Friday Update
Weekly Update
Hello Foster's Finest,
There are many things to communicate this week. There are many exciting opportunities for some great events for parents and children alike. Please continue to share information about the building project with members outside of the Foster School Community. The test well has been dug to see if the geothermal heating system is an option. There has been no interruption to the students' day while this was taking place.
This is a reminder that next Wednesday is a half day for the district, and no lunch will be served that day. The staff will be working on professional development. Please make sure your child knows their plan for dismissal. Any changes to your child’s regular routine should be communicated to the office. Thank you for your help to make this a successful early release.
One thing I intend to have weekly for the time being is a weekly coffee with the Principal. It may be changed to every other week, but starting out, I am looking to make this a weekly practice. I am planning on Monday, October 17, from 9:00-9:30 in the Presentation Room. I will be sending out a sign-up next week so I get a sense for how many people are coming.
Have a great week,
Mr. Scheufele
PTO Information
Parent Social - Friday Night!
A reminder there is still time to buy your tickets for the Foster School Parent Social Friday - September 30th: 7-10pm @ The Paragon Beer Garden in Hull. Tickets are $50/each. Venmo @Foster-PTO and please put “Parent Social” in the comments. You can also purchase tickets at the door.
Social Media Update
Follow the PTO on Instagram: @Foster_PTO_02043, Facebook: @Foster PTO
Be sure to join our Facebook Group too: Foster PTO News
Bike to School - Thursday, October 6th
Foster School Walk or Bike or Roll to School Day is on Thursday, October 6th. Don’t forget to complete the mandatory permission form.
We will need a minimum of 18 volunteers to make this event happen. You will be cheering, guiding, and helping to park/retrieve bikes & scooters on a day that promises to be a lot of fun. Please sign up here:
Please click here for more information
GREEN TEAM - First Class is Wed. Oct. 5th
The Early Release Green Team classes are back! There are still 15 slots left for the
2022/23 Winter session dates: October 5, November 2, December 7, January 4
Who can register? Any student from K-5
How many students can join the session? There is a maximum of 36 participants
How much does the session cost? There is a cost of $25 per student for the whole session
Registration & Volunteer link:
https://forms.gle/dazmqMu7sZxxQRMh6
Registration is on a first come, first serve basis. Each session will need a min. of 2 parent volunteers. For more information, please click here.
SPIRIT DAY
Foster’s Finest: wear your new colored T-shirts on Friday, Oct. 7th to show your school spirit.
LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
If you’re interested in volunteering 1hr per week (or more) in our library please contact Caitlin Riley @ Caitlin.O.Riley@gmail.com
UPCOMING PTO MEETING - SAVE THE DATE 11/14
Our next General PTO Meeting will be Monday November 14th, 7pm
@ The Range Bar & Grille, 306 Whiting Street, Hingham, MA
Please RSVP to Missy Sadler via text: 508-380-1536 or email: Sadler.Melissa@icloud.com
FOSTER SWAG IS BACK
Please see this flier and place your orders today! Hats, T-Shirts, Long Sleeve T's, Zip up Sweatshirts, Pull over Sweatshirts (2 different designs!) and introducing for the first time ever FLANNEL PANTS! Not sure what to order? We will have a table set up at the Parent Social at the Paragon with a full set of sample sizes in both Adult and Youth for all of the merchandise.
TRUNK OR TREAT IS BACK
Foster Families: dress up in your Halloween costumes & come join us on Friday, October 28th from 3:30-5:30 at The Foster School Parking Lot & Playground. All 21 Foster Classrooms will sponsor a Trunk or Treat Car which will be parked in the parking lot closest to the playground. Each class will have a dedicated parking space number. We need parents to help our Room Parents stock the class cars full of nut free candy and Halloween goodies. There will be a class contest for best decorated trunk or treat car. Dance, play and sing with DJ Cubey who will be set up in the playground area. *This event is rain or shine, nut free, is NOT a drop off event, no dogs please and parking will be limited so please try your best to plan accordingly.* Any questions please contact Missy Sadler @sadler.melissa@icloud.com
Foster Building Update
There appears to be some confusion in the community: the new Foster School is not approved yet. On November 1st, there is a Town Meeting, which will require a 2/3rds vote to put the project on the ballot on Election Day November 8th. Both of these dates are very important, so please mark your calendars! Many people have the impression that this project has been approved. It has not been approved. If you are interested in working with members of the community to help get the word out, please send me an email and I will get you in touch with them.
This link (Building Project Information) will bring you to the information sheets, the dates of the upcoming Open House sessions, and the Foster Tours. Please share this information with family and friends who reside in Hingham. This is a great opportunity for the public to learn more about the project and provide them with the information needed to make informed decisions.
RECESS UPDATE
This past spring it became clear that establishing an aligned elementary schedule was a priority to ensure continuity across sites. This undertaking began with stakeholders throughout the district meeting and providing input relative to their experiences and offering insight into potential changes. With this input in mind, as well as time-on-learning guidelines provided by DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), a schedule framework was developed that reflected not only time-on-learning parameters but also changes to past practices (ex. recess preceding lunch district-wide and the elimination of a second, standalone recess for Grades 3-5).
Our Grades 3-5 classrooms have adjusted to this change by providing opportunities to enjoy a working snack and embedding movement throughout their day.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I know there has been some misinformation about this, and I am here to help clarify further as needed.
SEPAC MEETING
Save The Date: SEPAC Kick-Off Meeting
Thursday, October 6th at 7:00 p.m.
Hingham Middle School Auditorium
Join the SEPAC community for our first meeting of the school year. This is an opportunity to meet with other parents in the special education community and share questions, concerns or issues. The SEPAC Board will talk through a few preliminary initiatives for the year and solicit input from parents. Dr. Suzanne Vinnes, Executive Director of Student Services, will provide an overview of key special education programming at the elementary, middle and high school levels. We hope to see you there! Any questions please reach out to your Foster School SEPAC liaison Melissa McNamara: melissa.mcnamara9@gmail.com
Preschool Screenings
Under federal and state special education regulations, Hingham Public Schools (HPS) has a responsibility to locate, identify, refer, evaluate and, if eligible, provide a free, appropriate, public education to students with disabilities who reside in the town of Hingham. For this purpose, we offer screenings twice per year, in November and February. Our first screening of the 2022-2023 school year will take place on Thursday, November 3rd at East Elementary School. If you would like your child screened, please call Darcy Greene, Administrative Assistant at 781-741-1570, x4967 or email dgreene@hinghamschools.org. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Early Childhood Coordinator Elizabeth Costanza, at ecostanza@hinghamschools.org.
Information from the Town Recycling Committee
How do single-use plastics impact our community? What happens to plastic litter when it doesn’t get picked up? How long does plastic last in the ocean? Join Cleaner Greener Hingham in welcoming Dr. Bryan James, materials scientist and engineer from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to discuss what the United Nations considers as an existential threat to the planet. Dr. James will talk about the fate and persistence of plastic in the ocean and how this is informing the design of next-generation plastics. After the talk, participants will have the opportunity to participate in small-group discussions about a proposed bylaw banning the sale of non-flavored, uncarbonated water in single-use plastic containers under one gallon. The program is in the Whiton Room of the Hingham Public Library on Thursday October 6th at 7pm. We hope you will join us! Questions? Email cleanergreener@hingham-ma.gov.