The Pulse of the Pride

Lyme School Friends,

Another week is in the books for the 2023-2024 academic year. It has been an excellent start to the year.

We still have some families that have not completed the ALMA Start Forms and Tasks in ALMA. It is very important that you do so. If you need assistance, please contact Amanda Perry in the office. We also encourage parents to opt in to the PTO directory in ALMA. 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. You cannot control what information is displayed. If you opt to include your information, the directory will ONLY show the following information:

Name

Email(s)

Phone number(s)

Opting in to the Directory gives us permission to share your information with the PTO.

Yesterday, we had a wonderful middle school hike! Almost all of our students joined and we all made it to the top! It was a great time to get out of the classroom and to get to know each other better as a middle school.

It was great to see so many families at information night last week. We look forward to seeing families again with their students on Thursday, October 5th starting at 4PM for Open House. This will be an opportunity to explore with your children!

The next newsletter will hit your inbox on October 6th.

As always, please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. Have a wonderful weekend!

Regards,

John P. D'Entremont, Principal

Dates:

9/22 - MS Activity Night 7 - 8:30 PM

10/3 - School Picture Re-takes

10/5 - Open House 4 - 5:30 PM

10/6 - Teacher In-Service (No School for Students)

10/9 - No School

10/31 - Lyme School Student Flu Clinic

We have been doing a nice job at getting to school on time. Please don't forget, our school day starts at 8AM sharp! Let's keep up the good work!

Open House is an opportunity to visit the school with your students. Your students will show you their spaces and tour you around the building. You will also get an opportunity to say hello to teachers. We look forward to seeing you there!

The movie Ice Age will be shown on Saturday, November 18th at 10am at the Nugget Theater in Hanover as a fundraising event for the 8th grade class. Tickets are $10 and we recommend reserving tickets because it is likely to sell out. People can email lymeclassof24@gmail.com to reserve their tickets and for payment information.

We do collect photos for our newsletter as well as the yearbook. If you have a photo from a school event such as the first day of school, please feel free to send to aperry@lymeschool.org or jdentremont@lymeschool.org. We have a place to store these electronically for those that work on these important celebrations! Thank You!

So far, 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.]

When you log-in, you will be able to see assignments and grades. This is a change from last year. We will continue to update you with each newsletter.

We have not shown our students how to get in to ALMA yet, but older students will be able to access soon.

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

(F&R Applications can be submitted any time if circumstances change)

Please Apply if You Think You Qualify!

Our Adequacy Aid and Federal Grant money are tied to our Free & Reduced application percentage, and help determine how much money our school will receive.

Revised Application - SAU 76 District Page: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/449/LymeSchool/3560738/Alt_Free___Reduced_App_23-24.pdf

The Revised Application from the State of NH is being used due to the fact that we are not currently participating in the National School Lunch Program. This decision was made because our program required more flexibility.

For those that already submitted a Free & Reduced application on the other form, we will honor that form and process from there.

The official change in Eligibility Date for the purposes of state reporting is October 15.

This means that if your kiddos currently receive Free & Reduced from an application last year, they will continue to receive it until October 15, 2023.

Without a new application on file, and/or a case number for participating in SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR, your kiddos will lose their F&R status.

Please contact Kristen Clark at krclark@lymeschool.org; or 603.795.4431, ext 142*

*my voicemail has been fixed - sorry to anyone who left a message and didn't get a call back.

Homework Club -

We are excited to announce Homework Club has returned to Lyme Elementary School! We are offering it Monday-Wednesday from 3pm-4pm in the Learning Center each week. A huge shout out to Rebecca Beisswenger-Maxfield a Lyme parent and LES Educational Assistant who has graciously agreed to run the program pro-bono as a volunteer! If you would like your child to attend, she asks that you email her at least a day ahead (if possible) so she knows who to expect and what they are working on (rebecca@lymeschool.org).

Dyslexia Screener requirements for K-3 students -

Please take a look at the Technical Bulletin from the State regarding required Dyslexia Screening for all students in Kindergarten-3rd Grade. We will be sharing further information as to the specific assessments Lyme uses, how intervention is implemented, and how we will contact parents if specific concerns arise.

Welcome back Anna Pippin -

Lyme School is excited to announce Anna Pippin, a parent and former Educational Assistant has agreed to return as the Special Education Administration Assistant. She starts Monday and the building is excited to welcome her back!

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

There are a number of viruses circulating. Please remember to wash your hands. As the temperature starts to decrease, students do need to come to school with layers for outdoor play. Stay healthy!

Student Influenza Vaccine Clinic:

The Flu Clinic for students will be held this year at Lyme School on Tuesday, October 31 2023 during the school day. Registration forms will be provided as we get closer to this date.

COVID-19 Information:

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!

As caregivers, we need to give our self endless amounts of GRACE! We are all still learning alongside our kids throughout all of lifes twists and turns, ups and downs! We get it! We also know that if WE are having big feelings, it is not possible to always be helpful to our kids who might also be having big feelings (a dysregulated parents cannot regulate a dysregulated child).

