The Pulse of the Pride

Lyme School Friends,

We have had a great start to school!

We hope you and your students are getting into a routine at home, as the students and staff are certainly getting into a routine at school.

If you have not completed your ALMA Start Forms and Tasks in ALMA, please do so. This was due today. In addition to required forms, this also includes your child's photo permission.

This week's newsletter is full of happenings around our school community. We hope you enjoy. If you have feedback on our newsletter, please let us know. Constructive feedback is what brought the important dates section to life. Other feedback brought the bullets or highlights into this first letter for each newsletter.

The next newsletter will hit your inbox on September 22nd.

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:

9/14 - Curriculum/Information Night 5 - 6 PM

9/19 - School Picture Day

9/20 - School Picture Day Rain Date if needed

9/21 - MS Hike (advisors will send home permission slips soon)

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

10/3 - School Picture Re-takes

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

10/31 - Lyme School Flu Clinic Tentative Date

Please don't forget, our school day starts at 8AM sharp!

For car drop-offs, please enter the driveway, proceed as far forward as you can, and drop your student(s) off. We will have some staff outside meeting and directing students in the morning.

Please remember, students who are walking or not being dropped off in the driveway MUST use the crosswalk!

Thank you for ensuring everyone's safety in the morning!

Dismissal will start at 3 PM with our walkers and then car riders. Please remember students crossing Route 10 MUST use the crosswalk. Please meet your student outside the main entrance if you are picking up by car. Cars are not permitted in the bus loop/driveway during dismissal.

We expect walkers and car riders to depart by 3:10, so that we can dismiss our bus riders and get our buses on the road on time.

If you are going to make dismissal changes, we kindly request that you call our office by 2:30 PM, so we can ensure to get the message to your child or their teacher.

Thanks so much for a safe dismissal this year! [And don't forget, we dismiss starting at 2PM on Thursdays every Thursday.]

With the heavy traffic that currently flows through town from 6 am to 9 am (estimate is about 800 cars) and, with most of that occurring between 7:30 and 8:30 AM everyone one needs to be extremely cautious during drop off.

You must remember that Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way except in a marked crosswalk! The motoring public does NOT have to stop for you to cross the road wherever you feel like it. There is a marked crosswalk between the school and the library that we encourage everyone to use no
matter where you have to pull up in front of the school on the Northbound side. This crosswalk also has a crossing guard there for safety. If we teach our children to use the crosswalk here in our Town, they will certainly remember that in larger towns with more traffic.

Parking in either section in front of the library and the school where it says, "no parking between signs" is there for safety reasons and by law.

Making U-turns in the middle of the street to reverse directions is also illegal, not to mention unsafe.

By NH Law, Seat Belts are REQUIRED by any passenger under the age of 18. Children should stay buckled until the vehicle comes to a complete stop in a parking space or in the drop off area in the school lot.

Do not use the "north entrance" of the school parking lot as an exit. This is also dangerous and clogs up the traffic flow both on Union Street and in the school lot.

If you cannot pull into a parking spot without backing up, please continue down the street until you find a spot where you can. Attempting to back into a parking spot in front of the school is very unsafe and it causes motorists behind you to unsafely and illegally pass you on a double yellow line.

PLEASE DO NOT use the driveways along Union Street in front of the school to turn around. Travel south to Brook Lane or to the West of the Common where visibility is good. The private property owners DO NOT wish for their driveways to be used in this manner. Let's all be respectful of them.

Let's have a safe and uneventful school year and keep our children and adults safe.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Shaun

Information night is a night for families to see the classrooms as well as learn about what their child is learning. It is also an opportunity to say hello to the teacher(s).

This is a night for adults and we ask that students attend open house in the beginning of October with their families.

Please see the attached flyer for picture day.

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!

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!

Sneakers are the footwear we wear in our gymnasium for PE and recess (for inclement weather). Please ensure your children (especially our oldest) have a pair at school.

So far, things are progressing 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.

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.

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

Please refer to the following information from the Nursing Health Office.

Additional School Nurse information can be found on the Lyme School website under the Student Support tab.

Staffing:

The Nurse's office is staffed Monday-Friday by a Registered Nurse. Please email nurse@lymeschool.org and/or call the Main Office 795-2125 if your child is absent from school due to illness or injury.

Duties include Nursing care, Health Screening, Medication administration, First Aid, Emergency care, Individualized Health Planning, Health Education, and collaborative work with families, teachers, special education services, our guidance counselor and behavioral coach.

