September 13th, 2024

Dear Memorial Early Childhood Center (MECC) Families,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you are all as excited as we are for the start of a new school year at the MECC! We know that this is a time of transition, especially for families with children just starting their journey with us.

With that in mind, we wanted to notify you about a change in the building. Our Principal, Jeremy Gobeil, will be taking a medical leave of absence. While we cannot share details about this absence, we want to assure you that the MECC is in great hands. We do not yet have a duration of this leave but will keep you updated with regard to building leadership. During Mr. Gobeil’s absence, Ms. Tracie Lord will be our substitute principal at the MECC. Ms. Lord was a kindergarten teacher at the MECC for 16 years prior to obtaining her Principal’s license. Tracie has also had experience in leadership roles by being a member of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention System), teacher leader, mentor, and school council member while at MECC. She will bring expertise, consistency, and familiarity to our students as we navigate this absence. The staff here is ready to roll up their sleeves and make sure that your child's school year starts off on the right foot. The MECC team, along with support from the Middleborough Public Schools administrative team, is fully prepared to ensure a smooth, fun, and engaging start to the year.

We understand that any change can bring uncertainty, but rest assured your child’s well-being and success remain our top priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the building's main office staff. We’re here to help in any way we can. Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We look forward to a fantastic year together!

Regards,

Carolyn Lyons

MPS Superintendent of Schools

• A friendly reminder that arrival drop off is between 8:30am and 8:50am behind the school. If arriving before 8:30am, please wait at the side of the building before rounding the corner to ensure staff are able to park behind the building.
• If arriving later than 8:50am, please bring your student to the front of the building to be signed in at the office. This is to make sure that all students are accounted for and arrive at school safely.

Please know that there will be construction taking place beginning Monday, September 16th through the 19th on North Main St, Jackson St, and Pierce St. This will most likely affect morning drop off. Please take this into consideration when it comes to drop off in the morning.

With student safety in mind, dismissal procedures will be changing effective Monday, September 16th, 2024. Parents and caregivers who are picking up are asked to dismiss their kindergartener at the end of the day from the back of the school. Please park in empty spots in the parking lot by the tennis courts or by the Pierce Playground off of Jackson Street. Once parked, families are asked to pick up their child from one of two doors at the back of the building near the small preschool playground.

Students in classrooms on the first floor and lower level will be dismissed from the solid double doors. (Quattrucci, Clements, Fostello, Lawson, Bradley, Gaudet)

Students in classrooms located on the second floor will be dismissed from the glass double doors. (Stoker, Secher, Ferrelli, Paling, Condry, O’Halloran)

You will be asked to show your ID and staff will collect your student and dismiss them to you. Any adult picking up a student must be on the child’s registration form - when you registered your student this was part of that paperwork. We ask that you are patient as this is a process we take very seriously. We also expect that all adults will form a line. MECC staff will be ready to begin this process at 3:00pm.

Because dismissal is such an important process with many moving parts, we do not allow for changes to dismissal after 2:30pm.

Safe to School - Absences

Parents/Guardians must call the safe to school number, 508-946-8872 to report their child’s absence by 9:00am. It is very important that you call the Safe To School Line when your child will be absent. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Welcome student artists! This week in art class, we focused on new routines, making observations, and colors. We observed student self-portraits made with all the different colors of the rainbow. Then we each made our own self-portrait using one color and a variety of materials. First we drew ourselves using black crayon. Then we added different shades of one rainbow color using crayons and markers. Finally, we used brushes and water to turn our markers into paint! We learned to put our artwork on the drying rack when we are finished with our lesson. Some students even had time to do some free drawing with crayons before we cleaned up. I can’t wait to see you again in art class next week!

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at twunderler-selby@middleboro.k12.ma.us.

Thank you

Tala Wunderler-Selby

The month of September will fly by, but a lot will be covered in P.E. class! To build a foundation, Kindergarten students will be learning class expectations, a warm up and cool down routine and basic orientation skills.

Students will be practicing locomotor skills (galloping, hopping, skipping, leaping, jumping, jogging, side- slide); moving at appropriate levels (low, medium or high); moving in pathways (zig-zag, curved, straight); and at different tempos (slow, medium, fast).

Students have fun using the Parachute to play games. Safety will be emphasized when moving in a general, shared space. When playing group games, children need to demonstrate body control, develop the ability to avoid others/re-orient their bodies by moving in different directions (right, left, forward, backward, up, down, over, under, through, around) and understand relationships (over, under, around, through, mirror, among others). Non-locomotor movements will also be performed (bending, stretching, raising, lowering, twisting and turning, circling, among others).

The schedule for physical education by homeroom teacher is as follows:

MONDAY: Ms.Stoker, Mrs. Fostello, Miss Paling, Mrs. Clements, Mrs. Condry, Miss Ferrelli

FRIDAY: Mrs. O’Halloran, Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Lawson, Miss Secher, Mrs. Quattrucci

For your child’s safety, please have your child wear sneakers and be dressed to play on their assigned P.E. day. Comfortable clothing is needed because we will be learning “animal moves” (crab walking, bear walking, among others) and fitness exercises.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me at school. My email is luflorio@middleboro.k12.ma.us and by phone I can be reached at 508-946-2032 X3405.

My goal is to help your child have a healthy, fun, active and wonderful school year!

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Ms. Lu Florio

PE/Library Specialist

Preschool at the MECC is off to a great start. Students and staff spent the week getting to know each other, exploring the building and learning routines and expectations. Adapted physical education in the gym with Miss Jeanne was amazing.