Bulldog Bulletin

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Here are some important updates for the week ahead:

• Tuesday, October 24th: Dr. Elizabeth Ender will be giving a presentation on Social and Emotional Development, focusing on bullying and social media, at the Collins Center from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for both students and parents to learn more about these important topics.

• Thursday, October 26th: Our Grade 2 and 3 students will enjoy a special presentation about Amelia Earhart at 1:30 p.m. Sponsored by the PTO and funded by the "Fun Run"

• Friday, October 27th: Our Grade 4 students will be going on a field trip to the Andover Center for History & Culture at 1:30 p.m. to learn about Amelia Earhart’s inspiring life.

• Monday, October 28th: Picture Retakes will be happening. If your child needs a retake, please ensure they bring their original photo packet with them.

• Spirit Week: Spirit Week is coming up! Please see the details below and encourage your child to join in on the fun activities.

Reminder: Please do not park in the carpool area.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to an exciting week ahead!

Lisa was selected as this week's APS Staff Shout Out recipient! This initiative, launched by the School Committee this fall, encourages the community to recognize our outstanding staff. Lisa was nominated by Jessica Tamarin, who praised her empathy, compassion, patience, and exceptional organization in everything she does. This recognition was well deserved, honoring all of Lisa's hard work for the students and families of Sanborn.

We are excited to introduce a survey as part of our multi-year Sanborn playground project, which is currently in its initial planning phase. Your input is essential as we work to design a space that meets the needs and interests of our entire school community. This project will take time and evolve over the coming years, and we value your thoughts and ideas to help guide us in creating a safe, fun, and inclusive playground for everyone. Please take a moment to share your feedback through the survey so we can build something great together!

Next Thursday, October 24, Andover Public School's EL Department is hosting our first ELPAC meeting virtually from 12-1pm (Zoom link to join is below). ELPAC stands for English Learner Parents Advisory Council and is voluntary gathering of parents, guardians, teachers, administrators, and community members from Andover to advocate for the education of our Multilingual Learners PreK-12.

Please see this invitation for more information. Interpreters will be provided.

Annual health screenings will be getting underway for this year. The following screenings are conducted by Mrs. Slattery with the assistance of the Health Services Team.

Vision Screening: Grades Kindergarten through Grade 5 (Children prescribed eye glasses wear them during the screening.)

Hearing: Kindergarten through Grade 3

Height and Weight: Grades 1 and 4

Postural (Spinal) Screening: Grade 5 – This screening is conducted separate from the other screenings and parents will receive a separate notification once the date is set.

Parents are notified if the student does not pass the screening and the student is referred for follow.

If you do not want your child to participate in the screening process please let Mrs. Slattery know in writing.

Spare Clothing: The clinic is in need of gently used elastic waist girls pants. Donations can be sent into the clinic. If your child does come home with clothing borrowed from the clinic, please wash it and send it back to keep the borrowing closet going. Also, it is recommended that you send a spare set of clothing to be stored in your child’s locker in case a change is needed during the school day. Children are much happier if they are able to change into their own clothing when necessary.

Head Lice: Parents are encouraged to check your child’s hair for head lice on a routine basis. If you need help or have any questions please contact the school nurse.

Please contact Lisa Slattery in the Sanborn Clinic with questions at 978-247-9702 or lisa.slattery@andoverma.us

Beginning the week of October 14th, children will be invited to create a pumpkin decorated like a character from their favorite book to be showcased in the library! This is a voluntary activity and families do not have to participate. We will accept entries until Tuesday, October 29th. Each student will have a chance to vote for their favorite pumpkin during lunch on Halloween. ​Winners will be announced at the end of the school day!!

We would love to showcase the pumpkin creations at the Spooky Fun Fair, so if you have the time, please try to submit your pumpkin by October 25th!

Here are a few entries from previous years!

Saturday, October 26th 3-5 Spooky Fun Fair

Monday, October 28th, Picture Retake Day

Friday, November 1st, No School for Kindergarten Conferences

Tuesday, November 5th No School Conferences

• • Spooky Fun Fair is next weekend! Saturday, October 26th from 3-5pm! While the event is free to attend, the Sanborn 5th Graders are planning a haunted house to raise money for special activities. $5 admission if you dare! If you or anyone you know have connections for raffle prize donations to help raise money for Sanborn, please reach out to sanbornfundraising@gmail.com. If you'd like to volunteer to host a trunk or help with the event, sign up here.
  • Stay Connected with the Sanborn Family Directory! To participate and receive a digital copy, please go to Aspen, click on "Family Connection-Back to School Forms" and select "Update" next to your student's name. In the section labeled "Permissions" ensure you've checked "Yes" on the 2nd question: "Do you wish to participate in a school based Family Contact List..." Make sure you save your changes! Please do this for ALL children in your family. The deadline for inputs is November 1st!
  • A few ways to stay up to date on the latest news and offerings from the PTO:
  • The Bulldog Spirit is the monthly newsletter from the Sanborn PTO where they communicate about our school events, fundraisers, enrichment activities, etc. Sign up here.
  • Bookmark the PTO website!
  • For real-time updates during the school year, follow the Sanborn Community on social media: Facebook, Instagram
  • Join your child's grade-level Facebook group - this group is just for kids in your child’s grade. Here you can connect, ask grade-specific questions, etc.