News From the Eagle's Nest
January 2023
School Hours
School Day: 8:55 am - 3:15 pm
Student Drop off starts: 8:40 am
Student Pick up starts: 3:15 pm
Elmwood Office and Phones: 8am - 4pm
Email: acarver@hopkinton.k12.ma.us
Website: https://elmwoodelementary.hopkinton.k12.ma.us/
Location: Elmwood School, Elm Street, Hopkinton, MA, USA
Phone: (508)497-9860
A Note From the Principal
“Kindness changes the brain by the experience of kindness. Children and adolescents do not learn kindness by only thinking about it and talking about it. Kindness is best learned by feeling it so that they can reproduce it.” ~ Lisa Currie
Elmwood students are busy and there’s learning & growth to celebrate every day! Students are growing taller and starting to look older. Students are getting good at following school rules. Students are losing baby teeth, outgrowing their clothes, and learning to control their bodies, all while learning to add, subtract, multiply and divide. They are becoming better readers and writers while learning to be good people, too. All this growth is due to the incredibly hard work of each staff member and student and everyone reading this message. Thank you all!
While staff and students work on academic learning each day, Mrs. Tynan and I work with staff members and students to support social learning and growth daily, too. Each day we see students who are learning to make good decisions, some who need support with behaviors, and some who are being rewarded for reaching social goals or meeting expectations. Mrs. Tynan and I enjoy our work because we know that helping students learn to be good people is as important as teaching them to be good students, and they go hand-in-hand.
Every day we talk to students about the ways their choices (words and deeds) affect others. Every day we help students realize the importance of their decisions, recognize mistakes, and learn what to do “next time.” Every day we remind students to be kind to one another. We need your help.
In her article called, “Kindness: How You Can Teach Children to Care for Others” Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D. talks about ways to teach kindness. She writes, “We don’t make children happy when we simply enable them to be receivers of kindness. We escalate their feelings of happiness, improve their well-being, reduce bullying, enrich their friendships, and build peace by teaching them to be givers of kindness.” According to the article, “Children are born to be givers. But by 4th grade, research shows they are socialized to think more about themselves than others. How do we reverse this trend and create long-lasting habits of kindness?”
Every day, Mrs. Tynan and I respond to acts of kindness. It is a true joy. We must occasionally respond to acts of unkindness, too. Students are sometimes unkind to others in response to differences, imagined or real, physical or intellectual. In responding to these situations, Mrs. Tynan and I often tell parents that we see students at this age “trying on” behaviors to see how they feel or to learn how others may respond. This stage of exploration and experimenting with how actions affect others can be challenging and hurtful. It is also an opportunity for important conversations and learning/growth. Please take some time to read the short article below, and join me in finding ways to help our students demonstrate random acts of kindness in school, at home, and in our community, because as my new car magnet says- “Kindness Matters.” Link to the full article.
As indicated in previous newsletters, we have started a "Kindness Club" at Elmwood. If your child is chosen to participate you will receive an email from his/her teacher and the counselor running the program.
Very warmly, Mrs. Anne Carver
Report Cards for our first semester are available to you via PowerSchool as of 3:00 pm on the afternoon of Feb. 3. Please click here for instructions on how to open your child’s report card for review. Please also be sure to “sign” the report card after reviewing it by following the instructions above. Having the ability to digitally sign the report card is a feature in PowerSchool that will help us know who has been able to review each report card and who may need assistance. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher or to me directly.
The purpose of your child’s elementary report card is to provide you with information about your child’s achievement, relative to the grade-level curriculum, personal development skills, work, and social skills and effort. The elementary report card includes a numeric key, a letter scoring key, and an optional comments component.
Please keep in mind numeric scores are based upon the end-of-year grade-level learning competencies tied to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and learning standards. These scores indicate what your child currently demonstrates in each curricular area. The scale ranges from 1 to 4. The descriptors were designed to indicate how each student is able to access the grade-level curriculum, both in terms of understanding and independence. I hope the following guide will assist you in making sense of your child’s current level of performance and proficiency.
