The Floral Falcon Flyer
September 15, 2024
Photo of the Week...
Dear Families,
This week all classrooms launched literacy learning using the newly-adopted EL Education curriculum. This curriculum, recognized for meeting the Department of Elementary Education's criteria as a high-quality curriculum, is engaging, rigorous, and comprehensive in that it integrates listening, speaking, reading and writing all centered on a topic that students are immersed in throughout the module each trimester. Building their content knowledge on a topic opens windows for rich literacy experiences in reading, writing, and discussion.
We are excited to keep you updated on our school-wide (and district-wide) literacy journey with your children this year- it has been a joy to observe students getting "hooked" on their learning topic right from the start. Curious about the first module topics for each grade level? They are:
Kindergarten- Toys and Play
Grade 1- Tools and Work
Grade 2- Schools and Community
Grade 3- Overcoming Learning Challenges Near and Far
Grade 4- Poetry, Poets, and Becoming Writers
Have a wonderful week ahead!
~Lisa and Gina
In This Issue:
NEW - Open House for Families on October 1st
NEW from the PTO: SAVE THE DATE: Floral PTO is hosting the second annual all-school Fun Run on Thursday, Oct. 10!
NEW - Parent Drop-Off Reminders
NEW -Your Child's Academic Learning: Let Us Know What You Want to Learn
NEW- Maple & Main Sponsors a Drawing Contest for Students
NEW - Thank You, Tavern in the Square!
Attendance at School
Expected Behaviors at Recess
School Picture Day on Friday, September 27th
STEM After School Class: Registration for Fall Session Now Open
Child-Safe Procedures
Extended School Care Program
School Start and End Time
Important Upcoming Dates
What's for Lunch?
Useful Links
Important Contacts
NEW - Open House for Families on October 1st
We're planning for a Family Open House on Tuesday, October 1st for all students and families. In place of our typical Curriculum Night, we will host an evening for all students and families to visit school and learn about their child's classroom, teacher, classmates, and learning goals for this year. In addition to classroom visits, our Allied Arts Teachers (music, art, and PE) will also host families in their classrooms/learning spaces. The schedule is:
- Kindergarten,Grade 1, and Grade 2 Classrooms Open from 5:30-6:30pm
- Allied Arts, Special Educators, English Language Classrooms Open from 6:00-7:00pm
- Grades 3 and 4 Classrooms Open from 6:30-7:30pm
It is anticipated that the classroom visit will be approximately 20 minutes or so. That provides enough time for families to visit Allied Arts classrooms or other learning spaces during their open times. This also permits families with multiple children in multiple grades to visit all their children's classrooms in one evening.
Teachers will share more details as they are developed. We're hoping this change in format will allow for more families to attend and actively engage in their child's school experience.
NEW from the PTO: SAVE THE DATE: Floral PTO is hosting the second annual all-school Fun Run on Thursday, Oct. 10!
As our biggest fundraiser of the year, your pledges and donations will provide enrichment programs, supplemental field trip funding and classroom resources for the Floral Street School Community. Want to get a jump start? See the attached flyer and click on the links below.
To REGISTER: CLICK HERE
To VOLUNTEER: CLICK HERE
NEW - Parent Drop-Off Reminders
If you get out of your car in the morning to unbuckle your child/children, please do not park in front of one of the four cones. Instead, stay in the car line, pull ahead of the cones when it's your turn, and park your car to assist your child. This enable the car line to continue running smoothly and efficiently. It also reduces the number of parents and students walking near moving cars.
For our youngest and smallest students, the goal is working towards independence in getting out of the car on their own in the parent drop-off line. Thank you fro working with the staff in that effort and in ensuring the safety of all students.
NEW -Your Child's Academic Learning: Let Us Know What You Want to Learn
There was strong attendance at the September PTO meeting. Thank you to all parents and caregivers that attended. The Floral Instructional Coaches/Curriculum Coordinators, Michelle Thomas and Lindsay Morse, were present at this meeting. They shared updates about the new literacy curriculum (EL Education) that is being fully implemented in Shrewsbury this year (see image below). They also answered some great questions from caregivers at the meeting.
