MHS/WES Newsletter
October 19, 2018
News from the Principal
Bus Safety
Over the past several weeks, Mr. Deneen and I have met with students at all grade levels to discuss bus safety and expectations. Now that everyone is in a routine and feeling really comfortable, we need your help to review and reinforce the following bus safety expectations:
Sit with your bottom on the seat and your back to the back of the seat. “Bottom to bottom, Back to Back.”
Stay in your seat.
Sit with your grade level. (kindergarten students in the front, 5th graders in the back)
Use an indoor, quiet voice.
Keep hands and all objects to yourself.
Stay out of the bus aisle, including your legs.
Wait for the “thumbs up” from your bus driver before boarding or exiting the bus.
Hold the guardrail going up and down the bus stairs.
Use kind and appropriate words on the bus.
Our goal is for everyone to have a fun, enjoyable, and safe ride home! Thank you for your help!
Kindergarten Social/Health
Over the past 2 weeks I have had the pleasure of working with our kindergartners on practicing the skill of “Paying Attention.” What does it look like, sound like, and feel like when you are paying attention to an adult, a friend, or crossing the street? Stopping what we are doing and paying attention to the person who is speaking to us can be very difficult. This skill can sometimes be difficult even for adults, especially when we are trying to multitask!
The children and I have been practicing this skill and having fun singing the song “Can, Can, Can You Pay Attention” by Tony Selerno and the program “Character Classics.” Below is our favorite part of the song:
Can, can, can you pay attention?
Do I have to mention
All the times you didn’t listen,
Can you hear me?
Can, can, can you pay attention,
Do I have to mention,
Everything I said,
I’ll say again!
I’ll say again!
MHS/WES Recycle Bins
We have already earned about $100 for our two schools! This money goes directly into the “Student Activity” account at each school. This account is used to help families with the cost of field trips and other school activities. Our recycle bins can be used by anyone in the community. Please watch the video below for more information on what types of things you can put into these bins. Thank you for your support!
Upcoming Dates
- October 23: Picture retake day at Both MHS and WES
- October 23: Flu Clinic at Oakmont 3:00-6:00 p.m.
- October 30: Flu Clinic MHS 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- October 31: Trick or treating in town 5:00-7:00 p.m. Bonfire to follow at the Westminster Fire Department
- November 5: No School-Staff Development
- November 6: No School-Staff Development
- November 12: No School-Veteran's Day
- November 21: Half Day -All Schools
- November 22 & 23: No School-Thanksgiving Holiday
First Grade News!!!
Technology Class News
Greeting from the WES & MHS Technology Teacher, Mrs. Breen.
It was wonderful to see so many of you during our two open houses. Also, thank you to all who sent in tissues, disinfectant wipes and spray, soap, and hand sanitizer, it will help a lot come flu and cold season. Both of our technology rooms are buzzing with excitement and energy. The students are in full swing into their lessons. Here is a brief summary of what each grade is doing:
Kindergarten:
We are learning how to hold and carry our iPads, what the different buttons do, and how touch screens work. We are using the following apps that focus on the alphabet
ABC Alphabet Coloring Book
Word Print Factory
1st Grade:
We have just started our Tree & Autumn Leaves Unit. Within this unit the students will learn about the different parts of a tree, the seasons, and descriptive writing. With the use of an App called Chatterpix Kids, we will be taking pictures of collected leaves and making our leaves talk
2nd Grade:
In second grade, we are in the middle of our unit on digital story sequencing. We are using the software called Tuxpaint to create a sequence of events, which includes drawing computerized pictures and inserting text. We can’t wait to show these off!
3rd Grade:
Third grade is learning all about cloud-based computing and their Google for Education suite. We have learned how to create basic documents and are now learning how to create basic presentations.
4th Grade:
We are all super heroes in technology. The fourth graders are learning about what it is to be a Super Digital Citizen. We are using a software called Pixie 4 to create a super digital citizenship poster. We are creating our own backgrounds and characters, including inserting technology items and our own faces.
5th Grade: Important: Instrument Invention
For the next few weeks in technology, we will be planning, designing and engineering instrument inventions.
After we are done building, we will be running conductive materials, completing circuits, and then connecting our inventions to a device called a Makey Makey. We will be using an online software called Scratch, where we will programming the Makey Makey and our instrument to play notes when the circuit are completed.
Because of this project, I am asking for you to collect and send in the following materials to the technology classroom:
- Cardboard
- Cardboard tubes of various sizes
- Masking tape or duct tape
- String or yarn
- Tissue boxes
- Washed recycled containers
Third Grade News
Could you outrun a dinosaur? That’s a question third graders are trying to answer. Third graders’ current science unit is called Animals Through Time. We have been studying fossils. Using what we know about today’s animals, we can imagine how dinosaurs looked, what they ate and how they behaved. We can also look at dinosaur fossilized footprints and see how fast they traveled. So if you see a third grader…ask them which dinosaur they could outrun!
HALLOWEEN CANDY DONATIONS NEEDED FOR BACON STREET TRICK OR TREATERS
FLU CLINIC DATES - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
- OCTOBER 23RD (TUES) @OAKMONT 3PM-6PM
- OCTOBER 30TH (TUES) @MHS 4PM-7PM
CITIZENS OF WORCESTER COUNTY
RALLY TO THE FLAG ON
ACADEMY HILL IN WESTMINSTER
UNDER THE CARE AND PROTECTION OF THE 15TH REGIMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY
FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL CIVIL WAR LIVING HISTORY AND BATTLE REENACMENT AS PART OF THE
WESTMINSTER CRACKER FESTIVAL
October 20th and 21st
Friday the 19th of October,
Living History for Westminster Ashburnham 5th Graders. Home Schoolers Welcome. First Program starts 0900 Second Program Starts 11:30
Saturday the 20th of October
0900 Camp open to the public
1145 Battle for Savage Station – Rifle and Cannon Fire with Mounted Troops
1245 Reenactor Hall of Fame Inductions
1545 Dress Parade. March to Civil War Monument, Prayer, Firing Party Salute, Taps, March to Cracker Festival Grounds for Mixer with Townsfolk
1830 Remembrance, The Battle of Balls Bluff – The Empty Chair – Salute, Taps
1900 Shades of Grey Period Music on the Bandstand
2030 Camps Closed to the Public
Sunday the 21st of October
0900 Period Church Service – Camp open to the Public
1030 Civilian Garden Party, Officers to attend in Parade Dress
1030 Period Baseball Game
1400 The Battle for Savage Station – Part Two. Rife and Cannon Fire with Mounted Troops
1545 Camps Close to the Public
Hosted by the 15th Massachusetts in Cooperation with the New England Brigade,
Liberty Greys, and Westminster Cracker Festival Committee