Welcome back to Bayou Woods! I hope everyone enjoyed a safe, restful summer with their families and friends. Although I have been in the school system for many years; as always I was very excited at the approaching of the first day of school. I am always amazed at how much the children grow during the summer break. Our Back to School Meet and Greet night was a great success. Approximately 75% of our students and parents came on August 6 to meet their new teacher, bring supplies and fill out forms. On Opening Day, many of our students rode the bus to school resulting in an exceptionally smooth beginning. Thank you for your participation and continued support. With your help we are off to a wonderful year at Bayou Woods Elementary.

We are always excited to see our students return to us and we welcome our new students and their families to Bayou Woods. We have many new families who have moved into our district. Please know that our doors are open to you and we consider you an important component of your child’s school experience. I encourage you to become a member of our PTA and to become a volunteer at Bayou Woods.

Our instructional staff has been working hard to plan and provide the best educational opportunities for our students. This year we will continue implementation and enhancement of the St. Tammany Parish Guaranteed Curriculum. Again this year you will notice a continued increase in the use of technology in the classrooms. We are excited that Promethean boards and digital projectors have been installed in every classroom. Our teachers have participated in training to enhance their skills in integrating technology into the curriculum.

Also we will continue to promote positive character traits during the morning announcements on our closed circuit TV system. Be sure to ask your child about Morning Meetings in their classrooms.

This year we are continuing the practice of sending student work, announcements and other information home in a large white envelope every Thursday beginning August 14, 2008. This will be the only day that take home items will be sent home unless there are extenuating circumstances. There is a space on the envelope for you to sign on Thursday of each week. Please have your child return his/her envelope every Friday. We have also provided a list of important dates on the envelope.

A great big Thank You to our PTA for all that they do for us. Through the parent-teacher partnership Bayou Woods can continue to provide the very best experiences for all students. Remember, PTA needs you!

Please visit our website: http://bayouwoodselementary.stpsb.org. Again, please consider being a volunteer at Bayou Woods. Remember to read with your child every day. If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call the school or email me at linda.bankston@stpsb.org.