By Lisa Iverson
Principal, Mt. Hall and Naples Elementaries
First quarter came to an official end on November 3, and what a productive first quarter it was! Mt. Hall Elementary and Naples Elementary started the school year running, and it doesn’t seem like we have slowed down since. Just this week, Mt. Hall and Naples will wrap up their second year of Operation Gratitude. Students and staff donated leftover Halloween candy, and this week we will write thank you notes to send to our troops.
It’s one of my favorite drives we do all year.
Before I get too far in my newsletter, I need to recognize a few other selfless groups — the PTOs at Naples and Mt Hall, Porthill Customs & Immigration, and the Beta Sigma chapter. Both PTOs welcomed new members and new officers. I know that at times PTO can seem like a thankless job, but I cannot express my gratitude enough for these incredible volunteers.
Thank you for all that you do for our schools.
Mt. Hall and Naples would also like to thank Porthill Customs & Immigration for offering free fingerprinting to our volunteers. Volunteers are so necessary at elementary schools, and your help with fingerprinting made it possible for more parents to volunteer. Thank you!
Another thank you to the Beta Sigma chapter for donating hats and gloves. It’s getting cold, and extra hats and gloves make recess so much more enjoyable.
If you ever want to see what our future looks like, I would visit a fifth grade classroom. Our fifth graders not only do an incredible job leading our school, they are also eager to try new things.
Mrs. Lyndsay Hart and Mrs. Bethany Cavender have the difficult task of preparing these students for next year. Unlike prior years, next year involves a different school. Regardless of that challenge, I’m confident in these two amazing teachers and these equally amazing students that they are going to be prepared for what’s next. Who knows, there might be a future president among them.
Make sure and mark your calendars: Parent Teacher conferences are this week. If you have a child in either school, you should have signed up for a conference time already. In an effort to encourage reading at home, both schools are giving away gently used books at conferences.
Naples PTO is putting on the annual Harvest Night on November 17. There’s going to be a chili feed and silent auction.
If any of you are wondering why you haven’t heard anything about the famous Mt. Hall auction, please take a deep breath, you didn’t miss it. The PTO decided to move the auction to February in an effort not to compete with the other school events taking place and hopefully draw a bigger crowd.
Our Christmas programs are only a month away. Naples is having their program on Tuesday, December 13, and Mt. Hall is having their program on Wednesday, December 14. Mrs. Lori Carpenter and Ms. Chloe Cavender are doing an incredible job getting the students ready for their performances.
In other exciting news, Mt. Hall Elementary recently hosted a Chinese acrobat group. It was great turnout, and the audience really enjoyed the high-flying entertainment. Naples just finished their first HATS session. The teachers did an incredible job providing quality HATS classes, and the students enjoyed the offerings.
I’m looking forward to second quarter, and I can only imagine how productive it will be. I know a month will go by before I know it, but until next month, Go Wolverines and Go Wildcats!