Lindsay and Michelle would like to stay connected with parents and caregivers throughout the year and share information about instruction, curriculum, and assessment through presentations and communications. What is it that you wish to learn more about when it comes to your child's academic learning this year? Please take no more than 2-3 minutes to complete this brief survey and share what you would like to learn. (There was a glitch with opening the survey earlier this week, so please try again if you couldn't open it at the PTO meeting.)
NEW- Maple & Main Sponsors a Drawing Contest for Students
NEW - - Thank You, Tavern in the Square!
Our friends at the Tavern in the Square raised funds for Floral Street School during the month of August, resulting in a donation of over $1,500 to our school. We are grateful to all Tavern patrons that made a donation to support costs for supplies, materials, and special events.
We are happy to show our support to Tavern in the Square (and their nachos are out of this world).
Pictured below is Tavern in the Square General Manager Erin Meline, along with several Tavern in the Square employees, Corrie Quintard, President of the Floral PTO, and the Floral Principals, Gina Kelly and Lisa McCubrey.
Attendance at School
As we start a new school year, we want to remind everyone of the importance of consistent attendance. As you may know, consistent attendance at school is a key factor in students’ overall learning success, including their likelihood of reading proficiently by the end of third grade. Being at school every day matters. The Department of Education monitors student attendance and considers any student who has been absent for 10% of the school year to be chronically absent.
Some absences are necessary, such as student illness, medical conditions or appointments, religious observances, or family emergencies. Absences such as family vacations,sporting events, or taking the day off from school for reasons unrelated to illness, medical appointments, emergencies, or religious observances are considered to be unexcused. Please avoid planning family vacations during the school year.
Please click on the link to review the infographic for more information about the importance of school attendance and some ways that you can maintain a healthy habit of school attendance for your child.
Expected Behaviors at Recess
To support students with independence in following expected behaviors at recess, principals and recess teachers are teaching recess lessons to all classes in grades 1-4 (with kindergarten to follow).
The Expected Behavior Chart and Logical Consequences Chart will be posted by the blacktop area for teachers and students to use as a tool for reminding, redirecting, and additional teaching as needed.
Families can help at home by reviewing the expected recess behaviors (linked HERE ) and checking in with your children to see how they think they are doing to follow the expected behaviors.
Students know the two goals of recess: Have Fun and Be Safe. Having a common set of expected behaviors serves us in working together and empowering students to reach those goals.
School Picture Day on Friday, September 27th
Casson Foster will be at Floral Street School for Picture Day on Friday September 27, 2024.
A few important points- to remember:
No money is needed on picture day--order forms with proof and package information will go home later.
Please do not wear green as the background technology conflicts with the color green.
See the flyer below for more information.
STEM After School Class: Registration for Fall Session Now Open
This after-school offering is a popular one at Floral Street School. Part of the proceeds goes directly to the Floral Street School PTO to offset coasts for enrichment programs and field trips. Please click on the attached flyer or scan the QR code below to learn more and to register. Classes start on Thursday, October 3rd. Registrations are due by Sunday, September 29.
Notes from the Floral Nurses
Welcome Families! Here is a list of helpful information regarding safety & health protocols:
Medical Info: If there is a medical condition that the school should be aware of, please contact the school nurse.
Safety: Please log into the PowerSchool Parent Portal to ensure all phone numbers, email addresses, and Emergency Contacts are up-to-date. Here’s the link to access PowerSchool or set up an account: PowerSchool Parent Portal | Information Technology.
Medicine: Also in your PowerSchool account, please indicate the medicines listed in the Nursing Consent Form you allow us to administer to your child as needed. Students may not carry cough drops, allergy pills, nor any medicine in backpacks as it is not safe for students to self-medicate, and another child may find it, consume it, and there may be adverse effects. For all students’ safety, please do not send any medicine with your child to school.
Illness: Before school, if your child has a temperature over 100.0 degrees, is vomiting, or has diarrhea please keep them home. Rest is vital so they may return strong and able to do their best. They should remain home until symptoms have resolved and they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine. Here is the district’s Health Information page.
Injuries: Please report any significant injuries, surgeries, or emergency room visits. If your child is wearing a brace, boot, cast, or using a wheelchair, please first send documentation showing they have been cleared to be in school and we will immediately put appropriate supports in place at school.
