Green Wave Nation

""I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Jan. 20 - No School - MLK, Jr. Day observed
• Jan. 22 - GHS Student Council - Music Bingo GHS Cafeteria 6:00-8:00 pm
• Jan. 23 - Elementary Math Nights at each school 5:00-6:00 pm
• Jan. 25 - Thunderbirds v. Providence Bruins Game - Stick to Reading Celebration 7:05 pm at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield
• Jan. 30 - GMS "Informance" Band Concert Grades 5-7- GMS Auditorium 6:30 pm
• Jan. 30 - Polar Plunge for Special Olympics - GHS Back Lot 1:30-3:30 pm
• Jan. 31 - No School- Teacher In-Service Day

For over two decades Greenfield Community College has been celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. This year’s 26th annual event features a program appropriate for all ages with dance, arts and crafts, education, music, food and a keynote presentation “Advancing our Beloved Community in a Time of Uncertainty” from Dr. Calvin Hill, Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Registration strongly encouraged.

https://www.gcc.mass.edu/events/martin-luther-king-jr-day-celebration/

On Thursday, January 23, 2025, all three elementary schools will host a math night from 5:00-6:00 pm where families and students can enjoy games and activities together. I will begin at Discovery School at Four Corners, head to Federal Street Elementary School, then finish the tour at Newton Elementary School. I look forward to these events each year as they are always so fun and well attended by families.

As always, if any family needs transportation to this event, please reach out to their student's principal by Tuesday, January 21, 2025, and the district will coordinate for you.

The district continues to work with students and families on improving student attendance. We continue to focus our efforts in making each school environment a place where everyone is safe, healthy, and ready to learn. When students miss too many days, the effects are impactful to their learning. Please talk with your student about how important it is for them to come to school. Please reach out to your building principal for any assistance the school can provide as well.

Another week and another wave of rock stars in the Green Wave Nation! Leah, a 6th grader at Greenfield Middle School (below), has taken the initiative to help a student in need. Shout out to Leah for being an excellent example of how kindness matters!

Mr. Luke Martin, History teacher at GHS, teaches a Financial Planning elective course. As their final exam, each student had to present various aspects of their financial plans for early adulthood (banking, budgeting, investing, use of credit, etc.) to a panel of four adults. I was lucky enough to be one of the members who evaluated these presentations and commend these students for the real-world application of their learning. Great job!

Greenfield Public Schools has been awarded an Acceleration Academy grant from DESE. This grant will support the district’s implementation of the Acceleration Academy model, which is designed to provide intensive, standards-aligned instruction to accelerate student learning in a targeted content area.

Key components of the Acceleration Academy model include offering in-person core content instruction during the February or April school vacation weeks, with highly effective educators teaching small classes of 10–12 students.

We anticipate each Academy will provide a minimum of 20 hours of instruction in a single content area, complemented by a daily specials class, ensuring an engaging and focused experience. Instruction builds upon lessons taught during the school year. Resources will also be provided to support student recruitment and attendance, maximizing the impact of these Academies on student success. There would be no cost for families to attend the Academies.

Please take a moment to fill out this Parent/Caregiver survey so we can gauge the level of interest families have in participating in one or both of the vacation Acceleration Academies.

Strategies to Reduce Illnesses

As you may have seen in the news recently, the Norovirus has been making people ill in our area. Often referred to as the “stomach bug” or “stomach flu," this illness is not related to the influenza virus. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus and the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea. It spreads from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or surfaces. Anyone can get it and there is no vaccine for it. Even if you’ve been infected before, it doesn’t protect you from getting it again from a different strain.

There are no specific treatments for norovirus. Antibiotics won’[t help because they fight bacteria, not viruses. Drink plenty of liquids. Sports drinks and other electrolyte-containing liquids can be helpful in preventing dehydration. Norovirus symptoms usually pass in one to three days but an infected person can continue to spread the illness several days after.

Keeping hands clean is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others.

Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands. This helps prevent infections because:

● People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick.

● Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.

● Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, tabletops, or toys, and then transferred to another person's hands.

___________________________________

Melissa Bednarski - District Nurse Leader

Greenfield Public Schools

melbed1@gpsk12.org

For your convenience, please find links to our school handbooks below..