Principal Mr. Dave Thomas Welcome Students & Families to Aiken Elementary School
Dear Aiken Elementary Students and Families,
I hope you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer vacation. Let me start by introducing myself, my name is Dave Thomas and I am excited and proud to be the new principal at Fred L. Aiken Elementary School. I will be honest with you, I have never been so excited to start a school year in my entire life. I am so happy to be the principal at Aiken Elementary and I cannot wait to meet all of the students and get this year underway!
Prior to coming to Keystone Oaks, I earned my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in education from the University of Pittsburgh and also completed my Principal's Certification from Robert Morris University. I spent the last nine school years within the Avonworth School District. There, I taught 4th grade and coached middle school and high school sports. Last spring, I was promoted within Avonworth to leave the Elementary School and become the Assistant Principal of the Middle School and High School. I enjoyed my new role and learned from some great leaders, but elementary school is my passion. That is why when I heard about the opening here at Aiken, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. In my time as a teacher, coach and principal at Avonworth, I was able to form great relationships with my students and their families and I am grateful to have that opportunity here at Keystone Oaks and within the Green Tree community.
From everything I have heard about Aiken, it is truly a perfect fit for me. I know that my enthusiasm for helping elementary students succeed will align with the beliefs of our faculty, staff, and most importantly the students of Aiken. Our school-wide goal statement this year is simple: Aiken Golden Eagles will SOAR to new heights in 2017-2018. SOAR will serve as a reminder to all students that if they can: have Self-Control, stay On-Task, Act responsibly, and always be Respectful, that they will have a great year! The staff and I will be working together to implement a positive behavior system where students can work together to earn school-wide rewards.
I am confident this will be a great school year for you and your student. I look forward to meeting all of you and am anxious for August 24th to get here. My door will always be open to you, please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. The best way to reach me is either calling the school office at 412-571-6240 or via email at: [email protected].
Below you will find more information about the start of the school year and other important information. I hope to get a chance to meet you at the Green Tree Pool at the PFO sponsored Back-to-School Pool Party on August 21. Enjoy the last few weeks of summer vacation!
Sincerely,
Mr. Dave Thomas
The start of the 2017-2018 school year is fast approaching with classes scheduled to begin on Thursday, August 24th. Students are to report directly to the gym. The Aiken staff will be available to assist any child needing help. Every school day, in the interest of safety, we ask that parents not allow children to arrive prior to 8:10 a.m., as staff are not available to provide for supervision until that time. Students are considered tardy if they are not in their homeroom by 8:30 a.m. Dismissal time is at 3:15 p.m.
Students should arrive at their bus stops approximately 5 minutes before their scheduled pick-up time. As always, please reinforce the importance of good behavior to your child, so that the ride to and from school is safe and pleasant for everyone. Also, on the first day, please send your child's bus pass to school.
Students who qualified for free or reduced price lunch last year will continue to qualify until October 1st. After that time, if a new application is not on file, you child's name will be removed from the list. Breakfast will be served on the first day of school starting at 8:15 a.m. - 8:25 a.m. Any questions, please contact Kevin Lloyd, Food Service Director, at 412-571-6059.
The Fred L. Aiken Elementary Student/Parent Handbook is available at kosd.org under Fred L. Aiken Elementary. If you need a copy, feel free to contract the office and we will send one home with your child. Students excuse forms can also be found at kosd.org under Fred L. Aiken Elementary - Forms & Documents.
We are looking forward to providing your child with challenging academic and social experiences this school year. You are welcome to contact the school at any time, as your input is very important to the staff at Fred L. Aiken Elementary School.
Posted: Thursday, August 10, 2017