Roland Hayes School

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!

Every year we have changes in staff. These changes are bittersweet, exciting, celebratory, and sad. This year is no different.

These folks will be leaving us this year:

Mrs. Lizette Lamson leaves us after 16 years of service. Her dedication to her kids and her craft has been exceptional. Her service to the entire school has been appreciated. In my time here, Lizette also served as a Teacher's Union representative and in many other capacities beyond the classroom. It was in all of these spaces that her compassion, advocacy, and thoughtfulness time and time again helped to make space for deep conversation, no matter the topic at hand. I know I will miss her very much, as will so many others.

Ms. Alex Born-Weil departs after 18 years of service to our school, both as a Literacy Specialist and most recently a Grade 4 teacher. In the 10 years I have worked alongside of Alex, I have always been appreciative for her ability to bring students more and more deeply into their learning. Her careful questioning, intensive interests in how students learn, and near-bottomless patience as young people seek clarity about the topics at hand have made her the just-right teacher so so many young people here. I have been thankful time and time again for Alex's perspective and partnership.

We say good-bye to Mrs. Christin Wheeler, our intrepid Literacy Specialist, Literacy Coach, and caretaker of our community gardens. In the 23 years she has been a part of this team, Christin has treated her students and colleagues that same way she has grown her flowers – with humor, intentionality, warmth, and plenty of nutrients. She's not going far as she will join the team at the Florida Ruffin Ridley School across town. That team doesn't know it yet, but they just hit the jackpot.

Profe Aracelly Nguyen, Spanish teacher, and Ms. Mary Ronchetti, French teacher, both leave our team this year. Over this past year, both have contributed mightily to our students, our middle school team,. and the World Language Department. We are thankful!

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We welcome Ms. Laura Tanis and BEEP onto the team next year! We so so glad to be bringing a BEEP classroom into our midst and to know Laura will be taking the teaching lead in this classroom is doubly exciting. We can't wait for the fall to finally be able to say, once again, that we are a PreK-8 school.

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Finally, we announce that long-time Grade 2 teacher, Alyson Arsenault, will be moving up a grade. She will join the Grade 3 team next year. This is a big move and not one often made. Alyson has shown the will and the skill to go up a grade and for that leap we are grateful. I, it goes without saying, have every confidence in Alyson's practice and while she might be a little nervous (so much to do!), I am hyper-confident that she will absolutely crush it.

Since his family joined our community six years ago, Eli Silk has contributed so much to our school community. Not only has he taken the helm of our PTO Leadership team for many years now, but he has served on School Council, meets with District Leadership as a parent representative, collaborates with the Brookline Food Pantry, and is at literally every single school event offering his labor and love without reservation. He has been a champion of our school and our children, he has been a wise steward of our Annual Appeal, and has been a great thought partner for so many.

Thank you, Eli. Now that both of your (amazing) kids will be at BHS, I am confident you will be the add-value, best-fit, most-helpful parent they have been looking for there, too!

Monday's event will be outside. Please have kids apply sunscreen, wear a hat, and bring a small towel to sit on. If you ate attending, do the same (though we hope to have enough seats for adults).

On Monday, we will be having a school renaming ceremony – marking the shift from Heath School to our new school name: Roland Hayes School.

Want to get even more excited, then watch this video our Young Scholars crew created with the support of local historians, Rob Daves and Dr. barbara Brown, and the Brookline Interactive Group. We are indebted!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lb9X3cpyvnr1frH5-_sZf9_L59Rd5ch7/view?usp=sharing

​The event will feature speeches, recognitions, a student presentation by students in grades 3-5, and a performance by Mr. Jackson Caesar, singing the works of Roland Hayes.

We hope you'll be able to join us!

During the day, we will have lots of celebrations for kids, including:

• give-aways - sweatshirts, gift cards from Brookline Booksmith and Eagle's Deli!
• celebrations - like a special PEP period, art projects, and a school-wide bingo!
• ... and more!

We hope the day will be one to remember; please join us at 1pm!

We are Hayes parents who have questions about smartphones' impact on our children's wellbeing. We would like to gauge interest among Hayes parents in discussing, learning about, and taking action around this topic (e.g., reading together Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation, hearing specialists speak about Wait Until 8th and other campaigns, along with other initiatives.) To start, could you please help us learn how you approach your children's use of smartphones and smart watches by answering the questions in this survey between now and Friday, JUNE 14th? Your help is much needed and appreciated!

Thank you and please be on the lookout for next steps soon.

