Noble News February '25 | Volume 5

February 6: School Board Meeting

February 17-21: President's Day and February Break- No School

February 5, 12, 26 are Late Start/ Early Release Days

Greetings,

As we step into the heart of winter, we hope this correspondence finds you well.

While we are in the midst of the cold and flu season, it is important to highlight one of the most crucial factors in student success - consistent school attendance. Research has shown that students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform better academically, build stronger relationships with their peers and teachers, and develop a better overall sense of responsibility.

We encourage all families to help make school attendance a priority. A strong foundation starts with showing up every day, ready to learn and grow. If there are challenges that make consistent attendance difficult, please reach out to your student’s school for some additional support. Let’s work together to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed by being present, engaged, and excited to learn each day!

February has long been designated as "I Love to Read" Month! Reading is the gateway to learning, imagination, and lifelong curiosity. Throughout the district, we don’t just celebrate “I Love to Read” month in February but it serves as a great reminder to continue to encourage and challenge our students to explore new books, genres, and authors all with the intention to foster the love of reading for everyone every single day.

We recognize that daily life gets so busy, but we encourage families to read together whenever time allows - yes even for your older student. This provides an opportunity to discuss stories and share different “takes or perspectives” on what is read. Please visit: https://www.storylineonline.net or Literacy Tips for Parents of Adolescents as two further resources.

Switching gears a bit: We are incredibly fortunate to have such supportive local businesses and employers who partner with our schools to provide real-world learning experiences, internships, and career opportunities for our students. On January 22, 2025 Noble High School hosted a Community Employer Appreciation Breakfast to not only recognize and thank these dedicated employers for their contributions but also come together to reflect on how schools can best support student skills as they look to the plethora of opportunities in our local communities.

This event brings to attention the important role our community plays in shaping the future of our students. We look forward to celebrating these partnerships and continuing to work together to prepare our students for success in their community and workforce.

Speaking of opportunities, each year there are a variety of academic and enrichment offerings open to community members through Noble Adult and Community Education (NACE). Programs are designed to meet the varied needs of all learners. Brochures are distributed throughout the year, but you can also find class offerings on the Noble Adult and Community Education Website. We encourage all members of our community to explore these opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Enjoy the following pages that serve to highlight a sampling of activities occurring throughout MSAD #60.

Regards,

Audra Beauvais

Could you tell us about your journey to becoming a School Nutrition Director and what drew you to our district?

I have been in love with food ever since a young age. Growing up in a Mexican household, you are taught two things: family and food, and that has always stuck with me! By the age of 20, I decided to dedicate my life to food and attend a French culinary school and became a professional chef. I have worked in the restaurant industry since then and now own three restaurants on the seacoast that I am very proud of. For the last 7 years, I have worked very closely with the Kittery School District, where my kids attend, helping rewrite USDA recipes in hopes that we could introduce more local products and from-scratch cooking. I have a passion for my community and building better humans, and what better way to do that than in our school system - that's what drew me to this opportunity! I was at a good point to transition from my restaurant kitchens to school kitchens.

What are your thoughts on balancing nutritional requirements with creating meals that students will actually enjoy eating?

We are able to do so much in our program. We just have to continuously introduce new things so our kids can get used to a new way of thinking about food, through different vegetables, proteins, spices, and cooking methods.

What role do you see local agriculture and food suppliers playing in our school meal program?

It takes a community in anything you do of this size, and that's exactly what I intend to do. I am already adding local farms onto our weekly delivery schedules so we can improve our product and try new recipes for the kids to see.

What's your favorite memory of school lunch from when you were a student?

Growing up in Southern California, we had so many ethnic cuisine options at school lunch, and it made me be open to trying new things and shaped my palate for the better as I grew up. I am so thankful for that. I intend to embrace our rich diverse communities here for different recipes.

Is there anything else you'd like our community to know about you or your approach to school nutrition?

I am very open to introducing new things for our kids. I strongly believe that the days of the kids' menu/table should be gone, and we should seek out how food could change us for the better in so many ways.

