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September 2016 Newsletter

Dear Merryhill Families,

Welcome to all of you!  I so enjoyed seeing so many of you at the “Meet Your Teacher” gathering on Orientation Day.  With the first two weeks behind us we are off to a wonderful beginning to the school year!  Every teacher reported they are having a successful start in the classroom.  I hope that you are falling into your routine between home and school as well.  As the year progresses, I encourage you to visit the school and teacher websites on a regular basis to keep up to date on the latest news from Merryhill and your child’s classroom.  The calendar and menus are available there as well at www.Summerlin.merryhillschool.com.  As we have done in the past, you can expect weekly calendar updates in the Monday Folder with all the most important news.

Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members:

KINDERGARTEN – Ms. Julie West

Ms.West has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies from Buena Vista University.  She has spent the last ten years working within the field of education while completing her licensure.  She moved to Las Vegas from northern Iowa a year ago to join our Merryhill team in the third grade.  This year she has realized her dream which is to teach Kindergarten. So even though she is not new to Merryhill we are excited to be able to have two Kindergarten classes this year.

THIRD GRADE – Mrs. Connie Peebles

Ms. Peebles joined our Merryhill family last Spring as our Extended Care Teacher.  She did such an outstanding job that we asked her to join our faculty in the third grade. Ms. Peebles hails from Nixa, Missouri and received her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Missouri State University. She comes to Merryhill with 25 years of teaching experience.

FOURTH GRADE – Mrs. Carrie Higa

Mrs. Higa began working as a newspaper copy editor but after four years realized she wanted a career working with young people.  After Mrs. Higa completed her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at the University of Hawaii she began her teaching career. This is Mrs. Higa’s first year in Las Vegas but her fifth year teaching fourth grade.

TECHNOLOGY – Mr. James Santora

Mr. Santora is retired after 28 years in the military and has a degree in Information Security Cyberspace.  He has taught Early Childhood Special Education prior to joining us at Merryhill. He says he has finally found a perfect home here at Merryhill Elementary.

On September 16th we will be hosting our first PTO sponsored Family Night.  I hope you will be able to join us for a movie on the grass and popcorn.  This is a wonderful opportunity to bring our school family together and get to know each other a little better.  This is just one of the many events that our PTO sponsors for our school.  I encourage each of you to support them with your presence at these events and their requested one time donation of $25 to sponsor more fun activities for our students.  Our PTO meets the first Wednesday of every month at 8:15 am in Room 5 and would love to have you join them.  This year’s PTO board:

·         President                                             Aimee Sobers

·         Vice President                                     Andrea Arquello

·         Treasurer                                            PJ Carr

·         Secretary                                             Stephanie Harvey

·         Member at Large                               Jennifer Hollifield

·         Teacher Representative                     Kelly Orton

·         Principal                                              Theresa Gotay

Thank you for entrusting your children to our care!  We promise to live up to our mission and create an educational environment that fosters academic excellence, instills a love for active learning, and provides experiences that enable students to acquire a foundation of skills for lifelong achievement.

Please know my door is always open to you.  Here’s to a great new school year!

Theresa Gotay, Principal

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