Friday, August 5, 2016

Lurgio News for August 5, 2016


LURGIO NEWS
August 5, 2016

Dear Students and Parents,

I hope that you have been enjoying a wonderful summer together and that you have been able to find a bit of rest and relaxation. With the first day of school approaching, the Lurgio staff has been working to prepare for the arrival of students later this month. We are looking forward to our tenth year at Lurgio with great anticipation. This year promises to be another year of academic, social, and emotional growth for all of our students.

The Lurgio News will serve as the primary source of information from the school. We will send the News to all parents via email using the Powerschool Message Sender every Friday afternoon.  Back issues can be found on the website by clicking on the Lurgio News button. These emails will contain reminders and other important information as well as  action items that we will highlight in yellow to draw them to your attention. Parents, we need your help: it is vital that you review the Lurgio News email each week and take action on the action items.

Thank you again for the many ways in which you support your children and our school. You make all our jobs all the more enjoyable and successful through your dedication. I know that I speak for all Lurgio staff when I say that we are excited to begin this new school year, and we look forward to sharing that excitement about teaching and learning with our students.

Sincerely,

Ed Joyce
Principal

Important Dates

August 10 (Wed)
New Student Orientation (new to Bedford only) 12:00PM
August 25 (Thur)
First Day of School
Fall Sports Concussion Screening 3:15PM
August 26 (Fri)
Fall Sports Concussion Screening 3:15PM
August 29 (Mon)
Tryouts Begin for Soccer, Tennis, & Girls’ Volleyball 3:30PM
September 5
Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
September 6
Tryouts Begin for Cross-Country & Field Hockey 3:30PM

2016 Fall Sports Information
Please click HERE for a letter from the athletics director, Bill Demers. Within the letter you’ll find information regarding tryout dates and times, how to sign-up for sports and concussion screening, as well as how to complete all the required forms. It’s a must read!
Important Athletics Links:

Voluntary Cross-Country Pre-Season Workouts
All Lurgio students are invited to participate in the Cross-Country pre-season workouts. Workouts will begin on Monday, August 15 and run from 8:30AM-9:30AM. Workouts will be Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Please come with appropriate clothing, water, and THIS permission form. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Milem or Coach Courchesne.

Fall Crew Club
Interested in rowing this fall?  If you’re an 8th grader and you’re interested in learning to row, consider joining Lurgio Crew.  The team will meet on Fridays from 4-6pm at the boathouse in Hooksett. Practice will start September 9 and the season will conclude with a fun race on Saturday, October 29.  For more information, please email Anne Capodilupo at rccaod@hotmail.com. Applications can be found on the website bedfordcrew.org

Student Agendas
Student agendas are scheduled to arrive at Lurgio on August 15. We have reserved agendas for anyone who contacted us prior to the deadline of July 15. If you contacted us about an agenda after July 15, we are not able to guarantee a student planner. We have a very limited number of extra planners, and we will be selling them on a first-come-first-served basis beginning at 8:00AM on Tuesday, August 16.

Traffic Pattern for Drop-off and Pick-up
Anyone familiar with the traffic at the BHS/RAL campus knows that things can get a little hectic during the morning and afternoon drop off and pick up. That said, we have made significant improvements over the past year. Please click here to review the drop off and pick up practices at Lurgio.
  • Please note:
    • The direction of the Parent Pick Up and Drop Off Area so parents do not need to make left turns at the two main intersections.
    • The two-way traffic extends to the concession stand ending at the West Parking Lot;  traffic should exit Parent Pick Up and Drop Off making a left to exit the campus.
    • The central loop area is closed during parent pick up and drop off (except for buses and students with special needs).
  • As always, we ask all drivers to do the following:
    • Yield to pedestrians at all times when on campus.
    • Take turns at the main intersections when congestion is high.
    • Be patient.

Before School Program
The Lurgio Middle School Bedford School Program is available to all families from 7:30a.m. to 8:30a.m. daily. A one-time fee of $65.00 entitles your child to attend as often as necessary for the entire school year. Participants will be serviced by school staff in a designated area; arrangements for extra help should still be made directly with your child’s teachers.

If your child plans on attending the Before School Program regularly or only occasionally during this school year, please complete the registration form on the reverse side of this letter and return it, along with your payment to the Lurgio Middle School Main Office or the Lurgio Middle School Before School Program by Tuesday, August 26, 2014.  If there is a financial concern, please call the office at 310-9100 and it will be handled confidentially.  Click here to download the Before School Program registration form.

7th Annual Witch Way to the 5K - Save the Date!
Join us for the 7th annual Witch Way to the 5K  on Saturday, October 29, 2016.   The kids 1K race starts at 9:30am and the adult race begins at 10am at Lurgio Middle School. Stay tuned for more specific race details as well as registration information.

Cardigan Chaperones Needed
We are looking for chaperones for the 42nd annual trip to Mt. Cardigan. If you are interested in an all-expenses paid hiking and camping vacation this Fall, please register to be a volunteer by completing our online volunteer form (click here).  The Cardigan trip is an essential part of the academic experience for our 8th grade students. Taking nearly 400 students up a mountain each year is no mean feat, and we could not do it without the generous support of our parent and community volunteers.  

Communication
As we begin the new school year, the staff at Lurgio would like to express our fundamental belief that clear and consistent communication is essential to fostering and maintaining strong relationships between the staff and the community.   

We communicate with students and parents/guardians using a variety of tools. From phone calls and emails to our website and Facebook/Twitter, we consistently strive to make all necessary information public and accessible at all times.  Below are links to some of our communication resources.

General Information:

Visit our Website: www.sau25.net/ral
Sign Up for Lurgio News: Register in PowerSchool
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/LurgioMiddle

Of course, there may always be questions or concerns that we have not anticipated and therefore have not addressed in our public communications. If and when these do arise, we will make every effort to answer and address those questions and concerns quickly and professionally. It is important to understand that it is always best to begin any inquiry at the level of staff most intimately involved with the situation. In order to make any inquiry process as smooth as possible, we ask that you start at the appropriate level of the relevant chain of communication.  Those closest to an issue will be able to give the best information.

For all matters regarding classroom curriculum, instruction, procedures and discipline, please follow the Lurgio Chain of Educational Communications:

  1. Teachers
  2. Guidance Counselors
    1. Students with Last Name A-G: Al Fredette
    2. Students with Last Name K-R: Sue Mullen
    3. Students with Last Name S-Z: Donna LaRue
  3. Assistant Principal
    1. 7th Grade Specific: Nate Fellman
    2. 8th Grade Specific: Bill Demers
  4. Principal
  5. Director of Special Education (when applicable)
  6. Assistant Superintendent
  7. Superintendent of Schools
  8. School Board

For all matters regarding athletics and extracurricular activities, please follow the Lurgio Chain of Extracurricular Communications:

  1. Coaches/Advisors
  2. Athletics Director (Bill Demers)/Activities Director (Nate Fellman)
  3. Principal
  4. Superintendent of Schools
  5. School Board

Guidance Corner
RAL Guidance Counselor, Donna LaRue posts a weekly, helpful parenting newsletter article, as well as other relevant material on her website.  The featured Asset Article this week is Restraint

Click here to learn more about the importance of “restraint".

Check out Ms. LaRue’s webpage for past newsletters by clicking here.