Astrid Allen

Theodora Konetsovska

Erica O'Mahony

Nathalie Roberts

Eli Silk

Hayes Families,

Our next teacher and staff appreciation luncheon will be given on Tuesday, June 4th. Please sign up to donate funds, bring in an item or volunteer your time. You can cook, bake, purchase or donate. You can also support your favorite local restaurant by ordering a dish to contribute.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B49AEAE28A13-49608823-june

All items should be delivered to the Hayes Lobby 8-10am on Tuesday, June 6th. 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 lobby at dismissal.

If you would like to donate funds to help us buy food and supplies for this luncheon, please submit through PayPal or Venmo to one of us:

Venmo: @Robin-Gilula or @anabelle-skalleberg or @Katharine-Sawatzky

PayPal: anabelle.desangles@gmail.com or kplsawatzky@gmail.com

Thank you!

Anabelle Skalleberg, Robin Gilula and Katie Sawatzky (Parents in 2nd, 5th and 6th grades)

We are so proud of our students and are working hard to make sure school is a place where they can experiences artistic freedom and the joy of doing something joyful. Our Art Show! and school play are exemplars of this vision made manifest.

After seeing the school play, one of our First Graders, Brandon, said: "The songs were so beautiful that they almost made me cry." How wonderful!

Below are links and pics of our amazing artists and their masterpieces. May they find beauty in whatever they do, forever.

From Art Show!:

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Ze3M4JVrJqY5Os5Dk_hUBegzKjyjM5F/view?usp=sharing
• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NHZ4017y3t3GxQCZVkNDNYVfvqFccOuf?usp=sharing

And some pics from Shrek, Jr. are below. There is another chance TONIGHT at 6 to see the final performance! Come on by!

A HUGE thanks to our staff members – Ms. Hockensmith, Ms. Terry, Ms. Delgado, Ms. O'Shea, and Ms. Perkowski – along with our many parent volunteers who helped guide these children into these important creative spaces.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride month, a time of observation and celebration! The week of June 10-14 will be Pride week here. We invite everyone to dress for the occasion.

Monday, June 10 - wear Red

Tuesday, June 11 - wear Yellow and Orange

Wednesday, June 12 - wear Green and Blue

Thursday, June 13 - wear Purple and Pink

Friday, June 14 - wear Black and Brown

And, most of all, be yourself!

Want to celebrate Pride this month? Information on the Boston Pride Festival on June 8th can be found here:

https://www.bostonprideforthepeople.org/

On June 11th right after school we will be repainting our Pride sidewalk in front of the school, with the help of the Town's DPW crew. Join us?

The great news is that our classrooms will be outfitted with mini-split air conditioners this summer, ensuring a cool back to school in September. Currently, just some of our classes have AC units. I know many, many of you have been hopeful that we could add this comfort to our classrooms. We are so glad this is finally happening!

Check out our website for upcoming events, ways to support our school, and much more! https://heathpto.org

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Check out our website for upcoming events, ways to support our school, and much more! https://heathpto.org

Teacher/Staff Appreciation Spring Luncheon on Tue 6/4

Please volunteer to bring something or contribute how you can. A signup genius and more details are on the PTO website. https://heathpto.org/calendar/event/52740823

Final PTO Community Meeting of the Year w/ the Superintendent on Fri 6/7 at 8:15am in the Cafeteria

We will be recapping the year and looking forward to next year. And PSB Superintendent Guillory will be joining us, so we hope to have a big turnout. Missed the last meeting (5/7)? A video recording and presentation slides are up on the website so you can catch up on what you missed. https://heathpto.org/meetings

Outdoor Movie Night on Sat 6/8 at 8pm in Little Field Park
Showing Elemental. More details on the website. If it rai

Just a friendly reminder that as we are approaching the end of the year, if you (or any of your classroom teachers, etc.) have information that a family will be leaving PSB at the end of the year, PLEASE make sure to support the family in formally reporting their withdrawal.

If you are communicating with your families, please consider adding a reminder to your specific community. Or reach out to families who you have information about and/or may need help.

If we can receive this information sooner rather than later it will benefit us all -- families and staff -- by supporting balanced school assignments and section counts across the district (and all those class placement decisions, peer groupings, course availability, etc.).

Withdrawal forms are completed in Aspen, and a full guide for families who may need it is available here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/withdrawal

If a family needs support to complete this, we can all collaborate to assist them!

• Aspen access issues: refer them to the Data Team (beyond their username, which is the email they have on file...)
• ORE can work with families to assist if needed
• Of course school teams remain excellent support resources for families.

All library books are due back to the library June 3. If your child has lost or damaged a book, please reach out to librarian Lindsay Anderson as soon as possible for next steps lindsay_anderson@psbma.org

Summer Reading flyers are heading home with students soon! The Hayes Summer Reading 2024 website contains links to all the flyers, info for any grade levels with required reading, resources for free ebooks/audiobooks, and lots of fun ways to track summer reading (there's even a Taylor swift summer reading challenge!).

