Message from Samantha Headley: September 5, 2025

Dear Morse School Community,

We had a wonderful first few days of school! We welcomed our 1st through 5th graders on Tuesday and our preschool and kindergarteners yesterday. So many smiles, summer stories and hopes for the new school year! For some friends, like preschooler Greyson (shown in photo) this was the first week of many years that we hope your children call Morse their home.

Listening Conferences/Family Engagement

All homeroom teachers will be reaching out to set up a listening conference with caregivers.The CPS goal is for every family to have the opportunity to participate in listening conferences, where the parent/guardian/caregiver, student, and educator check-in for 20 minutes to meet each other, hear from the family and students about their needs, hopes, goals & dreams for the upcoming school year. Please be on the lookout for sign-ups. Once you've confirmed a time with a teacher, we ask that you give advance notice if something comes up and you are unable to attend.

Arrival/Dismissal

We have seven yellow buses, one wheelchair accessible van, and multiple school min-vans that drop off students on Granite Street. We are still working with transportation to ensure that our buses get on schedule and here are some ways you can help.

• Do not park in the bus zone - even for a few minutes.

• Do not park where the large yellow bus signs are located.Our wheelchair accessible van needs access to the sidewalk ramp and all bus students need to have a safe way to enter and exit their transportation vehicles.

• Please make sure that your CPP - Grade 2 child has their yellow bus tag on their backpack each day, including if you switch backpacks. This can hold up the bus as we need to confirm their stop before they leave.

• If you have a child taking the bus, please review the bus rules with your child.

Due to capacity limits, only students assigned to a bus will be able to utilize the transportation. We will not be permitting non-bus students to ride the bus home with a friend for a playdate.

In addition, if you are making any changes in how your child goes home (CP-5th Grade), please notify the main office before 2PM. Sometimes students tell us there is a change, especially our 4th and 5th graders but if we do not hear from the parent/caregiver, we will follow the child's typical plan for dismissal.

Girls on the Run

Last year we launched the Girls on the Run Program at Morse. It was a huge success and we look forward to running both a Fall and Spring Session this school year.

Below you will find the Morse Girls on the Run QR code to register your child. If you need a paper copy of the application, forms will be in the main office or contact Elaine Delaney ([email protected]). The CPSD late bus service will not be available until after October 1st.If your child needs assistance with transportation from practice to home, please contact SooJin Chu (GOTR coach and Morse parent) at the information below and she will help to coordinate a plan until the late bus is available. If you have any other questions, please contact SooJin Chu (GOTR coach and Morse parent) at[email protected]or857.222.8033. We look forward to supporting our Morse Girls on the Run team.

Friends of Morse School

Friends of the Morse School (FMS) is a volunteer organization of parents, caregivers, friends, and neighbors dedicated to supporting the Morse school - its students, teachers, staff, and community. They organize events, provide volunteers and funding for activities, and fundraise in order to support our goals. Whether supplementing classroom activities and student needs, supporting our teachers, planning community events, or facilitating family communications, they compliment and partner with school administration and the School Council. If you have a student at Morse, then you are a Friend of the Morse School too! Find out more by going to: www.friendsofmorse.org and join the FMS group @friendsofthemorseschool on Facebook and Instagram.

School Council Elections

The Morse School Council is a diverse representative team of staff members, community members and caregivers who serve in an advisory capacity to improve the school. They play an important role in adopting educational goals and identifying needs to support students in relation to the goals. They review and support the School Improvement Plan and contribute ideas to school based topics as they arise.

Upcoming Events

• Family Listening Conferences| September 8th - 26th (information coming from individual teachers)

• FMS Welcome Back Picnic |September 12th

• CPP - Grade 5 Back-To-School Night|September 30th 6-8PM

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Samantha Headley