Friday Flash
November 17th, 2023
We must find time to stop & thank the people who make a difference in our lives
~John F. Kennedy
Notes from the Principal's Office
As you can see throughout this week's Flash we are truly blessed! I am so thankful for the staff, students, parents and community of Newbury. As a school we can not begin to express our gratitude to all those who support us in the work we do to here at NES. We were so happy to be able to give back to our community at our Thanksgiving luncheon, it was nice to see the over one hundred community in attendance.
I would like to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving break. I hope the week is spent relaxing, reconnecting and reflecting on what matters most to each of you. If your vacation takes you on the road, rails or to the sky please travel safely.
We'll be looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday November 27th.
~Loretta
Our school was able to raise $640.36 for the Wounded Warrior Project
Candy Drive for Veterans
The Sea Turtles would like to thank everyone who contributed candy to our annual candy drive. This year the school worked together to collect 63 pounds of candy and over 30 thank you notes for the veterans at the VA Hospital in White River Junction. Thank you again for your support!
200 Thanksgiving Lunches Served!
Staff Spotlight
Labette Page: Administrative Assistant
Labette Page is originally from Bradford, Vermont. She attended Oxbow High School and White Mountain Community College. She says the best thing about her job is that every day is an adventure and the people are great too! Outside of school, her family and spending time gardening bring her joy and help her go to school year round. We wants us all to know that she is a die hard Red Sox fan!
Smashing Pumpkins!
Sea Turtles and Bovines Thanksgiving Parade Floats
This week the Sea Turtles and Bovines created miniature floats for our own Thanksgiving parade. They learned about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and designed a float with a theme of their choice.
Positivity Project: Bravery
You act with strength and courage even when things are difficult or scary.
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Bravery. Bravery means you act with mental, moral, or physical strength even when you know things are difficult or scary.
Bravery refers to voluntary (not coerced) action in the face of a dangerous circumstance. This strength involves judgement; the brave person must have an understanding of the risks and consequences involved in acting. According to Socrates and Plato, forethought separates acts of valor from acts of rashness. This means that bravery isn’t simply fearlessness, but instead the overcoming of fear.
Overcoming fears is critically important in individual development, as it allows the person to do more and become more. A person can be brave every single day. For example, some people with social anxiety are brave just by leaving their house and talking with people. On a physical level, bravery allows us to overcome fears, such as swimming or playing a sport. And, on a moral level, doing what we know to be right, despite the risks, gives us the sense that we are acting on behalf of a larger purpose.
To practice and encourage the character strength of bravery with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
How can bravery impact a group of people?
A Message from Mr. O'Hearn
During weekly Guidance/Health classes in the Library students at all grade levels continue to learn more about the 24 Character Strengths which anchor our school-wide Positivity Project. We start most classes with a “Mindful Moment”, practicing our mindful breathing, focusing, relaxation and self regulation skills for 4-5 minutes. Short videos, texts and class discussions give students the opportunity to learn more about the Character Strengths and practice them in their lives. During the week before Halloween, students reviewed Halloween Safety Skills for safe Trick-or-Treating. Mr. O’Hearn and Nurse Jessi Bellois have also recently finished teaching Care For Kids, a six-lesson K-2 sexual abuse prevention curriculum and We Care Elementary, a six lesson grades 3-4 sexual abuse curriculum. Both of these research-based curricula are from Prevent Child Abuse Vermont. Students learned more about the following topics: Asking For Help, Feelings, Bodies, Babies, Asking For Permission, Trusted Adults, and Personal Boundaries. Thank you to parents and teachers for reinforcing these important personal safety skills for our students.
Turkey Trot 2023
PJ & Movie Day Celebration of meeting our goal for the Wounded Warrior Project
Important Dates
December 8th: Report Cards Go Home
December 20th: Open House & Winter Concert & Art Show
December 21st: Early Release at 12:15
December 22nd: No School
January 3rd: School Resumes
Principal Loretta Cruz
Email: loretta.cruz@oesu.org
Website: https://www.nesvt.org/
Location: 214 Pulaski Street, Newbury, VT, USA
Phone: 802-866-5621
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newburyelementaryVT