Pleasant Street School News
building a community of learners that strive for excellence
April 17, 2016- Happy Spring Vacation Week!
Theatre visit brings happiness
All of our students had a fantastic time watching the live performance of, How I Became a Pirate, Children’s' Theatre at the Mount.
This trip was generously sponsored by a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant awarded to our wonderful Pleasant Street PTO and a Yellow School Bus Grant.
To learn more about the many ways state and local cultural councils provide benefit please read their mission excerpted below and visit their website for information about arts education and funding.
http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/about/about.asp
"Building Creative Communities. Inspiring Creative Minds
OUR MISSION
The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency that promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities.
The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grant programs, partnerships, and services for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists."
Everyday Arrays! Second Grade Projects & Video
Our students love to apply their learning through projects! Pictured below are more everyday arrays that our second graders found or constructed through the use of common materials. Please enjoy a short video that features so many of these wonderful projects.
PSS Garden Club will be starting soon!
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Garden-club.pdf
Vacation time is perfect for our "River Rat Race" Reading Challenge
For every 30 minutes read during the month of April students will be given a “canoe” to decorate and to enter into our “race” down the hallway. Our goal is to see how many laps we can make it around our school with our “River Rat” canoes. Special recognition and prizes will be awarded to the students with the most canoes and to the class with the most participants.
"River Rat Race" April Reading Challenge
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/River-Rat-Race-Reading-Challenge.pdf
Catch of the Day
Our School Support Noon Duty staff continue to be recognizing students in their, "Catch of the Day," program. This honor is given to students who staff observe demonstrating our school expectations of respect for self, respect for others, and respect for property during recess. Each day they choose one student from recess as the Catch of the Day who then receives a certificate, a stuffed fish for a day, and is entered into a weekly drawing in the "fish bowl" to receive a prize as Catch of the Week. Here are this weeks catches!
D'Zian
The "fish bowl"
Catch of the week!
Elementary Guidance News
Caught Being Good
Our faculty and staff use Caught Being Goods as just another way of letting children know that we notice and appreciate simple acts of being helpful and kind throughout our school. When a student receives a Caught Being Good he or she also receives a small prize from Principal Ellis. Here are some students we would like to recognize from this week including Robert pictured on the right.
Using Sensory Images to Deepen Understanding
Pictured: anchor chart from Mrs. Coleman's first grade.
Water Cycle Projects in Mrs. Arpide's Second Grade
To see a short video of student projects click on the link below.
https://animoto.com/play/jKHKRwDryjh9tshlmFUZiA
To learn more about the water cycle and other science activities please check out these links:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/steps-of-the-water-cycle.html
An Invitation from Assistant Superintendent Meyer
April 15, 2016
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to two opportunities to get involved in the Athol-Royalston Regional School District.
First, as we look forward to moving into the new elementary school next year, we need to amend our turnaround plan for our elementary schools to reflect the new configuration. We will be holding an open meeting on April 28 from 4:00-6:00 in the Athol-Royalston Middle School Cafeteria to reflect on the effectiveness of our current turnaround plan and to identify areas of concern as we look to next year. All are invited to attend this meeting.
Second, on that same night, April 28 from 6:00-8:30 in the Athol-Royalston Middle School Cafeteria, there will be a volunteer training. We can always use volunteers at the elementary level, and we are hoping to add an enrichment block at the middle school for next year which will provide an opportunity for volunteers to work with students. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please refer to the flyer on the back of this letter.
We hope that you will consider participating in one or both of these events. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office at (978) 249-2400.
Sincerely,
Steven C. Meyer
Assistant Superintendent
Volunteers Needed!
Become a volunteer in the Athol-Royalston Regional School District
Come to the volunteer training on April 28, 6:00-8:30 P.M. in the Athol-Royalston Middle School Cafeteria, and learn how you can advance student learning and help the District become an educational leader in Massachusetts.
What you can do as a volunteer depends on you. Some of the many possibilities:
· Work under a teacher in an elementary, middle school, or high school classroom.
· Talk with students about the work you do, to help them think about possible careers.
· Work with students in an area you’re skilled at, such as music or electronics.
· Work in a school office to help non-teaching staff.
· Tell students about places you’ve been or about other cultures that you know well.
Trainers Chuck Pretti, a former Pleasant St. School principal, and Phil Rabinowitz, a retired educator, will cover some basics about both the School District and about working with kids and teachers. Come see whether you and volunteering are a good match.
To sign up, please contact Julie Marynok in the Superintendent’s Office: phone: 978-249-2400
email: jmarynok@arrsd.org
Vacation week fun!
PLAN TO ATTEND A SPRING VACATION WEEK MOVIE AT THE ATHOL LIBRARY
When: Wednesday, April 20, from 1:00-3:00 pm
Where: Athol Public Library
What: A showing of the Peanuts movie (rated G)
What else: Enjoy pizza and a beverage courtesy of Market Basket, no registration is required.
Brain Building Parent Workshop
- Thursday, April 21, 2016
- Valuing Our Children, 217 Walnut St., Athol
- 10:00-11:30 am
- RSVP- (978) 246-8467 x22
Vacation Week StoryWalk
Free Breakfast & Lunch
As part of the 2010 Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act, Athol-Royalston Regional School District, along with other districts, now offers free meals to all students this school year.
Menus
- Breakfast menu for April
- Lunch menu for April
Check Out the Official ARRSD District Facebook Page
We encourage you to like this page so you can follow news from around the district.
Upcoming Events...Mark your Calendars!
- April 18- 22, spring recess, no school
- April 25, -school resumes
- April 27- district half day, noon dismissal, lunch is served
- April 28 & April 29- District kindergarten screening, no school for kindergarten
- May 6, district preschool screening, by appointment, no school for preschool
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CALENDARFOR2015-2016a.pdf
Community Events & Postings
Do you have news to share or want to inform members of our school community about family friendly events in our area? if so, please email or forward a flyer or link.
Thank you :)
Motor Monkeys Playgroup- 10:15-11:30, Friday mornings, beginning on March 4- May 13, 34 North Main St., Orange. For more information call Jennifer at (978) 249-8467.
Mother Goose on the Loose Playgroup-Thursdays 10am—11:30am Valuing Our Children 217 Walnut St. Athol. For more information contact: Jen: 978-249-8467 x 22
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PG-and-MGOL.pdf
Petersham Playgroup- Beginning on Thursday, Sept. 17th from 10-11:30 at the Petersham Center School. For more information please call Jennifer at Valuing Our Children 978-249-8467 x22
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Petersham-playgroup.pdf
For other local events, happenings, and resources in this area... you can also check the North Quabbin Community Coalition website below:
These are not school sponsored events but are posted here as a public service for families in the greater North Quabbin community.
Check back soon for more news!
News from Principal Ellis
Email: dellis@arrsd.org
Website: arrsd.org
Location: 1060 Pleasant Street., Athol, MA 01331
Phone: (978) 249-2405