Memorial Buzz
News from Manchester Memorial Elementary School!
May 31, 2019
Principal's Note...
It is crazy how fast the year is going right now...we have 10 more school days until Summer break! I wanted to give everyone some staffing updates for next year:
- Next year, Ms. Silag will be at MMES 3 days/week and at MERMHS 2 days/week. Mrs. Yutkins will also be 3 days/week at MMES and 2 days/week at EES. This will not impact MMES students library or art classes as we are able to schedule all classes at MMES in three full days.
- Mr. McDonough and Mrs. Cochand will join Mrs. Gould on the grade 2 team next year.
- Mrs. Decker will return to her "roots" in Kindergarten with Ms. Hatch.
- Mrs. Morgese will be returning to grade 3 to join Mrs. DiTullio and Mrs. Garafolo.
- Mrs. Naitza will join Mrs. Flood and Mrs. Tomaiolo on the grade 5 team.
- Ms. Natti has taken a full-time music teaching position in Framingham. We are currently working to hire a new music/choral teacher. Best of luck to Ms. Natti...we will miss her!
- Mrs. Grella, Mrs. Ersing, and Mrs. Bryant are all retiring at the end of the year...we wish them the best in their retirement years!
Lots going on at MMES! I hope to see everyone on June 5 at 6PM for the Building Project Parents' meeting. The neighbors' meeting will be at 7:30PM - right after the parents' meeting. The parents' meeting will give an overview of the design and logistics for next year including the plan for specialists, recess, arrival, dropoff, and safety.
Have a great weekend!
Best,
John
4th Grade Takes Over the School While 5th Grade is Away! Great job this week with the daily announcements!
A Visit From Ms. Carol!
Do you know what happened 50 years ago this June?! Ask your MMES student and they may enlighten you after this morning's visit from Ms. Carol from Manchester Public Library's Children's Room! Ms. Carol visited with all our K-4 grades to talk about Summer Reading programs at the Manchester Public Library. The theme this year is A UNIVERSE OF STORIES, inspired by man's first walk on the moon. Ms. Carol shared some very cool moon landing stories - fiction and non-fiction - as well as all the cool programs and reading prizes featured at the library downtown this summer! Sign ups for the public library's Summer Reading Challenge begin at noon on Friday, June 14th at Manchester Public Library...don't miss it! (and ALL MMES students who register downtown will automatically be entered in Ms. Silag's MMES Summer Reading Challenge too!)
Building Project Update
5-31-19 - I have been mentioning the importance of flexibility during the building project as we have gone through the design process. We are now on the doorstep of the time when we will all need to dig deep into our flexibility reserves! Teachers in c-wing will be in the building this weekend to begin packing materials to be moved into the gymnasium over the next 2 weeks. Materials and furniture will be staged in the gymnasium until they can be relocated to their new homes this summer. We need to start the packing and moving process now as c-wing needs to be completely empty when we close school on June 14th. Thank you, in advance, for your patience and understanding during this "out of the ordinary" time at MMES!
5-16-19 - MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Parent Information Meeting - June 5 @6PM - MMES Auditorium - Hope to see all families there. We will discussing safety and logistics for the 2019-2020 school year.
5-13-19: We are currently planning a ground breaking ceremony for early June that will include an assembly with the students and local dignitaries to officially kick off the project.
5-6-19: Staff in C-wing will need to move all items out of the wing so that it can be taken down this summer to make way for the new 2-story classroom wing. To achieve this, staff will work overtime (after school, weekends, etc.) to box everything up in preparation for moving in early to mid-June.
5-6-19: In early June, some site work will begin including the construction of fencing and erosion control around the jobsite. The jobsite will encompass a fairly large portion of the property including the path to Brook Street, the back playground, and Brook St. parking lot/tennis courts. Students and families will still have regular access to Brook St. for the remainder of the 2018-2019 school year.
