Welcome to a new school year – and a new blog!

As we begin the countdown to the 2010-11 school year, we’re happy to announce the launch of The Mighty Hawk Messenger. The Lucas Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will use this blog to post up-to-the-minute information about upcoming Lucas activities, important dates, volunteer opportunities, special announcements and news about our great school. The blog will complement the Lucas News newsletter, which will be sent to students’ homes every month, and the official Lucas Web site. If you have any thoughts or suggestions about the blog, feel free to shoot us an email. Or just leave a comment in the comments section below each blog post.

Meanwhile, PTO is already planning an exciting year ahead.

While you’ll see the return of some familiar activities this year, others will have a slight twist. Meet and Greet, scheduled for August 17, will provide students and their families a chance to share “Popsicles with the Principal” and get to know the school’s new principal, Julia Burton. And Back to School Night will now be called the Classroom Open House to make it a bit easier to distinguish from Meet and Greet. Scheduled for September 28, the Classroom Open House is a chance for parents to visit classrooms so their students can show them examples of their curriculum and lessons.

We’re also planning a fun, new activity this year, a Fall Festival. Watch this blog and your newsletter for more details soon.

One date we want you to be sure to mark on your calendars is Monday, September 13, when PTO will hold its first meeting of the school year. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Lucas Art Room. Whether you’re a new parent, or you’ve been at Lucas for a while, we encourage you to consider attending the meeting. It’s a great chance to get to know other Lucas parents, learn about your school, make friends and find out how you can make the school – and your child’s school experience – even better. Childcare is provided. And if you miss the first meeting, consider attending another one: PTO will meet the second Monday of every month (another change from last year, when we met on the fourth Tuesday of every month).

As this year’s PTO co-presidents, we’re looking forward to working with our new principal, our fantastic lineup of PTO chairs, Lucas teachers and staff and parents to make 2010-2011 the most successful year so far!

Go Mighty Hawks!!!

Stephen and Melinda Pradarelli