MHS/WES Newsletter

As you have heard from Dr. Stewart, we will have school from April 18th - April 21st, with a half day on Friday the 21st. To help us prepare for that week, we need to know if your child(ren) will be in school for those days. Please complete the form below (if you have not done so already) to help us best prepare for this unique week. All absences will be considered excused regardless of the reason. If you have more than one child at MHS/WES , please complete the form again using the Submit Another Response link on the completion page. (There is no school on Monday, April 17 for Patriot's Day)

• March 30: Thursday ~ Report Cards Emailed Home for Trimester 2
• April 4: Daughter Dance Decoration Making: 5:30-7:30PM in the WES Lobby
• April 4 & 7: MCAS Grade 3 ELA
• April 6: Thursday ~ 1/2 day of school: Professional Development
• April 13: Thursday ~ District Jazz Band Night
• April 17: Monday ~ No School, Patriot's Day
• April 21: Friday ~ Noon Dismissal
• April 24: Daughter Dance Decoration Making 4:00-7:00PM on the WES Lobby (drop in when you can)
• April 26: Wednesday ~ PTO Meeting @ 6:30 PM, WES Cafeteria
• April 28: Friday Daughter's Choice: You Are My Sunshine Dance- 6:30-8:30 in the WES Cafeteria

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Congratulations to the following students from Ms. Smith’s fifth-grade class at John R. Briggs Elementary School and Ms. Litalien’s fifth-grade class at Westminster Elementary School, for their winning entries in the Harvard Forest Schoolyard Ecology Project’s first-ever photography contest.

Both classes are participating in a year-long study of trees in their respective schoolyards, investigating the question “Is our local growing season changing?”. Students collect data on the timing of life cycle events like color change, leaf drop and bud burst, and then submit that data to scientists at Harvard Forest. Students and scientists will compare data from schools across the country to determine how the length of the growing season is related to climate.

Thank you to the Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence for funding the Chrome tablets students use to collect their weekly data, including photographs.

Kindergarten registration for all Westminster students who will be 5 years old by August 31, 2023 has begun. Registration is now done via our online portal!

• Please be sure to select the 23-24 school year and KF as your student's grade.

Kindergarten Orientation

DATE: Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023,

TIME: 9:30 - 10:30 AM

LOCATION: MHS Cafe/Gym

We are inviting parents/guardians along with their incoming Kindergarteners to attend the orientation. There will be no babysitting available on this date.

Can you believe it was three years ago - when these students were in first grade - that we shut down for the virus? These kids have grown up SO much over the last few years! We are noticing that students are doing a wonderful job adjusting to all the changes, and learning to be flexible as we continue to grow and learn together.

In science, students have been studying plants and recording data. In the fall, we studied a specific plant in the courtyard. When the weather forced us inside, students began to graph their data and analyze their findings. We also learned about the Greenhouse Effect and pollination. We are excited to return to the garden soon and watch the plants grow!

At this point in the year, we are encouraging students to gain more independence and self-help skills. We are also continuing to work on our stamina, especially while writing longer pieces in our English Language Arts blocks. Students are also powering their way through understanding how to find equivalent fractions, as well as know how to compare, add, and subtract fractions. This is a tricky unit, but students have been using a variety of hands-on materials to help them visualize different fractions and see how they relate to decimals. All of these skills will come in handy when we have MCAS in April and May.

Fourth grade students are also trekking across the country as we study the geography and history of the five regions of the United States. This includes learning the differences and similarities between the 5 regions, states and capitals, and specific information about each of the states. If you have any travel stories from the United States, we are sure your child would love to hear about it!

Who’s on First. What’s on Second. I Don’t Know’s on Third. Could these be questions or statements? Students during ELA were introduced to wordplay with the famous Abbott and Costello skit, “Who’s on First?” This prepared them to dive into our next book The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Many of the characters and settings are forms of wordplay. Classes are expanding their vocabulary and writing using wordplay and sensory language to visualize what is being stated.

In Science we have moved away from the solar system and the exploration of space to ecology and the study of food chains and food webs.

