The Pulse of the Pride

Lyme School Friends,

It has been another fantastic two weeks!

We had a great morning meeting today where there was some recognition. One was about the behavior of some of our students on Halloween night where they were complimented for being respectful and polite. The other was substitutes letting us know that some of the classes they were covering were doing a great job modeling behaviors. Following morning meeting, we met with 4th through 8th graders to encourage them to keep their lockers and the surrounding hallways neat and tidy. We specifically talked about winter boots and what to do with things that don't fit in their lockers.

The colder weather definitely prompts us to encourage students to come prepared for the weather. We suggest layers where students can take them off if they are too warm inside. We go outside even when the temperature drops, so please ensure students have hats and mittens or whatever they need now that the temperature is in the 30's in the mornings.

Parents can still opt in to the directory in ALMA. Just click the profile icon in the top-right corner and click on the link for "my info". This will allow you to see other family names, addresses and telephone numbers if you desire.

Please remember that school is closed on Friday, November 10th.

The next newsletter will hit your inbox on November 17th!

As always, please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to turn those clocks back!

Regards,

John P. D'Entremont, Principal

Dates:

November 5th - Daylight Saving Time Ends - Set Clocks Back

November 10th - No School

November 17th - End of Trimester

November 22nd - 24th - No School

December 8th - No School Parent/Teacher Conferences

December 22nd - January 2nd - School Closed/No School

There is still time to get tickets for the movie Ice Age on Saturday, November 18th at 10am at the Nugget Theater in Hanover.

Tickets are $10 and you can email lymeclassof24@gmail.com to reserve your tickets and for payment information.

FOR LYME SCHOOL FAMILIES ONLY: If you feel it would work for your child to watch Ice Age under the supervision of an eighth grader, a “drop-off” option is available for an added fee (additional $10 per child). Children in K-4th grade are invited to participate in the drop-off option, and tickets must be purchased in advance, so these seats can be reserved with a caring eighth grader. The movie will start at 10am and should end at 11:20am. For families taking advantage of the “drop-off” opportunity, your child(ren) should be checked-in by a parent/guardian in the lobby of the Nugget at 9:45am and pick-up will be at 11:20am. A parent/guardian phone number must be provided and that individual must be accessible in the event a child needs them.

Things continue to progress with our new student information system.

So far, you should have:

1. Gotten yourself logged in.
2. Received an emergency alert.
3. Double checked your contact information.
4. Completed ALMA Start Registration for this year.
5. Been given instructions to opt in to the Directory. [To opt in to the directory, you can click on the link for “my info” or get there through your profile icon in the top-right corner. You can toggle your visibility in the directory.]
6. Received preliminary information about report cards in this newsletter.

If you are having trouble, please reach out to Amanda Perry or John D'Entremont.

Dear Lyme School Families,

With the rollout of our new Student Information System ALMA, we have updated our report cards. As a result, we will be launching our Standards-Based Report Card at the conclusion of the first trimester at the beginning of December. We understand that this is new with several transitions the last few years and will be a learning curve for all.

A Standards-Based Report Card provides a more detailed and meaningful way to assess your child's academic progress. Instead of traditional letter grades, the report card will focus on specific learning standards and provide insights into your child's strengths and areas that may require additional attention. As a result, the Report Card will list grade level standards and students will be rated on each standard using a four category scale:

‘B’ - Below Standard - Student is performing below the expected standard.

‘M’ - Making Progress - Student is making progress on learning the standard.

‘M+’ - Meeting Standard - Student has mastered the standard.

‘E’ - Exceeding Standard - Student is exceeding mastery of the standard.

Aside from a rating on each standard, families will also see a narrative describing how a student is fairing in a particular class.

As we reported earlier in the year, families have real-time access to your child’s academic performance and attendance in ALMA at any time.

Thank you for your flexibility and attention as we fully launch the ALMA student information system this year.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's Pumpkin Book Character Show. It was another great display of creativity and fun! ~ Mrs. Wilcox

The Lyme School Apparel Store has a variety of apparel and accessories all customizable with a variety of school logos. The Lyme School PTO earns 12% of all sales. Thank you for supporting our school and go Lions! #LYMESCHOOLROCKS

Kati Miller RN BSN: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri

Matthew Greenway RN BSN: alternating Weds and coverage as needed

Celeste McCool RN BSN: alternating Weds and coverage as needed

Cold weather season has arrived. Please be sure to send your student to school each day with a warm jacket, hat and gloves for outside time.

It is highly recommended to LABEL all items of clothing.

In October, the Lyme School was awarded a Hands-Only CPR tool kit from the American Heart Association and Dartmouth Hitchcock Health. Over the next few weeks, Middle School students will get the opportunity to learn the life saving skill of Hands Only CPR, AED use and how to respond to a person choking.

This is very exciting! Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

Hands-Only CPR in Schools FAQs

-Nurse Miller

Please review the provided links regarding COVID-19 recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC):

• Individuals who are experiencing symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19 should isolate at home and follow CDC's recommendations Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19

• What to do if you were Exposed to COVID-19

The Lyme School Nurse's office is here to support you and your child and to promote healthy outcomes for students and staff.

