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Administrator's Corner

Principal Gonyaw scooping ice cream outside at MCS
Shawn Gonyaw

Shawn Gonyaw

Principal
Greg Bagnato

Greg Bagnato

Associate Principal

Archived Posts

Welcome to the Administrator's Corner. Shawn Gonyaw, Principal of Marion Cross School, and Greg Bagnato, Student Services Coordinator will post their weekly messages here. The intent is to keep you updated on important topics that are happening at school.

These posts can also be found in the weekly Who's Wise Words newsletter, which we highly encourage you to read. We hope you find all this information helpful, informative and fun.  We encourage you to reach out to us with questions and comments.

Regards,
Shawn and Greg


 

Most Recent Post:

Week of September 27 - October 1

Important Dates

  • Wednesday, October 6 - Bike to School Day
  • Wednesday, October 6 at 4:00pm - Coffee Talk at the Gazebo
  • Wednesday, October 6 at 6:30pm - Norwich School Board Meeting
  • Friday, October 8 - Teacher In-Service Day, No School
  • Monday, October 11 - Holiday, No School

 Message From The Principal

Happy Friday!  What a wonderful week has been had at MCS.  This week allowed us to test our ability to work together.  Added to our list of challenges to overcome this school year has been staffing.  To date, we are just now filling the final teacher positions and still have education assistant positions that remain vacant.  Perhaps the greatest vacancy left to fill is that of substitute teachers.  We are in desperate need of people who are willing to substitute in our classrooms.  Staff members get sick, have appointments, and have families that sometimes take them away from their jobs.  At this time, there are no people to fill in for them.      

We know that it is important for kids to be in school, and to have school remain open; so when staff are out we have been forced to take support staff from kids to cover classrooms.  This is not ideal, but allows school to open for the day.  This week our amazing staff stepped up and took on additional responsibilities to allow school to continue.  We are extremely fortunate to have a staff filled with people willing to give extra for the good of students.

Why might I be sharing this with you?  Our substitute shortage lends itself to another opportunity for families to support our school.  Substitute teachers do not need a teaching degree.  Teachers provide the lesson plans necessary to make the day successful.  Substitute teachers need to be positive, caring, able to manage a class of students, and willing to be flexible.  If managing a class of students is a barrier, we can give you strategies for success!  

If you are interested in being a substitute teacher, you can apply for the role on the SAU70 Job Listings.  

In other news, MCS parents are rock stars!  Thank you for all of the help setting up the preschool outdoor space, but also beyond the preschool grounds. The Preschoolers have been thoroughly enjoying the spaces in our new play yard as well as the outdoor classroom space with all of these amazing upgrades! 

pieces of wood to be used in the outdoor learning classroom

person working outside MCS near the building

Thank you to the outdoor parent group who transformed the top of Girard Way into an awesome outdoor classroom space.  I enjoyed the space today with Mrs. French’s 4th grade class as they shared their writing with families.  We are truly fortunate to have amazing parents. 

students sitting at the outdoor classroom space

students around a picnic table

 

Have a lovely weekend,

Shawn