Lindsay Anderson

Librarian

• Monday, June 3rd: Rainbow Club! Grade 4, 11:20-11:50am

• Monday, June 3rd: Roland Hayes Day Celebration, Little Field Park, 1:00-2:30pm

• Monday, June 3rd: 4th-8th Grade Spring Band Concert, Driscoll School, 7:30-8:30pm

• Tuesday, June 4th: Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, 10:00am-1:00pm

• Tuesday, June 4th: AAPI Affinity Group, 10:50-11:20am

• Tuesday, June 4th: Peek and Practice, 1:15-2:30pm

• Tuesday, June 4th: Hayes Grades 4-8 Strings Concert, Baker School, 6:00-7:00pm

• Wednesday, June 5th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, June 5th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Friday, June 7th: PEP - Gratitude Book, 8:05-8:30am

• Friday, June 7th: PTO Community Meeting (in person), 8:15-9:00am

• Saturday, June 8th: Hayes School Movie Night, Little Field Park, 6:30-9:00pm

• Monday, June 10th: Rainbow Club! Grade 3, 11:20-11:50am

• Monday, June 10th: Grade 5 ---> Grade 6 Transition Meeting (for Families), 1:30-2:30pm

• Tuesday, June 11th: Grades 4 & 5: Authors Visit (NY Times bestselling children's author Amanda Foody), 8:30-10:30am

• Tuesday, June 11th: Grades 5-8 Chorus Concert, BHS, Auditorium, 6:30-7:30pm

• Wednesday, June 12th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, June 12th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Thursday, June 13th: First Grade End of Year Celebration, 8:00-8:40am

• Thursday, June 13th: 3F Biography Presentations, 8:10-9:00am

• Friday, June 14th: 3L Biography Presentations, 8:10-9:00am

• Friday, June 14th: Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony, Little Field Park, 4:00pm

• Monday, June 17th: Grade 5 Arcade, Cafeteria, 8:00am

• Monday, June 17th: Rainbow Club!, 11:20-11:50am

• Tuesday, June 18th: Last Day of School (Noon Dismissal)
  

• Thursday, June 20th: Cycle 2: K-5 Progress Report Publish

• Thursday, June 20th: Term 4 Report Cards Published for Grades 6-8

Field Trips:

• Wednesday, June 5th: Grade 6 Trip to the New England Aquarium, 8:15am-2:30pm

• Thursday, June 6th: Grade 3 Trip to Plimoth/Patuxet, 8:15am-2:30pm

• Tuesday, June 11th: Grade 8 Trip to Treetop Adventures, 8:15am-1:00pm

• Wednesday, June 12th: Grade 8 Trip to Six Flags New England, 8:30am-4:00pm

• Thursday, June 13th: Grade 2 Trip to Fisher Hill Reservoir Park, 9:00-11:45am

• Thursday, June 13th: Grade 8 Trip to Level 99, 10:45am-1:30pm

• Monday, June 17th: Grades 6/7 Trip to Showcase Superlux, 8:45am-12:00pm

https://www.brooklinecenter.org/

Come to an information session about FIRST LEGO League (FLL), robotics for kids in grades K - 8, hosted by the LigerBots, Newton’s high school robotics team. There will be hands-on STEAM activities for kids while their parents are learning about FLL. There is no need for any prior experience in robotics or FIRST programs, and all are welcome! The event will be at WPS Learning Lab, 160 Herrick Rd, Newton, MA, 02459, on Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. If you would like to attend — or cannot attend but are interested — please fill out this form. For more info, please email fll@ligerbots.org or check out the LigerBots FLL website page and the FIRST website page describing this year’s FLL challenge.

The end of the school year comes with some very big feelings – excitement, worry, sadness. Now is a great time to start talking at home about the summer to come, how to manage the big feels, celebrating the year behind us, and looking forward to what's next.

This great resource from Psychology Today* called, perfectly, "How Parents Can Help Kids at the End of the School Year," can perhaps be a guide to these family conversations? Find it here:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/buddy-system/202405/how-parents-can-help-kids-at-the-end-of-the-school-year

* Please not that our very own Ms. Ovadia shares the byline with her father on this piece!

Thanks for all you do, seen and unseen!

~ Asa

Dr. Asa Sevelius, Ed.D. | Principal

Email: asa_sevelius@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

Mr. Kirtan Patel | Vice Principal

Email: kirtan_patel@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

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

The "School Name: History & Resources" website page is here:

https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/renameheath

Website: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/Page/17
Location: 100 Eliot Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467
Phone: 617-879-4570

Roland Hayes School

The Public Schools Of Brookline | A METCO Partnership School

Dr. Asa Sevelius, Principal & Mr. Kirtan Patel, Vice Principal