Dear Theresa Primary Families,
My name is Brenda Leddy, and I am the principal at Theresa Primary School. I am honored to be a part of the Indian River School District, known not only for its academic excellence but also for its dedication to students. As I enter my 5th year as the administrator of Theresa Primary, I have many jobs, but I consider my most important job to be that of a child advocate. Over the next ten months, I will spend a lot of time getting to know your child(ren). I will learn more about what they like, and dislike, what motivates them, and all other activities that interest them. I will greet them every morning, encourage them every day and let them know they are valued and are an integral part of our school community. My goals are to make sure the students at Theresa Primary School are safe, healthy, and happy, so they may get the most out of every day.
Our school day starts at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 3:45 p.m. with parent pick-up at 3:30.*When dropping your child off, please pull your vehicle up to the door labeled #1 where a staff member will assist your child into the building. Please *do not get out of your car during drop-off, simply let your child out and continue to exit the parking lot. This helps keep our line moving in the morning. Our parking lot is small so one car not following the rules can back the entire parking lot up. Please note, that on the first day of school parents/guardians are welcome to walk their child(ren) directly to their classrooms. After that first day, we ask that you please say your goodbyes at the door. This will help foster the type of independence we are working toward. If your child is late and arrives at school after 9 a.m. they must be signed in at the office by an adult. When picking up at the end of the day all parents/guardians **must park in a designated parking spot and gather at door #1. Staff members will unite you and your child. If you are new to Theresa Primary please have a photo ID available when picking up.
If your child rides a bus, our transportation department will be sending postcards in late August with your child’s specific transportation information. If you do not receive a postcard prior to school starting please call Transportation at (315)-642-0331. A written bus note is required if your child will not be riding on their regular bus. To avoid mistakes and/or misunderstandings, phone calls regarding bus changes will not be permitted unless the situation is deemed an emergency by the Principal and must occur prior to 1 PM.
Home-school communication is vital to your child’s academic success. Your child’s teacher and I will make a special effort to stay in touch with you. We ask that you make it a point to check your child's backpack and/or folder daily. This is where you will find information on upcoming school events, updates, reminders, and general teacher/parent communication. Communicating with us is very important too. Something to note, from time to time students will attend various district-approved performances at other locations within the Indian River campus as part of our curriculum. This typically takes place at the high school theatre but could be at another school within the district. Also, all K-3 PE classes take part in a swimming unit which takes place at the middle school pool. This event occurs each spring. Ample notice of all these things will be sent by teachers in advance. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, or the main office if you have any questions or concerns. We can be reached by dialing (315) 628-4432, email, or Parent Square. Other important information can be located on our website at www.ircsd.org. Teachers can be contacted directly on Parent Square or by email (firstnamelastname@ircsd.org).
Students benefit from structured routines. One of the most essential pieces of that routine is sleep habits. By having students gradually go to bed a little earlier each night in August the routine will set itself. Another great tip is to help your child get organized. An easy way to do this is to choose a central location for necessary school items. Often this works best if that location is by the front door. Keeping their supplies in their backpack, a pair of shoes, and a coat by the door will be easy to remember and to take with them as they leave each morning. Established bedtimes, new organizational routines, and setting clothes out for the next day, can not only be a tremendous time-saver but will lessen the stress that can often accompany the rush to get everyone out the door in the morning.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that the breakfast and lunch program at Theresa Primary will remain FREE of charge to all students for the 23-24 school year. We ask that although free, ALL families please complete the modified version of our application. This will help us possibly remain free in the future. For any additional information please contact Ann Easter, School Food Service Director. Students that are dropped off at school and need to eat breakfast are allowed to enter 10 minutes early (8:35). Students that are not eating breakfast will not be allowed in before 8:45 due to a lack of supervision. If your child is bringing a snack to school please try to make it nutritious. Fruits and vegetables are great options. Try to avoid processed, high-sugar foods, or foods with nuts as we have students with allergies. Candy is not an acceptable classroom snack. We provide all students with a water bottle to help them stay hydrated while at school. We have 2 water bottle fill stations that all students have access to. Please keep in mind that we do not allow any sweetened drinks in water bottles, regular unflavored water only.
Once again, I look forward to getting to know the students, families, and community members during the 2023-24 school year. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Brenda Leddy
Principal, Theresa Primary