We are excited to announce that we are finally getting a new gym roof! Due to these repairs, we will need to follow a new dismissal procedure in October, as the parking lot will be unavailable.
Because most of our parking lot will be blocked off, we are REROUTING AFTERNOON PICK-UP TO ALONG MASON AVENUE. We are also staggering the pick-up times AND making them a bit earlier at each level so that you will know precisely when your child’s class will be picked up and can PULL OVER AND PARK AT THAT TIME ONLY, COMING AND GOING WITHIN THE 5-MINUTE WINDOW SO THAT THE NEXT GROUP OF STUDENTS CAN BE PICKED UP QUICKLY AND WITHOUT CONFLICT, TOO. (All students not picked up during their 5-minute window will be escorted to Extended Care, accessible through the Polish School Entrance.)
ONCE PARKED, PLEASE GET OUT OF YOUR CAR AND REMAIN ON THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE DOOR FROM WHICH YOUR CHILD WILL BE EXITING. TEACHERS WILL ESCORT STUDENTS DOWN THE WALKWAYS TO THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK. DO NOT DOUBLE PARK DURING DISMISSAL!
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN MULTIPLE GRADES WILL DISMISS WITH THE YOUNGEST CHILD’S CLASS!
The times and doors being used for dismissal are as follows:
| TIME | GRADE | DOOR |
| 2:30-2:35 | PK | MAIN |
| KG | JTC;TORBA | |
| 2:40-2:45 | 2ND | POLISH |
| 1ST | MAIN | |
| 3RD | JTC;TORBA | |
| 4TH | CHAPEL | |
| 2:50-2:55 | 8TH | POLISH |
| 7TH | MAIN | |
| 5TH | JTC;TORBA | |
| 6TH | CHAPEL |
Some other areas affected by the Gym Roof Repair Project about which you might be curious:
- Recess will be in the front courtyards or in the Pope John Paul II Courtyard (emphasis: fresh air over sports) on nice days, TBD by teachers on duty
- PE in same areas as recess + potentially Torba Center as a space, as well as in classrooms
- Extended Care – remains in the Activity Center, but more toward school building than gym – please use POLISH SCHOOL DOOR to enter; an ADDITIONAL DOORBELL is being bought and installed and labeled for Extended Care at that entrance.
- Basketball Practice – will be at St. Patrick High School; only students who have turned in their registration packets will be allowed to be a part of the Monday and Wednesday 3:00-4:30 afternoon practices at St. Patrick High School. Players will be walked to the St. Pat’s Auxiliary Gym, and parents will pick up their children in the Austin Avenue parking lot of St. Pat’s. Any children needing to go back to St. Ferdinand School Extended Care at 4:30 will be escorted there by an adult.
- The Back Gym Stairwell and Activity Center Washrooms will not be used during the duration of the project, as construction workers may be accessing these areas. Entrance doors to the school hallways from the gym stairwell and to the Activity Center near the washrooms will be locked. 1st floor washrooms will be accessible to the students while they are eating lunch.
- Heat will remain on in all the main classrooms, as the heating units are not stored on the gym roof. But, please make sure your child has a sweatshirt or jacket as the weather dictates for the frequent visits outside in PE and at recess for fresh air.
- Since all grade levels are dismissed a few minutes earlier during the duration of this project, learning time will be made up in the mornings. All students are expected to be in their classrooms and ACTIVELY engaged and quiet with their work by 7:55, even ahead of Morning Announcements and Prayer.
Again, I thank you in advance for your cooperation during this project, which will provide a wonderful, new, leak-free gym space with new lighting for our current students – and for generations of future SFS students!
As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns on this matter.
Sincerely,
Principal Erin Boyle Folino, M.A., M.Ed. 🙂