North Scituate Elementary School
October 2021 Newsletter
A note from Mrs.Soccio
It's hard to believe October is here. I am back from maternity leave and looking forward to meeting all of our new students and continuing to strengthen relationships with others. On the side is a picture of Ella (2.5 years) and Eli (3 weeks) from August.
Thank you for all of your support during the first few weeks of school. I truly appreciate your support and partnership in your child's education. During the month of September, we practiced safety drills, including a lock down drill. I was very proud of students and staff as they handled each drill very responsibly.
Our school staff has worked hard to establish clear expectations and routines with students. North Scituate teachers are in the process of assessing students' academic levels to determine each child's strengths and instructional needs. Our grade level teams will participate in Data Days throughout the year to analyze student achievement data in order to plan instruction to meet the needs of all students and ensure student success at school.
Be sure to read through the newsletter including the flyers at the bottom from a variety of groups.
Please reach out with questions or concerns at anytime. Happy October!
Kaitlin M. Soccio, Principal
ASYNCHRONOUS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY
Weather Changes
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH
During the month of October students will participate in activities to educate all children and raise awareness about bullying. North Scituate School will participate in Unity Day on October 20th by wearing orange - showing that we are together against bullying and united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Students will also have the opportunity to take a pledge against bullying and will be given a certificate for doing so.
**Parents are encouraged to contact North Scituate teachers or Mrs. Soccio directly with any concerns related to bullying. Your child's safety and well-being is a top priority for all North Scituate staff members. Educating students, parents, and staff members, open communication, and solution-focused intent are key to combating bullying! Please see the link below for more resources.
Virtual Art Club
Choose Love Movement for Schools- SEL Curriculum
Students in Prek-5 are fully immersed in the Choose Love curriculum! Students participate in a weekly lesson rooted in one of the four units: Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion in Action; all part of the Choose Love Formula. This month students are learning all about courage.
A copy of the Choose Love October calendar will be sent home to all families. It is our hope that this learning and small steps you can take daily will be helpful for our North Scituate families to complete at home.
Below, students in Mrs. Pontarelli's class are exploring lesson 3 of our Choose Love Curriculum. Students are journaling about being brave and having courage to complete things that are hard for us!
Positive Office Referrals
Fall Benchmarking Assessments
North Scituate Elementary School teachers will be finishing beginning of year assessments by mid October. Staff members will then meet to analyze the data and create instructional groupings designed to provide targeted skill instruction to students with similar strengths and needs. The results of these assessments will be communicated to parents. Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns.
MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS WITH SPEECH THERAPY
Speech Therapists in our district, like their teacher counterparts, did some beginning of year assessments. In the coming days some parents will be contacted by the Speech Therapist to offer supports to students for varied areas of need. Please call to discuss your child’s performance if you have any questions. Some terminology to know follows:
Articulation: This is the pronunciation of sounds.
Receptive Language: This refers to the understanding of what is said/read to you.
Expressive Language: This is how one formulates ideas verbally or in writing.
Pragmatics: This refers to social language.
Fluency: This is another word for Stuttering.
At North Scituate, the speech therapist, Michele Hamill MS CCC-SLP can be reached Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 647-4110.
Grade Level Classroom Happenings
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Use this link to learn more about Constitution Day- https://constitutioncenter.org/learn/civic-calendar/constitution-day-civic-holiday
Grade 4
- Teacher Time- use of interactive screen
- Tech Time- brand new chromebooks
- Collaboration Station- working together in math puzzles
Grade 5
Art with Miss Davis
CAL Grant Information from Miss Davis
A Note from the school nurse
A note from the School Social Worker
A Message from the School Psychologist
Back-to-School Tips
I hope everyone has had a nice transition back to school. Getting a new school year off to a good start can influence children’s attitude, confidence, and academic performance. The transition from summer to school can be difficult for both children and parents. Here are a few suggestions to help ease the transition and promote a successful school experience.
Reestablish bedtimes and school routines.This will help students from becoming overtired or overwhelmed by schoolwork and activities.
Select a spot to keep backpacks and lunch boxes. Designate a spot for your children to place their school belongings as well as a place to put important notices and information sent home for you to see.
Make lunches the night before school. Older children can help or make their own lunches.
Set alarm clocks. Have school-age children set their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning.
Leave plenty of extra time. Make sure your children have plenty of time to get up, eat breakfast and get to school on time.
Prepare for after school. Review with your children how they will be getting home after school (either pick up or bus), and review who will be home when they get off the bus.
Let your child know you care. If your child is anxious about school, send a little note in their lunch box or backpack. Let them know it is natural to be a little nervous anytime they start something new. Reassure them that they will be fine. Young children in particular may experience separation anxiety. If you drop them off, try not to linger. Reassure them that they are safe and will be okay. Tell them you will think about them during the day and will be back. Remain calm and positive.
Give your child time to adjust to their new teachers and classmates. If your child appears to be having difficulty adjusting as time goes on, please feel free to contact me.
Mrs. Schiappa, MA, CAGS
School Psychologist
*Information provided by the National Association of School Psychologists. (2017). Back-to-School transitions: Tips for parents. Bethesda, MD K. Cowan & T. Feinberg, EdD, NCSP
Flu Clinic
Flu Clinic
North Scituate School will be hosting a Flu Shot Clinic sponsored by The Wellness Company on Thursday, October 14th from 4:00 - 6:30 pm. Registration is required this year, prior to attending the clinic. No walk in patients will be allowed. More details to follow.
Thursday, Oct 14, 2021, 04:00 PM
North Scituate Elementary School, Institute Lane, Scituate, RI, USA
News from the Scituate School Committee
PTO NEWS
Our next PTO meeting virtually will be on Wednesday, October 20th at 7:30pm. A link will be sent out to families.
Art Festival Bake Sale Sign Ups: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054DAEA723A1FA7-20211
Please email NorthScituatePTO@gmail.com with any questions. We hope to see you there!
Important Dates
October 8th: Students Distance Learn & Staff Professional Development
October 9th: Art Festival School Bake Sale
October 11th: No School-Columbus Day!
October 15th: Walk-a-Thon 10am-1pm
October 20th: PTO Meeting 7:30pm
October 20th: Unity Day! Wear Orange
October 22nd: Trunk-Or-Treat
October 26th: Vision Screening
October 29th: Black & Orange Day
October 29th: Halloween Parade 4pm
November 18th: Chelo's Restaurant Fundraiser Night
December 10th: Village Stroll Event 6-8pm
December 6th-10th: Scholastic Book Fair
December 15th: Panera Restaurant Fundraiser Night
North Scituate Elementary School
Email: kaitlin.soccio@scituateschoolri.net
Website: https://nses.scituateschoolsri.net/
Location: 46 Institute Lane, Scituate, RI, USA
Phone: 401-647-4110
Twitter: @NScituateSchool