South Row's Home Link
Week of: October 4th, 2021
Message from Mrs. Gilbert, Principal
Thank you to our PTO for organizing and hosting our Ice Cream Truck Social! As with any South Row community event the participation and engagement was amazing.
Our first High Five Friday with the Chelmsford Police Department was a huge success! Officers greeted students at arrival with a smile and a high five. We will be hosting HIgh Five Friday every month. Thank you Chelmsford Police Department!
We will also be kicking off our "Fall into Reading" school wide read-at-home challenge on October 4th, please see below for more information. We look forward to your participation!! As a reminder we have Kindness Day coming up on October 4th.
Respectfully,
Terri
Week at a Glance
MONDAY (10.4.21)
- Kindness Day - Students and staff are encouraged to wear kindness shirts and/or do a kind action for a friend, classmate, and/or family member. Photos can be sent to Mr. Ramalho at ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us. As always, spirit days are optional.
- School Council, 5:30PM
- PTO Board, 6:30PM
- PTO Meeting, 7:00PM - Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/409026461
TUESDAY - THURSDAY (10.5.21-10.7.21)
- No events
FRIDAY (10.8.21)
- Fresh Start Potato Harvest Day (in school)
Looking ahead...
Columbus Day: October 11th - No School
Picture Day: October 13th - Please see information below and also flyers that have been previously sent home.
Pumpkin Fair: October 16th, 4-6PM
Student Grade Level Meetings: October 18th
Early Release Day: October 19th. Students dismissed at 11:45AM
October Spirit Days...
- Kindness Day - Monday, October 4th
- Chelmsford/South Row Spirit Day - Friday, October 15th
- Orange/Black Spirit Day - Friday, October 29th
Reminders/ Updates for the Week
Fall into Reading Challenge: In an effort increase reading outside of school we will kick off a reading challenge on Monday October 4th. Teachers will send home a page of leaf templates on colored paper with each student. Each leaf will represent 20 minutes of reading and have a spot for the students name and the date. Students and families will be asked to cut the leaves out each time they read for 20 minutes or more and send them in to school. We will add the leaves to a bulletin board in the main lobby to highlight our students efforts with reading at home. There will be a challenge amongst grade levels to see which grade level reads the most books. The winning grade level will decide on a reward for their students. Each grade level will have different colored leaf paper to make the tracking easier. In order to include all levels of readers, families can read to or with a student as well as students reading independently. We will wrap up the challenge on October 29th.
Pirate School - Sea of Dreams Show - Free Tickets! Davey Zouzas reached out to the Chelmsford Police Athletic League and wants to donate 100 tickets (including a ticket for one parent and one child) to the Pirate School - Sea of Dreams show being performed at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts. The tickets are being donated through the Dacey Zouzas Endowment for the Arts.
If you are interested, you can reserve tickets which will be held at the door. All you will need to do is email your name to:
I have provided a link to the event below.
https://happsnow.com/event/the-chelmsford-center-for-the-arts/pirate-school-sea-of-dreams-XJJ1M
In Need of a Parent Leader for Walk to School Day: We are looking for a parent/guardian to take the lead on organizing our Walk to School Days this year. Walk to School Day has been a long standing South Row tradition, where students are encouraged to walk to school once a month. The parent who has previously been the leader of these events child has moved on to McCarthy. However, he provided us materials, documents, and information to keep it going. Are you interested in taking on this responsibility to help keep Walk to Schools going this year? Contact Mr. Ramalho at ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us to learn more. Thanks for your consideration!
Car Arrival Reminders:
- Please be sure your child is buckled in their respective seats as you arrive to school until your car comes to a complete stop. Students should NOT exit the car until directed to by adults.
- If you are walking your students to the door in the back parking lot to the building, please be sure to use the GRASS area behind the cars (tree line) in an effort to not stop the car line as they form 4 lanes.
Fourth Grade Activities Committee: In October we like to begin to form our fourth grade activities committee. We are looking for a fourth grade parent (or two) to take the lead on getting this committee started. Each year the South Row staff, grade 4 team, and administration are committed to making the fourth grade class feel special as they end their elementary careers at South Row. If you are interested in helping take the lead and getting this committee started please contact Mrs. Gilbert (gilbertt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) and Mr. Ramalho (ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us). We have a binder and information with everything that this committee does to make the planning and process as smooth as possible. Thanks for your consideration.
Fourth Grade Student Council: Information will be shared with students and families by the end of next week on our 4th Grade Student Council. This is a great student leadership opportunity! This year, it will take place during school hours during 1-2 recess blocks a month in the gymnasium or outside where ample distancing can be achieved. More detailed information on all logistics and the application process will be shared by Mr. Ramalho.
Student Bathrooms: Starting next week we will be allowing more than 2 students in a bathroom at a given time for students using the bathrooms in the main building and PODS. This will support our students and staff in maximizing learning time as often there are lines for the bathroom. Students will still be asked to wear masks the entire time while in the bathroom and practice proper and expected hand hygiene.
Student Grade Level Meetings: We are excited to share that we will be rolling out student grade level meetings in October. Grade Level Meetings are with Ms. Gilbert and Mr. Ramalho and will take place in the cafeteria (at assigned lunch seats) and/or outside when feasible. When inside for meetings, students will remain masked. Meetings will focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), RRS expectations, and PRIDE Core Values. We are excited to meet with students!
