Green Meadow Weekly Update
November 7, 2024
Contact Us
Principal, Karen Lindquist - klindquist@maynard.k12.ma.us
Assistant Principal, Kate Murray - kmurray@maynard.k12.ma.us
Administrative Assistant- Kathy Sullivan - ksullivan@maynard.k12.ma.us
Administrative Assistant- Nancy Dangelo - ndangelo@maynard.k12.ma.us
School Nurse, Maria Bourgeois - mbourgeois@maynard.k12.ma.us
Main Office Line - (978) 897-8246
Absentee Phone Line - (978)897-0310
School Hours
Regular School Hours
Grades K- 3: 8:30 AM – 2:50 PM
Preschool: 8:40 AM - 2:40 PM (full day)
8:40 AM - 11:10 AM (morning program)
12:10 - 2:40 PM (afternoon program)
Early Release Hours
Grades K- 3: 8:30 AM – 11:45 AM
Preschool: No school on Early Release days
Important Dates
11/8 - Green Meadow Veteran's Day Breakfast
11/11 - No School, Veterans Day
11/20 - Picture Retake Day
11/27-11/29 - No School, Thanksgiving Break
12/13 - Winter Concert for Grades 1-3, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
12/16 - 12/20 - Grade 2 Hour of Code Week
4/8 - 4/9 - Grade 3 ELA MCAS testing
5/6 - 5/7 - Grade 3 Math MCAS testing
Veterans Day at Green Meadow
We had a wonderful event this morning thanks to our honored guests, our PTO, and our staff. Special thanks to our music teacher, Natalie Wong, for preparing Grade 3 students to sing in front of our guests.
Toys, Trinkets, and Pokemon Cards - Oh my!
Recently we have seen an uptick in students bringing items from home to school. These items are always special to students and we understand their desire to bring them along. That said, they often become a distraction for both the owner and the admirers. These items can easily be confused with other student's or get lost. As a staff, we always feel terrible when this happens.
We ask that families work with their children to keep items such as Pokemon Cards, other trading cards, action figures, other toys, and trinkets at home. An exception to this rule would be the days when a class earns the privilege of bringing a stuffed animal to school or something similar. Thanks in advance for your support!
From the School Nurse
As we work together to ensure our students are healthy, energized, and ready to learn, we would like to remind everyone of the importance of packing nutritious foods for school. A balanced diet plays a key role in helping children concentrate, perform well academically, and maintain their overall well-being.
Here are a few simple guidelines for packing healthy snacks and lunches:
1. Include a Variety of Food Groups
- Fruits and Vegetables: Try to pack at least one serving of fruit and one of vegetables. Fresh, whole fruits like apples, bananas, or grapes are great choices. Baby carrots, cucumber slices, or cherry tomatoes are easy, healthy snack options.
- Protein: Include sources of lean protein like turkey or chicken slices, hummus, or yogurt. Protein helps sustain energy levels throughout the day.
- Whole Grains: Choose whole grain bread, wraps, or crackers. These provide fiber and help keep kids full longer
- Healthy Fats: Nut butters (such as almond or peanut butter) and avocado are excellent sources of healthy fats that support brain function.
2. Limit Sugary Snacks and Drinks
- Avoid packing sugary snacks like candy, cookies, or sugary drinks. Opt for water or milk as drinks, and consider natural snacks like fruit, yogurt, or granola bars.
3. Portion Control
- Keep portion sizes age-appropriate. Smaller, more frequent snacks are better than large amounts of food that might go uneaten. This will also help children avoid feeling overwhelmed or distracted by food during the school day.
4. Involve Your Child
- Encourage your child to help choose and prepare their meals and snacks. This fosters healthy habits and gives them a sense of ownership over their choices.
By providing your child with nutritious, well-balanced meals, you’re setting them up for success both in the classroom and in life. Thank you for your continued support in promoting a healthy school environment!