Food allergies: SPS schools are ‘Allergy Aware’ and students are taught not to share food at lunch nor snack time. As a reminder, the cafeteria serves a wide variety of food including items with the nine major food allergens. Please speak with your child about making safe food choices if getting a school lunch. See this link to the SPS Food Services page. Food may not be sent in for birthday celebrations.
Contagious diseases: Please notify us if your child tested positive for strep, pink eye, or other infectious diseases. Students must take antibiotics for 24 hours before they return to school.
Wet clothes: pack a change of clothing & underwear in your child’s backpack. Clothes get wet in school due to bathroom accidents, liquid spills, or splashing in puddles. Changing into their own clothes provides extra comfort.
Annual check-ups: Please email us your child’s yearly physical exam, or place a hard copy in a sealed envelope labeled ‘School Nurses’ in your child’s backpack.
Resources: Click on the link for more health information: Nursing & Health Services Department.
We look forward to a great year and please reach out with questions or concerns.
Maureen Pellizzari, BSN, RN, BA
Stephanie Nazarey, MSN, RN
Phone: 508-841-8729 floralnurses@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
Child-Safe Procedures
If your child is going to be absent or late to school, we require that you telephone us either the night before or first thing in the morning on the day of the absence at 508-841-8720. The answering machine for our child-safe procedure is on 24 hours a day. If we have not received a call to report an absence, the school will be in contact with the parent or emergency contact to confirm the child’s safety. Please help our busy office staff by always calling us when your child will be absent or tardy.
Extended School Care Program
Floral's Extended School Care program offers before-school and after-school child care for students in grades K-4. We are now accepting registrations for the 2024-2025 school year.
You can learn more about enrollment options, program hours, monthly fees, policies and registration instructions on our website. https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/extendedlearning/extended-school-care
For more information contact Karen Isaacson, Director of Extended Learning.
kisaacson@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
508-841-8727
School Start and End Time
As a reminder, school times have changed effective last year:
8:45-9:15 Arrival time (via bus, car, or walking) Students may not arrive prior to 8:45am (unless enrolled in the Before School program).
9:15 Start of the school day
3:30-3:45 Dismissal time
3:45 End of the school day
Being punctual to school is very important, as every class starts their day promptly at 9:15 with a morning meeting time in which students connect, learn and practice essential skills in social and emotional learning, and preview the day. If you drive your child to school each day, please plan to drop off between 8:45-9:00 so your child has plenty of time to unpack, get organized, and check in with their teacher before the start to the day.
The office will be closed for any early dismissals at 3:15pm. Please call the office and/or send in a note to the teacher if you need to pick your child up early for an appointment.
Important Upcoming Dates
*newly-added dates are in bold
September 27 - School Picture Day
September 29 - STEM Registration Closes
October 1 - Open House for Families (5:30-7:30pm)
October 8 - PTO Meeting / 6:30pm in Floral Media Center
October 10 - Floral Street School PTO FUN RUN
October 11 - NO SCHOOL / Professional Development Day for all faculty
October 14 - NO SCHOOL / Columbus Day/ Indigenous Peoples' Day
October 31 - Floral Street School Harvest Hoedown for Students
November 5 - NO SCHOOL / Parent/Caregiver Conferences
November 11 - NO SCHOOL / Veterans Day
November 27-29 - NO SCHOOL / Thanksgiving Vacation
What's for Lunch?
Pictured below is the school lunch menu for the upcoming week. To view the menu for the month, please click on the attachment below.
Useful Links
Important Contacts
Main Office - (508) 841-8720
Administrative Assistant / Lynda McBride, lmcbride@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
Administrative Assistant / Jen Umile, jumile@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
School Nurses Maureen Pellizzari and Stephanie Nazarey - (508) 841-8729
Nurses, FAX (508) 841-1545
Extended Day (508) 841-8743
Mrs. Lisa McCubrey, Principal
Email: lmccubrey@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
Website: schools.shrewsburyma.gov/floral
Location: 57 Floral Street
Phone: (508) 841-8720
Mrs. Gina Kelly, Assistant Principal
Email: gkelly@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
Website: schools.shrewsburyma.gov/floral
Location: 57 Floral Street
Phone: 508-841-8720