Melville Message Community Update
December 15th, 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.
Character Development Quote
Whaledone
A Great Week at Melville
Legos with Miss Tacos
Ms. Christine Blandino, otherwise known as Miss Tacos, a Lego Master, was back at Melville with another Lego engineering challenge. Students were challenged to design and create the tallest city skyscraper. Teams worked together to build strong foundations and towers. All groups were able to create a tower that was taller than our presenter, Miss Tacos! Students in Miss Apici's class worked together to build the longest and strongest bridge-they even got to walk over the bridge they designed! The day was filled with learning, excitement, designing, teamwork and FUN!
Holiday Craft Night
Melville Theater Night IMPROV Snow White
PMS Jazz Band
Melville Spirit Wear
Order your Melville Spirit Wear from the Melville PTG! Order Form
Pajama/Cozy Day 12/21
Unified Arts
Health with Nurse Trainor
PE
Mindfulness in PE
Art
Health with Mrs. Powell
Families take care of us and help us learn, grow and be healthy. We discussed the value of getting along with family members. Students shared their thoughts, experiences, and feelings about their own families. Whatever your family looks like, it is your family. One of the first and most important connections you have is with your family.
Music
Playing Christmas and Hanukkah songs on boomwhackers
Library
Building a Growth Mindset
“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” ( Dweck, 2015)
The Magical Yet
When we return in January we will kick off the new year with a K-2 Principal read aloud of "The Magical Yet".
Each of us, from the day we're born, is accompanied by a special companion—the Yet. Can't tie your shoes? Yet! Can't ride a bike? Yet! Can't play the bassoon? Don't worry, Yet is there to help you out.
The Magical Yet provides tools in how to turn a negative into a positive when helping children cope with the inevitable difficult learning moments we all face. Whether a child or an adult, this encouraging and uplifting book reminds us that we all have things we haven't learned...yet!
Attendance Matters
Project ReGIve
We will have a bin in the Vestibule after the holidays.
Fund Raise While You Shop!
Please send in your Clement's Receipts. Our MPTG collets them and over the year Clements gives Melville back a percentage of what was spent. This year Clements gave our MPTG approximately $600!
Dressing for Recess in the Winter
We go outside as much as possible and we want our students to be warm and ready to play! Please help your children select weather appropriate clothing as we enter the colder months.
PSD is Hiring!
YEARBOOKS READY TO ORDER!
If you would like to order a yearbook then please do so by following this link and use the SCHOOL ID.
Yearbook Order: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/
School ID: 12072424
If you do not order a yearbook, then we may not have enough available to purchase at the end of the school year when it comes out. We order some extra, but the only guarantee is to pre order, so I highly recommend ordering one ahead of time.
If you have a child in grade 4 and need financial assistance to purchase a yearbook, then please email me directly at lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org and we will make sure your child gets a yearbook.
Feinstein Cards
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.
Volunteers
MAIN OFFICE EMAIL ACCOUNT!
Please use meloffice@portsmouthschoolsri.org to notify the main office of changes to your child's dismissal routine or of your child's absence.
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!
Community Resources
Important Dates
December
21st-School Wide Pajama/Cozy Day
22nd-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
14th & 15th- Grade 3 Seal Watch Field Trip (date to attend per class TBD)
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 (rain date 5/23)
27th-Memorial Day (No School)
29th-Grade 2 Family & Caregiver Celebration
30th-Kindergarten Family & Caregiver Celebration
31st-Grade 3 Wax Museum and Family & Caregiver End of Year Event
June
3rd-Field Day (rain date 6/4)
5th-Grade 1 Family & Caregiver Celebration
6th-Pre Kindergarten Graduation
7th–PHS Graduation (Tentative Date)
12th-FINAL MPTG Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library
13th-Grade 4 Stepping Up Ceremony with Family & Caregivers
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