State Street Scoop
Issue 8 - October 27th
Principal's Corner
Dear Families of SSS SHARK!s,
Last year we motivated our students with an ATTENDANCE CHALLENGE and this year we need to beat our record! Working together, our goal is to decrease the number of students who are considered chronically absent. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) monitors each school’s attendance daily and includes this in our accountability system (our star rating). The better our attendance the better education your child receives. The better our attendance the more likely we are to receive a star. SSS is currently a three star school. We want to be a 5 star school and receiving our attendance star will help us reach our goal.
It’s hard to teach an empty chair!
Last Year 21.5% of our students were considered chronically absent.
(That’s missing 2 days per month)
Our goal is less than 15% of students are chronically absent!
We need your help! Attendance in school is important to your child’s academic success! Children are going to get sick, but children need to be in school when they are healthy. The challenge is that each classroom will have 90% of the class in attendance on a daily basis. The class then earns a sticker in the display cases in the lobby. Principal Faubert announces successful classes weekly over the intercom. Please send your child to school on time, ready to learn each day that they are healthy.
In Partnership,
Audrey Faubert
Principal
School Dismissal Manager Information
To Families participating in After School Programs,
First off, thank you to all the families that are continuing to use School Dismissal Manager (SDM) to update dismissal options for your child. For any students that are participating in after school programs, you must go into SDM either through your web browser or through the app and be sure to update your child’s dismissal anytime there is a change. SDM is our only means of knowing how your child is going home. For after school programs, you will choose Exception or Reoccurring Exception (Select from the drop down menu) as your dismissal option, then select the activity your child is participating in. Currently, we offer: State Street School After School Activities on Mondays, After School Chorus on Wednesdays, and Living Laboratory Bus (Westerly Land Trust Program) which is on various dates and is off site. If you have any trouble making your child an exception for one of these programs, please call the office. Thank you for helping us streamline our dismissal program at State Street School.
From the Desk of the Parent Liaison Mary-Kay Patten
Feinstein News
Nurse's Corner - Mrs. McLeod
Top Halloween safety tips
Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Since masks can sometimes obstruct a child’s vision, try to opt for non-toxic face paint and makeup whenever possible.
Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
When selecting a costume, make sure it’s the right size to prevent trips and falls.
Safe walking reminders for kids
Cross the street at corners, and always use traffic signals and crosswalks.
Look left, right and left again when crossing, and keep looking as you cross.
Put electronic devices down and keep heads up.
Walk – don’t run – across the street.
Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
When walking with kids, choose direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Trick-or-treat safety tips
Make sure that children under 12 trick-or-treat and cross streets with an adult.
If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, ask them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and to trick-or-treat in groups.
Avoid carrying sticks, swords or other sharp objects.
Check treats for signs of tampering before children are allowed to eat them. Candy should be thrown away if the wrapper is faded, torn or unwrapped.
What drivers need to know on Halloween
Be especially alert from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Slow down even more than posted speed limits in residential neighborhoods.
Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and curbs.
Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
Remember that costumes can limit children’s visibility and they may not be able to see your vehicle.
Reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
From the Art Room - Mrs. Tedeschi
Cultural News
PTO News
Community News
Westerly Land Trust Living Laboratories - Be sure to change dismissal plan in the app School Dismissal Manager (SDM).