Roland Hayes School

Community Notes ~ August 29, 2024

August 29th, 2024

Our North Star

“When children and teachers feel engaged, safe, and supported we have room to grow and learn through collaboration and risk-taking with our peers.”

Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718

The "Community Notes" is sent every other week. Thanks for reading!

Dear Roland Hayes School Community

Welcome Back!!!!!

Welcome to a new school year! Our crew has been busy preparing to welcome your children, to meet them as they are where they are and to create the conditions that can help each of them to take risks, make connections, and thrive.

At Hayes School, we truly strive to make sure your child is known, supported, and loved. We want them to know and to feel a deep sense of belonging. That said, every child will experience a wide range of experiences, known and unknown. No matter their age, each child is on a very personal quest to understand who they are in the world. On this journey they will experience some of the "eight worldly concerns," I guarantee it. We all do; these worldly concerns are a part of being human.

The Eight Worldly Concerns are, in short: happiness and suffering, fame and insignificance, praise and blame, and gain and loss. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were all protected from such experiences, especially the more complex ones like loss, failure, and loneliness. As caregivers, we work so hard to insulate our children from the extremes of these Worldly Concerns.

As educators, we recognize that at anytime one of our students may have an experience within the range of these Worldly Concerns. Our commitment to you is to be a guide to each child, share in that joy and pain, help each child find their authentic pathway to wholeness, and to make sure our families feel connected to that often tender work with children.

We are grateful for the trust and are excited for the year to come. We welcome you!

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I am wondering if any of you saw this?

U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents

I am incredibly curious to read on and learn more; I agree that parenting is stressful in ways we could never have imagined. As this new year begins, we are hyper-focused on getting our kids off to a strong start. Maybe it's wise to take some time to take care of ourselves, too?

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The next Community Notes will arrive in your inbox on September 13th. Thanks for reading!

Contributions Needed: Back to School Staff Appreciation Luncheon

Hayes Teachers and Staff are gearing up for the upcoming school year! Please support them by contributing to their Back to School Luncheon which will be held on Tuesday, September 10th. Whether you would like to cook, bake, purchase or donate, we invite you to drop off something delicious. Please check out the link below and sign up!!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA4A62FA0FECE9-50811350-back

Food should be delivered to the Hayes Cafeteria between 9 and 10am on Tuesday, September 10th. Please add a label with ingredients if needed for allergies. Also, write your name on the bottom of the dish if you would like to claim it after the luncheon. Clean platters and bowls will be available for pick up in the front lobby later that afternoon.

If you would like to to donate funds to support the supplemental food we will buy, please submit through PayPal or Venmo to one of us:

PayPal: anabelle.desangles@gmail.com
Venmo: @Robin-Gilula or @Anabelle-Skalleberg

Thank you!

Robin Gilula and Anabelle Skalleberg (Parents in 6th and 7th, K and 3rd Grades)

Starting the School Year: The Details

Below is the message I sent out on August 16th, a memo filled with all the details you'll need to start the year off right!

K-5 Class Placements Are Available

K - 5 Families: You can now head to the Parent Portal, log in, and learn which classroom your child has been assigned to for the new school year. Here is a “cheat sheet” on how to see the class section your child has been placed in for this upcoming school year: Parent Cheat Sheet for Portal-v2.pdf

If you need help accessing the Parent Portal, please reach out to psb-data-team@psbma.org

6-8 Schedules: You can now see your student's middle school schedule in the Parent Portal. We will have copies ready for students on the first day of school, as well.

How Do We Create Our Classes?

We take the process of building class lists very seriously and commit to a process that is fair for all children. Our staff puts a great deal of time and attention into ensuring that all students are positioned for a successful year ahead. The process takes time, thought, and considerable energy to ensure that we create well-balanced groups of children who can work together both academically and socially. In order to accomplish this, we solicit input from many staff members who know each student in a variety of settings. Each spring we also ask each family to share with us, as they are willing and able, any factors that help their child be successful.

Please note:

Class placement decisions are final. Any decisions to make changes to class placement will be needs-based, in collaboration with individual families, and at the discretion of the Principal.

When does school start?

The 2024-2025 school year starts on Tuesday, September 3rd for students in grades 1-8. All students should plan to arrive no earlier than 7:45 a.m., with the exception of those arriving by bus and those who partake of the school’s breakfast service.

