Dear Sippican School Families,

What a whirlwind of excitement and accomplishment we've had this week at Sippican School! We're still buzzing from the incredible energy and enthusiasm that filled our hallways. First and foremost, a massive congratulations to our entire school community for smashing our Boosterthon goal! You rallied together, showed incredible spirit, and blew past our $20,000 target. The Fun Run was an absolute blast, filled with laughter, cheering, and some seriously impressive running (and walking!) skills. Seeing the joy on our students' faces as they crossed the finish line was truly heartwarming. Your support has made a huge difference, and we are so grateful for your dedication to our school.

But the excitement didn't stop there! Our students took to the stage for the District Wide Chorus FORM concert, and let us tell you, they were absolutely phenomenal. The harmonies were breathtaking, the energy was infectious, and the talent was undeniable. Our students’ voices filled the gymnasium with such power and beauty, it was truly an unforgettable experience. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication to music. It was a testament to the amazing music program at Sippican and the incredible talent of our young singers.

Wednesday brought another surprise, a truly special moment for our sixth graders and one of our most dedicated teachers. The FUN107 DJs stormed the cafeteria during lunch, bringing with them a wave of excitement and a very special announcement! Mrs. Furfey was named Teacher of the Month, and it was a well-deserved recognition of her passion, creativity, and unwavering commitment to her students. The look on her face was priceless as she was showered with fantastic prizes, including a brand-new 55-inch television! It was a moment of pure joy and celebration, and we’re thrilled to see Mrs. Furfey recognized for her extraordinary contributions to our school.

This week has been a powerful reminder of the incredible things we can achieve when we work together as a community. From fundraising success to musical triumphs and teacher recognition, Sippican School is truly a special place. We are so fortunate to have such talented, dedicated students, a supportive faculty, and an amazing community of families who believe in our mission. Your unwavering support is the foundation of our success, and we cannot thank you enough for all that you do.

We’re already looking forward to the exciting events and learning opportunities that lie ahead. Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you again for being a vital part of the Sippican School family!

Warmly,

Principal Dessert &
Assistant Principal Thomas

Our Mission Statement:

The mission of our school district is to inspire all students to think, learn, and care. Sippican School is committed to fostering a respectful, responsible, and kind learning environment. We've launched the "3 to Be" initiative to remind our community of these important values.

"Sippican 3 to Be"

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

Be Kind

To ensure the safety and smooth operation of our dismissal and absent procedures, please take note of the following:

Changes to Dismissal:

• For any changes to your child's dismissal routine, please contact Sippican Secretary, Shari Pacheco via email at sharipacheco@oldrochester.org or by phone at 508-748-0100 ext 6302.
• Please notify us of any dismissal changes no later than 2:30 PM. We understand that unexpected situations can arise, but this timeframe helps us manage the dismissal process efficiently.

• To report an absence, particularly due to illness, please contact Sippican School Nurse, Karin Bertram via email at karenbertram@oldrochester.org or by phone at 508-748-0100 ext 6306.

Important Note: Please do not send emails to Mrs. Rego as she no longer works at Sippican School.

Your cooperation and adherence to these procedures are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe and accounted for.

The F.O.R.M. (Friends of Old Rochester Music) Concerts are a highlight of our school year. All the musicians in the district come together to share our musical accomplishments and to raise money for ORR students to go on and study music. Each band takes a turn playing 15 minutes of music, and then watch the other groups perform from the risers throughout the evening. At the end, EVERYONE joins together to play two selections – last year it was over 500 students!

Tuesday March 11th

CHORAL CONCERT : 6:30PM ORRHS

Arrive by 6PM for warm-ups.

Enter through the Auditorium doors. Signage & ushers will show you to room 320.

Dress: Black pants/skirt, Blue Sippican Music shirt

Tuesday March 18th

BAND CONCERT : 6:30PM ORRHS

All Gr5 & 6 Band students performing(except Gr5 drummers).

Arrive by 6PM for warm-ups

Meet in the Library, where you leave your coats & cases.