It's that time of the year, MCAS Season! Beginning the first week of April, MCAS will start at WES. Fifth Grades will have two sessions of ELA April 12th and 14th. We ask that students are well rested and on time to school those days. Chromebooks need to be fully charged and not forgotten. A light snack would also be helpful. This will allow for the least amount of “Bumps in the Road” for students during testing.

Greetings to all musicians at MHS and WES! March is “Music In Our Schools Month” and there certainly is much to talk about in the general music classroom, and each after school ensemble. Our students have been doing a great job this year and I love seeing them grow with music, which has endless benefits for all!

Grades K and 1 students have been singing and moving to many songs including I Have a Little Snowman, Sky Bears, 2 Famous Men, Cherry Tree, Ram Sam Sam, Down By the Bay, and Boom Chicka Boom. Soon, the 1st graders will be starting to use xylophones.

Grade 2 students will be wrapping up their unit on Boomwhackers which are plastic tubes with pitches, that they learned several patterns, and composed with as well. They will be playing simple songs in small groups. The grade 2 students also did a unit on Beethoven, seeing a movie, and video clips of important pieces of music, including Fur Elise, parts Symphony # 5 and #9, including different performances of Ode To Joy from his 9th symphony.

Grade 3 students have been working real hard to learn the piano! They have learned where the notes are on the piano, and have started with a simple 5 finger-C position, so that they can learn simple songs. Each 3rd grader has a Keyboard Level 1 packet,that they should keep at home. They sit at their own keyboard, and have both group and individual time to learn. A google classroom has been set up for them so that they can learn songs by watching/playing along with videos that I will be adding. It will be a great way to let them have additional time to play music at home if they are lucky enough to have either a piano, a keyboard, or even a piano app on perhaps an Ipad. They also completed a unit on the great pianist, Franz Listz. After watching a movie, they learned about one of Liszt’s compositions called the Hungarian Rhapsody.

Grade 4 and 5 students have been working very hard at learning how to read music notation and play simple songs at the piano keyboards. They each completed a unit on a composer study, including a movie and parts of important video performances of their most famous compositions. Grade 4 learned about Gioachinno Rossini, who made opera funny, and learned about the Barber of Seville, William Tell, and the Cat Duet. Grade 5 students learned about Johann Sebastian Bach, perhaps the greatest composer of all time, who made Toccata and Fugue in D-, Air, the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Cello Suites. They will work with keyboards and play by reading music notation. After that they will start their unit on learning to play the Ukuleles! Both grade levels have google classrooms set up with various videos to help them at home.

B Band: At this time, almost all beginning instrumentalists have spent many months learning material from the method book to prepare them for the next level of playing in A Band. B Band has officially stopped and most kids are in A Band now.

A Band: Students continue to improve at the Thursday rehearsals. They should ALL be using their google classroom which I have made videos of their individual parts so that they can learn/practice along with the videos at home. Speaking of practicing, there is a 500 Minute Club, which means every time they get to 500 minutes at home, they write it down on the paper we provided at the back of the newsletter. Then the parent signs it, and the private instructor signs it, and they are entered into prizes given out at the spring concert. Our first performance for A Band is Wednesday March 29, which is the District Band Concert. The concert showcases the concert bands at each of the AWRSD schools and a few songs where all students play together at the same time. The spring concert is currently scheduled for June 7.

Jazz Band students have been practicing on Wednesdays. Sometimes I add students based on need and ability for some students in A Band to our Jazz Band for students who have progressed to a certain point. Their first performance is scheduled for April 13 which will showcase the concert bands at each of the AWRSD schools and a few songs where all students play together at the same time. A permission slip is coming soon. The spring concert is currently scheduled for June 7.

Chorus students have been practicing on Fridays. They have a google classroom so that they can practice singing along with videos that I have made. They have done well with single part music, which means everyone sings the same part. We will begin to add some more 2 Part singing which is certainly more challenging. Our first performance was on March 22, which was the District Chorus Concert. The concert showcased the chorus from each of the AWRSD schools and a few songs where all students sang together at the same time. That concert is available on the AWCM website. The spring concert is currently scheduled for June 7.

