UPCOMING EVENTS
September
14 - MHS Project Graduation Fundraiser Cornhole Tournament FLYER Correction: 1:25PM start time
17 - Gr. 3-5 Morse Mountain Field Trip
K-2 Totman Cove Field Trip
18 - Late Start Wednesday (start time 9:25AM); morning buses arrive 1 hour later than M,T,Th,F
K-5 Great Start Activities, 8:15-9:20AM
19 - National Talk Like a Pirate Day "Arrrrgh!"
20 - Mad Science Assembly! 2PM
26 - Soggydog Picture Day (Rain Date: 9/27/24) & Dental Clinic
27 - Dental Clinic
A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Celebrations of Learning!
What does it mean to be truly kind? Kind to yourself, kind to others, kind to the world we live in. This month, we are focusing on kindness and using kind words. In classrooms, we are reading A Spot of Kind Words, by Diane Alber, and discussing how we treat ourselves and others. In times when we might feel stressed or angry, we are learning strategies to help us breathe and think about our words and actions that come next. Follow the link HERE to watch the video.
Kind words come when students are feeling positive. We’re asking students to identify one word they think describes them best; courageous, kind, empathetic, caring - whatever trait they love best about themselves. Kindness starts with recognizing your own superpowers.
Kindergarten- With Kindergarten being the first real school experience many of our learners have had, students are working hard to learn the procedures and routines of school. Mrs.Tardif has them busy and always thinking about how they can be first time listeners. This week, they have started UFLI, which will be the foundation of their early literacy learning.
First Grade- Mrs.Hutchinson's learners have also been hard at work this week. They are settling into their reading routines during workshop time, moving between reading from their book bins and using the Lexia program.
Second Grade- Mrs.Williams’ students have been hard at work in math class, focusing on identifying numbers 1-100. Review of these skills will set the foundation for learning this year. They have also been discussing community and citizens, learning specifically about what it means to be a good citizen.
Third Grade- Mrs.Henderson’s classroom of learners started their new writing program this week called Heggerty writing. Students were asked to think about something that is important to them and use that to write a personal narrative story.
Fourth Grade- The fourth grade classroom has been busy at work. Ms. Phippen has her teacher of the week working hard in the classroom. The students are learning about caterpillars and monarch butterflies, as they observe chrysalises in their classroom aquarium.
Fifth Grade- Mrs.Snell’s Harry Potter themed classroom of learners have begun their new math program called Revel math. Mrs.Snell is one of a few teachers within the RSU1 district piloting the new program. This week, students are reviewing how to find the volume of a cube.
Reminders:
Wednesday Great Start drop off is at 8:15. Our volunteers are not present until that time. Please do not drop students off before 8:15, as there are no adults available to supervise them.
Tuesday we have our school field trips to Morse Mountain and Totman Cove. Please review the permission slips at home and make sure students are dressed appropriately.
Home reading: In order to gain the skills and confidence needed for students to be good readers, they need to be reading at home every night. Most classroom teachers have shared the expectation for how much time students should be reading.
SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS
In the event that school is either canceled or delayed due to inclement weather, you will receive a call from the RSU1 automated School Messenger System. Announcements can also be heard on the following radio and television stations: WCME 99.5FM, WCSH Channel 6, WMTW Channel 8, and WGME Channel 13 (also listed on the website of each channel), and Bath Community Television. This information will also be posted on our website and Facebook page, in addition to the automated call.
On occasion, we may be required to dismiss students early due to the weather. Please make sure you listen to the stations listed above for accurate information. We will make every effort to contact parents beginning with the primary grade level students. Please do not call the school. Please keep your emergency phone numbers up to date throughout the school
year. If we have a potential dismissal due to weather conditions, it would be very helpful for your child(ren) to know exactly where he/she is to go after dismissal.
BackPack Program Family Letter
Dear Families,
We are delighted to inform you that thanks to our amazing community, Phippsburg Elementary School will continue offering the BackPack Program to students this year. Every Thursday, students participating in the program will bring home a backpack containing healthy snacks and a few meals for that student to have over the weekend. Items found in the food bags have been: Ravioli, cereal with milk, granola bars, fruit cups, and everyone’s favorite: macaroni and cheese! All items are shelf stable. We kindly ask you to return the backpack to school on Fridays so it can be used again the following week.