Dress: Black pants/skirt, Blue Sippican Music shirt

Ticket Information

• $5.00: Children & Senior Citizens

• $10.00: Adults

• $25:00 Family Package

Parents attending both concerts should retain their ticket from the Choral Concert for free admission to the Band Concert.

All students are expected to stay for the entire concert, participating in 2 AWESOME group selections.

More details always available at sippicanband.com

Kindergarten registration is currently available for next school year at elementary schools in the Old Rochester Regional School District and MA Superintendency Union #55. All Marion children who will reach the age of 5 before Sept. 1, 2025, are eligible to register to attend kindergarten at the elementary school in the town they reside in for the 2025-2026 school year.

Families must complete pre-registration for their kindergarten student via the elementary school website:
Click here for Sippican School in Marion

Once pre-registration is complete, the child’s records must be provided directly to the elementary school building. Paperwork can be dropped off at the school anytime during the school’s regular hours of operation.

The required documents include:

• Child’s valid birth certificate and military records, if applicable
• Proof of residency (i.e., property tax bill, mortgage statement, utility bill, current signed lease with dates and address)
• Child’s medical records
• Child’s updated record of immunization, including DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus), MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Hib, Polio, Hepatitis-B, Varicella, record of lead testing, TB screening, and vision screening/Stereopsis

Families are encouraged to complete the registration process by March 14, 2025.

Families that have completed the kindergarten registration process will receive an email with a link to sign up for kindergarten screening.

A Kindergarten School Building Orientation will be held on March 27, 2025, at 6 p.m.This in-person orientation is an opportunity for parents/guardians to meet key staff members, learn about a student's daily schedule, and gain valuable insights into the transition to kindergarten.

Questions about the registration process should be directed to the Sippican School 508-748-0100

Project GROW was established to provide high-quality pre-schooling to children in Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester.

The program aims to provide children with a part-day, high-quality preschool experience in a public school setting and an inclusive learning environment for children with special needs.

The program is be offered at three district schools:

• Sippican Elementary School, Marion (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

• Center School, Mattapoisett (8:50 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.)

• Rochester Memorial School, Rochester (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

The program consists of two section of classes:

• Tuesday and Thursday ($2,520/year)

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday ($3,780/year)

All classes follow the ORR public school calendar.

This four-hour program is open to all children residing in Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester who will be 3 years of age before Sept. 1, 2025.

Parents and guardians are reminded that they are responsible for providing transportation to and from the program each day.

Each preschool class is staffed by a certified teacher and assistant. The program aligns with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and follows the High/Scope curriculum.

For more information or to register your child for the program, click here.

Thank you all so much for participating in this year's Boosterthon. We exceeded our $20,000 goal by raising over $21,000 dollars! These funds will be used to fund field trips, in-school performances and after school activities for Sippican School.

The weather was perfect and it was so nice to see all of our volunteers coming together to support students and staff. If you didn't get to see the run, check out our post for some shared photos of the day. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16B5DyQaEY/

ACE Program - March 26, April 2, 9, 16

Registration is now open for our After Class Enrichment (ACE) Program. These classes fill up fast so be sure to register by March 17.

Sign Up: https://students.arbitersports.com/v-a-s-e/ace-program-spring-2025

We are looking for volunteers to help run this program. Please consider signing up to help out.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4CADAB2BA6F4C34-55441313-acespring

6th Grade Basketball Game Fundraiser - March 21 @ 6 pm, Gym

All grades are welcome to come and cheer on our 6th graders as the play parents, staff and volunteers!! A big thanks to Janna Runyon, Erin Kazen and Stephanie Martin for taking the lead in planning this event. We are looking for volunteers to help with:

• 6th grade parents, teachers and community members to face off against the Sippican 6th graders in the basketball game!! Please sign-up in the "Player" slots.
• Parent volunteers the night of the game to help with set-up, the 50/50 raffle, concessions, halftime games and more! Please sign-up in the "Parent Volunteer" slots.
• Parent volunteers from each grade to organize an after-school poster making party for each grade to stand with at the event. You would coordinate getting a group of kids from that grade together to create a fun poster to cheer on their fellow Sippican students to beat the teachers and parents! Please sign-up in the "Poster Volunteer" slots.

