March 8, 2006

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In the November McCall Middle School Parents Association Newsletter, I asked you to speak to your McCall student if he/she goes downtown during Early Release Days:

“If students go downtown on Early Release Days (school is dismissed at 11:10 a.m. on these days), it is very important that they be respectful to one another as well as to other patrons and businessmen and women who are in the downtown area. I remind them of the importance of such behavior on these days in our morning announcements as they are representing themselves, their families, and their school. I encourage you to speak to your McCall student about his/her free time on Early Release Days, urging him/her to be respectful at all times and to pick up after him/herself. While I’m sure that the local merchants appreciate our students’ business, I’m also sure that they appreciate good behavior.”

Recently, I met with School Resource Officer, Dan Perenick, and Assistant Principal, Ralph Marotta, to discuss telephone calls to the Winchester Police Department from several local shop owners/managers about the large number of McCall students in the downtown area last Friday afternoon who were blocking sidewalks, darting between cars, using loud and sometimes foul language, and exhibiting rude behavior. The shop owners/managers were very concerned about this behavior and the lack of respect for residents, shop owners, and their customers. Needless to say, such behavior is unacceptable, and it is important that we adults take appropriate action to remedy the situation.

Beginning this Friday, March 10, on subsequent Fridays this month, and on Early Release Days, Officer Perenick and Mr. Marotta and I will be spending time after school near Starbucks and CVS to monitor student behavior. Additionally, from time to time in the morning announcements, I will speak to our students about their downtown behavior. My request of you is the same as it was back in November, to speak to your McCall student(s) about our concerns and your expectations for good behavior. When you engage in this conversation, point out that there are plenty of after school activities at McCall for them including the Youth Center (3:00 p.m. on Early Release Days and 5:00 p.m. on regular days), and if they go downtown, the best place to socialize is on the Common, away from the busy business section of town.

Overall, we have a great group of students at McCall Middle School. In school they are motivated, well behaved, and hard working. However, similar to middle school students everywhere, when they gather in groups in unsupervised settings, they can feed off each other in negative ways. With a united front as adults, I am confident that we can improve this situation.

Sincerely yours,

Evander French, Jr., Principal