South Elementary Family Newsletter

Dear South Elementary School Families,

We had a great turnout for our annual Student Showcase-thank you all for coming and seeing the great projects on display! As we approach the end of the '24-'25 school year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on all we’ve accomplished together and share my heartfelt gratitude for the strong sense of community that makes South such a special place. It has been a joy to watch our students grow—academically, socially, and emotionally—from the end of last summer until now. From their first steps into the building in August to their confident strides now, our students have blossomed. Whether mastering new math skills, diving into reading, or learning how to be kind and respectful friends, the growth has been holistic and impressive. Our teachers and staff have worked to provide engaging learning experiences, and our students have risen to the challenge with curiosity and perseverance. We are proud of their accomplishments.

We kicked off the end of school celebrations and fun with the Day of Fun today. Students earned this day for showing kindness throughout the school year. It was a huge hit and they got to: pet animals, see huge bubbles, watch a one woman basketball show, race each other in a bouncy house obstacle course, take a yoga class with Mrs. H, have a glow in the dark dance party, and learn about rainforest reptiles. All of this was followed by pizza and ice cream treats from our PTO!! Additionally, K-3 classes had a guest author, Jill Buffington, reading her books featuring "Jubi" to the K-3 classes. Our Day of Fun definitely lived up to its name, bringing joy through special activities, treats, and plenty of smiles. All of the upcoming events help us wrap up the year on a positive note and give students the chance to celebrate their accomplishments and our school community.

None of this would be possible without your ongoing support. Thank you for being our partners in education—helping with homework, volunteering in classrooms, attending conferences, and cheering from the sidelines. Your involvement makes a big difference in your child’s success. A special thank you goes out to our amazing Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)! Their dedication to our school community has been nothing short of outstanding. From organizing events to funding enrichment programs, their hard work and generosity have brought valuable opportunities to our students and staff that would not have been possible without them. We are so grateful for all you do.

With aloha,

We are almost at the Finish Line….The days are getting hotter and longer, but sometimes the Stress continues. Please reach out if you believe you may need any support or resources over the Summer months for either you, your family or your child. Contact info below. Enjoy these Ideas and see you all in the Fall.

BREATHE

Even 5 minutes can change your Life

KIDS

IDEAS for SUMMER PLANS

If your child is having meltdowns at home, try the resource below to

practice coping skills.

At home Breathing and Calming Tools

Great Video on Flexible thinking and strategies.

Flexible thinking Vs Stuck Thinking

We are always here to assist you and your child. Please do not hesitate to reach out. Remember that you MUST take care of yourself as well….. and remember that we are ALL in this together.

For additional Resources and information for Parents or Educators click here: Childmind Institute Resources

Contact me at: Cecilia.Huard@somersetschools.org or Caring Corner Website Created by our Elementary School Counselor for your ongoing support.

• PTO’s June Newsletter

  A Year in Review

  
  
  

  Thursday, June 5th: Papa Gino’s Night 4PM-9PM–This is the last one!

  • 869 GAR Highway, Somerset

  • Walk-in or phone orders: Mention this fundraiser when you place your order for South School to get the credit for your order.

  • Online Orders: Enter Code 19 at the payment screen and click redeem.

  • South School earns 20% of orders!

  
  

  New Board Members for the 2025 PTO School Year

  • Voting was held in May for new board positions.The board will be made up of the following members:

  • President: Sherri Constantino

  • Vice President: Carla Brisson

  • Treasurer: Jim Nasto

  • Secretary: Lauren Couto

  • Event Coordinators:

  • Jessica Andrade

  • Melanie Pereira

  • Rebecca Rocha

  • Jocelyn Silva

  • As we welcome new members to the PTO, we want to acknowledge and thank Connie Wieda for all of her hard work, time, and dedication as a member of the PTO since 2020 and as President since 2021. Connie’s enthusiasm and creativity have created many lasting memories for South School students and staff. Once a Cricket, Always a Cricket!

  
  

  A Year in Review

  • Fun Run:Funds from the Fun Run have been allocated for new playground equipment for South School. A playground subcommittee was formed and has met and planned for the implementation of the new equipment.. A playground equipment has been selected and the subcommittee is currently working on a contract with the company. We will keep families posted!

  • Transportation for all field trips were covered for grades K-5.

  • Staff luncheon

  • Popsicles with the Principal

  • Kindergarten Orientation: Books and t-shirts

  • Trunk or Treat

  • Gingerbread House Decorating

  • Donut Day

  • Staff Breakfast

  • Sweetheart Dance

  • BINGO

  • Scholastic Book Fairs

  • Cricket Mascot Costume

  • Teacher Appreciation Week

  • Pizza and Ice Cream for Day of Fun

  • Del's Lemonade for Field Day

  • End of the Year 5th Grade Events

  
  
  

  Message from Connie Weida:

  As my time as South School PTO President comes to an end, I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to all the South families and staff. Your continued support has helped to create wonderful and lasting memories over the years for the students at South. I will cherish my time and memories at South School and will fondly look back at my time as a Cricket. Thank you, Connie.

  
  

  Contact PTO

  • Follow South Elementary PTO on Facebook for updates and information!

  • somersetsouthelementarypto@gmail.com

It seems like we were just starting the school year… it is hard to believe it is already June!!

In reading, we have been thinking about character traits and character changes. We also spent a lot of time reading about the animal we were researching. Great job on writing these projects.

In our read alouds, we have finished reading simple biographies and we explored the world through nonfiction books by Gail Gibbons. We also read some books related to our Earth. Our last read aloud focuses will be on what makes a community and exploring the genre of fantasy.

In phonics, we wrapped up our unit on vowel-r patterns. We have been learning about silent letters, complex consonants, and soft/hard c/g.

In math, we finished Unit 7 which focused on Measurement, Fractions, and Multi-digit computation. We have begun working on our final math unit! We will be exploring Measurement, Data & Three-Digit Computation with Marble Rolls. In social studies, we have been identifying renewable and nonrenewable resources. In science, we are wrapping our unit on studying the needs of plants. In class, we had been preparing for the Student Showcase by researching an animal, writing about them, and building their habitat! Thank you to all the families for visiting our 2nd Grade Zoo! We will culminate our exploration of animals with our field trip to the zoo on Monday June 2! Thank you to the PTO for helping with this cost.

May has been a busy month filled with learning, testing, and fun .

This month gave us the opportunity to demonstrate our mathematical skills as we worked to our best abilities on the Massachusetts State Assessments. All teachers were so proud of the attention to detail and effort shown by all students.

In Science, we wrapped up our last science unit about the Human Body. We will be ending the year with a science and math integrated unit called “You Own the Zoo”.

In ELA, we continued with narrative writing. We created fantasy pieces and fractured fairy tales. Families enjoyed reading our creative works at this year’s Student Showcase event.

Finally in Social Studies, we continued learning about the regions of the United States, focusing on natural landmarks, capital cities, geographical features, and statehood.

May has been a busy month filled with learning, testing, and fun .

This month gave us the opportunity to demonstrate our mathematical skills as we worked to our best abilities on the Massachusetts State Assessments. All teachers were so proud of the attention to detail and effort shown by all students.

In Science, we wrapped up our last science unit about EcoSystems. We focused on food chains, characteristics of various environments, and living organisms that adapt to their surroundings.

In ELA, we continued with narrative writing. We created fantasy pieces. Families enjoyed reading our creative works at this year’s Student Showcase event. We also created Tall Tale reports that were displayed on this night as well.

Finally in Social Studies, we continued learning about the U.S government and the civil rights movement.