As a gentle reminder, the doors to Cole School do not open until 8:45am and there is no supervision available until that time. There have been many students biking to school, arriving about 30-40 minutes before school starts, and playing on the playground. Parents should be aware that there is no supervision should a child be injured during that time.

Many thanks to both Tyler Martin and Lucas Hamory for volunteering for School Council. They were both elected to serve a two year term as parent representatives on the School Council.

Last year's Student Government representatives met with Mr. Maestas from the Teaching and Learning Alliance to share their thoughts on the developing Strategic Plan. They did a wonderful job highlighting Cole School's strengths (Cole School's teachers and fun learning) and opportunities for improvement (long lunch lines and a desire for the tire swing to be replaced). Stay tuned for information regarding this year's Student Government elections that will come from our advisors, Mrs. Walsh and Mrs. Rowell.

Many thanks to the Norwell Education Foundation for funding a grant request for Cole School that included the purchase of 6 copies of Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. These books are available in the Cole School office and can be borrowed by adults that would like to read it before the Book Discussion Group being held on November 7th at 7pm. In addition to the books, the NEF funded the purchase of Big Blue Blocks for the playground. The blocks will encourage imaginative play during recess, provides another play option for students, and should require minimal adult supervision which is a one of the goals discussed in the Anxious Generation (no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone free schools, and far more unsupervised play and childhood independence).

Norwell CARES Day was a great success today and brought an air of excitement and energy to Cole School. The sophomores completed a few projects around the building including mulching, and we are so appreciative for their efforts. The juniors joined classrooms and interacted with students throughout the day. The younger juniors loved having the "big kids" join them for the day! A huge thank you to Mrs. Benway and others on the beautification committee on the PTO for organizing the tools and mulch for the outdoor projects. Many thanks to the staff at Cole School for welcoming the juniors back and planning for their presence to make it a meaningful day for everyone.

Next Wednesday is the first Elementary Early Release Day. All students are dismissed at 12:20pm. We have the PTO Stay and Play that day so if your child is attending, please register them to attend using this form. The PTO Book Fair will also be taking place in the main hallway of Cole School. If there is any other change to your child's dismissal on that day, please send the office and your child's teacher an email.

It's time for the 2025-26 preschool lottery. We are opening the preschool lottery on Tuesday, 10/1. All submissions must be in by Friday, January 17, 2025. The lottery will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Families will have until February 14th to secure their preschool spot. Here is the link to the form on our website: NPS Preschool Lottery. The link will be live on Tuesday, October 1st.

Please consider joining us for this Parent Book Discussion Group. We highly encourage parents of children in PreK-2 to participate and attend before children get to grades 3-5 when many get their first device at home. All are welcome! Many thanks to Norwell Education Foundation for purchasing six copies of the book for families to borrow. Please let me know if you are interested in borrowing a copy.

It is clear that Magnificent Meerkats has been a welcome addition to Cole School's weekly routines. Students look forward to the announcement of the nominated student names, and we've heard that it is one of the first things shared with parents at home! Congratulations to this week's Magnificent Meerkats! These students were all nominated for consistently showing expected behaviors at Cole School! Here are some of the reasons shared in this week's nominations:

• She has demonstrated consistent Magnificent Meerkat qualities since the first day of school. She is a fabulous listener, expert shoe tier helper and amazing friend to all. Fairness and kindness are important qualities to her as they are part of her everyday nature in class. She has rocked second grade since Day 1!
  
• He makes sure all my games are put away and organized every day after lunch, even when he has not used them. Also, I can always count on him to participate in SEL lessons. He is so responsible and considerate!
  
• She has been an exceptional listener in class and is really showing what it means to be in third grade! She's been working hard in writing and math and is always following along and going above and beyond the classroom expectations.
  

This week, we continued learning and practicing respect in SEL time. We worked on giving personal space in kindergarten, showing self-respect in grades 1 and 3, and respectfully listening and paying close attention to others in grades 2, 4, and 5. You can always look here for lesson info and at-home extension activities.

Soon, teachers, academic coordinators, and counseling staff will be compiling the fall academic and social-emotional screener data to create intervention groups. We will reach out to you if we feel your child could benefit from a social-emotional group. Past groups have focused on anxiety management, self-control, and social skills, for example. I would also like to create a divorce/separation support group at school for students experiencing this in their families. We would meet monthly to build community and to learn and practice coping strategies. Please let me know if you'd be interested in including your child(ren). I can be reached at anne.walsh@norwellschools.org.