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Kindergarten Start of Year

Kindergarten families, please note:

Kindergarten has a split start:

students with last names that start with A-J come to school on Tuesday, September 3. Pick up is at 12:00.
students with last names K-Z come to school on Wednesday, September 4. Pick up is at 12:00.

Reminders:

All K students will be in class on Thursday, September 5
If your K student rides the big yellow school bus, bus service begins for them on September 5.
If your child is in Extended Day, please check in with the HEDP team for information about after school care on Sept. 3 and 4.
On September 3 and 4, Kindergarten has a noon dismissal and no lunch is served. We will have a “grab-and-go” lunch option for Kindergarten students on these days.

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Our Family Handbook is available here: click here. In it you'll find:

Our practices and procedures regarding Personal Electronic Device (PED)
Behavior expectations
In-school programming
Discipline polices and procedures
... and more!

The Family Handbook is an important, useful document; thank you for reading it and supporting our school's practices. We value your partnership!

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School Supply Lists

You will find school supply lists here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/805

If you need help with purchasing these supplies, please do not hesitate to reach out to David Chaet (david_chaet@psbma.org) or Alissa Ovadia (alissa_ovadia@psbma.org) – they can help!

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Our School Improvement Plan (SIP) lays out the educational vision for this year and years to come; the SIP encapsulates what we hope to achieve together. Our new SIP is a critical document and will be reflected upon regularly with our School Council team, and messaging regarding achievement towards meeting our goals will come often through the year.

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Each year we welcome new staff to our school and this year is no different. While we miss those professionals who have moved on to retirement or new professional challenges, we are excited by our new colleagues! Please click here to learn a bit about our new team members: link

Our website has details on our entire staff, here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/410

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What are Some Things I Might Need to Start the Year?

Arrival and dismissal take place outside of the school building, in all weather. Here is a map of where to gather each morning and pick up your student each afternoon: MAP
We encourage you to check out the school webpage for more information about the school
Here is the link to the Public Schools of Brookline calendar: calendar

Questions about food services? Check out this resource: link

Questions about transportation? Go here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/transportation

Should you have questions, be sure to reach out. We are here to help!

Notes from the PTO

Are there ways I can contribute/volunteer my time and talents? YES!

The PTO is always looking for volunteers. There are many ways to contribute to our community. Check out the PTO's website for upcoming events, ways to support our school, and much more!

https://heathpto.org

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Summer greetings from the Hayes PTO, and a special welcome to all new Hayes families! Our enthusiastic volunteers are preparing many fun activities to celebrate our return on campus. Join us for all the Hayes PTO has to offer:

Volunteer at the Sept. 6th Back-to-School Social: The event of the season - see friends and beloved staff, meet new families, enjoy pizza and ice cream! Sign up to help make it as awesome as always.

Summer Book Club: It's not too late to grab a copy of Jonathan Haigt's The Anxious Generation and join the Hayes summer book club. Ordering the book from Hummingbird helps support our discussion event (below) or email contact@hayespto.org for a loaner.

Curated Discussion of The Anxious Generation: Join fellow Hayes parents and staff for a curated discussion of The Anxious Generation at Hummingbird Books on Thursday, Sept. 19 @ 7pm.

Become a PTO volunteer: Join fellow parents for a project or ten; we do a lot and have fun spending time together! Your special skills and enthusiasm are always welcome.

Speaking of volunteers, we need Room Parents ASAP! Please email Deepa at deprusty@gmail.com to get more information or sign up!

Be a Back To School Social Sponsor: Have your small business prominently featured at the Sept. 6th Back-to-School Social while supporting the Hayes PTO:

We look forward to seeing you on campus soon. Until then, enjoy August to its fullest, and reach out to your PTO with questions or updates: contact@hayespto.org.

Our Land Acknowledgement

This parcel of land that our school sits upon is a special and sacred place.

Before this place was a Town, before our school was here, before this neighborhood was called “The Settlement” or “Chestnut Hill,” and before this land was a farm, this land was held by the Massachusett, the people Indigenous to this place. The Massachusett were the caretakers of this site, living full lives, raising families, and burying their dead right here. We recognize and honor this history, and seek to create thoughtful land stewards and citizens for generations to come.

As a public school, our primary objective is to ensure access, membership, and participation of all community members in our care; with this land acknowledgment we state our willingness to work towards that vision where all feel a true and abiding sense of belonging.