A number 1 will be assigned to a standard when a student is beginning to demonstrate the standard and show basic understanding. Students likely need a lot of support at this level to work through problems or demonstrate his/her understanding.
A number 2 will be assigned to a standard when a student is developing his/her understanding and the ability to demonstrate specific skills. Students are practicing this standard with some independence, but need support to refine his/her thinking and work.
A number 3 will be assigned to a standard when a student is achieving grade-level learning expectations and has a secure understanding of the skill or area. Students with this designation are mostly working independently on the learning standard, and are able to demonstrate his/her thinking clearly and completely.
A number 4 will be assigned when a student is demonstrating an advanced understanding of the learning standard. Independently, students are able to go “above and beyond’ what has been taught and what is expected at the grade level.
Letter scoring keys on the Personal Development section of the report card have been aligned with personal development standards at Marathon and Hopkins and indicate the frequency with which your child accomplishes a task or displays a behavior.
A = Almost Always.
O = Often (meaning frequently, a reasonable amount).
S = Sometimes (meaning occasionally, but not enough).
I = Infrequently (meaning this happens rarely and is a concern).
Items not assessed for this quarter will be marked with Not Assessed (NA).
Students who very recently moved to Elmwood or have been out of school for an extended period of time may find blank competencies due to a teacher’s inability to grade them at this time.
Art, music, physical education, and health ratings and comments are given by the individual specialist listed on each report card and reflect your child’s progress in that class. If you have questions, please contact the respective specialist directly.
I would like to take this opportunity to THANK YOU for your continued support of teaching and learning. I realize that many of the accomplishments and incredible growth students are making in school would not be possible without a partnership between teachers, school, and families. Students whose families take an active interest in their learning benefit from the relationships in countless ways. Click here for a great article on the benefits.
Please always reach out to your child's classroom teacher and/or me with any questions or concerns.
If you are unable to view the report card on a computer or if you wish to have a printed report card sent home, please make that request via email to the main office at eoffice@hopkinton.k12.ma.us immediately.
Benchmark Testing
Teachers have started the important work of Benchmark Assessment this month. In education, the term benchmark refers to an assortment of evaluation tests administered throughout the school year in order to find out whether or not students are meeting specified academic standards. Benchmarking is instrumental in measuring students’ academic growth and in designing custom curricula to reach each student's learning needs.
The BAS reading and STAR math assessments are each administered to all students in grades two and three- two to three times per year. STAR Math assessments provide interim data so teachers can set goals, respond quickly to student needs, monitor progress, and maximize math growth. The BAS is used to determine student’s independent and instructional reading levels while providing teachers an opportunity to observe student reading behaviors one-on-one, engage in comprehension conversations that go beyond retelling, and make informed decisions that connect assessment to instruction.Upcoming Dates
- Friday, January 27, Early Release Day - lunch is served ~ dismissal 1:00 pm
- February 20-24- No School- Winter Recess
Outdoor recess
This is a reminder that students will go outside for recess weather permitting daily. Please remind your child that warm clothes are a must for cold days. Students who wear snow pants, winter coats, boots, and mittens/gloves are permitted to play in the snow when we have snow-covered ground. Students who are not dressed for snow will be expected to remain on the blacktop.
If your child needs a winter coat, please reach out to me via eoffice@hopkinton.k12.ma.us
Click on this link to view the Child Care Weather Watch Chart. This chart is used to determine if it is safe for students to play outside at a given temperature. We use Elmwood's online Weather Center for local temperature and wind chill factors. This online tool is also located on the school's website.
It is important to remind all families that Elmwood School has students with life-threatening allergies to nuts (peanuts/tree nuts). Due to the serious risk of anaphylaxis, we ask for your cooperation in helping us create Nut-Aware classrooms to minimize the possibility of exposure.
Please refrain from sending in snacks containing nuts or peanuts. All foods are allowed in the cafeteria, where allergy-aware tables are located.
Additionally, please remind your child not to share food or snacks at school.
If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you!
Elmwood Community News
Harlem Wizards
The Harlem Wizards are coming to Hopkinton. Come support school staff and community members playing in this fun-filled, action-packed basketball game! Swag can be purchased before the game on the HPTO Website.