Our 6th graders have fun memories of the annual basketball games they attended at Sippican over the years and it makes getting to play in their final year at Sippican so special. Hoping we can get some parents together to showcase our school spirit and help us rally the community to cheer on the 6th grade and be a part of this fun annual event! Sign-up to volunteer here:

The 2025-2026 School Calendar was approved by the Joint School Committee earlier this month. We are grateful for the feedback received from stakeholders and the school committees' collaboration to approve next year's calendar. View the calendar here.

Tuesday, March 25th - Grades 3 & 4 - ELA

Wednesday, March 26th - Grades 3 & 4 - ELA

Thursday, March 27th - Grades 5 & 6 - ELA

Friday, March 28th - Grades 5 & 6 - ELA

Tuesday, April 29th - Grades 3 & 4 - MATH

Wednesday, April 30th - Grades 3 & 4 - MATH

Thursday, May 1st - Grades 5 & 6 - MATH

Friday, May 2nd - Grades 5 & 6 - MATH

Thursday, May 15th - Grade 5 - STE

Friday, May 16th - Grade 5 - STE

March 18th - Form Instrumental Concert @ ORRHS

March 21st - Report Cards Sent home

March 21st - Scholastic Book Fair in the Library

March 25th - Grades 3 & 4 - ELA

March 26th - Science Fair

March 26th - Grades 3 & 4 - ELA

March 27th - Grades 5 & 6 - ELA

March 28th - Grades 5 & 6 - ELA

Multi Purpose Room

4PM-6PM

A student may carry or keep a cell phone or Smartwatch in his/her backpack if authorized by the school office. The phone or Smartwatch must be shut off and kept in the child’s locker/backpack and may be used only for emergency or unusual circumstances as agreed by parents and administration. The phone or Smartwatch may not be used to receive or send messages anytime during school hours or on school buses. Student phones or Smartwatches used to make, or receive, unauthorized calls during school hours, or on a bus, will be confiscated by the school administration or the bus driver.

• Winning school receives a $5,000 grant!
• Winning student receives a $500 grant to donate to a non-profit of their choice, or to their school.
• Winning student also receives surprise gifts from The Feinstein Foundation!

Jr. Scholar Card Spotlight: Providence Children’s Museum

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We want to ensure that our school community remains informed and connected. To help us maintain accurate attendance records and provide the best possible support to your child, we kindly ask that you notify the school office or the nurse 508-748-0100 x 6306 if your child is absent for the day due to illness.

Please leave a message with the following information:

• Student's Name:
• Teacher's Name:
• Reason for Absence: (e.g., illness, doctor's appointment)
• Expected Return Date:

Thank you for your cooperation!

All of our schools continue to use Raptor Technology for all visitors entering our buildings.

All visitors and volunteers are required to have a valid driver’s license or Massachusetts issued identification card to be scanned-in upon entering the building for any reason. CORI checks are required for any parent/guardian volunteers and are available in the main office of your student's school.

Although one lunch each day and one breakfast each day are free this year, we still need families to complete the free and reduced lunch application forms. These forms need to be completed every year. The online forms can be found by using this link: orrschoolmeals.com

• Breakfast is served each day starting at 8:30 AM

• One breakfast and one lunch are free for all students this year.

• Additional milk, drinks or snacks can be purchased for a fee.

• Snacks range from $1.00 to a $1.50

• Milk costs .65 cents (Please note that students will need to pay for milk if they bring their own lunch.)

• Assorted Drinks range from $1.00 to a $1.75

• 2nd Breakfast: $1.75

• 2nd Lunch: $3.50

Just a reminder that students do have a snack each day. The snacks need to be packed separately from their lunch and need to be free from peanuts/tree nuts. All school lunches are peanut free and we do have an allergy table in the cafeteria. If you have any questions regarding allergies, please reach out to our school nurse, Mrs. Bertram.

District Policy Manual

District Bullying and Harassment Prevention and Intervention Plan

Bullying Reporting Form