Wentworth School Family News

This month students are voting with RESPECT Tokens to decide if October's Spirit Day will be Black and Orange Day or Costume Day on Friday, October 25 (spoiler alert: costume day is winning by a landslide, for those who like to plan ahead).

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

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

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

Monday, November 11 - No School for Veterans' Day

Tuesday, November 12 - Fall Conferences Begin

Wednesday, November 20 - Early Release at 1:45

Tuesday, November 26 - Last Day of Fall Conferences

Wednesday, November 27 - No School for Thanksgiving Break

2024-2025 Scarborough Public Schools Calendar

At this time, all Clubs are full for session 1. We are working on contacting families who signed up for multiple sessions of the same club to remove those extra enrollments, which will open up spots for students who are currently on waitlists. Families who have reached out should have heard back by now, at least that we have your inquiry and we are working on resolutions.

There are still openings in some session 2 and 3 Clubs if you are interested in signing up for those activities.

The following Clubs still have openings for Sessions 2 and/or 3:

• Dance Club
• Speedcubing Club
• Floor Hockey
• Volunteer Club (K-Kids)

Session 1 Clubs begin the week of October 29, 2024

We ask that students sign up for one session for each club they are interested in. As space allows, we will communicate openings to additional sessions for interested students. You can sign up for a different club each session if you want to and if space allows. If you are a new user of Arbiter, you can create an account ahead of time at: https://account.students.arbitersports.com/signup.

Dear Families,

School photo previews are ready! If you did not order using the paper form, there is still time to order online. Log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.

All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.

More about the Smilesafe program here.

Thank you,

Lifetouch

Students have been amazing about keeping their smartphones at home, or off and stowed in their backpacks during the school day if they are required for an afterschool event. We have been running into trouble with smartwatches, though.

In previous years we have allowed students to wear a smartwatch if it is in "school-mode" (texting/calling/internet features turned off) and being used as a watch only. If a student's smartwatch became a distraction and/or we learned they are using it for texts, calls or photos throughout the day we ask that it stay home or off and in a backpack - just like our cell phone policy. However, this year it has become too difficult to manage and supervise, and is detracting from instructional time and the mission of our school. Families have gotten into the habit of texting students on their smartwatches throughout the day, often with changes to after school dismissal plans. This is not only problematic for our student accounting and communication systems that are in place but also distracting to our learners. To simplify, and in line with the Scarborough Middle School procedure, beginning on Tuesday, 10/15 students who need to bring a smartwatch to school for an afterschool reason will be asked to keep it off and in their backpack and locker for the duration of the school day.

If possible, please have your child leave their cellular and smart devices at home. If they must come to school, we appreciate your support with this change in procedure so our focus can remain on teaching and learning at school.

If you need to make an emergency change of dismissal plans, please contact the office at wsoffice@scarboroughschools.org or call 207-730-4600. These "day of" changes should be the exception, and not the rule. We continue to field 50-60 calls and emails per day that require multiple steps to ensure students are at the correct spot, and all the adults know the new plan. It is so helpful in a school of 700 young students when families plan ahead and make sure their child knows the plan each day before they head off to school. We love our Wentworth families and will do everything we can to help, and we appreciate your support in return as well.

Respectfully,

Kelli Crosby

Two things have been coming up recently and we need your help:

1. Please, park in the parking lot if you need to enter school. I know it is a bit of a walk from the parking lot, but the bus loop is our fire lane. When parents and visitors park in the bus lane, even just to "run in quickly" it causes a safety issue. We had an unexpected alarm recently (there was no emergency, it was a false alarm) and the fire engines had to navigate several cars in the bus loop picking up for early dismissals. Please park in the lot if you are entering school for any reason.

2. If you need to get a message to your child, please contact the office and/or your child's teacher. We are working hard to support a cell phone/smartwatch free school day with our students, and the biggest challenge we are navigating is...sorry...parents. If a student is tempted to peek at their cellphone in their locker, or access a watch as a smart device and not as a watch, it is more than 9 out of 10 times because "my mom/dad texted me to not take the bus, I am a pick up now." The very biggest help you can be is to communicate with your child ahead of time. Please plan ahead whenever possible and tell them the day before, and then remind them in the morning. If you must change plans, please contact the office and/or your child's teacher. We need to know the plan anyway.

