Wentworth School Family News

Every early release day we will have Community Day at Wentworth. Community Day accomplishes many goals:

• Grade level schedule (instead of Learning Community) so lunch, recess, allied arts, and community time are all by grade level - students loved having a day with their same grade friends from other Learning Communities!
• An emphasis on Social and Emotional Learning and building a stronger sense of school community. Wentworth is using resources from RULER (see below for more) and implementing evidence-based instruction to build emotional intelligence
• Specially designed, extended time for classroom meetings and a block focused on teamwork, connection, and hands-on learning opportunities to strengthen connections
• Schoolwide culture building, kicking off each Community Day with a whole school assembly to set the intention, build enthusiasm, and work together toward a common goal

It was such a successful day. Please ask your Wentworth child about Community Day!

Respectfully,

Kelli Crosby ~ Principal

Gabrielle LaPerriere ~ Asst. Principal

Tuesday, September 17 - Open House 6-7:30 PM

Friday, September 27 - Schoolwide Spirit Day - Pajama Day!

Tuesday, October 1 - 5th Grade Band Open House and Rental Delivery at Wentworth School from 5:30-7:30 (see below for more information about renting an instrument for band class)

Wednesday, October 2 - 6:30-7:30 PTA Meeting in the Wentworth Learning Commons: join us!

Wednesday, October 2 - Picture Day Red & Green Learning Communities

Thursday, October 3 - Picture Day Purple & Blue Learning Communities

Friday, October 11 - No School for Students: Staff Professional Development Day

Monday, October 14 - No School recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day

Tuesday, October 15 - Tooth Protectors (see below for more information)

Wednesday, October 16 - October Early Release at 1:45

2024-2025 Scarborough Public Schools Calendar

The Faculty & Staff of Wentworth School

Invite You to Our Annual

Open House

All Learning Communities

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

What’s Happening at This Year’s Open House?

• Families are invited to visit their child’s classroom and tour our beautiful school. Your Wentworth student makes a terrific tour guide!
• Please stop by Art, Music, Band, STEM, Pathways and Physical Education Classrooms and meet the teachers.
• Staff members in Academic Support, Special Services, Student Advocates, the Learning Commons, Technology, and other programs will be available with information or to answer questions.
• Play with your child on our fabulous playground. Ask them to tell you about our safety expectations, and check out the signage about expected use.
• Visit the Wentworth Garden! Purchase a mum for $13.00 or two for $20.00 at our fall garden fundraiser!
• Check out the engraved bricks as you enter the building. Your family can have one too.

Parking is available in our main lot (enter through our main doors) as well as the Middle School lot (we will have the back door open for convenience to families who park at SMS).

Please remember, for private conversations about your child’s school performance, schedule an individual conference time with your child’s teacher. Enjoy the school setting with your child and family at the Open House!

• SHS Volunteer Help Desk: brilliant and kind SHS students will have tables in the cafe to provide support and information for families about topics including PowerSchool, completing paperwork, accessing after-school activities, accessing community supports, and more! Stop on by and see them!
• Gym Dandies: Check out some jugglers and unicyclists in the gym, and ask the board members about signing up for the Children's Circus at Wentworth!
• SEF: Volunteers from the Scarborough Education Foundation will have a table with information about this support for SPS!
• The Wentworth PTA: will have a table with information and a sign-up sheet for families to get involved!

Dear Families and Caregivers,

As part of our ongoing efforts to continue to provide the most impactful experiences for the children and families we serve, we have committed to implementing RULER, an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER is also an acronym for the skills of emotional intelligence: Recognizing emotions, Understanding emotions, Labeling emotions, Expressing emotions, and Regulating emotions. Research from the field of emotion science finds that children who understand and manage their feelings make more responsible decisions, have stronger relationships, and perform better in school.

We are excited to be introducing RULER in classrooms! After learning and practicing the skills of emotional intelligence as a faculty and staff all year long in 2023-2024, we feel prepared to teach and model the skills. We will be infusing RULER into all parts of our school by leading school-wide activities, integrating conversations about emotions into evening events and offering further opportunities for families to be involved. Every early release Wednesday will be "Community Day" at Wentworth, and it will be infused with community building, opportunities to connect across grade levels, team building activities, assemblies and more!

In the classroom, teachers will be integrating routines that build emotional awareness, such as creating a class Charter and checking in on the Mood Meter. Teachers will also lead lessons that help students understand emotion concepts such as community building, self-awareness, and conflict resolution. We will be providing more information about what RULER looks like in the classroom and at school.

We are eager to see your children plotting themselves on the Mood Meter, to hear the shared language of best self, and to witness them being kinder to themselves by practicing positive self-talk strategies to regulate emotions. Students will bring home activities related to the RULER skills and tools to do together. Your involvement is very valuable in reinforcing their learning.

Over the course of the year, I will be providing ongoing communication to you about RULER.

When schools and families partner around these goals, students feel supported and reap the benefits. I look forward to learning and growing together this year.

Sincerely,

Kelli Crosby

Principal

Please click this link to open the FULL FLYER or use this link to REGISTER TODAY!

