Get physical! Do jumping jacks, sit ups, squats, etc. while spelling your words aloud.

"Camp out" with a good book! Find a dark space and read with your flashlight.

Get outside with your sidewalk chalk and write your math facts in your driveway!

We have had such an amazing year together in first grade! As we wrap up the school year, we have still been very busy learning.

The students enjoyed our field trip to the Ecotarium! We had an opportunity to look at all of the different exhibits; it was a great day.

In literacy, we are wrapping up Unit 6, Together We Can, with focus on comprehension skills and strategies that include cause and effect, main idea and key details and point of view. Please continue to practice the high frequency words with your child regularly.

We are finishing up our GO Math! with our geometry units of three dimensional and two dimensional shapes. This seems to be a favorite of all of our students. Please continue to practice math facts with your child on a regular basis.

Continue to read a favorite book with your child. Talk about where the story takes place, who the characters are, and the problem and solution. At times, stop and ask what they think will happen next. Make sure the books are interesting. The more engaged your child is, the more information you will receive. You might want to ask your child how else this story might have ended as we are working on developing higher level thinking skills.

We are so pleased with the progress that each student has made and we could not be prouder! It has truly been a joy to be your children’s teachers. We thank you for the opportunity and wish you a healthy, happy summer.

Thank you,

The First Grade Team

Second grade has wrapped up their reading curriculum for the school year. The students have grown as readers and have learned many new comprehension strategies to help them to be successful in third grade. When your child is reading over the summer, please have them tell you what they have read about to maintain their comprehension skills.

Over the past trimester, we have covered the final critical standards in math. The students have learned to tell time to five minutes and count money. We have also learned about different types of graphs such as picture graphs and bar graphs. Finally, the students completed a unit on shapes and fractions. The students reviewed and learned the attributes of shapes. They learned the new vocabulary words: face, edge, and vertex. The students are able to identify halves, thirds, and fourths.

In science, the students had the opportunity to plant their own seeds and learn about the parts of a plant and the life cycle of plants and animals. In social studies, the students had the opportunity to learn about different countries and cultures. The students read books about different countries and learned about immigration and migration.

The Second Grade Team cannot thank you enough for all of your support during this school year.

Thank you for a great school year,

The Grade 2 Team

The special education team would like to thank the Pakachoag students and families for a wonderful school year! We both have had so much fun and been a part of so many wonderful learning experiences academically and socially this year!

In Ms. King’s class, students have been working so hard to meet their academic goals. We have increased our independence and had a lot of fun throughout the year. We have been working hard to learn coping strategies to help us navigate the classroom and our day, more successfully. We have worked hard to build relationships with our peers and staff both in and out of our classroom, through both inclusion and reverse inclusion, and unified team building. We have worked extremely hard on communicating our wants and our needs. My second grade students are excited to move onto SWIS next year, and I look forward to hearing how they are continuing to grow and thrive. I know they will make Ms. King and Pakachoag feel proud of their accomplishments.

With Ms. Simoneau, students have been working so hard to meet academic goals, make new friends and continue to grow into the wonderful students they are! I have had the privilege of meeting many new faces this year and am excited to work with many of them as they move to the next grade at Pakachoag School! I am so confident that my second graders are going to thrive as they move onto SWIS next year!

Summer Suggestions and Reminders:

• Keep reading, working on sight words, and math facts at home to continue to build those skills!

• Seek summer experiences that will help your child continue to grow and learn new things!

• Please look to your child’s progress report for their personal growth toward their goals when report cards come out. Your child is growing and learning on their individual path and that is something to celebrate!

Please reach out for support whenever needed, whether your student is on an IEP or not. We are willing to provide suggestions and resources or direct you to the right people. Much of this information is located on the Auburn K-2 Special Education website.

Have the best summer!

Alison Simoneau

asimoneau@auburn.k12.ma.us

Kathy King

kking@auburn.k12.ma.us

As the school year comes to a close, it’s time to think about summer vacation, but we can’t forget about summer reading too! This summer I am challenging all students to read as much as they can. Students entering First and Second Grade will have the choice of writing about one of their favorite stories they read, making a video about a story they read, or drawing/ creating a poster about a story they read.

More exciting happenings this summer include our “Read Around the Town.” More specific information will be forthcoming; however, you can expect to see flyers sent home before the end of the year. Various locations around town will be hosting a read aloud and fun activity or tour. We will be visiting the fire station, the police station, the town library, Bryn Mawr School, Pakachoag School, and the Superintendent’s office. These readings will be held on Fridays at 10:00.

Have a great summer and I hope to see you for some reading and fun all around our town!

