The Clayville Chronicle
October 2020 Edition
From the Desk of Mrs. Francis
Fall is here and we are settling into a nice routine at Clayville! Thank you for all of your support during the first month of school. You are an essential partner in your child's education and we want to keep you informed of all happenings at Clayville School. During the month of September, we practiced many safety drills, including a fire evacuation drill and a modified lock down drill, all while following social distancing protocols. Students did a great job showing how responsible they are during these drills!
Clayville staff focused on establishing clear routines and expectations with students to set the foundation for a successful year. Teachers are also in the process of assessing students' academic levels to determine each child's strengths and instructional needs. Our grade level teams, including our talented specialists, will participate in Data Days to analyze current student achievement data in order to effectively plan for instruction that meets the needs of all learners.
As always, I encourage you to reach out with any suggestions, questions, or concerns.
Warm Regards,
Courtney Francis
Superintendent Update
Covid-19 Protocol Reminders
- Complete a daily parent/guardian attestation form (see below).
- Please send your child to school with a clean mask every day. We have extra masks at school, when needed.
- We have a new water bottle filler for student use. Please send your child to school with a water bottle.
- Please do not send students to school with toys or personal belongings.
*Thank you for your attentiveness and cooperation in following the important safety protocols during the first few weeks of school!*
Reminders & Announcements
- Students may arrive between 8:35-8:45 AM. There is no morning recess this year. Students will report directly to their classrooms.
- Students will be marked tardy if they arrive after 8:45am and must be signed in by a parent/guardian.
- Students are not permitted to ride a bus other than their own.
- *Please note, Free and Reduced Forms were sent home with students! If you are in need of another copy, please call our main office 401-647-4115. All other questions should be directed to the Superintendent's Office, 647-4100.
- Please date notes that are sent to school with students. If you are writing a note about dismissal, please write the full name of the person picking up your child.
- Please call to notify the office if/when your child is absent.
- There is no parking on George Washington Highway or in the bus circle.
Facilities Update from Mr. Corrente
The facilities department has been continually working to make sure all ventilation systems are working and working properly. The staff is continuing to maintain what is working and replacing ventilation fans as they break.
We have also been working directly with RIDE and DOH to make sure we are ready for the heating season and closing the windows. New information comes out daily for this and we are working to formulate a plan with the Superintendent.
Lastly, have on hand plenty of hand sanitizer, wipes, and PPE for staff, as needed. We are using two different types of sanitizing systems to maintain a safe environment. The daytime sanitizing takes three minutes to kill all viruses. Our nighttime sanitization system stays on all surfaces and works in ten minutes. The building custodial staff are staying on top of the cleaning schedule without any shortfalls!
Weather Changes
School Lunch
Students are welcome to order school lunch. Typically the cost is $2.60 and reduced is $0.40. However, Chartwells is currently offering FREE meals for breakfast and lunch through December 31st for all students.
Students should notify their teacher if they need breakfast when they enter their classroom and will eat breakfast in the cafeteria. Breakfast can also be saved for snack time.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month
During the month of October students will participate in activities to educate all children and raise awareness about bullying. Clayville School will participate in Unity Day on October 21st by wearing orange, together against bullying and united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Students will also have the opportunity to take a pledge against bullying and will be given a certificate for doing so.
**Parents are encouraged to contact Clayville teachers or Mrs. Francis directly with any concerns related to bullying. Your child's safety and well being is a top priority for all Clayville staff members. Educating students, parents, and staff members, open communication, and solution-focused intent are key to combating bullying! Please see the link below for more resources.
PAWsitive Office Referrals!
PBIS Core Value of the Month: Inclusion
Fall Benchmarking Assessments
Clayville Elementary School teachers will complete fall benchmark assessments between 9/29 and 10/9. Staff members will then meet to analyze the data and create instructional groupings designed to provide targeted skill instruction to students with similar strengths and needs. The results of these assessments will be communicated to parents. Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns.
Speech Therapy: Response to Intervention
Speech Therapists in our district, like their teacher counterparts, did some beginning of year assessments. In the coming days some parents will be contacted by the Speech Therapist to offer supports to students for varied areas of need. Please call to discuss your child’s performance if you have any questions. Some terminology to know follows:
Articulation: This is the pronunciation of sounds.
Receptive Language: This refers to the understanding of what is said/read to you.
Expressive Language: This is how one formulates ideas verbally or in writing.
Pragmatics: This refers to social language.
Fluency: This is another word for Stuttering.
At Clayville, the speech therapist team is Michele Hamill MS CCC-SLP and Kevin Wasilewski MS CCC-SLP. We can be reached Tuesdays and Thursdays at 647-4115.
