11/22/2024

Email: agapp@nmrsd.org
Website: https://www.nmrsd.org/Domain/11
Location: 911 Main Street, Ashby, MA, USA
Phone: 978-743-1005

November has been a month of typing for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students. We use Typing.com which is accessible at home for any students who would like extra practice at home or while using a computer at the library. To log in, they will need to log in using google and sign in with their school accounts and passwords.

2nd grade students have been learning proper posture & proper form as well as becoming more familiar with where the keys are. They have started with their first typing lesson learning the keys J, F, spacebar and the enter key. Students will continue practicing lessons to develop their understanding of proper keyboard form and typing without looking to create a nice basis for 3rd grade.

3rd and 4th grade students have been practicing lessons focused on developing their understanding of the home row keys and venturing out to the top row and bottom row in preparation for a typing test to see what they can do.

1st grade students have continued to practice logging in to their computers using their school accounts with many attempting to log in by memory, which is the ultimate goal. Additionally, students have started to learn about google apps as we are starting to use google slides to make a slideshow.

Kindergarten students have been learning about new websites as they continue to practice their manipulation of a mouse to navigate a screen and game. Additionally, they have learned about how to close out windows/pop-ups, minimize windows, maximize windows, and are starting to learn about tabs.

Kindergarten students are drawing turkeys using lines and shapes to form the body, face and add texture. They are learning about the warm color family. They have been introduced to a new medium for this lesson- oil pastels.

1st grade is beginning an integrated lesson with the classroom on the sun and moon. They will be applying all their knowledge using lines and shapes to create a picture where ½ is day and the other insight. They are being reintroduced to warm and cool colors.

2nd grade will begin a lesson to review warm and cool colors as well by creating landscape picture using different hues of the warm and cool color family.

3rd grade is learning about the contemporary artist Jeff Koons and his balloon dog. We are learning about the first puppeteer to create the Macy’s Day parade balloons and then creating a scene from the parade with Jeff Koon’s sculpture as the balloon. They are using repetition, scale, line, shapes, highlights and shadows in this lesson.

4th grade is working on a lesson about the proper facial placement of faces by creating a flip book of monsters. They will be drawing 3 different monster faces showing where facial features are drawn in proportion to ones face. Each face needs to line up correctly with each page in order for the flip book to work correctly.

I’d like to inform everyone of a before school-fitness program being offered to all 3rd and 4th graders at both SMS and AES beginning in January 2025 (please see the attached sign-up forms) . This program (known as BOKS) will be capped at 30 students per school so please get your sign-up sheets back to me as soon as possible. In the meantime, If you have any questions related to the program you can reach me at cturner@nmrsd.org. Click this link to learn more about the program and how to sign-up AES BOKS

In grades 3 and 4 we have been working on developing the skills needed for success in the sport of lacrosse. We have worked on passing, catching, throwing and picking up ground balls. Students have also spent a great deal of time at the start of each class learning about cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength exercises and why they are important.

In grades K, 1 and 2 students have been working to improve their catching and throwing skills. We have been specifically focusing on the performance of the overhand throw. Much like the 3rd and 4th grade students, our younger students are also learning about the importance of both cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and muscular strength. Students begin each class with a cardiovascular activity, followed by 3 muscular strength exercises, then 4 stretches followed by a cardiovascular based game.

We’ve been busy singing, dancing and exploring all sorts of music in the music room.

In Kindergarten, we are having fun exploring music. We recently danced to the music of Otto Resphigi and Fur Elise by Beethoven, while we talked about how music can be fast or slow, soft or loud, and have all sorts of different feelings. Students have been dancing and moving with the song-game On the Mountain, which as them making their own dances as the class sings. They’ve also been learning a little about improving as we sing The Moose Song and make up our own silly words to it.

In 1st Grade, we have been learning a new combination song and dance called Bow Wow Wow that has us moving around a circles and dancing with new partners every time we sing. We’ve also been learning fun songs like Jane Jane and Pitter Patter, and revisiting old songs like The Moose Song.

In 2nd Grade, we’re starting to practice decoding our musical patterns, putting “Do-Re-Mi” solfege to short sung patterns, and identifying rhythm patterns as well. We’re incorporating these patterns into songs we sing like Ah Poor Bird, Row Row Row, and Pitter Patter. We’ve also just started a new dance called Amasee, which has been a lot of fun.

3rd Graders did a great job earning their white belts and taking the first step toward recorder mastery. We’ve just started learning Gently Sleep, and I hope to start testing for yellow belts after Thanksgiving. Every week, I’m impressed by students’ growth and development as they continue to practice and learn more about the recorder.

In 4th Grade, we’re tackling another challenging dance entitled Troika, which has us spinning and twirling like galloping horses. We’re also learning more about harmony through solfege and working on singing bass lines with melodies. Our latest song for this is Let Us Sing Together, a fun round that gets a whole new layer with a bass line.

Info flyers and money envelopes were sent home with your students this week.

The Kids Holiday Shop day will be December 10th.

Each class will have a time slot to shop.

Click here to Volunteer

AES will receive $1 every time someone purchases a Reusable Community Bag at the Hannaford in Lunenburg in December.

Box Tops Reward - Ms. Walsh's class won a dance party!

Grade 2 students working hard measuring using inches

• Every Tuesday 3rd Grade students will need their Recorders for Music.

• Every Wednesday 4th grade band students will need their instruments.

• Our newsletters can be translated into your language of choice by clicking the "Translate" option located at the top of the newsletter.

• Dismissal changes - Changes to dismissal procedures should be sent in a note to school with your child.

🚨Do Not Pass a Bus in the parking lot when the STOP sign is extended. As soon as the arm is extended - STOP were you are.

🚨If a school bus or a school pupil transport vehicle has its red lights flashing and a stop sign extended, you must come to a complete stop. It is the law.

🚨Parents, please remind your students that the bus expectation is to remain seated with their hands to themselves.

🚨Also, please remember that changes to students' dismissal procedures should be sent with your child to school. If you need to remember to send a note and email the school, make sure it arrives before 2 pm. If a note was not sent into the school, the email must include your child's homeroom teacher, secretary, and principal.

Extended Day Pricing

2024-2025 School District Calendar