learning Support camp is available January 5 through January 8. You can register your child here for Remote Learning Support camp.

Monday, January 11, 2021

Yay! In-person learning resumes for ECE-3 through 5th grade. Please note the schedules for in-person classes below. If your child is 100% remote, you will receive your schedule from your child’s teacher.

  • K-5th: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • ECE-4: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • ECE-3 AM: 8 to 10:45 a.m.
  • ECE-3 PM: 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Discovery Link after-school care reopens for ECE-4 through 5th grade students on Monday, January 11. The program runs Mondays through Fridays from 2 to 6 p.m. Please register here for after-school care through Discovery Link.

McKinley’s COVID Guidelines and Procedures

Please take a few minutes (for yourself, and with your children) to review the McKinley-Thatcher COVID safety guidelines and procedures. In particular, please re-familiarize yourself with this information:

Staffing Updates

This school year has been one full of changes, to say the least! We have a few staffing updates to share with our families.

  • Amanda Davis (kindergarten teacher) will be working remotely beginning in January until her baby is born in February.  She will be live-streaming into her classroom (from home) with Mr. Greg supporting the students in the classroom. Mrs. Cadle will continue to teach the kindergarten students who are 100% remote for the second semester. We are in the process of hiring a substitute to fill Mrs. Davis’s role temporarily for February and March.
  • Lyndsey Smith (1st grade teacher) will be working remotely beginning in January and will teach the first grade students who are 100% remote until her baby is born in mid-April. Ms. Kaiman and Mrs. Waring will be teaching Mrs. Smith’s in-person students and we are in the process of hiring a substitute for Mrs. Smith for April and May.
  • Rebecca Romero (English as a Second Language paraprofessional and office support) is moving to be closer to her children and grandbabies. We will miss her immensely, and we are so thankful for the support and care she has given to the McKinley-Thatcher community in her eight years of service. She will stay working with us (remotely) to ensure that our communications with our Spanish-speaking families continue as strong as ever.
  • Luisa Rodriguez (ECE-3 paraprofessional) is taking a leave of absence in conjunction with maternity leave. Her baby is due in late March. We are in the process of hiring a substitute to fill her role temporarily.

In closing, I want to reiterate our gratitude for your continued support of our PTA and your generosity through our virtual auction! I wish you and your family good health and good spirits throughout the holiday season. I feel confident that, when we all return together, it will be with a greater sense of belonging and a renewed perspective on all of the things that make McKinley-Thatcher such a special place.

All the best,
Sonia Geerdes
Principal