The health office is running low on extra pants and underwear for students. Students often come to the health office with accidents, spills, or getting wet out at recess.Thank you to those families that send those extra clothes back into the health office. If you are cleaning out your child’s wardrobe, please consider donating any pants to the heath office that they might have outgrown, we are specifically in need of smaller boys sizes (shorts and sweatpants). We will also gladly accept any NEW packs of socks and underwear.

I also wanted to share the latest Covid/Respiratory Virus Guidelines for Massachusetts Schools. They are as follows:

If you have new symptoms of a respiratory virus, such as a fever, sore throat, cough or a runny or stuffy nose, you should stay home and stay away from others in your household.

When you start to feel better:

You may begin to resume normal activities with precautions if:

1. You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicines; AND

2. Your other symptoms are improving

You may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better.

For at least the first 5 days after you resume normal activities, take these extra precautions:

• Avoid crowded indoor spaces. Wear a mask anytime you are indoors around other people

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

• Avoid spending time with people who are at increased risk for severe disease

Kindergarteners continue to work on dynamic movements with spatial awareness and self control as the objective. They also practiced tossing and catching underhand while working with a partner.

Grades 1-5 started their Throwing and Catching Unit! Grades 1 & 2 were throwing and catching with partners using either a bean bag, foam, fleece or wiffle ball. Grades 3-5 warmed up with a throwing, catching, and running game called Pickle. Overhand throws for distance, underhand tosses when closer and lead passes were all done with partners and larger groups. All classes finished with a keep away game with defenders.

September

September 29 - Cole/Vinal PTO Parents Kickball Game

September 30 - Gr. 3 Field Trip (Thank you, PTO!)

September 30 - Gr. 5 Enrichment at Cole (Thank you, PTO!)

October

October 1 - Book Fair at Cole School (PTO and Buttonwood Books) 3:30-7:00pm

October 2 - Elementary Early Release - 12:20 dismissal for all students

October 2 - PTO Stay and Play

October 2 - Book Fair at Cole School (PTO and Buttonwood Books) 1:00-7:00pm

October 3 - Book Fair at Cole School (PTO and Buttonwood Books) 3:30-7:00pm

October 3 - Preschool Field Trip (Thank you, PTO!)

October 7 - Gr. 4 Field Trip (Thank you, PTO!)

October 7 - Connections Meeting

October 14 - No School

October 16 - School Council Meeting

October 20 - PTO Boo Dash

October 21 - Community Meeting 2:30pm

October 24 - Early Release - Parent Conferences - 12:20 dismissal for all students

October 31 - Early Release - 12:20 dismissal for all students

November 12 - Picture Retake Day

The PTO is excited for our first fall STAY & PLAY! Please join us at the Cole School playground on Wednesday 10/2 for some early release day fun outside! Dance, play games, & win prizes with the amazing DJ Veronica! Be sure to browse the book fair going on inside the school lobby, and help raise funds for the Cole PTO by ordering take-out from Papa Gino's/ D'Angelo's! When you mention the Cole PTO at checkout, the restaurant will donate 20% of the proceeds to the PTO!

Please scan the QR code or click the link below for the Dismissal Google Form in order to arrange for your children to be dismissed to you or another parent through the gym exit. This form will close Oct 1st at 10:00 AM.

Please scan the Sign-Up Genius QR code or click the link below to sign up as a volunteer!

Link to Dismissal Google Form

Link to volunteer via Sign-Up Genius

Stay & Plays are a chance for families of all ages to stay after school on the playground and school fields to engage in community activities. This is a great opportunity for parents to meet or mingle alongside their children. These are not drop off events and parents must be present.

These events are also solely put on by parent volunteers, so please check out the Sign-up genius or let us know if you would like to be involved with the planning!

Email sarahstone486@gmail.com with any questions.

For the first time ever, the four parent-led organizations at Norwell High School (NHS PTO, Norwell Arts, Norwell Boosters, and the Norwell Education Foundation) have collaborated for what will be the social event of the year. To be held under the big tent in the parking lot at Tinker’s on Saturday, October 5th from 3 PM to 7 Pm, the first-ever Flannel Fest will feature live music, food trucks and 50/50 raffle. And, of course, lots of flannel! Tickets are $25 per person for this 21+ event. Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the start of Fall, all while supporting the NHS community.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-norwell-flannel-fest-tickets-1008582175437?fbclid=IwY2xjawFNZDtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXurFw095obA1XqsBAV1_5sBPhHK95vR-aVLAGoVHc2HH_UMSeKmc3H2Iw_aem_L8d01iTiwIkL9Dbxf7-PUQ