Deer Families
Deer Hill School News . March 5, 2021
Dear Deer Hill Families,
"March is the new September!" That phrase, coined by our own 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Chapman, has indeed proven true. This week we rebooted our school year -- new seating, new schedules, new classes. It was a true partnership between staff, students, and families. Not only has it been a busy week (ok, let's call it what it is -- exhausting!), it has also been emotional, joyful, and triumphant. Now, as we look forward to the remainder of the year, I want to share a quote with you. It comes from the essay "What Shall We Do With the Children After the Pandemic?" by Theresa Thayer Snyder,and was shared with me by a parent in our school community. I'm not really sure when "after" will truly arrive, but these words resonate now as we balance the social-emotional and academic needs of our students:
"Resist the pressure from whatever ‘powers that be’ who are in a hurry to “fix” kids and make up for the “lost” time. The time was not lost, it was invested in surviving an historic period of time in their lives—in our lives. The children do not need to be fixed. They are not broken. They need to be heard. They need be given as many tools as we can provide to nurture resilience and help them adjust to a post pandemic world."
As we embark on the 101st day of school this Monday, I hope that Snyder's words will be our true north. Our students have been learning, as have we. I'm so grateful that we are able to continue to do so. . . together.
All the best,
Alexandra L. Sullivan
Principal, Deer Hill School
P.S. Our next newsletter will be published approximately March 19.
P.P.S. Follow me on Twitter @DeerHillSchool for ongoing info and joy throughout the week.
Need to Knows
- Even as temperatures rise, please help your walker or biker time their arrival to school for between 9:05 and 9:15, not before. We have a very large group of unsupervised students congregating outside before our doors open which is not ideal.
- As we manage the flow of much heavier arrival and dismissal traffic, your good naturedness has been evident and is appreciated. One way that you can help us out is by not arriving before your drop-off/pick up window. In particular, cohort A families that are arriving very early (some as much as 20 minutes or more) are adding to the congestion. If you find yourself with downtime, please consider grabbing a coffee and parking elsewhere so that you are heading down Sohier Street just as your time window opens.
- As Superintendent Sullivan shared at this week's School Committee meeting, we must insist that all car pickups for Deer Hill students take place in our back parking loop. We cannot condone the practice of having students walk toward Osgood to hop in a car that's waiting in the Osgood pickup line. Students have been made aware of this expectation and are anxious to follow the rules.
- Our RISE before and after school program is fully operational and can help you avoid the arrival and dismissal crush. Please visit the Town of Cohasset rec website for more information.
Keeping the Joy (happenings at Deer Hill)
Mindfulness for the family: During moments of stress and worry taking a moment to be mindful is important. Mrs. Costa has shared an article called Mindfulness for Kids. It includes information on why mindfulness is important and simple strategies the whole family can use to stay grounded and in the moment. https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-for-kids/
Speaking of mindfulness, our yoga program continues to thrive. It's wonderful that all classes will be able to have two yoga sessions this year, and I'm hoping it will become a regular addition to the Deer Hill curriculum.
The fourth grade team was excited to offer a cross-curricular zoom “field trip” at the South Shore Art Center. Students created original art pieces based on the poem “There Is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me” by Alice Walker. This was a wonderful opportunity to partner with a local organization to provide our students access to a rich literacy and arts experience that celebrates diverse voices.
Many thanks to the South Shore Music Circus for their generous grant to Deer Hill school. This grant will support our enrichment opportunities such as yoga and partnerships with the South Shore Art Center.
Deer Hill Dates
Week "A" for bus riders: 3.10.21
Week "B" for bus riders: 3.17.21
Early release, professional development: 3.18.21, 1:15
No school, professional development: 3.19.21
Early release, conferences: 3.23-3.24.21, 1:15
Week "A" for bus riders: 3.24.21
Term 2 ends: 3.26.21
Week "B" for bus riders: 3.31.21
Progress reports published in Aspen: 4.1.21
No school, Good Friday: 4.2.21
Flyers of Interest
Deer Hill School
Alexandra L. Sullivan, Principal
Email: alsullivan@cohassetk12.org
Website: https://www.cohassetk12.org/
Location: 208 Sohier St., Cohasset, MA, USA
Phone: 781-383-6115
Twitter: @DeerHillSchool