Elm Hill School
February 2025
Hello Parents
It looks like winter snow finally arrived in February. The students have been enjoying themselves outside sliding and playing in the snow. Such a great way to spend recess. Recently we received a large donation of outdoor equipment from our partners at the Department for Children and Families and that bolstered options for outdoor fun.
We have finished our second iReady Diagnostic for literacy and math and are excited to begin reviewing data and looking at our student growth. You can expect reports from your child's teacher in the coming weeks with an opportunity to further discuss at upcoming parent/teacher conferences on March 20th & 21st. If you have concerns or questions prior to conference time please don't hesitate to reach out.
March is literacy month and we are excited to jump into our many literacy themed activities. Bulletin boards are being decorated around the building capturing many of the great children's classics and other literacy activities. We have guest readers signed up for our Red Clover event where children will listen to 10 stories and have a passbook that they use to record their story experiences and then later vote for the Red Clover Book winner. We also have a special guest reading coming for one of our All School Meeting events - Ribby from the Keene Swampbats will be stopping by to share a story.
Thank you for your continued support! We look forward to another great month here at Elm Hill School!
Best,
Rachel
We have had a great time learning about friendship and celebrated it by having a friendship party on Valentine’s day. Earlier in that week we also celebrated the 100th day of school with a variety of STEM activities. Our class also drew a picture of what they felt they would look like when they were 100 years old and what they would do. Some of our students wrote:
When I am 100 years old, I will drink peppermint tea.
When I am 100 years old, I will teach ballerina class
When I am 100 years old, I will drink coffee
When I am 100 years old, I will get a pair of glasses and eat carrots and ranch
When I am 100 years old, I will have a garden
When I am 100 years old, I will watch the news
When I am 100 years old, I will touch the ceiling
Some of our upcoming events in March include a visit from VINS in which we will discover how force and motion work through a variety of engaging activities; Red Clover day, where our students will get to listen to several amazing Red Clover books read aloud, and a visit from Compass readers. Our class will also learn about sugaring and make our own maple syrup!
As always, thank you for all of your support on our learning adventures!
Warmest wishes,
Courtney
The past few weeks we have been reading, How Full is your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer. The bucket is a metaphor for your feeling of well-being. Every interaction either fills your bucket or drains it. This includes the buckets of our pets! You also have a emotional dipper you use to add to or take away from other people's sense of joy and security – their buckets. The choice, the authors explain, is yours. Our students are learning tools to help fill their peers buckets and fill their own bucket. We had 2 second grade students go into Kindergarten classrooms and demonstrated acts of kindness.
Mrs. Wubbenhorst is starting an American Indian Dance Club after school Tuesdays 3:15-4:15. Students will learn how to perform contemporary American Indian dance, and the girls will make their own dance shawls and have an opportunity to showcase their dance at the May 31st Ko’asek Abenaki powwow in Alstead, N.H. Space is limited and supplies will be supplied by Mrs. W. The club will begin March 11.
Happy February! ❤️
There are several special health observances to mention this month:
February is Dental Health Month 🦷🪥: Here are several tips to promote a happy, healthy smile:
----Brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least 2 times/day for 2 minutes;
----Floss your teeth at least once each day;
----Snack on fruits and veggies/ try to keep sugary snacks to a minimum;
----Choose water as your beverage alternative instead of sugary drinks;
----Visit the dentist every 6 months
**If you are looking for a dental home for your child and would like some help, please call me at the Health Office at 802-885-5314 or send an email to mchristman@ssdvt.org.
Hoping that students are practicing good dental habits with their new toothbrushes that were sent home prior to Winter Break😁
February is also American Heart 💝 Month: Heart (Cardiovascular) disease isn’t happening to just adults any longer. It is the second leading cause of death in Vermont. Risk factors include High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Smoking, Obesity, Diabetes, Inactivity, and an Unhealthy Diet. See https://www.livetothebeat.org/ to learn how to take small steps towards having a healthier heart. If you would like to take an American Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED Certification course, see https://www.redcross.org/local/vermont/take-a-class/cpr-springfield-vt.
International Epilepsy Day is February 14th: Epilepsy is a neurological disease which causes someone to have recurrent seizures. One in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime. See https://www.epilepsy.com/ to learn more about this disease and also how to help someone who is having a seizure by learning seizure first aid.
Read on for some other health news……
Elm Hill Students Learned About Germs and Ways to Prevent their Spread : During All-School Meeting on 2/12, Nurse Mary led an interactive discussion with students about germs and ways to prevent their spread.
Unfortunately, germs continue to circulate in our district throughout the school year, but especially during the Fall and Winter months. Respiratory illnesses, strep throat, the “stomach bug,” continue to be transmitted at school. Parents/Guardians can help to stop the spread of germs by reinforcing the following habits at home with their student(s):
Wash, Wash, Wash your hands!! 👐 By practicing these five easy steps: lather, scrub, rinse, and dry, your student can help keep their school community and family healthy. See https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/handwashing-family.html to learn more. According to the CDC, 1 in 3 diarrhea-related illnesses and 1 in 5 respiratory related illnesses (flu, colds) can be prevented.
Stay home if you are sick. 🤒
Avoid touching your eyes 👀, nose 👃, and mouth 👄 with unwashed hands.
Cover your nose 👃 and mouth 👄 with a tissue or elbow when you sneeze🤧 or cough.
Thank you, everyone, for helping to keep the Springfield School District healthy!
Get Outside and Play!!: Cheers to families getting outside for some fresh air and exercise 😃 From making snow angels , to taking a walk, making a ⛄, to skiing ⛷️, skating ⛸️, sledding 🛷, and snowboarding 🏂…there are so many ways to enjoy the outdoors during the winter ❄️ months. Sharing some safety tips on how to keep your little ones safe while having outdoor family fun this winter…
Healthy Children Podcast: Check out this informative podcast sponsored by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics). Each episode covers a different health topic and shares information you may find interesting/helpful.
Spare Clothing/Outerwear 🧥 🧤 🧣 : Please continue to send a spare set of clothing to school with your child each day for those “unexpected” accidents. Also, please make sure that your little ones are protected against the cold winter temperatures by wearing a warm winter coat, gloves or mittens, snow pants, and boots to school. Wearing a gaiter may also especially help those students with asthma to breathe more easily outdoors. We have limited clothing in the Health Office, so we may need to call you at home if we cannot accommodate your child. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!
Any Clothing to Share?: The Health Office would appreciate any leggings/pants for girls/boys, sizes 8-10 that are no longer needed at home. Thank you!
Have a fun and memorable February!
With “Warm” Regards,
Nurse Mary