Welcoming Back Our Wildcats!
Chalk Talk Courtesy of Our PTO
Grade Level Highlights
PreK Apple Themed Unit
Grades K/1 Distance Learners: Bridges Math
Kindergarten Bridges Math Work Stations
Grade 1 Mathematicians
Grade 2: Kicking Off Literacy Lab!
Grade 2 and 3 Distance Learners!
Grade 3 Readers & Writers
Grade 4: Off and Running!
Grade 4 Distance Learners
Grade 5 Wildcats!
Physical Education Update
Dear Parents/Guardians,
I wish to extend a warm welcome to all of our new and returning students here at Clayville Elementary School! You are receiving this letter as a reminder that sneakers should be worn on the days your child has physical education class. Sandals, crocs, boots, and any shoe with heels on them are not safe for physical activity and could potentially result in your child being injured. Due to this fact, your child may be held out of class for the day if a safety concern is a possibility. If there is a medical reason, or any other factor that may cause your child to not wear sneakers please contact me. It is very important that your child is dressed appropriately for class in order to maintain a safe learning environment for everyone!
Through the months of September, October, AND November (weather permitting), your child will be having their physical education classes outside, so please plan accordingly! I also plan on taking them outside through the winter months too...more details to follow. This school year has thrown many curve balls our way, and it is my plan to continue to maximize movement within every student's day. Due to space constraints in the pods, I believe outdoor PE is our best option for as long as deemed fit. Finally, if your child has seen a doctor due to an illness/injury, please have them write the date when your child is eligible to return to physical activity. I appreciate your cooperation through these unpredictable times. Please feel free to contact me any time!
Thank you,
Peter Ceprano
Physical Education Teacher
Art Update from Ms. Davis
Hello Clayville Families,
Clayville students have done excellent work so far in art!
5th graders are currently creating radial designs based on Turkish tiles. 4th graders are creating their own abstract names, 3rd and 2nd grade are learning about why they like art and they are creating a picture of themselves painting a picture! 1st grade and Kindergarten read the book "Foods with Moods" and are working on drawing facial expressions which they will create on their own foods with moods!
Everyone keep up the great work in art!
Miss Davis
Chartwells Reminder: Free Breakfast & Lunch Through December 31st
Flu Clinic
No walk in patients will be allowed. More details to follow.
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2020, 09:00 PM
3 George Washington Highway, Clayville, RI, USA
Halloween Costume & Parade Day!
News from Northwest Special Education
Northwest Special Education Local Advisory Committee meetings for the 2020-21 school year:
October 20, 2020
December 8, 2020
February 9, 2021
April 13, 2021
At this time, these meetings will be held virtually. Links to virtual meetings can be found on the Rhode Island Secretary of State's Open Meetings website at least 48 hours before the meeting date: https://opengov.sos.ri.gov/OpenMeetings.
News from the Scituate School Committee
PTO October Update
By now you may have heard that we have a new Executive Board Member: Carol MacFarlane is our new Recording Secretary! Welcome, Carol!
We had our first board meeting with Mrs. Francis and have set two virtual meeting dates for October and November! Thursday, October 8th and Thursday, November 12th at 7pm will be our first two meeting dates of the year. After that, we will schedule meetings as necessary. We hope you will join us- Zoom details to come!
Keep a lookout in your student’s folders for a PTO email group sign-up sheet. If you already receive our emails, there is no need to complete the form. If you’re new to Clayville or would like to be added to our email list, please complete the short form and return with your student. And don’t forget about our private Clayville PTO Group on Facebook!
We have some ideas on how to make this year as special as we can for our students, and we hope you’ll bring your ideas as well! We’re looking forward to “seeing” everyone on October 8th!
~Clayville PTO
Dates to Remember:
- 9/29-10/9: Fall Benchmarking Window
- 10/5: STEAM Enrichment Begins
- 10/6: School Committee Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. (virtual)
- 10/8: PTO Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. (virtual)
- 10/12: No School (Columbus Day)
- 10/19: Professional Development Day & Distance Learning Day for all students
- 10/21: Unity Day: Wear Orange!
- 10/27: Fall Picture Day
- 10/28: Flu Clinic 4:00-6:30 @ Clayville School
- 10/30: Halloween Costume & Parade Day!
Stay in Touch!
Email: Courtney.Francis@ScituateSchoolsRI.net
Website: https://clayville.scituateschoolsri.net/
Location: 3 George Washington Highway, Clayville, RI, USA
Phone: 401-647-4115
Twitter: @Mrs_Francis7