Please remember to send your child to school with:

• Warm coat
• Hat
• Mittens/gloves
• Snow boots and snow pants (when there's snow)

If your child isn't feeling well:

• Check for fever before giving fever reducers (Tylenol/Advil)
• Keep children home if they have:
  • Fever of 100.4° or higher
  • Vomiting
  • Recurring diarrhea

Students may return to school after 24 hours symptom-free without fever-reducing medications.

Thank you for helping keep our school community healthy!

The Monthly Math Moment web series has spent the last three episodes providing a brief overview of different types of drawings students and teachers use in math class. In this final episode on modelling mathematics, we’ll explore two related models frequently used to teach multiplication and division: arrays and area models. For families with children grades three and up, this is a must see introduction to two powerful tools.

Parent/Family Webinar #1: Eureka Math Squared Curriculum Overview

Parent/Family Webinar #2: Addition Strategies (K-5)

What an incredible weekend hosting the 2025 MMEA District 1 High School Music Festival at Noble High School! Nearly 400 talented musicians from 19 schools, including 39 of our own Noble students, came together to create beautiful music across four ensembles.

Special thanks to:

• Our amazing parent and student volunteers who handled concessions, stage crew, tickets, and donations
• South Berwick Dunkin' for providing coffee and donuts for our teachers
• Ms. Peard and Dr. Giddings for their outstanding behind-the-scenes coordination

We're so proud of all our Noble musicians!

Congratulations to Mrs. West's class at NBES! Their outstanding demonstration of caring for others earned them the most Bear Core Value points for Empathy - and an amazing reward: a reptile petting zoo experience! 🐢

This special recognition highlights our commitment to PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports) and celebrates students who show what it means to "Be the Best Bear You Can Be!"

Two Toad Farm's Jordan, our friend, local farmer, and MSAD 60 Class of '95 alumnus, brought us these beautiful radishes that were featured in our school veggie bars! We are always grateful for our local partnerships.

Knowlton is competing in READBowl, a global reading competition where schools worldwide race to log the most reading minutes. The winning team could earn a visit from Super Bowl champion turned children's author Malcolm Mitchell! The competition runs from January's College Football Championship week through Super Bowl Sunday, when the World Champions of Reading will be crowned.

Our 4th and 5th graders can't get enough reading - even during lunch! One lunchtime storytime featured Malcolm Mitchell's "The Magician's Hat," which was such a hit they begged for a second book! 📚

And talk about crushing our READBowl goals! Our amazing Knowlton readers more than doubled their reading minutes: Week 1: 57,431 minutes Week 2: 108,426 minutes 🎉

Students from across the region showcased their engineering prowess at Noble High School's robotics competition, where middle and high school teams program their custom-built robots to tackle challenges. The event fostered collaboration as young innovators shared ideas and explored cutting-edge technology.

Noble's 7th & 8th grade basketball players took on their teachers in an exciting showdown of skill, spirit, and bragging rights! The NMS Staff vs. Students game was a blast for everyone on and off the court! 🏀🎉

Our Lebanon 2nd graders are germ-fighting experts thanks to Nurse Megan's interactive handwashing lessons! Students participated in an exciting experiment using special light to reveal "fake germs" on their hands, then practiced proper washing techniques to remove them.

Remember these essential handwashing tips:

• Wash with soap and water for 20 seconds (sing "Happy Birthday" or the "ABCs")
• Always wash before eating and after using the bathroom

While hand sanitizer is helpful, nothing beats good old-fashioned handwashing for keeping those germs away!

Noble High School hosted its 2nd annual Community Employer Breakfast, bringing together local businesses and education leaders to strengthen student career pathways. Employers shared valuable insights about workforce needs while exploring opportunities for job shadows and internships with our ACCESS and Multiple Pathways programs. These meaningful connections help ensure our high school students gain real-world experience and build relationships that can shape their future careers. Thank you to all our community partners for investing in the next generation of talent!

Hussey students kicked off the new year spreading kindness throughout the school, filling the cafeteria with beautiful music during Chorus Club's lunchtime performance, and earning a school-wide dance party for their amazing behavior. The Hussey HERO spirit is shining brighter than ever in 2025!

Thank you to our NHS students who volunteered some of their Knight Time to help test and improve our district website! Your feedback will help make our online resources more user-friendly for everyone in our community.