IMPORTANT MUSIC DATES

4/13 Jazz Band -District Jazz Night at ORHS 6:30pm (short rehearsal before concert)

4/26 MHS Grade K/1 -MHS Memorial Day Program 9am

4/26 A Band -WES Memorial Day Program (follows MHS program - @10am)

5/5 WES Celebration Creation Night -Possible Jazz Band performance at 6pm-6:30pm

5/29 A Band -Memorial Day Parade (March/perform at program at Academy Hill)

5/30 Jazz Band -WES Celebration Creation (performance from 6-6:20pm)

6/7 Spring Concert -A Band/Chorus/Jazz Band

-Concert 1 at WES 9am

-Concert 2 at ORHS at 6:30pm

6/9 WES Grandparent Concert - (Spring Concert repeated just for Grandparents!) 9am

6/10 Great East Festival - Grade 4+5 A Band and Jazz Band members only @7am-6pm

PLEASE ALSO NOTE: A complete and detailed schedule of performance dates, times, locations, as well as rehearsal schedules with any date changes was sent out to your child/musician in the February newsletter. Please contact Mrs. Popik or myself if you are not getting any music newsletter/emails. Thank you.

If you are interested in being a volunteer in the Meetinghouse School Library, please fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/s2VnDJQNEBg8kbfW8. Sign-ups with specific dates and times for volunteering will be emailed out at a later date.

Attendance

Regular attendance and punctuality are essential to sequential learning and necessary for satisfactory student progress. The following absences will be excused when the student returns to school with an appropriate note signed by a parent or guardian:

1. Illness (requires doctor’s/nurse’s verification)
2. Bereavement
3. Medical, dental or legal appointments
4. Religious observances

When an absence is unavoidable, the parent/guardian should notify the school by phone prior to 8:30 am on the day of the absence. Between 3:30 pm and 7:20 am you may leave a message on our answering machine. The office phone number at W.E.S. is 874-2043 and at M.H.S. is 874-0163. Additionally, the parent can email the offices at mhsoffice@awrsd.org or wesoffice@awrsd.org .

If the school is not notified before the school day starts, an automated voice message will come from the school first and if we do not receive a response, the school nurse will attempt to contact you. This is done as a safety check to ensure each student’s well being. If no contact is made, a school resource or other police officer will be sent to the home for a well check. In cases of extended absences and/or serious medical problems, it is the policy to provide home tutoring for students who are unable to attend school because of a long-term illness. A doctor’s written request is required. Arrangements may be made through School Administration.

Notes from Parent/Guardians

Written notes from parents/ guardians are required (in addition to excused absences), when your student will be:

1. Picked up by someone other than the parent/ guardian.
2. Dismissed during the school day.
3. Picked up at school rather than taking the bus home, or other similar change in routine.
4. Following a standing appointment one day per week such as Brownies, Boy Scouts, etc. One note at the start of the school year will suffice. If there is any change in the schedule, another note is needed.
5. Given permission to independently ride a bike to school. (Grades 4 – 5 only)
6. Cared for after school by a baby-sitter or family day care provider. Please provide the school with the names and phone numbers of all after-school care providers at the beginning of the school year.

Written notes are essential to insure your child’s safety.

We recognize that parents provide their children with cell phones and smart watches for safety reasons. Therefore, we understand that students may occasionally bring these devices to school.

• Cell phones must remain turned off and stowed away in your child’s bag during the school day, this includes the bus.
• Smart watches must have text and call settings turned off during school hours.

Students are not to call, text, or message their family members or peers during the school day. If students need to reach a family member, they can use one of the phones in the main office. Students may also not photograph or take videos of any staff members or other students in and outside of the building or on the bus. You can help us enforce this policy by not texting your children and calling/answering their calls during the school day.

If a student should bring any electronic device, cell phone, or multi-media device etc. to school, MHS/WES is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.

Cell phones and smartwatches that are being used to make calls, text (family or peers) or play games during the day will be confiscated. Parents will be asked to pick up the device from school.

HEALTH SCREENINGS:

According to Massachusetts general laws, all students are required to have vision, hearing, body mass index (BMI) and postural screenings at certain grade levels in school.

Parents & Guardians may opt out of any screening. Please notify your child's school nurse in writing if this is the case.

