Elm Street School
June 2016
Principal's Message
It is hard to believe that the year is coming to an end so quickly... it feels like it just began! All of us at Elm are so appreciative of all the support our students and school receive from parents. We are so lucky to be part of such a supportive community. It has been our great privilege to work with your children and help them learn and grow, both academically and socially. Every student has worked so hard to improve in reading, writing, math, and friendships-- as we reflect back on the year, we celebrate the incredible growth that has occurred. As we say farewell to our fifth grade class next week, we look at them with great pride and know that they have much to look forward to as they move on to middle school. At the same time, we look forward to welcoming our incoming kindergarteners to the Elm Street School in the fall. Until then, I wish you a most wonderful summer and can't wait to welcome everyone back in August!
Rebecca Brogadir
Principal
End Of School Year Reminders
- Please notify the office if your child is not returning to Elm in the fall.
- Please submit any outstanding medical forms to Mrs. Newman as soon as possible.
- Please plan on picking up any medication from the nurse's office before summer break-- medication will not be sent home with children.
- Please check the lost and found in the main lobby by Friday, June 17. Anything not claimed will be donated to charity.
- Report cards will be distributed to students on the last day of school. Report cards will not be mailed home.
- The school office will be closed for the summer June 24 to August 23.
- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: is Friday, June 17. Dismissal will take place at 12:20 pm. Lunch will not be served.
- Have a ton of fun this summer and remember to READ!!!
Summer Reading and Math
Research tells us that when students don’t read for two months their skills regress. Reading and math are skills that require practice, just like baseball or swimming. Summer reading and math practice helps students of all ages keep their skills sharp so they are ready when school begins again in the fall. Reading and math practice throughout the summer not only enhances basic reading and math skills of young students, it creates unique opportunities for learning, exploring, and growing.
Please be on the lookout for summer activities that will be sent home with your child(ren).
Detailed information can also be found here:
Reading: http://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/for_students/reading_resources/elementary_summer_reading_program
Math: https://sites.google.com/a/walpole.k12.ma.us/el-summer-math/
Comings and Goings
Please join me in celebrating and thanking Mrs. Danielle Nathan for her 20 years of dedicated service to the Walpole Public Schools (15 at Elm). She has been an incredible Reading Specialist providing support to hundreds of students and teachers throughout the school and district. She will be retiring at the end of the school year and will be incredibly missed.
We will be welcoming Mrs. Elizabeth Paige to Elm Street School as our new Reading Specialist. Mrs. Paige comes to Elm with several years of elementary and middle school teaching experience and, most recently, as a Reading Specialist at Hanscom Elementary School in Lincoln. Please join me in welcoming her this fall.
Thank you to Ms. Love & Ms. Flynn-Schofield who have served as Occupational Therapists at Elm this year. Due to shifting needs throughout the district, Ms. Carolyn Levitan will be joining Elm in their place next year.
Celebrating our favorite book characters
A Special Thank You to Mrs. Nathan
Reading is Our Superpower
Elm Street Eagles S.O.A.R
How Can Parents Help?
- Ask your child, “Do you understand these rules?”
- Talk about your expectations at home.
- Consider posting the expectations on your refrigerator door and use them for reference.
- Reinforce positive behavior at home.
Improving Our School... Thanks for your input!
Comprehensive results of the survey can be viewed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-25YYDB9R/
- Friday, June 10-
- 5th Grade Invention Convention
- Early Release at 12:20pm- Professional Development Afternoon
- Tuesday, June 14- Elm to Red Sox vs. Orioles
- Wednesday, June 15- 5th Grade Celebration, 1:00pm (relatives may arrive no earlier than 12:30pm)
- Thursday, June 16
- Last Day of School for Kindergarten
- 4th Grade State Fair, 10:00am
- Friday, June 17- Last Day of School (Grades 1-5): Early Release at 12:20pm
- Wednesday, August 31- First Day of School (Grades 1-5)
- Thursday, September 1- Kindergarten Open House
- Friday, September 2- No School- Labor Day Weekend
- Monday, September 5- No School- Labor Day Weekend
- Tuesday, September 6- First Day of School for Kindergarten
- TBD- Elm Street School Ice Cream Social
Set Your Clocks
Please note that we will be an Early School next year and our school day will be 8:25am-2:55pm. Student arrival will begin at 8:15am and instruction will begin at 8:25am. Students arriving after 8:25am must be accompanied by an adult to sign them in and will be marked tardy. Please start planning for this start and end time.