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

Matthew Greenway RN BSN: Wednesday/as needed coverage

Celeste McCool RN BSN: Wednesday/as needed coverage

Medication Administration:

If your child requires emergency medications (epipen, inhaler, etc.) to be kept securely in the Nurse's office, please contact nurse@lymeschool.org to set up a time to deliver the medication along with an updated allergy or asthma action plan from your child's Healthcare Provider.

Returning students need an updated allergy or asthma action plan at the start of each school year.

For daily medication administration, please complete and return the forms below with your child's Healthcare provider.

All medications need to be dropped off before the first day of school and important forms are below:

https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/142283/Authorization_for_Medication_Administration_Form.pdf

https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/142284/Medication_or_Procedure_Order_Form.pdf

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.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns you or your student may have regarding the upcoming school year.

We look forward to a new school year and appreciate your cooperation.

Kati Miller RN BSN

Hello Lyme Families!

What a delight it has been to start the school year with your students! Stanton Time is rollin’ and it’s going to be a fantastic year!

Only four years into the game, I know one thing for sure - parenting is TOUGH! CommunityCare of Lyme’s Mental Health Team has started out the 2023-2024 academic year with their first Tuesday of the month discussion series this week on ZOOM.

Andrea Smith, CPS, from ALL Together raised community awareness on today’s toughest parenting issues. Andrea shared resources, and information, including the *Operation Parent Handbooks. This handbook discusses topics from anxiety and depression, to social media, as well as vaping, alcohol, cannabis, and more.

Resources shared last night include:

• ALL Together slide 3: www.uvalltogether.org

• Talking Matters YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqXDs4lfGktax1oPHd8lMlRpMOsZOkSil

• Talk They Hear You:www.talktheyhearyou.samhsa.gov

• FRC: Fsnh.org

• PRC: Vtparentchildcenternetwork.org

Project Launch: https://www.facebook.com/UVProjectLaunch/

*There are copies of the Operation Parent Handbooks available for free. If you would like to learn more, or get your copy please contact the mental health team. There are also copies here at the Lyme School or at the Converse Free Library.

Request a handbook: Operation Parent Handbook Request (google.com)

RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE

To play the recording please click here.

Andrea E. Smith, MPA, MSW, CPS

Andrea Smith is the Substance Misuse Prevention Coordinator for the Upper Valley Regional Public Health Network and is part of the Population Health Department at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. She has served as co-facilitator for ALL Together, the Upper Valley’s regional substance misuse and suicide prevention coalition for the past three years. Andrea has her Master’s in Social Work and Public Administration and is a Certified Prevention Specialist. Andrea is passionate about equipping parents and caregivers with the resources and tools necessary to help navigate the complexities of raising a teen.

The Library Commons has been buzzing with K-4 library classes and grades 5-8 visiting for book check-outs for independent reading. All grades have been introduced to the layout in the Commons, the process for book check-out and return, and library expectations. Grades 3-4 have had an introduction to the new Lyme Library Catalog, and are now able to log in, search for books, and place books on hold from school or at home. Grades 5-8 will be introduced to the Catalog next week.

Our technology program at The Lyme School is based on technology competencies that span grades K-8. Our middle school students are up and running on their 1:1 Chromebooks, which are used daily in their classes. In Kindergarten and first grade, we will be introducing touchscreen Chromebooks gradually as a learning tool. Over the next two weeks students will become familiar with the Chromebook set-up, logging in with a QR code badge using Clever. In grades 2-5, students have practiced logging into their Chromebooks using their password. We discussed Chromebook expectations and the importance of safely using technology for learning. In second and third grade, we will initially focus on navigating the Chromebook, practicing keyboarding with Typing Club, using Google Classroom, and using resources such as SORA. Students can access both SORA and Typing Club at home using their school Google account.

Finally, please review the Tech Tools Opt-Out Letter 23-24.

Have a great weekend!

Each September our math and reading interventionists, Kate Cook and Jen Wilcox, gather data on our lower school students through early numeracy and literacy screenings. These assessments help us identify any students who may be at risk of math or reading difficulties and give the classroom teachers current student data to inform their instructional pacing and differentiation.

For math, Kate Cook administers the Acadience Math assessment to Grades K and 1. This individual assessment asks students to read numbers, do counting sequences, and to subitize. Subitize is the ability to instantly recognize the number of objects without individually counting them.

