Grandparents Day Information

How to Have a Successful Grandparents and Great Friends Day

Remember to smile and greet our many guests to Blessed Pope John XXIII

Bring a little patience as the parking lot, drive thru, walking traffic etc… will be busier and may take a little longer than usual. Please plan accordingly. We will have extra help and extra crossing guards but we still need your help!

Your children must report to class just like every other day and their guests do not accompany them into the classrooms at this time.

Our volunteers will begin registration in the parking area just outside of the gym at 7:45 a.m. You may register in any line and we will have even more volunteers checking in to help speed up the process.

The guests will be asked to go to the marked area of the youngest student in the family that they are meeting, so including that info on the RSVP is really important. Others joining your party will meet there.

The visitors will “save” seats for their grandchild/friend as well as anyone else joining them. We will have a very full house so please help us by only saving the number of seats you will actually need. We will have maps, signs and volunteers to help.

If you have multiple students, the older students will join their sibling and visitor in the youngest student’s designated seating area. Look for the classroom signs!

If your child will not be entertaining a visitor this year, please do not worry! We have made special arrangements as well as reserved seating for all of the students without guests to sit with their teachers. You are always welcome to attend mass with your child, please RSVP so we can help your child find the appropriate area.

Mass begins at 8:30 a.m.

After mass the children will be dismissed by classroom and our guests will be asked to stay seated until they are safely on their way.

After the children have exited we will invite everyone for light refreshments and coffee in the Ramada before they join the students in their classrooms (if they wish).

There is no formal program but each class has something planned so the guests are welcome to visit.

A great number of our students leave early to begin the long weekend. This is great BUT:

Please note: If you plan on your child leaving early or with their guests we need you to send a letter or note to your teacher granting permission for this to occur. The teachers will be able to dismiss from the classroom on this special occasion but only to those who have made such arrangements. The teachers will not be able to dismiss without a letter with your signature on it! We appreciate your help and understanding. Your child’s safety is always foremost in our minds…please help us ensure this by following the protocol for this day.

Blessed Pope John XXIII Roman Catholic School

Grandparents & Great Friends Day

November 27, 2013

7:45-8:15      Grandparents and Great Friends Sign-In.  The sign-in table will be located in the parking lot adjacent to the gym, just east of the front gym entrance.  Here, the guests will sign in, receive a name tag, special gift and a sticker to place on the United States map to show where they are from.  They will move inside to sit in the assigned classroom section to meet up with their youngest student, saving seats for all in their party.

8:30-9:30      Grandparents and Great Friends Join Students for Mass.  Held in the Gym. Students will walk over with their teacher and class and enter through the South gym doors to meet their already seated guest in each class’ assigned seating.  Student Ambassadors and signage will be present to guide everyone to the appropriate seating location.  At the conclusion of Mass, there will be brief remarks from Principal Colao welcoming our guests to the PJ community and wishing everyone a blessed Thanksgiving with loved ones.  Students will be released back through the South doors, by classroom with their teachers, while their guests will then head to the Coffee Reception.

9:30-10:00    Grandparents and Great Friends Coffee Reception.  Held in the Ramada.  During this time, students will return to class with their teachers to have a snack from home, and “set up” for their visitors.   Guests will be invited to enjoy coffee and refreshments in the Ramada with Administration and HSA parents before heading over to the student’s classroom.  They will be directed to the classroom(s) by Student Ambassadors.

10:00-11:00  Grandparents and Great Friends Visit Classrooms.  Guests will begin classroom visit(s).  During this time, the teacher may have activities for the guests to participate in or show and share items for the students.  Guests may be visiting several classrooms, so expect some visitors coming and going throughout the hour.  Student Ambassadors will guide the guests to the appropriate classroom(s).

11:00  Grandparents and Great Friends Day Concludes.  For those students who have made prior arrangements to be released to the Grandparent, Great Friend, or Parent, they may be released.  The office and the teacher will have the information on file as to which student(s) will be released with their Guest.  Each teacher will have a sign-out sheet as well for those early releases.

12:00  Dismissal

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!