We appreciate your support!

Check out these photos of some Wentworth students and families who participated in National Walk & Bike to School Day. Did you know you don't have to wait for a special day for your student to get to school another way? Your Wentworth student can walk or bike anyday with permission from home and discussion of a safe route to/from school.

Walking and biking encourages independence, physical activity, safety, and environmental awareness by fostering healthy habits, reducing traffic, and decreasing pollution.

National Walk and Bike to School Day is Wednesday, October 9, 2024, but you can walk any day!

Walking to school improves physical health, boosts mental well-being, fosters independence, and

strengthens community connections. It also encourages outdoor time, enhancing kids' mood and

focus through the school day.

¿Hablas español? ¿Sabías que es fácil caminar hasta Wentworth, la Escuela Secundaria y la

Escuela Preparatoria utilizando las aceras a lo largo de Gorham Road?

El Día Nacional de Caminar y Andar en Bicicleta a la Escuela es el miércoles 9 de octubre de

2024, ¡pero puedes caminar cualquier día!

Caminar a la escuela mejora la salud física, refuerza el bienestar mental, fomenta la

independencia y fortalece las conexiones comunitarias. Además, anima a los niños a pasar tiempo

al aire libre, mejorando su estado de ánimo y enfoque durante el día escolar.

Fala português? Você sabia que é fácil caminhar até a Wentworth, a Escola Secundária e o

Ensino Médio utilizando as calçadas ao longo da Gorham Road?

O Dia Nacional de Caminhar e Pedalar para a Escola é na quarta-feira, 9 de outubro de 2024,

mas você pode caminhar em qualquer dia!

Caminhar para a escola melhora a saúde física, aumenta o bem-estar mental, promove a

independência e fortalece as conexões comunitárias. Também incentiva o tempo ao ar livre,

melhorando o humor e o foco das crianças ao longo do dia escolar.

Parles-tu français? Saviez-vous qu'il est facile de se rendre à pied à Wentworth, au collège et au

lycée en utilisant les trottoirs le long de Gorham Road ?

La Journée nationale de la marche et du vélo pour aller à l'école a lieu le mercredi 9 octobre

2024, mais vous pouvez marcher tous les jours !

Marcher pour aller à l'école améliore la santé physique, renforce le bien-être mental, favorise

l'indépendance et renforce les liens communautaires. Cela encourage également les enfants à

passer du temps à l'extérieur, améliorant leur humeur et leur concentration tout au long de la

journée scolaire.

The Wentworth PTA is proudly sponsoring a drink and snack bar for the first staff day of the school year, Friday Oct. 11th. Thank you to everyone who donated - we are providing all kinds of great goodies!

Wentworth will be having an influenza vaccination clinic on Wednesday 10/23/24 We will be partnering with Northern Light Home Care & Hospice to provide this clinic to our students.

Please click on the link below and complete the consent form by Wednesday 10/16/24. You must

complete all starred fields. Although the vaccine is provided at no charge, there is a cost to administer the vaccine. We appreciate it if you include accurate insurance information. There is no out of pocket cost and those without insurance will be vaccinated with the appropriate form completed. Children presenting with an incomplete form will not receive their vaccine.

Sign up for Wentworth School Flu Clinic HERE

✓ You will be notified if there is a change in the planned dates of school flu clinics.

✓ The Vaccine Information Sheets are included in the link after the consent form. Please take a

minute to read these.

✓ If you need a translated form or are unable to complete an electronic form, please let the school

nurse know and we will send a paper form home.

All clinics will have injectable vaccines. In addition, FluMist (nasal spray) may be available at some

clinics. We cannot guarantee it for all clinics. Unless you clearly mark which type of vaccine you

prefer, and there is no contraindication to either type of vaccine, the nurse at the clinic will determine which type of vaccine to use for your child.

For information about flu and the vaccine go to www.maineflu.gov or copy and paste this link to your browser:

https://www.maine.gov/doe/vaccine/toolkit/sections/2.2%20SLVC%202014-2015FactSheet.pdf

For questions about the flu vaccine, call Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (Maine CDC) at 1-800-867-4775, Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.

For questions about the vaccine clinics at our school, please call the school health office at 207-730-4610.

Thank you,

Kelli Crosby

Principal

Please be sure to complete the Health Screen & Permission form on the link above!

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