Hello Lyme Families and Happy November!

One special program we have in our middle school is advisory. Advisory meets first thing in the morning, during snack, and at the end of the day. Advisory is multi-grade (6-8) and its purpose is to ensure that each student and their caregivers have a point of contact here at the Lyme School. It also provides a close-knit group of students for their three years at Lyme. If families need to communicate with school, the advisors are great people to connect with initially. They will ensure that information is shared appropriately and will facilitate the next steps if support is needed. During snack, we have a longer ~25 minute block where we do something different each day:

Monday - Weekend Wrap Around - we share what we did over the weekend

Tuesday - #LymeLifeHacks day - we check agendas, clean out lockers, and learn about executive functioning strategies to help students be successful in school and in life

Wednesday - Social Emotional Learning day - we do activities and to work on group projects that foster community within our advisory and the greater Lyme School.

Thursday - Drop Everything and Read Day - we get to read!

Friday - GAME Day - we get to connect and play!

There are special days and events that advisories will also experience together. One of those happened last Friday during the 5th Annual Lion’s Cup Chariot Race. Advisories were given a flattened cardboard box, rope, and duct tape. In this design challenge, they had to construct a chariot accommodating a student that could be safely pulled by their advisory members as they raced against other advisories. The groups were also tasked with decorating their chariot, selecting a “walk-out” song, crafting a banner, and wearing costumes to share their advisory spirit. Here is a video that we put together to see the whole process in action! Every advisory did an outstanding job, but only one can be crowned THE CHAMPION.

Our 2023 Lion’s Cup Champions...THE HAPPY CAMPERS! They will have the gilded lion statue in their advisory until next year’s challenge!

On Wednesday this week, an email was sent out to families about requesting items for the PTO Virtual Giving Tree. If your family would like some support this season, please email me rstanton@lymeschool.org 2-4 items for each of your students. Future and former students can surely be included. As requested, please provide specific descriptions for the gifts you are requesting - Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc. links are appreciated. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Reminder that I am the only one who will see requests.

Be well!

Mrs. Stanton

Setting the standard for attending school every day and being on time helps children be successful in school and beyond. There is a connection between student attendance and student success at school. As the season shifts from fall to winter, getting kids to school on time can be harder. When kids are late for school they miss out on opportunities to socialize before their structured day starts. They miss learning opportunities like completing their morning jobs or morning work. Children who arrive late to school join class in progress. That means that they are trying to put coats and backpacks away, unpack homework and supplies, and sign up for lunch (if they need one), while they are thinking about what they missed and what is happening in the classroom. This can be overwhelming for children. Having students arrive late is also disruptive to the classroom environment.

Here are some ways that you can help your child get to school on time.

• Talk to your child about the importance of being on time for school.

• Make being on time for school a high priority.

• Set clear expectations, set good examples, and enforce being on time for school.

• Pack lunches and backpacks in the evening-put the backpack in the same location.

• Get out clothes for the next day the night before.

• Establish a regular bedtime schedule. A bedtime schedule is important regardless of age. Sleep habits are different for everyone but here are some guideposts:

• 6 to 12 year olds 9 to 12 hours of sleep recommended.

• 13 to 18 year olds 8 to 10 hours of sleep recommended

• Have a morning routine that allows your child plenty of time to get ready for school.

• If your child is sick, notify the school by calling or emailing.

• If your child starts to miss school, call the school. Ms. Connie, Mrs. Stanton, Nurse Kati, Classroom teachers, and Advisors are available to help.

• Refer to the school handbook on policies for school attendance. Family and Student Handbook 2023-2024 - LYME SCHOOL

November is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Students and families can browse the Lyme School Library Catalog collection in celebration of this month’s theme.

We are wrapping up digital citizenship lessons in grades K-5. This week most library classes were able to take our monthly trip across the street to Converse Free Library to browse for books. In grades K-3 we have been reading some of the picture books nominated for the Ladybug Book Award. Students will be voting on their favorite in December. In 4th grade, we are reading one of the Great Stone Face Award nominees, Answers in the Pages. We are discussing character development and practicing summarizing and retelling skills. Students in grades 4-6 vote on Great Stone Face Nominees in April. Grades 6-8 vote on Isinglass Award Nominees in April as well.

In terms of media and research, there are several areas students are digging into. In grades 2-8, students have been exposed to and are expanding use of the educational annotation and accessibility tool, Kami. Kami allows students to complete assignments digitally, taking advantage of built-in assistive technology tools. In the middle school, sixth and eighth grade students have been digging into our research databases (Gale, Ebsco, Newsela) and searching informational texts from our library as well as through interlibrary loan.

Have a great weekend!

At Lyme School, we use an approach to teaching writing called the Hochman Method, an explicit set of strategies for teaching expository writing. The method builds from simple to complex sentences to compositions and is embedded in curricula across all content areas and grade levels. Our teachers have been trained in this approach through a course and supporting materials called The Writing Revolution.