5-6-19: The Brook St. field, path, parking lot, etc. will be inaccessible for the 2019-2020 school year between the hours of 7AM and 3:30PM. This means that back walkers will need to go over the footbridge and down Vine street to access the Brook St. neighborhood. All car pick up students will need to be dismissed via the front car line. We are hoping that families can ride the bus will ride the bus next year and/or carpool to lighten the number of vehicles in the front drop off/pick up line. If students live close enough to walk/bike safely (and they are old enough to do so), we encourage them to walk/bike.
5-6-19: We are currently working to schedule a parent meeting to discuss the logistical impacts and safety planning for the 2019-2020 school year. Stay tuned!
School Supplies
Back to school shopping for next year already? Why not get a head start by shopping online with 1st Day School Supplies? In just a few clicks, you will get the exact supplies the teachers in your grade requested without the hassle of shopping in the box stores and delivered right to your front door. It's a great way to cross one more thing off of your to-do list while helping our school! Click HERE to order now!
Any questions, please contact Nora Cifric
Link (to link from image to order site):
Upcoming Dates...
JUNE
5 - 9:30 AM - Grade 2's The Great Kapok Tree
5 - 6:00PM - Building Project Parent Meeting (note time change)
6 - 5-7 PM Art Show at the Manchester Community Center
11 - 5th grade "Crossing the Bridge" ceremony
12 - Field Day
13- Field Day Rain Date
14 - Last day of school
Notes From Nurse Seaman...
Just a few reminders:
1. If your child is going to be absent or arriving late, please call either 526-1909 or 526-1908 to let us know.
2. If your child has a temperature of 100. F or over, they need to be temperature free for 24 hours (without relying on Tylenol or Motrin) before re-entering the school.
3. If your child is experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, we recommend that they are symptom free for 24 hours and are able to tolerate solid food before they return
4. If your child has a contagious illness such as conjunctivitis or strep throat, it is the school policy that they are on medicine for 24 hours before re-entering the building.
5. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL CLASSROOMS ARE PEANUT/NUT FREE
Physicals:
Updated physicals and immunization records are due for grades one and four. Also 5th grade students will need updated physicals and immunizations for camp trip in May. An updated physical is one that is not older than one year. Any physical completed or to be completed on your child since July 2018 and July 2019 is acceptable. Please do not go and make a new appointment. Just send me a copy of the physical when it is completed
Extra Clothing: ALL GRADE LEVELS
Occasionally a spilled drink, a fall in a puddle or even a ride down a wet slide occurs, if each child could have a change of clothing (head to toe) that would be great.
Thank you for your co-operation and continuing support.
Joanne
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A LIBRARY VOLUNTEER?
Ms. Silag is looking for a few good men or women to give an hour at the beginning or end of each weekday to shelve books, clean up projects and pack up iPads.
Hours are:
8:45-9:30 am each school day (M-W)
or
2:00pm - 2:55pm each school day (M-F)
If you are interested in signing up to be a Library Volunteer, please email Ms. Silag at: silags@mersd.org
You will receive a response with directions on how to sign up for an available time slot.
***IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE: ALL volunteers must be CORI'd PRIOR to working in the school. See Mrs. Dodge or Ms. Silag for a CORI form. The CORI checks expire after two years so you may need to update your CORI.
Help Wanted!
We are currently searching to build our substitute pool for the 19-20 school year. Do you know someone locally who has experience working with children in a school setting? Please have them email Mrs. Dodge directly at dodgec@mersd.org and we can take them through the application and screening process. Thanks so much in advance!
Notices From our Friends...
The Musary Music Lending Library
MMES is on Facebook!
Memorial School:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009186193553&hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf
MMES Library/Technology:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007713044842&fref=ts
"Like" our friends:
MERSD:
https://www.facebook.com/ManchesterEssexRegional/?fref=ts
MMPTO:
https://www.facebook.com/ManchesterMemorialPTO/?fref=ts