From Bus Ambassadors, Avery Kanya and Evie Jones:

The bus should be a happy place. Here are seven improvements we can make that will help make the bus safe and more enjoyable.

1. Talking kindly can help people feel more safe on the bus.

2. Keep your hands to yourself to make a safe bus.

3. Talk to the neighbor next to you kindly.

4. Have self control.

5. Invite people to your seat to show you care.

6. If it is getting to loud than show a sign

7. Respect the bus the people, seats, and the driver

Now you can help the bus by sharing all these rules. Be safe and have fun on the bus. Thank you!

Students have a 30 minute recess each day and it is held outdoors whenever possible. Students should come to school prepared with hats, boots, snowpants, and gloves/mittens for outdoor play. If there is snow on the ground, students must have boots to play in the snow. Otherwise they have what we call "Blacktop Recess" and stay on the black top, paved area at the back of the school.

We’re learning about the Habit of Mind - Listening with Understanding and Empathy this month. This means that we "devote mental energy to another person’s thoughts and ideas.” Students heard the story How to Help a Friend by Karl Newsom at Connections on Monday. Be sure to ask your child what they have learned about this Habit of Mind.

The new bleachers have been installed in the gym and the new cafeteria tables were delivered last week! The old tables served their purpose for the last two decades. Exciting happenings at Cole school!

Congratulations to this week's Magnificent Meerkats! Here are a few of the nominations that we received this week:

• She has shown tremendous improvement in persevering when something is challenging. She pushes herself to try and find a solution and then will just check in to be sure she is on the right rack. We applaud her ability to persist, trust herself, and grow her confidence in all that she does. She is a model of what perseverance looks like.
• This week during Morning Meeting he demonstrated exceptional leadership as we worked as a class to resolve some recess issues. He invented a new game that everyone could play and enjoy. He suggested it at Morning Meeting and then organized it at recess. He reported that it went well. We appreciate his leadership in being creative to help solve a problem and putting this new game into action.
• He shines brightly because of genuine care for his classmates. Whether it’s something as simple as helping someone pick up a pencil, putting away a chair at the end of the day, or offering encouragement, he is always there to support his peers!
• She consistently goes our of her way to be a quiet leader within our classroom. One example is she has taken on the role of delivering mail and without even mentioning it she just makes sure it gets done. She also always jumps in to help all of her classmates with anything they may need. Her leadership is noticed and appreciated.

Do you ever find yourself saying, “I hear you” when, in fact, you are not really listening? Ever wonder whether someone is really paying attention to what you are trying to say?

Good listening can be difficult because it requires keeping focused on what the other person is saying and not interrupting with your own thoughts. Ears operate at the speed of sound, which is far slower than the speed of light the eyes take in. When you are listening, you are also learning how to become more comfortable with silence so you can slow your mind’s hearing to your ears’ natural speed. You listen not only for what someone knows, but also for what they are trying to represent through their facial expressions, body language, voice intonation, and eye movements.

A primary strategy you can use for becoming a better listener is the 3 Ps: pause, paraphrase, and probe.

PAUSE

• WHY: Effective listeners need to learn how to “pause their brain” and set aside their own thoughts.
• HOW: Wait time. Being silent to make sure the other person has finished their thought. It is often difficult to manage impulsivity and be silent. Many people use strategies such as counting to 20 or looking down at notes they are taking.

PARAPHRASE

• WHY: Letting others know that you are trying to understand them and that you value their ideas and thoughts.
• HOW: Sentence stems such as: “You’re suggesting that……” “Your idea is……” “You’re upset because……”

PROBE:

• WHY: Showing others that their ideas are worthy of exploration and consideration AND demonstrating your desire to understand more fully before trying to respond with suggestions or advice.
• HOW: Sentence stems or clarifying questions such as: When someone uses terminology or words that are vague, the listener clarifies to make certain they understand. This shows their interest in what the other is saying. “Say more about your ideas on …. “What did you see in the text that led you to make that inference?” “ Explain what you mean by…”

Good listening often leads to even better ideas than the ones inside our heads.

From: https://www.habitsofmindinstitute.org/what-are-habits-of-mind/

This week, we started our new SEL unit on Inclusiveness. Kindergarteners talked about why we are all special, 1st graders learned about including everyone in games, 2nd graders heard We're All Wonders, 3rd graders created an inclusion agreement, 4th graders watched and discussed a story about friends who speak different languages, and 5th graders worked in teams to decide which shape was different- and learned that different doesn't mean bad. All grades also talked about making recess, lunch, and the bus ride inclusive of everyone, by inviting others into conversations and games.

