Moreau's Monthly Messenger - M3
February 2018
Moreau Hall Elementary School
Respect
Involvement
Determination
Excellence
Email: thiggins@easton.k12.ma.us
Website: www.easton.k12.ma.us
Location: 360 Washington Street, North Easton, MA 02356
Phone: 508-230-3235
Twitter: @Mr_H_MH_Hawks
A Message from Mr. H.
A little "throw back Thursday" message... Interestingly, I wrote this one year ago in the February 2017 M3 and it still holds true today. The hometown team got off to a rough start this season with the doubters and haters piling on early. When you are successful, there will always be detractors. We continue to work hard to push our students and ourselves to be the best Hawks we can be each day. I thank you for your support as parents, and for being part of our team!
"Very recently I heard Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, on the news talking about his team’s determination. He spoke about how his team was faced with a challenge at the beginning of the season when their star player was benched for debatable reasons. They could have just chalked this season up as lost and gone through the motions, or they could do what the Patriots seem to be best at and prove the doubters wrong. Now here they are on the brink of a fifth championship, as long as each player on the team does their job. They don’t ever give up, even when things get hard and the odds are stacked against them. Sometimes, in sports, we can find very valuable lessons. How can we be like the Patriots? As parents and teachers, we need to model determination for our students on a daily basis. It’s important to show our children that we won’t give in when the going gets tough. Good luck to the Patriots on Sunday! This Giants fan will be pulling for them."
Mr. H.
Hawk of the Month - Involvement
We would like to announce our Hawks of the Month for January. These students were selected because of their Involvement. We are so proud of the bucket filling attitude they possess each and every day. They know what it means to be present, enjoying each moment as it comes.They help their Moreau Hall family be the best it can be.They make a difference in their classroom and school community. They share their talents with those around them. Our January recipients include:
Mrs. Dutra - Joielynn L.
Mrs. Jolly - Cassandra P.
Ms. Monaco - Gabriella B.
Ms. Police - Michael J.
Mrs. Arnold - Anthony S.
Mrs. Clinton - Savannah G.
Mrs. Griffin - Apollonia T.
Mrs. Sparrow - Aidan C.
Mrs. Rogers - Owen J.
Mrs. Sanpietro - Kyle K.
Mrs. Widdop - Lydia G.
Ms. McInnis am - Celeste R.
Ms. McInnis pm - Mallory L.
Our Hawks and their guests will be treated to a breakfast celebration ceremony thanks to our friend Mike Asack at North Easton Savings Bank. Be on the lookout for the invitation in the mail!
Good News Call Of The Day
Upcoming Events
Click here for the calendar on the school website
Thursday, February 1
National Read Aloud Day - Enjoy a good book with your Hawk!
Friday, February 2
Football Friday Superbowl Party Patriots Pep Rally! Woooo!
Friday, February 9
Wingmasters Assembly - Grade One - 9:30 am
Wingmasters Assembly - Grade Two - 10:30 am
Friday, February 16
Southwick Zoo Assembly - PK & K - 10:00 am
Monday, February 19 - Friday, February 23
NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
Monday, February 26
Schools reopen
Friday, March 2
Dr. Seuss Read Across America Day
Johnny the K Reading Incentive Kick-off Assembly - 9:30 am
Community Service Projects
Each grade level at Moreau Hall participates in a community service project throughout the school year. The goal is to provide an opportunity for our students to have a lasting impact on improving the community in which they live. It is also a wonderful way to model and live our core value of Involvement!
Grade 2 - Local VeteransOur second graders will be doing "Chores for Veterans." The children can do chores at home to earn coins to fill ajar we will have in the lobby. They could shovel snow, wash dishes, sweep floors, etc. (use your imagination!)
This year's donation will go to support Mass Fallen Heroes. This foundation supports families who lost loved ones in war. They have programs to help returning veterans with finding housing, job hunting, education, and filing all the paperwork necessary to receive their benefits. They have developed programs to assist with life-long injuries, both physical and mental. Info will be coming home soon.
Grade 1 - School on Wheels of MA
Our first graders continue to support SOWMA with an ongoing school supply drive. At this time of the year, as your students school supplies need replenishing, please consider buying a few extra and donating them to SOWMA. School on Wheels of MA is a local organization supporting students impacted by homelessness. The average age of a homeless person in our state is 8 years old. This issue occurs more than you would think! We hope you can support this wonderful organization!