The schedule for health screenings is as follows:

• May 4th: 4th Grade Far Vision, Hearing, Height & Weight
• May 5th: 5th Grade Far Vision & Postural
• May 8th: 2nd Grade Near, Far & Stereopsis Vision & Hearing
• May 9th: 3rd Grade Near, Far & Stereopsis Vision & Hearing

If a student does not pass the vision or hearing screening, your child will be rechecked at a later date. If they do not pass the recheck, a referral letter recommending further evaluation by his/her care provider or eye specialist, will be sent home. Please contact your child's physician or health care provider promptly for an evaluation if you are notified that your child has not passed the vision or hearing screening. Early detection and correction may prevent problems in school performance and permanent vision or hearing loss.

All screenings are performed in accordance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regulations.

MEDICATIONS

Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 112, Section 80 B, a licensed nurse must have a medication order from a physician, dentist, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant in order to administer any medication, whether it is a prescription or over the counter medication, as well as written parental consent.

This form can be found on our website HERE

If your child requires medication that is to be administered at school, it must be brought in by a parent or guardian. Medication cannot be sent to or from school in a student’s backpack.

MHS:

I hope everyone is staying warm and able to get out and enjoy some of this snow with your kiddos! I wanted to reach out to let families know that I will be starting a new project with the students of MHS in the upcoming months. Just like us adults and our older students, our littlest learners are sometimes not able to escape the feelings of stress, worry, and sadness that may come with some daily life occurrences. Sometimes these feelings pop up in physical feelings and that is how our littles may communicate that their emotions are off.

My goal is to go into the classrooms, chat about feelings, read a few books, and discuss how it may make our body feel. Then we will talk about relaxing ways to calm ourselves, and then fun ways to cope with these feelings. This is a very light discussion and not aimed to evoke any deep or sad feelings within the classroom. I do, however, always let my students know that if they need to talk about feelings privately, that I am always available.

I will be introducing a fun activity as well, gardening! Each student will be planting a vegetable (either lettuce or snow pea) and a flower (marigold or sunflower). Students will be able to plant, care for, and watch their little plants grow! They then have the opportunity to take them home or we will plant them here at MHS. Gardening/planting has been shown to help children with emotion regulation, learn responsibility, encourage healthy eating habits, relieve stress, and so much more!

I encourage Parents/Guardians to check out the following websites regarding gardening and children and the positive impacts it has on them:

Gardening For Children & Benefits of Gardening For Children

As always please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns

Bridget Hurley RN, BSN

Westminster Elementary School

Bhurley@awrsd.org

P: 978-874-2043 ext 5

F: 978-874-0964

Cassandra Benes RN, BSN

Meetinghouse School

Cbenes@awrsd.org

P: 978-874-0163 ext 304

F: 978-874-0726

General Ashburnham-Westminster Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) membership is open to all AWRSD parents/guardians of children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans and other interested parties. We need volunteers to help plan workshops, staff tables at local school and community events, become future leaders, assist other parents, and plan new activities and projects. Learn more about us and our work on our website https://sites.google.com/view/ashburnham-westminster-sepac. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashwestsepac.

Hello Oakmont Spartan Community!

The Oakmont National Honor Society continues its "Drive into Spring." With the dress drive behind us, we are focusing on recycling electronics. More spring cleaning! NHS is collecting the following items to be converted into cash that we will use to purchase needed technology or to donate to an environmental cause. It all depends on what we are able to raise.

What can be donated? Old cell phones, tablets, ink cartridges, aircards, hotspots, and any related accessories with these (chargers, cases, etc.).

Where can they be donated? Items can be brought to our drive up collection event at Oakmont Regional on Saturday, April 1st from 1-5pm OR they can be dropped in the main offices of Oakmont, Overlook, Meetinghouse, or Westminster Elementary.

When can they be brought in? Saturday, April 1st from 1-5pm at Oakmont Regional or in office through Friday, April 7th.

Question? Contact Mrs. Stefanakos at pstefanakos@awrsd.org.

Thank you for your support as we aim to serve our community and our environment!

The Oakmont NHS

Mrs. Paula Stefanakos

English Teacher

NHS Advisor