Estabrook Buzz

Dear Estabrook Families,

This current stretch of the school year is always a special time for teaching and learning. With few disruptions to the schedule (save for the occasional surprise of a snow day), students are able to dig deep into their learning, and explore the rich curriculum in a largely uninterrupted way, allowing for momentum and depth to define their days. Routines and classroom expectations are now engrained, and students work together as a community to strengthen the social component of their learning together.

As you'll read below, we will be celebrating learning in the coming weeks, including how far we've come this school year, as well as how we are providing families a new way to extend learning at home.

Jeff LaBroad

Principal

SAVE THE DATE!

Jessica Lahey, author of the New York Times bestseller The Gift of Failure comes to Estabrook School on Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m. The lecture and discussion will focus on Lahey's theme's of resilience and intrinsic motivation. More information and how to register will be sent next month.

To learn more about the Estabrook PTO's The Gift of Failure book club for parents, click here.

Estabrook fourth and fifth graders performed their Winter Concert last week. Students learning band and string instruments, as well as fifth grade chorus students shared their work with students and parents. Congratulations to all our students on a job well done, and to our outstanding music education staff for their work.

Cheer on our team one more time. Tomorrow, Friday, January 20, come dressed in your best Patriots gear or wearing your best red and blue. Let's go, Pats!

We reach the midpoint of the year on Wednesday, January 25th! Students are invited to join our staff in dressing to celebrate the day. For instance, you could...

• Wear half day clothes and half pajamas
  
• Wear hair half up and half down
  
• Wear half dress clothes and half sports clothes
  
• Wear half of one pair of shoes and half of another pair
  
• Wear half winter clothes and half summer clothes

In addition, classrooms will mark the day in various fun ways. Families are encouraged to think of how they might celebrate the day (sending snack cut in halves, or driving halfway and walking half way to school, for instance).

Midyear report cards will be released to parents on Friday, January 27. Parents will access report cards using the Aspen Parent Portal. If you do not have access, contact the Parent Portal HelpDesk at parentportal@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us.

Estabrook School is pleased to share with you the upcoming release of our new At Home Learning Calendars. Beginning February and continuing each month, students will bring home a grade-specific calendar featuring a menu of ideas families can use to extend their learning beyond the school day, all developed by your child's teachers. Look for the first calendar in yellow folders at the end of the month.

Lexington Public Schools recently introduced a comprehensive counseling curriculum for all students in grades K-12. As part of this program, our school counselor, Matthew Willis, has visited each Estabrook classroom for a total of 80 formal visits so far this year. At least two sessions per classroom included the delivery of Lexington Counseling Lessons designed to meet the developmental needs of students in each grade level. Our students learned about:

• Kindergarten: Identifying Feelings
• Grade 1: Coping with Feelings
• Grade 2: Empathy & Group Work
• Grade 3: Healthy Friendships
• Grade 4: Stress Reduction & the Brain
• Grade 5: Problem-Solving Skills

Join other parents and guardians to hear more about this new curriculum and other ongoing support of social-emotional needs at the next Principal’s Coffee on Wednesday, February 8 at 8:45 a.m. Members of the school’s Mental Health team will join us to share information about their work and answer your questions.

Estabrook is happy to welcome KELLI THON to our team. Ms. Thon will serve as our Occupational Therapist while Ashley Remis is on maternity leave. Ms. Thon is a recent Boston transplant, coming to us from Upstate New York. She has worked with students at the early childhood and elementary levels in a variety of settings for the past six-plus years. Please join us in welcoming Kelli to Estabrook!

This Friday we bid farewell to Estabrook SSP BECCA NEWHOUSE, who leaves Estabrook as she assumes the position of Assistant Director of Lextended Day at Hastings School. We wish Ms. Newhouse the best in her new role, and thank her for her many contributions to Estabrook School.

from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Czajkowski

This week, Bridge Elementary School had an outbreak of what is being considered Norovirus. Although we have not received a positive diagnosis yet, the symptoms suggest that Norovirus is what has affected the children.

The Lexington Town Health Department has asked that the attached flyers be distributed to all Lexington School families.

In order to further reduce the likelihood that more students and staff become ill, and out of an abundance of caution, please keep your child home if s/he is experiencing signs or symptoms of Norovirus. If your child has had a fever or vomited, please keep your child home until s/he is feeling well enough to return and fully participate in school.

I am in close communication with the schools and Department of Public Facilities. We are taking the necessary precautions in all schools to keep our students and staff healthy and safe.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS.

Click here for the complete Estabrook School Calendar

Click here for the complete 2016-2017 Academic Calendar

PATRIOTS SPIRIT DAY | Friday, January 20

Show your support for our team by wearing your Patriots gear or dressing in red and blue!

PTO FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT | Friday, January 20, 6:30 p.m.

Pizza is served at 6:15 p.m. Visit estabrookpto.org for more information.

SCHOOL COUNCIL | Monday, January 23, 3:45 p.m.

PTO GRADES 2-3 FAMILY MATH NIGHT | Tuesday, January 24, 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Estabrook Cafeteria (Snow Date: January 31)

HALFWAY DAY | Wednesday, January 25

The official halfway point of the school year!

GRADE 3 LSO FIELD TRIP | Thursday, January 26

REPORT CARDS DISTRIBUTED | Friday, January 27

METCO FAMILY FRIENDS | Thursday, February 2

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL DAY | Wednesday, February 8

PRINCIPAL COFFEE | Wednesday, February 8, 8:45-9:30 a.m.

Estabrook School Literacy Center

Estabrook Buzz is the parent and family newsletter of Estabrook School, published regularly and distributed to families via email and shared at estabrook.lexingtonma.org

Website: estabrook.lexingtonma.org
Location: 117 Grove Street, Lexington, MA, United States
Phone: 781-861-2520