Ollie's News
"Ollie gives a hoot! Be safe, be ready and be kind!"
SGES Important Dates
- October 1, 2024-SGES Picture Day (see flyer below)
- 😀October 4, 2024 - World Smile Day - Wear yellow or a Smiley Face Shirt😀
- October 9, 2024-T1 Progress Reports
- October 14, 2024-No School – Indigenous People’s Day
- October 19, 2024 -Octoberfest
- October 24, 2024-Literacy Parade 10:00 PK-1 and 1:30 PM Preschool
- October 30, 2024-½ Day Preschool Dismissal is at 11:30 and K/1 Dismissal is at 11:55 am
Information on New ELA Curriculum - EL Education
This year the district has adopted a new primary ELA curriculum titled EL Education. The EL Education curriculum, "is built on the science of reading and the science of learning and development. It is validated by rigorous third party research showing excellent equitable outcomes for students from diverse backgrounds."
Each grade level consists of four modules, each which is centered on an over-arching theme. The links below provide an overview of each grade level's modules for the year and the books students will read. I encourage families to review the information below to learn more about the topics students will engage in throughout the year.
Department of Education Learning Guides
Please visit the Massachusetts Department of Education's useful parent curriculum guides below. These guides provide a wonderful overview of the learning expectations for each grade level across subjects. As all schools in Massachusetts are required to target these standards, they are a helpful resource to gain a glimpse into the year ahead for your child/ren.
SGES Parent Book Study: The Anxious Generation
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness is a 2024 book by Jonathan Haidt which argues that the spread of smartphones, social media and overprotective parenting have led to a "rewiring" of childhood and a rise in mental illness.
Sign Up Link - We have 11 families signed up!!! Yay
When: 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23
Time: 7:30- 8:30 via Virtual Google Link (I will send the link out on 10/1 to all participants)
Facilitator: Mrs. Wallace
You must purchase the book or go to the local library to check out.
South Grafton PTO:
The South Grafton Parent Teacher Organization (SGPTO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (id #26-1073231), comprised of parents, guardians, teachers, principals, and staff collaborating to create a fun and enriching learning atmosphere for students attending Millbury Street Elementary and South Grafton Elementary Schools. Our collective focus is to foster a community of learners where academic, social, and personal development are cherished and supported.
Important Links:
Volunteer Opportunities — South Grafton PTO
Community Information
Throughout the year we work closely with our community partners to provide families with information on various activities throughout town. Please click on the links below for more information!
Community Flyers - Youth Basketball, Grafton Rec Programs, Girl Scouts, Grafton Library Caddy Stacks.
Lead Teacher and Learner
Email: wallacem@grafton.k12.ma.us
Website: https://sges.graftonps.org/
Location: 90 Main Street, Grafton, South Grafton, MA, USA
Phone: 508.839.5484
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SouthGraftonElementary
Twitter: @SGESPrincipal
Resource: Making Reading Relevant: Read, Learn, and Do! (From Start From A Book Website)
Every time you pair a book with an experience, you are giving children an opportunity to learn more about their world. Here are some suggestions for books and activities to extend a child's reading experiences.
Art
- Fiction: Scribble, by Deborah Freedman, or The Art Lesson, by Tomie de Paola
- Nonfiction: Frida, by Jonah Winter, or Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors, by Jane O'Connor
- Activities: Have your child draw a self-portrait, and then have him or her tell you about it. Visit an art museum or a public art show, or find examples of art in your community (such as murals or sculptures) and talk about which pieces you like and find interesting.
Food
- Fiction: Salsa Stories, by Lulu Delacre, or Bunny Cakes, by Rosemary Wells
- Nonfiction: Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup!, by Emeril Lagasse, or Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up, by Molly Katzen and Ann Henderson
- Activities: Go to a make-it-yourself pottery studio and decorate a special serving dish, or create your own with a pottery kit. Make a family recipe with your child and talk about where it came from.
Storms
- Fiction: Rainstorm, by Barbara Lehman, or The Buffalo Storm, by Katherine Applegate
- Nonfiction: The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane, by Joanna Cole, or Twisters and Other Terrible Storms, by Will and Mary Pope Osborne
- Activities: Put together a storm kit with items like a flashlight, extra batteries, and bottled water. Brainstorm some things you could do at home if the electricity went out. Put the list in the storm kit!