Grade 2 Hour of Code Parent/Caregiver Visits
The “Hour of Code” event takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. It is held annually, typically in December, in recognition of the birthday (December 9, 1906) of Computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper. This year it will take place at GMS on December 16-20th. The program was designed to celebrate coding and raise awareness. It was intended to be a quick way to show that anybody can learn the basics of coding and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. Today it’s become a global movement, participating in 180 countries and 45 languages.
Green Meadow Grade 2 Parents and Caregivers are invited to attend a Computer Science class with their student. A Google form sign-up will be available to families through email.
The following is a schedule for Grade 2 classes:
Monday, Dec 16th Mrs. Jones (9:15-10:00)
Tuesday, Dec 17th Ms. LeBlanc (9:15-10:00)
Wednesday, Dec 18th Sra. Taveras (9:15-10:00)
Thursday, Dec 19th Mrs. Holly (9:15-10:00)
Friday, Dec 20th Ms. Norcross (9:15-10:00)
Counselor's Corner
Green Meadow Building Project Update
For more information about our new school building project, please visit:
https://www.maynard.k12.ma.us/o/green-meadow-school/page/gm-building-project-information
We continue to meet and work through the MSBA design development process. We recently held a hybrid meeting to share where we are in the process.
Green Meadow Food Services Menu
Click on the link to read the lastest school lunch menu options: https://www.fdmealplanner.com/
PTO Updates
Calling All New Families - Check out our PTO website and join our email list to stay on top of news and events. We can't wait for you to get involved!
https://greenmeadowpto.membershiptoolkit.com/
The next PTO meeting will be virtual on Tuesday, October 8, at 7:00. Please see the PTO website for the meeting link.
Veterans Day Gratitude Parade
The Green Meadow PTO and students would like to invite veterans to join us on Friday, November 8, at 10:00, at Green Meadow for a special thank you and refreshments. Please RSVP to liz@gmpto.org.
District Resources
SEPAC Presents
Come join us for a virtual Special Education Team Meet and Greet and learn about the new IEP format November 21, at 6 PM. Link: https://meet.google.com/yyk-kmwq-naa
MHS Play - When Bad Things Happen to Good Actors
Save the date! MHS Play Nov 21st & 22nd
Fun for the whole family! Follow us down the yellow brick road to the Maynard High School auditorium to see the one-act play When Bad Things Happen To Good Actors by Ian McWeathy and Jason Pizzarello, Thursday, November 21st and Friday, November 22nd at 7pm. We hope to see you there! Next week, we will share a link to purchase tickets. Sign up on this Google sheet to receive a personal notification as soon as tickets go on sale.
MHS Student Global Goods Collection
Maynard High School junior Katie Truch in coordination with Global Goods a local nonprofit, is
working on a community service project to raise money for global schools in Guatemala and
Indonesia. She is organizing a fundraiser with Epilepsy Foundation to collect clothing and
household fabrics. There will be a drop off day on Saturday, November 16, from 9-12 and on-
going drop off at MHS from November 4 -22, school hours. Please support Katie with this
worthwhile project and help students from underserved areas gain education.
Community Resources
Community Food Pantries
The Open Table Food Pantry (www.opentable.org; 33 Main St, Maynard) is open on Tuesdays, 3:30 - 6:30 PM and Thursdays, 1 - 4:30 PM and offers free bags of groceries 1x/week. Open Table also allows families to pick up frozen meals for family members weekly.
The Maynard Food Pantry (www.maynardfoodpantry.com; 82 Main St., Maynard) is open on Mondays from 10 AM - 12 noon 1-2x/month
Maynard Food Pantry Backpack Program
The Maynard Food Pantry offers a weekly Backpack Program for all students in PreK-Grade 5 that aims to offer food assistance to families. Each backpack is filled with nutritious, non-perishable food at no cost. Forms were sent home to families in backpacks last week. If you need a form, they are available in the Green Meadow main office. You can also request one by emailing Kate Murray at kmurray@maynard.k12.ma.us.
Maynard Advantage
Interested in learning more about the Maynard community and the many wonderful things happening around town? Check out the monthly Maynard Advantage Newsletters by subscribing at maynardadvantage.org