Reminder for parents regarding Injuries - If a child has an injury that requires an orthopedic device such as crutches, cast, walking boot, splint, sling, etc., a note from the provider should accompany the child when returning to school. Such notifications should clearly detail all restrictions and identify the date when participation in PE/ recess may resume. Our fax number is 781-659-2850. Providers may fax to us directly. Written notification from a parent is required when it is necessary to excuse a child from physical education short term and the PE teacher should be notified as well.

We have officially entered into the respiratory illness season. We have seen some cases of flu at Cole School.

There are many cases of strep going around the school. Symptoms can include sore throat, fever, headache, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. The incubation period for strep is 2-5 days after being exposed to streptococcus bacteria. Students may return to school after being treated with antibiotics for 24 hours.

The CDC is reporting an increase in Mycoplasma Pneumoniae infections and we are certainly seeing that trend in Cole School. They are generally mild and mostly present as a chest cold but may also present as pneumonia. Symptom onset is typically gradual and can include fever, cough, and a sore throat. When an M. pneumoniae infection progresses to pneumonia, it's typically a less severe form of bacterial pneumonia commonly referred to as "walking pneumonia” M. pneumoniae infections can occur at any age, but they most often occur among children ages 5–17 years and young adults. M. pneumoniae bacteria are spread by inhaling respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes and the incubation period is typically 1-4 weeks.

For those unfamiliar, pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Symptoms in children can include a fever, a cough, which may be dry or produce mucus, loss of appetite, chills and fatigue. A provider may diagnose pneumonia by doing a physical exam, including listening to your lungs, checking for any abnormal lung sounds, using a pulse oximeter to check oxygen levels, and/or a chest x-ray to see the extent or location of the pneumonia. Treatment includes curing the infection and preventing complications. Antibiotics will likely be prescribed. To prevent pneumonia make sure your child is up to date on all of their vaccinations, practice good hand hygiene, and limit/ prevent contact with respiratory secretions (easier said than done with young kids!) As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.

This week we began a Paddle Striking Unit for all grades! Kindergarten through 2nd grade were using different implements (pool noodles, frisbees, lollipop paddles and bowling pins) to strike a balloon with control. Grades 3-5 were provided with a series of challenges using plastic paddles to strike a small ball while practicing their forehand, backhand and rallying skills.

December

December 7 - PTO Winter Fair 9-12pm

December 9 - Grade 5 Virtual Author Visit with Dan Gemeinhart (Thank you, PTO!)

December 11 - Elementary Early Release - all students dismissed at 12:20pm

December 13 - Report Cards available in Aspen at 3pm

December 16 - Cole School Outreach for School Committee at Norwell Library at 7pm

December 16 - Community Meeting at 2:30pm

December 16 - Shine Brightly Day!

December 17 - You're a Gift Day!

December 17 - Kindergarten Traditions (KF and KG)

December 18 - Mistle Toes Day!

December 18 - Kindergarten Traditions (KM and KD)

December 19 - Character Celebration Day!

December 19 - Grade 4 Winter Solstice Celebration

December 20 - T'was the Day Before Winter Break Day!

December 23 - January 1 - Winter Break

The Norwell High School National Honor Society will be hosting a FREE Holiday Drop 'n' Shop event on Friday, December 13th from 5pm-8pm at Norwell High School. Students will have the option of watching a holiday movie or a variety of arts and crafts projects. Please reach out to NHS Co-Advisor Mrs. Leary at jenelle.leary@norwellschools.org with any questions."

Registration link

Registration for the 2025 Norwell Lacrosse season will be open through December 15th. The registration fee for players in grades 3rd—8th is $250, and for players in grades 1st and 2nd, it is $160. The league also imposes a $50 late fee per player for registrations filed after December 15th.

https://norwellgirlslacrosse.demosphere-secure.com/_registration_login?to=https%3A%2F%2Fnorwellgirlslacrosse.demosphere-secure.com%2F_registration

We’re still piecing together information regarding the schedule for 2025, updates to be posted on https://norwellgirlslacrosse.com/. The season will commence in March 2025 starting with indoor practices and our first games kicking off on March 30th.