In Grades K-5, our classroom teachers administer the Universal Screener for Number Sense to each of their students. Number sense is the ability to be flexible with numbers. It helps children understand both how our number system works, and how numbers relate to each other. Children who develop number sense have a range of mathematical strategies at their disposal. The Universal Screener for Number Sense screener is a quick interview-based assessment that will help to identify skills and concepts that indicate readiness for grade level content, as well as identify students who would benefit from additional supports.

For reading, Jen Wilcox administers the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) individually to all students in Grades K-3. This assessment looks at letter identification, phonics, and phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. We know that a student's skill in phonological awareness is a good predictor of later reading success or difficulty.

In Grades 1 and 2, students do the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) where we look at reading fluency and comprehension. Finally, another quick check on comprehension for Grades 2 and 3 is the MAZE assessment. The MAZE is a timed, group-administered passage with missing words. Students choose the correct words to place back into the sentences.

Though this may seem like a long list, most of these assessments take just a few minutes to administer, yet they provide valuable information that guides our instruction at the Lyme School.

Dear Lyme Families,

It is truly wonderful to be back in the Art Studio with your children! Over the summer, I cleaned and organized the Studio. I wandered in fields and art museums, and I reflected on why we do what we do. Curiosity, joy, wonder, that particular independence/agency that grows out of creating meaning from “mess”…. The beginning of the school year always feels like a deep breath of possibility. If I hold a hopeful space for every student in that studio, the world will be a better place. Every year is different, and I can’t wait to see what this one brings.

“The World always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.”

-Neil Gaiman

Art meets on the same day every week…this is helpful for remembering to wear “play” clothing on Art days!

K-3: Art meets once a week.

4&5: Art meets twice a week.

Middle School: Elective (student choice) meets M-W. The current elective is Digital Drawing and Painting. There is a Friday Art class that rotates through all the middle school grades. The first rotation is 6B.

Please let me know if you have questions, concerns, wonders, or connections to share.

I can be reached at egirdwood@lymeschool.org.

Hope to see you all soon!

Emily Girdwood

(“Ms.G”)

The third grade wasted no time getting right back into PE and their fitness! This week, third graders worked in small groups to accomplish a series of activities that incorporated several components of fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and muscular endurance).

Each group had a “ task manager” who led the group and had the responsibility of keeping the group focused, maintaining the pace, and reporting out their group's progress and achievement. Each group took this all very seriously and demonstrated the entire class’ commitment to be respectful and to how much they value PE and their own fitness.

We could not have had a better start to the new school year! This group has much to be proud of. Well done, third grade!

One of the best parts of my job is seeing how students approach design challenges and creatively solve problems. The students' energy and excitement has been abundant over the first couple weeks of school as students have completed the spaghetti and marshmallow challenge, boat races and preparing for Lego robotics. There is great excitement in the air for the year ahead and I am thrilled to enjoy the ride with them!

We've had a great start to the year in music! Here's what we're up to:

K-5: Celebrating National Piano Month this September! This week we learned about a range of pianists such as Mary Lou Williams, Carole King, and Clara Schumann! Classes are getting back into routines and exploring concepts like connecting movement and music, the difference between rhythmic and melodic patterns, and creating short rhythm-based compositions in small groups to perform for the class.

Middle School: Elective this session is Soundtrap, an online platform that has students creating music digitally. 7th grade will be exploring program music and connecting the image provoking subgenre with their own forms of art.

The Lyme School Back-To-School Picnic Potluck: Saturday, September 16th from 4-7 pm on the Lyme Town Common

This is a chance for everyone in the Lyme School community (teachers, staff, and current/alumni families) to get together and celebrate both the start of the school year and our amazing, diverse community with good food, good company, and lawn games. We encourage you to bring a dish to share that's meaningful to your family. To promote sustainability, it will be a picnic event where you bring picnic gear (blankets/utensils/plates/drinks) and pick a spot in the grass with friends, both old and new! More information to follow.

Lastly, the PTO is currently looking to expand our leadership team! The Vice Chair, Secretary, and Fundraising Committee Head positions are vacant, so if you think you'd be a great fit for any of these roles or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out at PTO@Lymeschool.org.

Will take place on September 21st, 2023 at the School.

Topic: Lyme School Board Meeting

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting

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Meeting ID: 945 5163 4224

Passcode: zrUr1R

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After-school classes for: Beginner violins, Second-year, and Advanced players

Please contact Damaris Tyler to learn more:

djeantyler@gmail.com

OR 603 - 266 - 8688

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