Game: Wednesday, Feb 1, 7 pm at Hopkinton High School ~ To purchase tickets click here.
Elmwood's Got Spirit!
Fridays are Spirit Days at Elmwood! Your child may wear school, Hopkinton, or favorite sports team gear. More information to come regarding other school spirit days this year.
What is Wee Deliver?
Elmwood students write letters to each other and/or staff members at Elmwood School. Parents and family members may also get involved in the fun by writing letters to their students, and you are highly encouraged to do so! Letters may be dropped off at one of three designated mail drops and placed in the Wee Deliver mailbox. (Elmwood School, Hopkinton Post Office, or Library.) Selected 2nd and 3rd-grade students act as postal employees, sorting and delivering mail after school. Each classroom has created a unique mailing address for the program which will be available on the Elmwood School website along with Wee Deliver stamps.
Get Involved
Hopkinton Parent Teacher Organization
Why become a member of the HTPO?
Your membership is extremely valuable to the HPTO and to our schools. The HPTO directly supports our school children by funding enrichment programs and special events within the schools, coordinating volunteers throughout the schools, offering extracurricular classes, and providing parent programs and communications. Additionally, the HPTO funds classroom technology, teacher professional development, student scholarships, and other educational supports. Your membership dues are a major funding source for all of these activities. Since 1993, the HPTO (formerly HPTA) has contributed over $2.75 million to benefit our children in the Hopkinton schools.
When you go a step further and volunteer to help with events—or join our board— you set a fine example for our students to follow, and greatly encourage our teachers and staff.
What are the benefits of being a member?
Your HPTO membership benefits you – with expanded volunteer opportunities, enhanced school-related communications, and early access and discounts to extracurricular programs.
ELPAC is an organization that comprises parents and guardians of current English learners (ELs) and former English learners (FELs). The purpose of the ELPAC is to provide a forum in which parents & guardians can collaborate with school and district representatives to give input on policies and programs that affect ELs. Please click here for more information.
Healthy Habits
Email: lleighton1@hopkinton.k12.ma.us
Website: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQaG7CxiHr7ntNHISD-XvSxibcHxFltwfbs_qM8XmsGuiwAp9ItZJaJE40ynRG1wMBUDyNNdc-QFSeB/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.p
Phone: 508-497-9861
All classrooms at Elmwood School are NUT-FREE!
Nut products can be enjoyed in the cafeteria ONLY where students with allergies are assigned seating areas at a distance from potential allergens. Announcements are made daily to remind students of this safety measure and it is important for the school community to work together to make Elmwood a safer place for our friends with allergies.
- Call the absentee call in line at 508-497-9861
- Email the school nurse Lisa Leighton at lleighton1@hopkinton.k12.ma.us
- Complete the online Absentee Form. This information will go directly to the school nurse.
We are experiencing a higher-than-normal number of student absences daily due to extended vacations. Please note, these days are unexcused, and as such, teachers do not send work to "make up" for the loss of learning that takes place when a child is not present in school.
If you plan a vacation during school time you can expect to receive the following email:
Thank you for sharing information regarding your upcoming travel plans. I've included Mrs.Tynan, our Assistant Principal, in this email as she is responsible for monitoring the school attendance of our students and our office team. Please remember to submit daily, the absence form, to prevent our school nurse from reaching out to you each day.
Please know as a public school, we cannot and do not approve trips for vacation purposes. The missed school days are considered unexcused by the district and state. I am also required to send along the following information from State/Local policy:
Once your student has reached seven or more unexcused absences in a term, you will receive a letter from the Elmwood office. This letter contains information from MA Gen. Law. 76.1A., which schools are required to share with families when absences exceed seven days within a six-month period of time. These attendance letters do become part of a student's cumulative record, as regular school attendance is required by MA law, and missed instructional time is known to greatly impact student performance in a variety of ways.