Families in need of Support: Please contact a member of our support team if the school can support your family as we approach the holiday season. As a reminder, our support team consists of the following individuals:
- Ms. Terri Gilbert, Principal, gilbertt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
- Mr. Jayson Ramalho, Assistant Principal, ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
- Dr. Linda Rich, School Counselor, richl@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
- Dr. Deirdre Brogan, School Psychologist, brogand@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
- Ms. Shannon Vandevoordt, School Nurse, vandevoordts@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
- Ms. Katie Hicks, BCBA, hicksc@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Change in Dismissal Plans: As a reminder, if there is a CHANGE to your child's dismissal on a given day, please EMAIL the classroom teacher, Mrs. O'Neill, and Mrs. Sepe. We do ask that families try to be as consistent as possible with dismissal.
****Please contact the school as early as possible for dismissal changes (before 2:00) so we can make sure your student gets where they need to go at the end of the day!!
Interested in Substituting in CPS?: The Chelmsford Public Schools is looking for substitutes in our school. If you are interested, consider applying through school spring by clicking on this link. If you have any questions and/or would like to substitute at South Row, reach out to Mrs. Gilbert and Mr. Ramalho for more information.
Pool Testing/Test and Stay: If you are interested in opting into either of these testing protocols please click on this link to complete the consent form: LINK
Picture Day is Coming Soon...
Nurses Corner
Dear South Row Families,
Pool Testing:
Our first week of pool testing went well! For the first week we had 167 students participate. The list is already complete for 10/6 but if you would like your student to participate 10/13 please complete the google form consent here - https://forms.gle/79Hv4twPifgrriM57 You only need to complete the consent once per student. I received an email from one parent that they had signed the consent but I didn’t have it on my end. Please confirm with your student that they were tested in case other consents did not transfer to responses in the nurse’s file. All students are encouraged to swab themselves for testing. Here is a helpful video of a second grader explaining how to perform the covid test:
How to do a nasal swab by a YARCS 2nd grader
When to keep your student home from school:
If your child has a fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath/ difficulty breathing, or muscle aches please keep them home and consult their pediatrician or urgent care. These are “stand alone symptoms” meaning if your child has ONE of these symptoms they need either a negative Covid test or a note from a doctor stating they may return to school.
Symptoms such as headache, nasal congestion/runny nose, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, or fatigue alone do not require a covid test or doctor’s note to return to school. If your student has two symptoms from this list then you must contact a doctor for a covid test or note. For example if your child has diarrhea and vomiting, you must consult a doctor and provide documentation before they can return to school.
Please feel free to reach out to me with questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Nurse V.
vandevoordts@chelmsford.k12.ma.usHoliday Assistance - If you are in need of help please see the attached brochure
Chelmsford Special Education Parent Advisory Council
PTO Corner
Pumpkin Fair
The PTO is delighted to announce that the Pumpkin Fair is back! It will be a scaled-back, all-outdoors version in the interest of safety, but we expect it to be a great time. Come to South Row on Saturday, October 16 from 4 to 6pm!
- Get your Fall decorations from our pumpkin patch
- Food trucks
- Make a Fall craft and decorate your pumpkin on-site or with take-and-make kits
- Take seasonal family photos at our staged photo area (think holiday cards!)
- Play with friends on the playground
We hope to see you there!
Ice Cream Social
Thank you to everyone who came out for the pumpkin fair on Wednesday! We had a fabulous turnout, everyone seemed to be having a great time, and to top it all off, we got a generous donation from our ice cream truck, Michelle's Ice Cream Dreams, at the end of the night!
PTO Meeting
Please join us on Monday night for our next PTO meeting. This meeting will be held virtually at 7PM on Monday, October 4.
October PTO Meeting
Mon, Oct 4, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (EDT)
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/409026461
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (571) 317-3112
Access Code: 409-026-461
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/409026461
South Row Gear Sale
Our Fall South Row gear sale has started! You can order online by Friday, October 15 at https://south-row-pto.square.site/shop/2.
We have received many orders so far, but we have also just gotten reports that some people are finding that all the items are showing as not available. We are trying to pinpoint the problem, as it seems to not be affecting everyone. If you run into this problem, please email southrowpto@gmail.com and let us know what browser you had the issue on. Thank you for your patience and your orders!
No-Brainer Fundraiser
We know that baking. peddling fruit, and other typical fundraising activities aren't everyone's cup of tea. Here is a simple, no-frills way to support the PTO! You will still receive notice of other fundraisers, as we can't remove individuals from our distribution, but you can feel free to ignore/recycle them to your heart's content! This is a tax-deductible donation, and you may request a receipt from the main office.
To participate in the No-Brainer Fundraiser, please visit tinyurl.com/srptonobrainer.
Food Services
SOUTH ROW'S PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Please send photos to Mr. Ramalho (ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) to be featured in our Home Link newsletter!
Ice Cream Social
Playground fun at the Ice Cream Social!
Great Turnout
Thank you for a super event!
School Spirit!
Start with Hello Week Fun!
High Five Friday with the Chelmsford Police Department
PRIDE Shout Out in Ms. Sanborn's class!
Creative collages in art!
Contact the South Row Administrative Team!
Principal
Mr. Jayson Ramalho, M.Ed.
Assistant Principal
Email: gilbertt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.chelmsford.k12.ma.us/Domain/15
Location: 250 Boston Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-251-5177
Facebook: facebook.com/SouthRowElementary
Twitter: @CPSSouthRow
Contact the Main Office Staff
- Mrs. Terri Gilbert, Principal: gilbertt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177 ext. 4
- Mr. Jayson Ramalho, Assistant Principal: ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177 ext. 3
- Mrs. Shannon Vandevoordt, School Nurse: vandevoordts@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177, ext.2
- Mrs. Debbie O'Neill, Secretary: oneilld@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177, ext. 0
- Mrs. Kim Sepe, School Clerk: sepek@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177, ext.0
- Absentee Line: 978-251-5177 ext. 1