Checking in for Parent Volunteer Opportunities:
Throughout the year, you might visit your child's classroom as a Mystery Reader, as a room parent or maybe to support our Book Fair. Please note that when visiting the building, you will need to provide your license as part of our signing in system. When you enter the office, please give your id to Mrs. Tauras and she will help you to scan it, and retrieve your personalized sticker!
Student Absences and Early Dismissals
Please call (508) 839-5484 before 8:30am if your child will be absent from school. Press 1 to leave a message on the absence line. You must press # at the end of your message to save it to the voicemail box. You can also email Michelle Henault directly to report your child’s absence at henaultm@grafton.k12.ma.us.
Please understand that an automated email from PowerSchool is triggered at 10:00 am for any student whose absence has not been reported by the parent whether via phone or written note to the classroom teacher. On occasion, written notes are accidentally left in backpacks or desks and do not get relayed to the office before the emails are sent out.
The school office is open from 7:45 am - 4:15pm. You can reach us by phone at (508) 839 - 5484.
Bus Routes
Grafton Public Schools has a highly informative Transportation Webpage. Here you will find the bus routes for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Routes are published closer to the start of the school year.
The bus routes and stops are established each year, taking into consideration variables such as safety, efficiency, and reasonable walking times and distances for students. Moreover, site visits are completed and traffic flow, patterns, and volume are reviewed.
If you believe there is an issue with a bus stop, prior to making a request for a change, we ask that caregivers please read carefully through the FAQ section. Any possible changes cannot be made until after the first few weeks of school have passed. All requests will be carefully evaluated and subject to feasibility.
Please direct all questions and requests to: businfo@grafton.k12.ma.us
The SGES Office does not have the authority make changes to bus routes or create bus stops.
SGES “Know Your School Night” Schedule September 19, 2024 from 5:30 - 6:30
Dear Parents/Guardians:
We're delighted to extend our warm invitation to Know Your School Night on Thursday, September 19th! This year, we're excited to involve Kindergarten and Grade One students in the evening's activities.
SGES families are invited to the cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. for a brief welcome from Mrs. Wallace and the PTO. Families are then welcome to "pop in" to classrooms until 6:30 p.m. If you have children in multiple grades, please customize your visit to suit your needs.
Preschool: After the welcome in the cafeteria, parents will meet Mrs. Mahoney, Mrs. Jenny Leach, and Mrs. Michelle Williams to learn more about our Preschool Program!
This event is for Parents Only.
Kindergarten: Parents and students can visit the classroom to see all the exciting things the children have been doing over the past few weeks.
Grade 1: Parents and students can visit the classroom to see all the exciting things the children have been doing over the past few weeks.
Kindergarten and Grade 1 Parents: We've made an exciting change to our Know Your School Night (KYSN) this year by including our students. However, we request that only the child currently enrolled at SGES join you for this event. This adjustment is intended to allow your child to take you on a tour of their classroom, explain expectations and routines, and provide an overview of what to expect in the upcoming school year.
While we appreciate the presence of siblings, please understand that this event is specifically designed for our students. We kindly ask that only the student(s) attending Kindy/1st at SGES accompany you.
This evening is not a parent-teacher conference, so please refrain from inquiring about your child's progress during the event. If you have any concerns or want to discuss your child's performance, please email your child's teacher to schedule a separate meeting.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!
Note From The Nurse:
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Welcome back to school! I wanted to send a note regarding medication policies in
the Grafton Public School.
According to the Grafton Public School Policy, medications dispensed at school
must be accompanied by a Medication Administration form which has been
signed by the prescribing doctor and parent/guardian. Additionally, medications
for students in Grade K-8 must be brought to school by a parent/guardian and
secured in the health unit. All medications need to be in their labeled containers
as well.
Cough drops of any kind, hydrocortisone cream, sunscreen, and any other over
the counter items intended for medical purposes are considered medication and
are subject to the above protocol.
As we start off the New Year, please send in any updated physical forms and lists
of updated immunizations to the health office. You may send the forms via my
email if that is more convenient.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Jeanine DeMelo, BSN, RN, NCSN
School Nurse
508-839-5484