GoZen! Is something I use in our upper elementary grades. It is a fun, educational stress management program for kids. The program also has some amazing resources for parents that I would like to share with you. Parenting REWIND offers some great tips, scripts, and skills to approach challenging situations we all have experienced or will experience as caregivers. They are broken down in a way that gives you space to regulate and check in with yourself in order to approach situations with calm and compassion. I also appreciate that they are judgement-free 🙂.

Anytime as a parent that we can RESPOND vs. REACT - we model this same approach for our kids and it might help the situation go a bit smoother. We won’t do it perfectly everytime, but we can always rewind, recognize, come up with a plan and let our kids know how we will try it differently for next time. Practice, practice, practice!

Here is a folder that contains all the situations they have released so far. I will continue to add them to this folder when I get them to share with you! You can also opt-in for FREE with the link HERE and they will email the new scripts to you as they become available.

Parenting REWIND topics include:

• Sibling Rivalry

• When Kids Want to Quit

• Forced Thank Yous

• Morning Lateness

• Frustration

• Homework Battles

• Bad Grade Blues

• “Don’t Worry”

• Rude Moments

• Listening and Following Directions

• Parent Apology

• Instead of Saying NO

• Morning Routine Meltdowns

• Comparison Woes

• Interruptions

• Late for School

Happy Rewinding! Happy Weekend!

~Mrs. Stanton

Our priority each day is to transport all bus riders safely to and from school. In order to do this, we need student and caregivers’ cooperation. Your student’s behavior while entering, riding, and leaving the bus contributes in many ways to safe transportation. Such conduct makes it possible for the driver to give full attention to the roadway and other drivers.

Please take a few minutes to review with your child the information below concerning student conduct on the bus. Your student’s cooperation in following all rules is appreciated.

Expectations

1. Obey the bus driver by following directions the first time they are given.

2. Wait in a safe place for the bus.

3. Wait for the driver’s hand signal, then look both ways before crossing the roadway to board the bus. Please remind your student that the red flashing lights cannot stop oncoming vehicles.

4. When boarding the bus, go directly to your seat without disturbing others.

5. Sit and stay in your seat until you reach your destination.

6. Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself.

7. Food, drink, and candy (including gum) are not permitted on the bus.

8. Keep all items in your backpack, including electronics and phones.

9. Talking should be quiet and school-appropriate.

10. Respect bus property, including keeping the bus clean.

Please remind your student that riding the bus is a privilege.

Over the past two weeks, students in grades 1-4 have taken a trip across the street to Converse Free Library to check out books. We were reintroduced to the space, since there have been some exciting changes to the children’s areas. Kindergarten will go to CFL next week during library time.

All students in grades 3-8 have been introduced to how to access the Lyme Library Catalog to search for and put books on hold that are at CFL. Many books have been requested and delivered! We have also been requesting Inter-library loans. In library classes with grades K-3, we started discussing Hispanic Heritage month and read books written by and about Hispanic people. You can see our youth and young adult books in our Hispanic Heritage collection by accessing the Lyme Library Catalog.

Lyme School students can access books in a variety of ways. Over the past two weeks, students have had opportunities to check out physical books from the Converse Free Library and the Lyme School’s Library Commons, as well as through inter-library loan. All students also have access to eBooks and audio books through SORA. Our library catalog will let students know if a book is available online through SORA with the categories of eBook/Kindle and audiobook. Students can access the catalog and SORA at home. You can learn more about how to log into SORA on the school’s parent page of the Library Media website.

Another way students access texts is through Learning Ally. Learning Ally provides equitable access to books for students who struggle with reading. This technology combines eBook and audiobook features, and highlights the text on the screen as it is read to the student. There is a dictionary tool and bookmarking feature which allows students to annotate as they read. Learning Ally also has human-read texts, a huge advantage over some of the other tools previously used featuring robotic computer "voices". Any student who struggles with reading can be given access to Learning Ally by a teacher at school. Students can access Learning Ally on any device, at home or at school. The student experience is introduced in this video (4 min), which highlights the features of this assistive technology.

BLISTERS FOR BOOKS, the annual fundraiser for children's library materials, is all set for Thursday, October 5.

Here is the schedule:

Middle School 9:00-9:40

Grades 4/5 9:40-10:20

Grades K/1 10:20-10:50

Grades 2/3 10:50-11:30

Students will complete laps and the final ten minutes of each time slot will be reserved for snacks. More info: https://lymenhlibrary.org/kids/blisters-2023/

At Lyme School, we believe everyone can succeed in math. We recognize the need for balance between time spent on math instruction and literacy instruction at all levels.

We seek an inquiry relationship with mathematics by approaching learning and teaching with curiosity, courage, confidence, intuition, and an open exchange of ideas. We help our students develop an appreciation for the depth, beauty, and creativity in math.

