Principal’s Corner

October 10, 2006
 
Dear MCMS Families,

The purpose of this correspondence is to share accurate information regarding yesterday’s school closing.
 
It appears as though weekend storms damaged the building electrical connections.  Initially, the project to restore power was estimated to take one half hour.  During this time, we were completely without power.  The safest areas for our students were in naturally lit places.  Our students remained in these locations, closely supervised by grade level teaching staff. 
 
Once we were notified that the project would take the full day, central office staff and MCMS administration notified staff of our plans, which included:
 

• Homeroom teachers assisting every student to make a phone call to a parent, informing all of you of our situation
• Feeding all students – PB and J never tasted so good!
• A system of communication for parent pick up of students
• Dismissal of students at 11:00 AM

 
Simultaneously, the Carteret County Schools office notified the media and posted information on our school’s website.
 
In review of our day, our staff felt good about how we handled the emergency.  However, we always look for ways to improve and welcome your suggestions.  One area for improvement is the updating of our records, verifying we have accurate family information.  You can help us by completing the form given to your student and having your student return it to his/her homeroom teacher.
 
This is a great time for your family to talk about handling emergencies.  In a case like this, we expect the following from students:
 

• Follow the instructions of the adult in charge
• Remain calm
• DO NOT use personal cell phones, unless instructed to do so by a staff member

 
It is our priority to keep students and staff safe.  If you have suggestions for making improvements, please feel free to send them my way.
 
We appreciate your patience and know that this caused a great deal of inconvenience for many of your families.  Thank you for your support and understanding in a difficult situation.  You can be proud of our students and staff for their cooperative efforts during yesterday’s unpredicted events.
 
Sincerely,
Sue Kreuser