Nurse's Notes
The good weather is hopefully here to stay! The sun’s rays are very strong at this time of year. It would be a good idea to apply long acting sunscreen on your child before they leave for school. The recess periods are all during the time of day when the sun is the hottest. Children need to be outside, but it is important to protect their skin. Small water bottles for hydration that can be kept at your child’s desk would also be a good idea.
Also, I have removed a number of ticks from students already this year. It looks like a banner year for ticks! Remember to check your children nightly for any ticks and wear protective clothing if you are going to be walking in wooded areas.
~Mrs. Newman
Coming this Fall.... Harry Potter Trivia Night.
What do Elm Street School and Ravenclaw House have in common?
Why both their mascots are eagles, of course!
Elm Street School will be holding a Harry Potter trivia night for students in October 2016. We wanted to give families plenty of notice as this would make great summer reading! Our hope is to make mixed age level teams, so as long as younger students have read/heard at least the first book, they can participate. Older students will want to have read more as questions will cover all of the books.
More guidelines regarding team structures will be forthcoming.
A great way to enjoy the story if your child is not ready to read the long, complicated text independently is to read it aloud together! This can be parent/older sibling reading or even listening to the audiobook. The Overdrive app is free and allows you to download tons of books from the library, also for free!
“When in doubt, go to the library.” ~Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Learning at Elm Street School
Kindergarteners have fun at the Zoo
Rocks and Minerals
Grade 3 visits the Zoo
Grade 5 explores electricity with Techsploration
Grade 5 visits Plimoth Plantation
Lessons Across the Grades
Mrs. Cantrell and Mrs. Drew's Zoo projects
Miss Spiniello's students present their travel logs
Excellence at Elm Street School
National Honor Society Induction Ceremony
Mrs. Cantrell and Mrs. Drew were recently honored at Walpole High School’s National Honor Society induction ceremony. At the ceremony, senior National Honor members were asked to recognize a teacher or mentor who had had the most profound impact on his/her education. This year, Elm Street’s own Mrs. Cantrell and Mrs. Drew were honored with this recognition by a former student, Tess Lancaster, a graduating senior. Tess recognized Mrs. Cantrell and Mrs. Drew as her special educator: “Their class was the first time I experienced real work, the first time I believe my classmates and I were ever truly held accountable for what we produced, and the first time I was shown that learning could be fun, challenging, and have a little bit of competition thrown in. Mrs. Cantrell and Mrs. Drew should not just be recognized as my special educators, but as examples for teachers everywhere.”
Congratulations to Mrs. Cantrell and Mrs. Drew on this very special honor!
Student Council
Birthday Books
ART NEWS
Walpole Day-- Elm Street School Pride
5th Grade Float
Grand Marshal-- 4th Grader, Susie M.
Elm Street Eagle SOARs
MUSIC NEWS
Field Day 2016
9th Annual Elementary School Track Meet
WHEN: June 16 , 2016 from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM (registration will be from 4:30-5:00, Events will begin promptly at 5:00)
WHERE: Walpole High School Track
COST: $15 per student. This cost will cover a T-shirt for all participants. T-shirts have been pre ordered so athletes may have to take a size bigger. All left over proceeds after expenses will go to the High School Track Boosters to help
We need to limit the number of participants to 120 total students. This will be handled on a first come, first served basis and the sign up will end on 6/15 at 5:00pm or when we reach 120 Students.
We will have many volunteers from the track team, but can also use parent volunteers to help with check-in/check-out and helping to chaperone the students. Please fill out the Volunteer section of the online Signup. Students may be dropped off for this event, unless they have a medical concern.
SIGN UP ON LINE at: http://leagues.bluesombrero.com/boydenrunningclub
If you have any questions, please contact Joe Grant at 508-668-4876 or joe@boydenfunrun.com
Thursday, Jun 16, 2016, 04:30 PM
Walpole High School, Common Street, Walpole, MA, United States
Fifth Grade Celebration
Fifth Grade Invention Convention-- Incredible Ideas Come to Life
Fourth Grade State Fair
Thank you to our amazing PAC
A new look.... 5th Grade Class Gift
Elm Street School Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
info@elmstreetpac.org
www.elmstreetpac.org
Join us at the next PAC meeting in September!
Missing Items???-- Lost and Found
Final Farewell to 2015-16
Fifth Grade Clap Out
Lowering the Flag
Final Farewell
Elm Street School
Email: rbrogadir@walpole.k12.ma.us
Website: http://walpoleess.ss5.sharpschool.com/
Location: 415 Elm Street, Walpole, MA, United States
Phone: (508) 660-7374
Twitter: @elmwalpole