Where has the time gone?
Dear Families,
How are we entering the final full month of the year? Although there are only six weeks left of school we have so much celebrating and believe it or not, more learning to do!
What better way to celebrate the closing of a productive and successful school year then with celebratory events like Teacher Appreciation Week and Family Picnic. There is a lot happening at Washburn in May and June so here is a list of some major dates and events to be sure to mark your calendars for:
◇Teacher Appreciation Week Monday May 6th - Friday May 10th
◇ Family Picnic Friday May 31st @ lunch times 11:00-12:30 pm
◇ We are not providing food aside from regular school lunches - families may join their child on the
playground at lunchtime and bring food if they'd like.
◇ 6th Grade Field Trip to Sea Dogs Friday, June 7th @ 4:00 -9:00 pm
◇ Field Day Monday, June 10th - students please wear your class colors and bring a water bottle!
◇ 6th Grade Promotion at the local Senior Center on June 12th @ 4:30 pm
◇ Last Day of School Wednesday June 12th - 11:30 pm dismissal time!
As these next few weeks are sure to go by in a flash I wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for welcoming me to the Washburn Community this year. Change is hard and despite all of the changes this resilient community has faced, I feel as though I could not have been more accepted and welcomed. It is a privilege to be a Washburn Lion and all individuals within our community have contributed to this feeling of privilege. We are Washburn!
Please remember my door is always open - feel free to call and leave me a message if I am unavailable or send me an email at mwood@auburnschl.edu. I appreciate your collaboration and look forward to leading this community through the remainder of the school year alongside our wonderful staff here at Washburn School.
Sincerely,
Meghan Wood
Washburn Principal
School Counselor's Message
Just like your child’s physical health, your child’s mental health changes over time, getting better or worse. We can help our children build habits that help them be mentally healthy, in the same way that we teach them habits such as brushing their teeth, eating nutritious food and getting proper exercise to help them be physically healthy.
Here are some examples of things that might boost your family’s mental wellness:
- Establish a weekly family time to share an activity, like game night or cooking a meal together.
- Make time for one-to-one play in which your child leads.
- Establish daily routines that support healthy habits to help children and teens know what to expect and depend on. Include regular sleep and wake times, family meals, and clear responsibilities and consequences as part of your family’s way of life.
- Work on your own coping and wellbeing so that you are a powerful role model for your child; you can even talk through how you handle big emotions in healthy ways as they happen.
- Limit time with screens.
- Get outside; spend time in nature.
- Get creative with art time (music, drawing, writing in a journal).
- Reflect on what you’re thankful for.
- Learn a new hobby or build more mastery in a hobby you already have.
- Build friendships, connections and community supports for your child and your family.
Attendance Matters
Daily attendance plays a vital role in your child's educational journey. Being chronically absent (even at the Elementary level) can have a significant impact on a student's ability to read at grade level, perform academically, and graduate on time. If your child needs to miss school, please contact the office or teacher as soon as possible so that every effort can be made to support their continued learning.
What's Happening with PTO?
As we begin to wind down the year I wanted to give a special shout out to Carrie Bonnefond, who has led the charge as our PTO President this year! Carrie has put in endless hours organizing, preparing notes, communicating with stakeholders, etc. Washburn thanks you for your time and effort from the bottom of our heart.
As we look ahead to next year we would love to expand our PTO to include more families - if you are interested in joining as a way to give back to and have a voice in our Washburn community please contact me at mwood@auburnschl.edu. I look forward to your collaboration!
Held Our Annual Art Auction
Had a Family Music Performance!
Mrs. Brooks led our k-2 students in the afternoon with a Pajama Party performance and a 3-6 Pirate Show in the evening. Phenomenal job by all!
School Nurse News
Browntail moth caterpillars will be out soon, and sadly so will their rashes. The greatest risk of getting a rash is between the months of April-July. The rash occurs when the hairs come in contact with the skin, this can even just occur with the wind blowing the hairs around.
The hairs can cause red, itchy/painful skin rash similar in appearance to poison ivy.
Tips to avoid getting a rash:
-Wear long pants/shirts and hats when doing yard work.
-Perform yard work on wet days or just after rain so there is less of a likelihood for them to fly around.
-If there is an infestation near water, avoid swimming as the hairs sit on top of the water.
-Do not hang laundry out in infested areas.
Treatments:
-wash skin with cool, mild soapy water.
-using over the counter creams such as cortisone cream.
-taking lukewarm showers/or baths. (Avoid using hot water as this can make the rash worse).
-Provide oatmeal baths.
-non-scented lotions twice daily
-If rash is severe, and/or covers large areas with swelling, redness and pain see your primary care provider as prescription medication may be warranted.
Brown Tail Moth Rash Spray From Maine General Health has proven to help ease discomfort of the rash.
(https://www.mainegeneral.org/about-us/news/2022/browntail-moth-rash-spray/)
Combine the following ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well
1/2 30 gm tube of hydrocortisone 1% cream (e.g. Cortizone-10)
1/2 30 gm tube of diphenhydramine hydrochloride 2% and zinc acetate 0.1% cream (e.g. Extra Strength BENADRYL®)
1/4 30 gm tube lidocaine 4% cream (e.g. Aspercreme®)
1/4 cup witch hazel solution
Apply twice a day to the affected area. Refrigerate. Discard after 30 days.
Who's Teaching Who?
One of our 1st grade friends showing a 4th grade friend how much they have grown this year as a reader.
