We kicked off the week with the first Community Meeting of the year. 4th graders hosted the meeting and did a wonderful job of reminding us about ways to show respect. Two more grade 2 classes traveled to Magical Moon in Marshfield for a PTO sponsored field trip that reinforced the social studies unit on citizenship. The Congress of Councils (School Council from each school) met on Tuesday night to begin the school budgeting process. We also had an Early Release Day on Thursday for parent/teacher conferences and were treated to a delicious Soup Day luncheon by the PTO. Thank you so much for taking such good care of us during this very busy time of year! We ended the week with Norwell Spirit Day to kick off Homecoming Weekend. So many students came dressed in their Norwell gear and looked fantastic!

As a reminder, if you are dropping off or picking up your child in the car line, do not get out of the car. Please park in parking lot if your child needs any assistance with getting into or out of the car. The back door closes at 8:55 SHARP. If you arrive after that time, you must drive your child to the front of the building to get a tardy slip. Please do not leave children at the back door when the doors are closed as they are not monitored by staff after 8:55am.

October 31st is Halloween and an Early Release Day. All students will be dismissed at 12:20. At Cole School, we celebrate Halloween with Wacky Day where anything goes (no masks and no weapons). Students can dress in all or part of their costume, wear wild patterns/colors, put all of their clothes on backwards, or dress in any way their imagination takes them!

As a point of information, I share very few pictures in the weekly newsletter as they are smaller and not as many can be posted. In addition, the newsletter is archived on the website and anyone can access it. Therefore, I post many pictures on the Cole PTO facebook page that members must join to access. It is an extra way to communicate, and it is not necessary to have a social media account to keep up with the school news. Important school news is shared in the newsletter or sent by email.

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.

These Magnificent Meerkats are shining brightly! Look at those smiles - so proud of being nominated as this week's Magnificent Meerkats!

This week, we wrapped up the Respect unit with a review of what we've learned, and a chance to practice respectful teamwork with two challenges. Grades K and 1 crossed over a pool noodle "fence" as a class without letting go of each others' hands, and grades 2-5 worked to flip over a tarp while remaining standing on the tarp the whole time. I saw really impressive teamwork, collaboration, and encouragement of each other! We will start the Caring unit on Monday.

If your child was invited to join a social-emotional group with me and returned a permission slip, we will be starting next week. I have also been hearing from several local therapists about their availability and openings of new practices, so please reach out if you need some names for support outside of school- anne.walsh@norwellschools.org.

Kindergarteners and 1st Graders practice their throwing and catching in a fun game called Guard the Pin. Finished with Bug Tag! Second graders worked on lead passes in a game of Invaders/Defenders. Grades 3-5 continued their fitness testing with push ups and crunches. Mr. Thornton was challenged by Ms. Chin’s 5th grade class to try his best and forget the rest with his own crunches/push ups.

October

October 28 - Grade 4 Field Trip (Thank you, PTO!)

October 28 - Kindergarten Field Trip (Thank you, PTO!)

October 30 - Grade 4 Field Trip (Thank you, PTO!)

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

October 31 - Wacky Day!

Looking Ahead

November 1 - Grade 5 Field Trip (Thank you, PTO!)

Week of November 4 - Student Government Speeches/Elections

November 12 - Picture Retake Day

Please join the NHS Fourth Wall Players for their first show of the season! Guys and Dolls is musical comedy about big city gamblers and the women who love them. It intertwines the tales of high-roller Sky Masterson, who falls for mission worker Sarah Brown, and the charming Nathan Detroit, who has been engaged to Miss Adelaide, a headliner at the Hot Box Club, for 14 years. Nathan is known for running a famous floating crap game, and much of the plot revolves around his search for a safe location for the game while Adelaide persistently tries to convince him to marry her. Meanwhile, Sarah, mistakenly believing that Sky organized an illegal game at the mission, struggles with her growing affection for the charismatic gambler.

Praised by TIME Magazine as “the greatest of all American musicals!” and hailed by The New York Times as “the show that defines Broadway dazzle,” this musical fable of Broadway promises an unforgettable evening at the theatre. Guys and Dolls is rated PG for mild adult humor. Run time is approximately 2 hours 15 mins, which includes an intermission. This is an upbeat musical comedy that everyone can enjoy.