We aim to include the following in our math instruction at Lyme School:

• Consistent growth mindset messages to all students at all times

• Small group instruction that targets individual skills and growth

• Problems that can be solved with many different insights and methods

• Discussions sharing multiple views and strategies

• Low-entry and high ceiling tasks that allow all students to be challenged and feel successful

• Visuals that are integrated into all aspects of our math teaching

• Lessons that emphasize strong number sense and real world connection, over

rote fact memorization and speed

• Precise math language used by both teachers and students

All of K-8 our teachers kicked off their math instruction this year with growth mindset messages. Children who maintain a growth mindset believe their intelligence can be developed, that they can “grow their brains” as they learn from their mistakes, and as they pick up more strategies, they will learn new skills and content.

Youcubed is a website with many excellent math resources for educators and parents.

We’ve had a great two weeks in the music classroom!

Some highlights: the 4th grade worked in small groups doing a rhythm review and composition project, kindergarten engaged in connecting music and movement, and the 5th grade hosted an Ellis Music representative who did some playing demos as students prepared to chose their band instrument!

The youngest Lymies just completed their first engineering challenge in the design lab. They were tasked with designing and building a back scratcher that would reach all those hard to reach spots on their back. Using limited materials, they had to design, build, test and refine their backscratchers. Going through multiple revision cycles, I think they were all quite pleased with their results and I was very happy to see resilience, determination and high level creativity on display! Bravo kindergarten!

We have hit the ground running in Spanish class! Everyone has started a story, and the students continue to come up with ideas that bring our stories in new and unexpected directions. Our stories are the backbone of our classes - we learn new words based off of a theme, and we practice those words as we create a story and a video. The students love watching their old green screen videos and seeing how they've grown, remembering classmates that have come and gone, and enjoying the stories they helped create. I love rewatching them for those reasons too, and the fact that they're getting an extra round of input that they can understand! All the input they receive is helping to increase their proficiency as they move through the Spanish program.

Team Tournament Play crowned their first team of champions. After several time breakers and an exciting semi-final game, Team Yellow claimed victory over a previously undefeated Red team in soccer. This highly popular elective draws many students who love the competitive element of each sports activity that we play. Four teams compete against one another in a round of tournament play until a champion is declared. The teams change each time the sport changes to give students the opportunity to play with varied members of our group. The term "work hard, play hard" certainly pertains to this fantastic elective group.

Cooperation is the name of the game in grade 4! Fourth grade has started off the year working in small groups. The intent of this work is to build and foster good team work and collaboration as we work toward more group and team activities. Students need to have the necessary skills to be able to work together in order to work toward success when playing a team sport and working toward a group goal. Communication and collaboration are essential skills to foster trustworthy relationships amongst people so that a foundation can be developed for solid teamwork.

Whether it be trying to get across an activity area and keeping a hula hoop from falling or making good passes on the field or on the court, this fourth grade group has begun that foundational work that will hopefully carry them through all aspects of their educational experiences.

Great work, fourth grade!

The fifth grade is off to a strong start in health so far. Our recent classes have been interactive and have focused on the importance connecting with others. Our most recent class had students “Finding Someone Who…” took part in various activities over the summer. The intent of this activity was to have students interact with one another and perhaps find out something new about their classmates that they may have not known. Whether it was picking blueberries, kayaking, going to camp, or having read numerous books, the kids learned about the interests of their classmates.

Our second activity involved being paired up and then talking about a word/ topic that was written on the board. Students were timed for one minute and each partner had to share what they thought, what they knew, or what they may have questions about, depending on the topic.

So far, the fifth graders have been engaged and positive. These two characteristics of a good class environment have certainly set the tone for a great year ahead!

Hi Lyme Families,

Happy Friday!

Thank you, again, to all who attended and helped at last Sunday's Picnic Potluck event on the green! It was such a beautiful (and delicious!) way to celebrate the start of the school year!

If you are interested in helping plan events like this or would like to be involved in the PTO, please fill out this questionnaire or email us at pto@lymeschool.org

We are also still in need of at least one class parent for the following grades: K, 3rd, 6th, and 8th. Thank you to all those who have already volunteered to take on this role for your child's class!

What do class parents do?

Class parents are parent volunteers who are dedicated to being a communication bridge between the class and the teacher and the school. They typically will set up a form of group communication for updates (text group or email chain), organize family events for parents to get to know each other outside of school, attend PTO meetings and report back to the broader group, communicate about school events and ask for volunteers, collect donations for class gifts, and coordinate class cards for the holidays/the end of school. They are also the go-to parents in the class if the teacher needs help with anything. Lastly, they are in charge of organizing the decorating efforts of the class Christmas tree at the tree festival.

If this is something you may be interested in, please email us and join us at our next PTO meeting!

Next PTO Meeting

Wednesday, October 4th at 7pm

We will be meeting in person at a PTO member's house, but we will also have a Google Meet video set up for those who want to join us virtually. Details to follow later.

Cheers,

Fauve Dela Cruz

The Lyme School PTO Chair

Will take place on October 19th, 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