We want to emphasize that all families with a student at Phippsburg Elementary School are eligible to participate! This is not a financially based program.
If you would like to enroll in this program or would like to change your status at any time, please contact Terry McCartney, School Social Worker by calling 207-389-1514, or by email at tmccartney@rsu1.org.
A MESSAGE FROM THE NURSE
Dear Families,
Welcome back to school! This year in the school nurse's office we are going to continue to focus on healthy habits such as hand washing and using tissues. If your child wears glasses remember to have them packed in their backpacks each day. An extra set of clothes is also very helpful.
We are already seeing some back to school viruses. Please remember that your child must be vomiting, diarrhea, and fever free for 24 hours before they can return to school. Feel free to email me if you have any questions as to whether or not your child should attend school.
Stay Healthy!
Brandi Tainter, RN
STUDENT DENTAL CLINICS SEPTEMBER 26 & 27!
Save the dates! There will be PK-5 student dental clinics at PES on September 26 & 27, 2024. A paper copy of the Dental Consent Form went home in Thursday folders last week, along with the Flu Clinic Consent Form and vaccine info for the October 23rd morning clinic for students and staff.
VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION
If you wish to volunteer this year, or chaperone a field trip, please register now at:
https://www.rsu1.org/page/volunteer-information. You only complete one form, selecting all the schools you are interested in (be sure to scroll down the schools to choose PES, or you won't appear on our list), and remember to register each school year. Thank you so much; we could not offer fun activities like Great Start without you!
REGISTER ONLINE NOW FOR MAD SCIENCE
Crazy Chemworks (8 Weeks)
In this program, children make gooey slime, experiment with different reactions and learn to use the tools that chemists use. Polymers and catalysts are only two of the fascinating concepts young scientists explore in this thrilling trip through the chemistry lab! At the end of every class, they take home an educational toy that extends the learning experience!
Topics Include:
Chem in a Flash ⬩ Dry Ice Capades ⬩ Glow Show ⬩ Junior
Reactors ⬩ Lab Works ⬩ pH Phactor ⬩ Slime Time ⬩ Super Sticky Stuff
Register Online before October 8th (sooner is better):
https://maine.madscience.org/parents-details-a.aspx?regItemSessionID=425086
Grades: K - Gr 5
Day/Time: Wednesdays, 8:15 – 9:15 AM
Program Dates: Oct 9 - Dec 4, 2024
Skip Date: Nov 27, 2024
Cost: $130 Minimum of 12 students; Maximum of 20
Registration Deadline: Oct 8, 2024 Detailed FLYER FMI: 207-878-2222
PES has some full and half scholarships available. If you need one, please contact Mrs. Doran at 389-1514 or tdoran@rsu1.org by October 1st.
PHIPPSBURG REC NEWS
^^^Classes & Clinics^^^
Fiesta Fitness with Diane
Thursdays, October 3rd - November 21st from 6:30-7:30PM in the Phippsburg Elementary School gym. We are excited to have licensed local Fiesta Fitness Instructor, Diane Cohen, guide us through this exciting class! Fiesta Fitness is similar to Zumba, but less choreographed. Classes will also include Dance Kickboxing, Dance Fitness, and Mat work. Chairs are available for stability for those with knee and/or balance issues. Bring a water bottle, hand towel, and properly fitting footwear. Fee for the 10 weeks is $50 when paid on the first night of class, or you can do a drop in fee of $7 per class. Make it family time; ages 13-17 are welcome to join a paying adult for only $2 a class. For more information on class details, contact Diane Cohen by email at cohendiane0@gmail.com. FMI on payment/signup* contact Tammy Doran at 607-2483.
*We need a minimum of 6 participants, so please sign up right away for this fun class!
FREE Nutrition Class
Join Alison Fernald again for discussion and guidance on evidence-based nutrition and wellness guidelines, including some new and fun information about our gut biome! This 4-week class is Tuesdays, October 8-29 from 6:30-7:30PM at the Phippsburg Fire Station. If you are interested, please register by contacting Tammy Doran at 607-2483 by September 27, as we need a minimum of 6 participants for this great class, too.
Phippsburg Elementary School Contact Info
Email: nwillette@rsu1.org
Website: phippsburg.rsu1.org
Location: 1047 Main Rd, Phippsburg, ME, USA
Phone: 389-1514