Kindergarten - Easton Food Pantry
February is food collection month here at Moreau Hall! All the non-perishable food items collected by our Kindergarteners are donated to our local food pantry. Our teachers, along with representatives from the food pantry, talk with our students about local families who may be in need. Anytime of year is a great time to donate! We hope you can help!
Grade 1 Family Literacy Night
Our annual Grade 1 Family Literacy Night was held on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018 from 6:00-8:00 pm. A big Hawk Holla to all the first grade families that came out to celebrate literacy. Everyone had a great time! Special thanks to our teachers for planning the evening and to our PAC for continuously supporting our programs. Our special guest Keith Munslow was a hit!
Mr. Dennison's Music Notes
Moreau Hall music classes enjoyed the school-wide Holiday Sing in December, and we were back to work on new music this January. I led small discussions about Dr. King in first and second grade. Then we learned songs that support his messages. Second graders (song: Martin Luther King) worked in small groups to compose their own musical line about Dr. King. Then they sang their creation as part of the song. First graders (song: We Shall Overcome) were asked to imagine singing together as they waited for a Dr. King speech. In Kindergarten, we learned two folk songs made popular by Pete Seeger and students had the opportunity to hear his recording of the songs.
-Mr. Dennison
KINDER Song: Clap Hands Like Me - Concept/Activity: Skipping (‘Skip to my Lou’)
1st GRADE Song: Bought Me A Cat - Concept/Activity: High and Low sounds
2nd GRADE Song: Rocky Mountain - Concept/Activity: 4-beat rhythm lines and “Rest”
PAC News - Parent Advisory Council
Kristen Finch and Colleen Pantazelos – Co-Chairpersons
Michelle Greco – Vice Chairperson
Chrissy Sierra – TreasurerEve Reed – Secretary
The fourth meeting of the Parent Advisory Council will be held on
Wednesday, March 15th at 6:30 pm
in the Moreau Hall Library.
All are welcome!
More information to follow!
Mark your calendar now for PAC Meeting dates...
March 15 @ 6:30 pm (Combined meeting with Center and Parkview)
April 11 @ 7:00 pm
May 16 @ 7:00 pm
Email PAC at moreauhallpac@gmail.com
Follow PAC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moreauhallpac
Mrs. Silverstein's Reading Corner
This month I will highlight a reading strategy that the children are being taught in their classrooms that you can use at home when you read with your child.
Chunking: A decoding strategy for breaking words into manageable parts. Word chunk strategies will enable the students to apply their learning to more and bigger words!
It goes by names such as “chunk the word”, “word chunks” or the one most often used these days because of its cute connotation “chunky monkey”. The Chunky Monkey strategy reminds the child to look for chunks of letters and sounds in words that they already know. Chunking helps the child to read words faster, because they can blend chunks of sounds together instead of having to blend each individual sound.
An example for a Kindergartener or First grade student would look like this:
The child comes to a word like “flat”, remind the child that he/she already knows what sound the “at” chunk makes, and that blending “fl-at” together quicker than stretching out each individual sound in “f-l-a-t”.
An example for a second grade student becomes beneficial when it comes to words with more than one syllable:
can-dle, far-mer, rock-et, pan-ther, chick-en
Remind your child to look for chunks when they get stuck on a word!
Any reading questions? Contact me at ksilverstein@easton.k12.ma.us
Core Values
Moreau Hall students, teachers, parents, and community members take P.R.I.D.E. in being a “bucket-filling” school. In order to provide a positive child-centered learning experience for all students we will follow our five core values:
Positive Attitude, Respect, Involvement, Determination, and Excellence
Be a “bucket filler” and show your Hawk P.R.I.D.E.!
Positive Attitude
Believe in yourself and your abilities and those of your classmates
Believe that effort will improve your future
Stay motivated, even when things don’t go well
Be excited and energized about learning
Respect
Take care of yourself
Treat others as you want to be treated
Take care of your school
Embrace new ideas
Involvement
Be present
Help your Moreau Hall family
Make a difference in your community
Share your talents
Determination
Show enthusiasm and actively participate
Finish what you start
Stay committed to your goals
Keep working hard even when you feel like quitting
Excellence
Kindness matters
Strive to be your personal best
Listen to understand
Show gratitude for all you have
Created with student input by the Moreau Hall School Council - January 2015
Core Values Lesson on Involvement
Moreau Hall Mission Statement
The mission of Moreau Hall Elementary School is to provide a positive, child-centered learning experience for all students.