Essex Elementary Extra

It’s a lively season for the arts here at EES! Last night’s Variety Show was a fantastic celebration of student talent, filled with creativity, courage, and lots of excitement. A huge thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the evening so special (including our special guest appearances!) and an extra round of applause to Ms. Safrine who organized the whole production!

Next week, we’re looking forward to our Spring Concert and Art Show on Thursday night, where students in band, chorus, and rock band will take the stage to share the music they’ve been working so hard on. Student artwork will also be displayed in the hallways. The 5th grade band will also be performing at Essex Shipbuilding Museum's Opening Day next Thursday afternoon.

We’re so proud of all our performers and artists and love to watch them shine!

The EES 5th Grade Class of 2025 invites you to a community Ice Cream Social during evening Book Fair hours on Thursday, May 22, from 5-7 pm, in the EES cafeteria!

This is a beloved EES tradition - come enjoy a sundae and support the 5th grade class!

$5 per sundae; payment can be cash or Venmo. Friends, family, and the entire community are invited!

See you there!

Please note that today is the last session of homework club for this school year!

It's almost time for Field Day!!! Field Day will be on June 4th (an early release day) from 9-11am. Come join in on one of the most anticipated days of the school year! Similar to last few years, we're looking for a few volunteers to help with the watermelon/water station, a crowd favorite. We're also looking for volunteers to help Mr. Marche with running the games/events again this year. This event is always so much fun, so sign up before spots disappear! CLICK HERE to sign up.

Our Spring Book Fair is here! Students will visit the fair with their classes during the school day to browse and shop for books, and families are welcome to join during their child’s scheduled classroom time. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get kids excited about reading and find some new favorites together. We also hope you'll join us for Family Shopping Night tonight from 5–7 PM, which will include an Ice Cream Social to benefit the 5th grade. Come shop, enjoy a sweet treat, and support our school community—we can’t wait to see you there!

Please CLICK HERE for more information regarding the Book Fair, including classroom shopping times.

Thank you to the Book Shop of Beverly Farms and FOEES for supporting us!

Thursday, May 22 - Friday May 23: Spring Book Fair

Thursday, May 22: Family Shopping at Book Fair and Ice Cream Social 5-7pm

Friday, May 23: Memorial Day Assembly 9:30-10:15. Families welcome to attend.

Monday, May 26: No School- Memorial Day

Thursday, May 29: Spring Concert/Art Show @ MEMS/HS 6:00pm

Wednesday, June 4: Field Day and Early Dismissal

Thursday, June 5: Schoolwide Community Meeting/Spring Concert Encore 9am. Families welcome to attend.

Wednesday, June 11: 5th Grade Moving On Ceremony 5-6pm

Friday, June 13: Last Day for Kindergarten (full day)

Wednesday, June 18: Last Day Grades 1-5 (early dismissal)

The end of the school year is approaching! Now is the perfect time to recognize an MERSD teacher, staff member, or coach who made a difference this year. Think of the teachers who inspired our students, the coaches who pushed our athletes, the staff members who supported our families. Let’s say thank you with a Golden Hornet!

With your $10 donation to Spaulding Education Fund, your Golden Hornet honoree will receive a Golden Hornet pin, a personalized dedication badge, and a certificate reflecting your words of gratitude. Donations are used to fund future Spaulding grants to MERSD faculty, staff, and students.

Golden Hornets can be dedicated online from May 6 until May 28.

Thank you for your support and for recognizing the wonderful people who make MERSD a wonderful place!"

This year, we’ve focused on building literacy skills by learning to make inferences and deeper connections with texts. These strategies help students understand not just what happens in a story, but why it matters. Families can support this work with fun activities like “What’s Going On?” Picture Talk, The “Book Detective” Game, and “What’s Missing?” (all designed to boost critical thinking). These simple games strengthen the reading skills practiced at school and make learning fun at home!

(Beth LeDoux, Elementary Literacy Coach, ledouxb@mersd.org)

Donate via Paypal here!

Check out our store to buy some EES merchandise by clicking here!

• Open Door will run its mobile market at Essex Elementary on the third Wednesday of each month from 2:45-3:30
• This resource is available to anyone in the community!

The Eastern Essex Regional Public Health Coalition (EERPH) was formed by an agreement between Hamilton, Wenham, Essex, and Rockport, and exists to improve the ability of local health departments to meet state legislated requirements for public health services. EERPHC staff, consisting of a regional social worker and Regional Public Health Nurse, assess and help provide needed public health nursing, mental health education and support, and social services in the community. Residents are welcome to reach out directly to EERPHC for support.

MERSD is on Facebook!

Friends of Essex Elementary School is on Facebook!