Mrs. Benoit

Reading Specialist

Scan this QR code for more helpful Technology tips:

• Our Tech students have had a busy and exciting year! All students in grades K-2 have been learning new Technology concepts through exploration, discovery, and creativity with our Project Lead the Way STEAM program. Students in all grade levels have been working on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) projects during Technology classes.

• Kindergartners have been exploring how to be engineers by designing and building structures to help solve problems. First and Second grade students have been working on Coding and are able to Program their own stories and games using the Scratch Jr. program.

• All grade levels have been learning correct finger placement and first steps to becoming proficient at keyboarding. First and Second graders were introduced to Google Docs which allowed them to practice typing on an ipad as well as a computer. They have learned how to start their own documents, change font sizes and color as well as edit their work.

Have a wonderful summer and remember these Technology tips:

1. Set Technology time limits that work for your household (before summer vacation begins).

2. Set clear expectations for using technology (which apps are ok and which need supervision to use).

3. Determine prerequisites for tech time (which chores/activities need to be finished before devices come out?)

4. Set blocks on things that you do not want your child on (YouTube can be fun but there is a kid version (You tube kids) that may be more appropriate for K-2 students).

5. Manage the apps that your children can access. Close out windows that you (an adult) may have used before letting your child use your device.

6. Monitor what your children are doing on their devices!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The school year has flown by! I This year we have learned and practiced locomotor, non manipulative, and manipulative skills in a variety of ways.. In trimester 3, we worked on striking with a variety of implements: body, bat, racket/paddles, and introduced lacrosse. I have watched confidence, patience, practice, perseverance, self-advocacy, and skill bloom and evolve over the past year. It was a joy being a part of your child’s growth and development.

As we head into summer, for many kids, it is a time for fun and relaxation. For other kids, this time can be a difficult one due to lack of structure. Focusing on a few things, you can take a vacation and turn it into a wonderful & healthy summer vacation! Attached you will find a Summer Wellness Bingo Card that you and your family can have fun trying to complete together!

I wish all the best to the second graders moving onto SWIS and look forward to seeing my K&1 friends next fall! I hope you have a safe, healthy, and happy summer!

In good health,

Miss. D

Hello, Pak Families!

It has been a musically awesome year at Pakachoag! Students have learned so many new musical skills and have performed in their concerts, working very hard to show all of their progress!

It is with a bit of sadness that it is that time of year that we say goodbye to our Second Grade students. Although they will be musically missed at Pak, they are sure to make a joyful sound at SWIS! All the best to all of our Second Graders as they move on! They are amazing! May they all enjoy this summer to its fullest!

By the way, summer doesn’t mean that the music needs to stop! There are a lot of wonderful musical opportunities and activities you can participate in and do as families!:

• Online music games and activity videos on YouTube are great for rainy days! Look up “rhythm play along” videos, instrument identification games, and more! It will keep the music flowing in your home!

• Opportunities for free concerts pop up all over Massachusetts in the summer months. Check out the free offerings in Worcester for a variety of musical genres and styles for everyone!

• Sound Scavenger Hunts can also be a great way to spend some quality time outdoors as well as taking in the music of the natural world. You can find many ideas online to help you create a hunt list that is just right for your family!

• Fun extended family and friend activities with a musical twist can be bar-b-que and party karaoke, a dance party with the cousins, or musical board games for all ages.

• A jam session with homemade instruments or pots and pans can make for some lasting family memories - and recording opportunities - that will surely be fun for kids of all ages!

May your summer be filled with memories, fun, laughter, and music!

Ms. Garrow

Music Teacher

What a year! I had a lot of fun exploring the seven elements of art with the students and their projects truly blew me away. Our art show was a bg success and it was super cool seeing all of the art displayed together.

In class we like to sing the “Scratch Garden” Elements of Art songs on Youtube, so be sure to check them out. I made up a bunch of rhymes for the students to learn the elements of art and they have done a fantastic job remembering them. Ask them to tell them to you! Here is a link to review:

[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uqHOfNVItIv2tHgmKsOxgRZGD28VS5gY/view?usp=sharing]

We have also been going outside as much as the weather has permitted. I hope the students are inspired to go outside and draw from life and create art from things they find in nature this summer. We will be reading “Our Great Big Backyard” by Jenna Bush Hager and Laura Bush to finish off the school year and will be creating our very own postcards! It is a wonderful story about steering away from technology, being present, and exploring the beauty of things around you. Here is a link to a read aloud: Our Great Big Backyard https://youtu.be/MjLgr_dch8k

I have attached a pdf of some summer art making tips. If your student creates this summer, have them return the sheet to me the first week of school next year to earn something special. I will have the SWIS art teacher collect them for me as well for my upcoming third graders.

