Melville Message Community Update
September 8, 2023
Melville Mission
In partnership with families and community, the mission of Melville Elementary School is to provide all students with a strong academic foundation through diverse and challenging instruction in a safe and nurturing environment enabling them to achieve their greatest potential while developing self-confidence, respect, responsibility, compassion and a love of learning.
Whaledone
Character Development Quote
Melville Parent Teacher Group
Our first MPTG meeting is Wednesday, 9/13 from 6PM-7PM in the Melville Library. We would love to see you there!
Principal Schoolwide Read Aloud
In this illustrated adaptation of the bestselling fable, The Energy Bus, author Jon Gordon models strategies for children on how to overcome negativity and everyday challenges to be their best. This story will inspire students to find their inner motivation and pass on that positive energy to others.
If you would like to borrow a copy of The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon to read for yourself, then send me an email at lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org and I will be happy to lend you a copy.
It Starts with Hello
Choose Love
Feinstein Cards
Feinstein Cards were sent home this week. Please be sure to check your child's folder as there are discounts to visit some really great places. You can learn more by visiting this site:https://feinsteinfoundation.org/jr-scholar-card.html
Drill Information
Fire drills occur on a regular basis. State law requires each school to conduct eleven fire drills, two lockdown drills and two evacuation drills each year. Shelter in Place drills are conducted throughout the school year. Children are given instruction on all procedures. Children are expected to behave in a calm, orderly manner during these exercises. Please review the importance of such exercises with your child and emphasize the need for appropriate behavior.
A lockdown is an alert to a school community that students and staff should not leave the classroom and should gather in one area of the room until provided with further direction.
An evacuation requires all students and staff to exit the building and meet at a designated safe place.
A shelter in place is an alert to a school community that movement outside of classrooms is being restricted for a brief period of time. It is typically used when a student or staff member is requiring some sort of attention (sometimes medical) and the school is trying to keep that area clear and/or protect that person’s privacy. If there were a serious safety concern the school would not issue a shelter in place.
We will send notification of lockdowns, evacuations, and shelter in place drills and events via email.
Here is the presentation that was shared at a Parent Safety Forum that was hosted in conjunction with the Police and Fire Departments. The Run, Hide, Fight FBI philosophy guides our safety training.
The P3 Sandy Hook Promise Anonymous tip line is a resource that we encourage anyone to use if there is ever an immediate safety concern.
New System for Visitors to Melville
During the school day, we are responsible for keeping all students safe as well as protecting their privacy. For this reason, we have limited guests in the building during school hours and we require anyone working directly with children to go through our Volunteers in School Process (see below). This year we have a new security system.
Visitors who are entering the building for a meeting, volunteering, or an event etc...
When you arrive:
- Enter the vestibule.
- Approach the platform and tap the button on the screen that aligns with the purpose for your visit.
- Follow the cues on the screen. All visitors must have their license with them to enter the building.
- Once complete, then ring the buzzer.
- Our office staff will verify that you are ready to enter the building and will unlock the door for your entry.
*There is also a QR code on the screen that you can scan with your cell phone's camera and it will bring you through this same process.
If you are dropping something off for the school, class, or a particular child, then you do not need to sign yourself in on this system.
- Ring the buzzer and the office staff will respond.
- Notify the office staff of the purpose for your visit,
- We will then ask you to leave the item in the vestibule and we will ensure it gets to where it needs to be.
Thank you for your support in keeping our community safe.
Volunteers
This week in Unified Arts
Library
Art
Health
This week, Nurse Trainor taught Grade 4 all about Good Health Maintenance. Students learned the importance of reviewing habits that can keep them healthy! Topics included personal health and focused on behaviors of taking care of teeth, keeping clean, getting enough rest, protecting skin from sun damage, and taking steps to help prevent infectious disease.
PE
Health with Mrs. Powell
Music
Permission Slip for Food at School
We will only serve food with your permission. Please complete this Melville Food Permission Form.
We handle food in this manner because we have students in our school family who have serious food allergies and we are committed to keeping everyone safe.
Important Information about School Lunch
As we prepare for the upcoming school year we wanted to give you an update on our school meals program. Breakfast, lunch, and milk are available to all students in grades K–4.
Meals:
Full Price
Breakfast $1.00
Lunch: $2.60
Reduced
Breakfast: $0.30
Lunch: $0.40
Milk: $.55
Applications for Free/Reduced Meals will be sent out the first day of school. However, you can also apply online by visiting this site: https://www.myschoolapps.com. We ask that all applications be returned. Please be sure to include your child’s name on the application and mark N/A if you are not applying.
Every child will have a school lunch account; you can either send money into school in an envelope marked with your child’s name, homeroom teacher, LASID Number (which can be found in the family portal in ASPEN), and amount included OR you can pay online at www.myschoolbucks.com. Keeping your balance paid in full is extremely important.
Meals are ordered through the classroom teacher each morning. Please communicate with your child if they are bringing a “home lunch” or buying a “school lunch”. If your child will be bringing lunch from home, then please write your child’s name inside their lunchbox in case it is lost.
For safety reasons, please do not send glass containers to school and make note that we are a peanut and nut free school.
If a student needs breakfast, then they can pick it up in our School Kitchen each morning.