The Writing Revolution’s method enables educators to teach writing skills and content simultaneously. There’s no separate writing block and no separate writing curriculum. Instead, teachers of all subjects can adapt the strategies and activities to their preexisting curriculum and weave them into their content instruction. For example, students can practice writing complex sentences in science, math, or language arts. They become very familiar with the strategy templates and easily incorporate the subject area content they are learning into their writing practice. With repeated use of these organizational templates, we find our students need to spend less energy organizing their thoughts and and are able to spend more time crafting their written message rather than just getting their ideas written down.

Direct instruction, strategies, and common K-8 templates emphasize expanding sentences, using transitions, organizing a paragraph, writing strong topic and concluding sentences, developing a solid thesis statement, and, most importantly, revising one’s work.

In the five years since the Lyme School began using The Writing Revolution, we have seen significant growth in our students’ writing skills! As parents, you may hear about SPO’s (single paragraph outlines) and MPO’s (multiple paragraph outlines). You may also see your child using more transitions, subordinating conjunctions, and appositives in their writing, too.

We had a very exciting week in the music classroom! Country Music month was extended to accommodate our visitors. Students in first through fifth grade got to enjoy an in-person edition of Musician of the Week. We got up close and personal with the banjo, guitar, mandolin, and pedal steel guitar. Thank you to Mark, Chuck, and Toby for sharing Country and Bluegrass music with us!

We've spent the week learning about and celebrating El Día de Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). As we've done for the past few years, we had an ofrenda set up in the lobby for a Lyme resident that has passed away. Our focus this year was on Peggy Little, who helped start Long River Studio many years ago. Students also shared about loved ones (people and pets) that have passed away, decorated masks, and made sugar skulls to recognize this festive holiday.

There is always this question: “Can I bring my Art home?” It is usually asked with some urgency. I am usually able to resist the temptation to send it home immediately (It's exciting!). Usually.

My reasons for resisting this very reasonable request are twofold:

One: Protecting the artwork so that it can get home safely. I really do know that chalk pastel is super messy and without some care in packaging will add smudges of color to everything in sight.

Two: Each trimester (approximately 12 classes), specialists describe what students have worked on in our classes and report out on student progress. This year, I will be using the National Visual Arts Standards to frame this reporting. In particular,

Creating (generating ideas, working with materials, refining work)

Responding (learning to look at Art)

Connecting (making personally meaningful Art).

Each standard has a set of developmentally appropriate indicators for students k-8. I appreciate that these standards are grounded in fostering student agency and connection to the arts. These standards are the foundation of how I think about teaching and learning. While I am considering this progress, I deeply appreciate having student artwork to remember the care with which the artist worked, to take a moment and carefully package it up and send it home.

Look for artwork from Trimester 1 to start coming home around the Thanksgiving break.

Best,

Ms. G

Art in Photos: K pumpkins, 1 roll a monster game, 2 sky trees, 3 collecting leaves, 4 creature sculptures, 5 grid drawings, middle school elective sketchbooks (a community of artists at work, a candy still life, and a developing fantastical map)

Students in the primary grades have been learning about balance. Recently, they have been practicing static, or still balance. By balancing on various body parts, students make brain and body connections, which foster development in the cerebellum, the portion of the brain responsible for balance and coordination.

Whether balancing on one foot, on elbows and the stomach, or in a cool dance move, students can enhance their knowledge of the many facets of how the human body and the brain work cooperatively to make us better movers and thinkers.

The seventh graders have immersed themselves in a study of substance use and abuse. We have been discussing what drugs are and how they impact the body and the brain.

We have been delineating between the medical and recreational use of substances and when either are misused, that can be problematic and have deep impact on one’s physical, emotional, social, and legal state of well being.

Recently, we have had the privilege of involving Corporal Nick Balch, of the Grafton county department of corrections visit our classes to further enhance what the students have been learning. Corporal Balch has been trained to offer education to students and visits many local middle and high schools to share the message of substance misuse and addiction. Corporal Balch is a Lyme School alum (and also Ms. Connie’s son) and we are very grateful for his time in helping our students understand the consequences of using substances in a way that does not serve individuals in a healthy way.

The eighth grade recently completed a unit on the adolescent brain. As part of their learning, students were placed in groups. Each group conducted research on a portion of the brain and then were asked to present information to their classmates with the information they gathered.

The adolescent brain is complex and undergoes massive development until age 25, where much pruning takes place to make way for new information to be stored. The goal of this project was for students to collaborate to begin to understand what occurs during brain development and how the limbic system plays a role in this important and inevitable period of growth.

The next PTO meeting will be December 6, 2023 at 7PM.

Will take place on November 16th, 2023 at the School.

OUR VALUES

● Fairness ● Acceptance of Others ● Integrity ● Responsibility

● Perseverance ● Individuality ● Compassion ● Courage

John P. D'Entremont, Principal

Elise Foxall, Academic Director

Geoff Tomlinson, Student Services Director