Picture order forms will come home with your child by the end of the week. Please check their backpacks and reach out with any questions or needs.

All fifth grade students at Wentworth participate in band class. Students are learning about the different instruments in the band, and have choice about what they would like to learn to play. Many students choose from the instruments listed below. Some students prefer to participate in band by playing the Orff instruments that are school provided. The Orff instruments (family of xylophones, bells, chimes, etc.) stay at school and there is no practice at home expectation. If your child is interested in one of the instruments listed below but the cost presents a financial hardship, please reach out to our band director (contact information below) as we have a handful of additional school owned instruments and scholarship funds available to support our young musicians!

If your musician is interested in learning to play Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussion or Alto Sax, here is information on acquiring an instrument.

Learn more about renting an instrument at www.musicarts.com

Why Rent?

To participate in the school instrumental music program, children need a workable instrument and a lesson book. There are a variety of ways to obtain a musical instrument for band: borrow an available instrument from family or friends; scour Craigslist; or purchase an instrument from one of the many reputable music stores in Southern Maine. However, the most common way that parents acquire an instrument is through the rent-to-own programs that are offered by several music companies in Maine. At this time, purchase of an instrument is strongly discouraged as situations will often fluctuate.

This program is offered by Music & Arts of West Falmouth, Maine and is an inexpensive

way to provide a quality instrument on a monthly budget.

Rates

Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussion

2 Month Trial $24.00 Optional LDW $8.00 (Liability Waiver) Total $32.00 a month

(Goes to $26.00+$10.00/month after trial) Total $36.00 a month

Alto Sax

2 Month Trial $30.00 Optional LDW $9.00 (Liability Waiver) Total $39.00 a month

(Goes to $42.00+$11.00/month after trial)

Total $53.00 a month

(Total does not include Book and supplies)

Open House and Rental Delivery to Wentworth School on Tuesday, October 1 from 5:30-7:30. Support will be onsite to help students assemble their instrument and learn about steps for initial care and keeping.

Please reach out to our Band Director, Tristan Bluto, with any questions or needs.

tbluto@scarboroughschools.org

207-730-4600

The Scarborough Public Library welcomes students after school who are attending one of our many youth programs, looking for a quiet place to do homework, or using library services. Last year we had an average of 80 students daily and on some days up to 140. To make the library a positive and safe experience for all, we want to ensure that parents are aware of our service limitations and policies. We offer the following reminders and encourage you to share this information with your child:

• Service Limitations: The library is a public facility and should not be used as an alternative to after-school care. We have an open-door policy; we do not have the capacity to track attendance or monitor who enters or exits the building. All visitors must have parental trust in their independence to come and go at will. The responsibility for the safety of children visiting the library rests with the parent/guardian or assigned chaperone.
• Transportation: All visitors must independently arrange their transportation to their next destination and be mindful of library closing times. Students must be picked up prior to the close of business as they may not remain in the building and there is no protected or supervised area outside to wait on cold, snowy, or rainy days.
• Behavior Policy: Our behavior policy will be strictly enforced. Disruptive/inappropriate behavior will result in removal from the library and its grounds regardless of age. Parents should ensure their children understand this policy. This reinforces the need that visitors of all ages have a means to independently arrange transportation.
• Computer Use: The library is not responsible for monitoring what a student accesses on library or personal computers or mobile devices.
• Age Group: The library serves a wide age range and cannot separate social groups due to space and staffing limitations.

The library is committed to working closely with school administrators, community partners and you to create a safe, nurturing environment for students. It is a challenge to balance the needs of all community members and age groups and we need your help to make this a safe and meaningful space for your child and the rest of the community. Thank you for your support and cooperation in making this possible.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact:

Deanna McNamara, Youth Services Manager, at 207-396-6278

Chip Schrader, Library Director, at 207-396-6266

Our school is partnering with Tooth Protectors, Inc. to offer free, preventative dental care for Students and Staff WITH or WITHOUT dental insurance. Services are FREE to those with MaineCare (age 1-100). Fees are included on this attached flyer for those who are self-pay. Tooth Protectors can bill other Dental Insurance, but currently DO NOT accept: Harvard, Pilgrim, Humana, or Martin's Point.

Sign your child up Today!

Fill out this form (print or request a paper copy) or fill out the Electronic Permission form at this link: https://www.toothprotectors.org/permission-form/

Welcome back students and families from the Wentworth PTA! We are excited to see a few new names added to the volunteer sign up list. If you are interested in helping out or volunteering at upcoming events, please let us know. Send an email to Wentworthpta@gmail.com.

The annual (voluntary) Student Directory is a great resource to be able to connect with classmates and their families, and a way to reach out with birthday invitations or make plans for play dates.

Wentworth school cannot give out this information,. Participation in this Directory is optional and will ONLY be distributed to those who choose to participate.

If you have participated in the past you must submit a NEW entry because your child is in a new class!

Final directory will be emailed to participants in a few weeks.

Student Directory Survey 2024-2025

Email: kcrosby@scarboroughschools.org
Website: www.wentworth.scarboroughschools.org
Location: 20 Quentin Drive, Scarborough, ME, USA
Phone: (207)730-4600