ASPEN Family Portal
Where to find your child's LASID Number
Student Chromebook Updates
SAVE THE DATE
4:30-5:15 Families whose last names begin with A-L
5:15-6:00 Families whose last names begin with M-Z
Please park in the back parking lots and not in the front of the building. Once you arrived you can make your way to the Main Lobby.
A Note from the Nurse
Hearing Screening September 13, 2023
Normal hearing is important for every child’s success at school. Melville Elementary School will have the Rhode Island School of the Deaf Audiology Center perform this hearing screening for students in Preschool through Grade 3 as well as any new Grade 4 student on September 13, 2023.
Hearing screenings are required by the Rhode Island Department of Health School Health Regulations. This is not a consent form.
If you do not want your child to participate in this screening, please email me at trainora@portsmouthschoolsri.org. You will need to provide me with documentation that a hearing screening test has been performed in accordance with Rhode Island General Hearing Screening Requirements as outlined in Rhode Island State Law 216-RICR-20-10-4. Documentation must be provided by September 12, 2023.
It is important we are aware of any factors that might affect your child’s performance on the screening. Please read the following questions:
Has your child had ear pain at any time during the past month?
Has your child had drainage from the ears during the past month?
Has your child had tubes inserted during the past 6-8 weeks?
Is your child currently under the care of an ENT?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, please inform me via email or telephone call before the screening date.
I will notify you if your child has difficulty with the screening. If you have questions about the hearing screening, please contact Luz Adley at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf Audiology Center at (401) 243-1022.
Health History Update
MAIN OFFICE EMAIL ACCOUNT!
Going forward please use meloffice@portsmouthschoolsri.org to notify the main office of changes to your child's dismissal routine or of your child's absence.
The MPTG needs your Help!
Help us to Celebrate our Students!
Planet Aid
Our Food Pantry is Always Open!
In keeping with the spirit of giving, our Feinstein Jr. Scholars are excited to start an in-school food pantry that our students and families can donate to and access when needed.
Please help us as we continue to support our community by sending in food items with your child from time to time. Please email
Mrs. Powell: powelld@portsmouthschoolsri.org or
Mrs. Pascoe: pascoen@portsmouthschoolsri.org
if you would like to access our food pantry during the school year.
Securly Home
Securly Home is an app that allows parents to monitor their child’s Chromebook activity at home and add rules for home use. Please take some time to review the slideshow from the informational parent meeting hosted for families.
We encourage you to sign up now for Securly Home!
ALPHABEST
Open Positions
Community Events
Scouts
Do you like hiking, camping, learning new skills and knowledge, or doing fun activities with kids your own age? Would you like your child(ren) to learn about leadership, boost their self-esteem, be more helpful and kind towards others, and work on their overall positive character development? If you answered YES, then scouting may be for you!
Portsmouth’s Pack 1 is always looking for new boys and girls that are interested in Cub Scouts. Students entering grades K thru 5th in the fall are eligible to join cub scouting. Currently, Cub Scouts meet at the church hall at St. Barnabas on Thursday evenings at 6 pm.
Questions on cub scouting please contact Amy Nicodemus at beachgirl627@hotmail.com
Important Dates
September
13- MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
18th-22nd-It Starts with "Hello"-please see information in this Newsletter
21st- Melville's Open House Pre K-4 4:30PM-6:00PM
25th-Yom Kippur No School
27th-Fall Festival Planning Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
October
9th-Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day (No School)
10th–Staff Professional Development Day (No School for Students)
11th-MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
16th-Fall Festival Planning Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
17th-FLU Vaccine Clinics
25th-School Picture Day
28th-Fall Festival 10AM-3PM
November
2nd-Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30-6:30 (teachers will send out scheduling information)
9th-Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30-6:30 (teachers will send out scheduling information)
8th-MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
13th–Veterans’ Day Observance (No School)
22nd-25th–Thanksgiving Recess (No School)
30th–End of Trimester 1
December
7th-School Picture Day Make Up Photos
13th-Holiday Crafts and Ornament Party 5pm-7PM, Melville Cafeteria
23rd-31st-Holiday Break-No School
January
1st–New Year’s Observance (No School)
10th-MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
12th-Staff Professional Development Day (No School for Students)
15th–Martin Luther King Day (No School)
29th-2nd-Scholastic Book Fair
February
7th--MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
8th-Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30-6:30
19th–Presidents’ Day
19th-23rd –Winter Recess (No School)
March
12th–End of Trimester 2
13th--MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
29th–Good Friday (No school)
April
10th-MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
15th-19th– Spring Recess (No School)
23rd–Staff Professional Development Day (No School for Students)
May
6th-10th-Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week
8th--MPTG Monthly Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
16th - TBD tentative date for Spring Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30-6:30
21st-Fun Run (raind date 5/23)
27th – Memorial Day (No School)
June
7th– PHS Graduation (Tentative Date)
12th-FINAL MPTG Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
14th- or 180th day – Last Day of School – All Students
17th,18th, 20th, 21st– Snow Makeup Days
19th – Juneteenth (No School)
Melville Elementary School
Email: lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org
Website: https://www.portsmouthschoolsri.org/Domain/11
Location: 1351 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI, USA
Phone: 4016831650
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009159177892
Twitter: @MelvilleSchool