In addition, I do need to remind you of the following segment from our Student Handbook (which all families sign off on each year in Hopkinton) regarding trips and requesting assignments:
Family Vacations and NonMedical Absences: Students miss valuable learning experiences when they are not in school. Scheduling vacations, trips, and sporting events during school time makes it difficult for your child when he/she returns. Only a minor segment of the work can be done when not at school because most learning involves discussions, explanations, cooperative group activities, and hands-on science projects, to name a few. Please be aware that introductions to new concepts and instruction will continue while your child is away. For this reason, we strongly discourage nonattendance unless your child is ill. Please do not ask your child’s teacher to prepare assignments prior to your vacation. The pace of instruction is difficult to determine in advance and varies with the composition of the class and the student’s readiness for the concepts taught. There may also be specific tests or assignments that need to be made up once your child returns to school.
As you can read from the HPS School Committee policy and our HPS Elementary Handbook above, we are unable to pass along assignments (especially in advance) during a voluntary absence from school. The nature of elementary school instruction makes this particularly challenging. The responsibility for catching up on missed learning is the responsibility of the family, but there will no doubt be many things that your student may not be able to make up (including assessments) given the extended length of the absence from school. This may also impact report card grades, as teachers are not able to go back and revisit everything a student would miss while out of school.
To avoid loss of learning, the Superintendent recommends that families visit the DESE website to read about the MA frameworks, which will let you know the curricular expectations for students in second and third grades.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please reach out to me.
Mrs. Anne Carver
Elmwood Student Expectations
Be Safe. Be Respectful. Be Responsible.
On the bus...
Students are expected to remain seated for the WHOLE ride, keep hands, feet, and items to themselves, keep aisles clear, and voice volumes low. Please remind your Elmwood Bus rider to: follow these simple rules:
- Sit on your bottom.
- Keep hands/feet/items to yourself.
- Remain in your seat for the whole ride.
Students must refrain from standing, switching seats, throwing items, eating/drinking, and/or shouting while on the bus. Instead, please Be Safe. Be Respectful. Be Responsible.
Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS)
What is PBIS in simple terms?
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students' behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social-emotional competence, academic success, and school climate. Students are recognized for being Safe, Respectful, and Responsible throughout the school day and building. “Tickets” can be earned in the cafeteria for following lunchroom expectations and a Friday Raffle is an exciting way to end the week positively. If your child brings a ticket home or talks about receiving one, ask about how s/he earned it and celebrate!
As part of our school-wide PBIS initiative, we are matching students in need of social emotional or behavioral support with staff mentors to boost success and connection to school. For more information, click here.
Gr. 2: 20-25 min of reading/math facts
Gr. 3: 25-30 min of reading/math facts
Elmwood Family Procedures
Drop off/Pick up
Drop off ends promptly at 8:55 am. After that time, please drive to the front of the building and ring the buzzer. The back door has no buzzer/bell and is locked at all times.
No student should be left there unattended.
Please drive slowly on school property.
ALL Schools have strict NO IDLING rules as cars/buses wait for drop-off and pick-up. Thank you for your cooperation.
Building Safety
- All Elmwood doors are locked at all times.
- Visitors must sign in at the Main Office.
- An ID is needed to enter the building and/or to dismiss a student. Every time.
- Visitors check in and receive a visitor pass to be worn for the duration of the visit.
- Volunteers and classroom participants must have a valid CORI on file.
Please utilize our online dismissal form if you need to make a same-day change to your child’s dismissal plan. This is a same-day form that closes at 2:00 each afternoon, and 11:30 on early release days.
When you are picking up your child at Elmwood for any reason, please plan to have your ID ready for quick identification. Every time. This is for your child’s safety.
Students may ride their own bus to a different stop, but they may not ride a different bus. Also, students may have one bus choice for the morning and one for the afternoon. Students who attend Kidsborough may either ride the Kidsborough bus or be picked up. Please use the online dismissal form for changes to students’ daily plans. Specific policies pertaining to student transportation are located on the district website under Transportation of Students.
Student Identification Cards
- Student IDs are needed for bus riders and those who get a school lunch/beverage.
- Please don’t punch a hole in the ID card at any time. This can impact the card’s effectiveness.
- The cost to replace a lost pass is $10.00.
Helpful Links
Free lunch is available to all Elmwood students!