MakeArtThisSummer.pdf

Have a happy and safe summer vacation!

Mrs. Bailey

As summer draws near I can’t help but feel the excitement as I think about trips to the park, endless swimming, and just some downright lazy dog days of summer. It can be all too easy to slip into the summer slide not just academically but when it comes to our routine. This summer, when your family is enjoying a little more relaxation and fewer demands to be here, there, and everywhere, keep some of these tips in mind about the importance of routine and structure in a young child’s life.

Consider enrolling your children in summer camp even if it is just part time or for a week or two. Your children are used to spending the day at school and the evenings at home. Once summer hits, they don’t know what to do with all that free time. By sending them to summer camp, you’re giving them a constructive way to spend their time and keeping them in a routine.

This summer, try incorporating reading into your daily schedule. This reading block should be at about the same time each day so that your kids know what to expect. Make reading time fun by building a reading fort or creating a cozy book nook for your kids to spend time relaxing in with a favorite book. You can read to your children, have them read to you, or spend some time each reading your own books or magazines to yourself. When your children see you reading it sends them the message that you enjoy reading and that it’s fun and important. Reading is important during the school year and should be equally as important this summer. Bonus: the library is not only a great place to borrow some books, but it is known for being a cool spot on a hot day.

Put those kids to work! Your children probably don’t want to hear this, but chores are a great way to help them learn that they have a very important role in your family that helps your household run. Just like they have chores during the school year, they should also have daily and weekly chores this summer. This will help keep your home tidy while giving your kids a sense of responsibility and pride in their work each day.

Enforce bedtime. Even though it’s summer, try not to let your children get into the habit of staying up late at night and sleeping in each morning. This can be a difficult rule to enforce, and a late night here or there is to be expected. However, by keeping their bedtime routine the same your kids will have less of an adjustment when the school year starts again. Plus, they won’t be grumpy from exhaustion!

Get active! Summer days can feel long if there isn’t enough going on. This summer, fill your days by getting active. Find activities that your family likes to do together like going for a bike ride, swimming, or playing tag. On a hot day, have an indoor dance party in a cool, air-conditioned place. This can help bring family members together and also help everyone get the recommended one hour of exercise daily.

Keeping a predictable routine for your family will keep everyone on the right track. Have a happy and healthy summer vacation!

Dear PAK Families,

Summer is coming quickly! This year has flown by and I have loved working with each and every student at our school. I wish each family a fun and healthy summer break. Before we go, here are some reminders to make note of:

• If your child has medication on hand in the clinic, please be advised that all medication kept at school must be picked up by June 18th, the last day of school. Students are not permitted to transport medications home and we cannot keep medications at school over the summer break. Any medication remaining at school after the last student day will be properly disposed of unless prior arrangements have been made with me.

• Medication pick-up is scheduled for June 17th from 8:00-4:00 pm and June 18th from 8:00- 1:00 pm. If you need alternative accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible.

• Please apply sunscreen on your child before school. If you wish for the nurse to apply it during school, we will need a doctor’s order to do so.

• Please send your child to school with a water bottle and dressed in light layers daily. We will be encouraging them to stay hydrated. It gets very warm in some classrooms towards the end of the year.

As always, please reach out with any medical questions or concerns regarding your child’s health at school. If you have a need to speak with me over the summer, I will be periodically checking my email (kgustafson@auburn.k12.ma.us) and will be back in the office by mid-August.

Thank you so much!

Kerri Gustafson, BSN, RN, NCSN

Pakachoag School Nurse

Auburn Youth and Family Services Inc. offers a food pantry for Auburn residents. Auburn Youth and Family Services does not require proof of income, they are here to support and help those in our community. The food pantry is Monday through Thursday, currently only operating at curbside pickup or delivery. If you are interested, please call (508)832-5707 ext. 102, Lisa or Sally will give you a call back to give you a list of food items you can pick from. Auburn Youth and Family Services Inc. also has baby items (diapers and food items), when calling to place your order please ask to add these items on.

Find Food - Worcester County Food Bank

If you are in need of any housing assistance here is the direct link for RCAP in Worcester ~ Community Resources | RCAP Solutions

Please also know that you can confidentially reach out to either Kristie Deyoe, School Counselor, or Ariella Emmanuel, School Social Worker, at any time if you have social/emotional concerns about your child or need support in accessing community resources. Supporting the social/emotional needs of students and families is an integral part of our jobs.

Co-Chairs:

Jess Spring & Julie Creedon-Linton

Treasurer:

Amy Feen

Secretary:

Jenna Mahoney

Event Coordinator:

Jen Osborn

Social Media Coordinator:

Sherri Gentile

Pakachoag Representative:

Katelyn Lynch