Mhs/Wes Newsletter
Friday, April 5, 2024
Solar Eclipse
On Monday, April 8 we will experience a solar eclipse, quite possibly as we dismiss from school. Many of our teachers have been providing instructional activities to help our students understand the science behind this exciting event. Since this event will be happening around dismissal time, we will be providing eclipse glasses to students in grades K-5 prior to dismissal. We will be sure to reiterate that students should not look directly at the sun during this time without these glasses. Thank you for your help in sharing and supporting this message at home.
Parent Teacher Conferences
On May 1st we have another early dismissal day. This afternoon has been set aside for elementary conferences. Conferences may be requested by either the teacher or the parent. In some cases, conferences may have already been held either at the teachers request or during recent 504 or IEP meetings. Your child's teacher will reach out with specific details.
As always, please reach out with any questions.
Wishing you a joyful April!
Important Dates
April 15-19 ~ NO SCHOOL, APRIL BREAK
April 24 ~ Parent/Guardian Chats with Admin, MHS Library 6:00 PM
April 24 ~ PTO Meeting, MHS Library 6:30 PM
May 1 ~ 1/2 day of school, dismissal starts at NOON, Parent Teacher Conferences
May 20-24 ~ Nature's Classroom for 5th Grade
May 21-23 ~ Screenings for Incoming Kindergarteners
May 27 ~ NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day
May 29 ~ 1/2 day of school, dismissal starts at NOON
4th Grade News
4th grade has had two wonderful field trips this year! We loved going to the Hanover theatre and watching the "Magic School Bus" in action. It was a fun way to experience science and the arts. Students were well behaved, both on the bus and at the theater.
At this point in the year, we are encouraging students to gain more independence and self-help skills. We are also continuing to work on our stamina, especially while writing longer pieces in our English Language Arts blocks. Students are also powering their way through understanding how to find equivalent fractions, working with decimals, and beginning to look at the properties of shapes. All of these skills will come in handy when we have MCAS ELA next week and MCAS math in May.
Fourth grade students will soon begin a trek across the country as we study the geography and history of the five regions of the United States. We focus on the similaries and differences of the 5 regions, and the states and capitals of all 50 states!
5th Grade News
Fifth grade has wrapped up module 2 in ELA on wordplay. Students enjoyed creating narratives and making characters come to life based around wordplay. We are beginning module 3 which centers around The Civil War. Students are excited to start a unit rich with history, similar to module 1. We are beginning to wrap up unit 5 in math and start unit 6– geometry.
5th graders will be taking their ELA MCAS on Monday 4/8 and Tuesday 4/9. Students have been reviewing tools and test taking strategies on the TestNav platform to help them feel prepared.
Students attending Nature’s Classroom have been sent home a packet with some information. Please fill out the medical forms as needed and see a packing list at the back. Medical forms and code of conduct forms are due back no later than May 1st to your child’s classroom teacher. The Nature’s Classroom chaperone meeting has been postponed to next Wednesday, 4/10.
Music News - April 2024 Mr. Lucander
Greetings to all musicians at MHS and WES! March is “Music In Our Schools Month” and there certainly is much to talk about in the general music classroom, and each after school ensemble. Our students have been doing a great job this year and I love seeing them grow with music, which has endless benefits for all!
Grades K and 1 students have been singing and moving to many songs including I Have a Little Snowman, Sky Bears, 2 Famous Men, Cherry Tree, Ram Sam Sam, Down By the Bay, Sarasponda, and Boom Chicka Boom. The 1st graders have started to use xylophones as well. Soon both grades will start preparing to learn patriotic songs of America as they help observe Memorial Day.
Grade 2 students wrapped up their unit on Boomwhackers which are plastic tubes with pitches, that they learned several patterns, and playing simple songs in small groups. The grade 2 students also did a unit on Beethoven, seeing a movie, and video clips of important pieces of music, including Fur Elise, parts Symphony # 5, including different performances of Ode To Joy from his 9th symphony. They will soon start a unit on the Beatles!
Grade 3 students have been working real hard to learn the piano! They have learned where the notes are on the piano, and have started with a simple 5 finger-C position, so that they can learn simple songs. Each 3rd grader has a Keyboard Level 1 packet, that they should keep at home. They sit at their own keyboard, and have both group and individual time to learn. A google classroom has been set up for them so that they can learn songs by watching/playing along with videos that I will continue to add. It will be a great way to let them have additional time to play music at home if they are lucky enough to have either a piano, a keyboard, or even a piano app on perhaps an Ipad. They also completed a unit on the great pianist, Franz Listz. After watching a movie, they learned about one of Liszt’s compositions called the Hungarian Rhapsody.
Grade 4 and 5 students have been working very hard at learning how to read music notation and play simple songs at the piano keyboards. They each completed a unit on a composer study, including a movie and parts of important video performances of their most famous compositions. Grade 4 learned about Gioachinno Rossini, who made opera funny, and learned about the Barber of Seville, William Tell, and the Cat Duet. Grade 5 students learned about Johann Sebastian Bach, perhaps the greatest composer of all time, who made Toccata and Fugue in D-, Air, the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Cello Suites. They have also been learning to play with chords as well. After that they will start their unit on learning to play the Ukuleles! Both grade levels will have google classrooms set up with various videos to help them at home.
B Band At this time, almost all beginning instrumentalists have spent many months learning material from the method book to prepare them for the next level of playing in A Band. B Band has officially stopped and most kids are in A Band now.
A Band Students continue to improve at the Thursday rehearsals. They should ALL be using their google classroom which I have made videos of their individual parts so that they can learn/practice along with the videos at home. Speaking of practicing, there is a 500 Minute Club, which means every time they get to 500 minutes at home, they write it down on the paper we provided at the back of the newsletter. Then the parent signs it, and the private instructor signs it, and they are entered into prizes given out at the spring concert. Our first performance for A Band on District band night was very successful and can be viewed on TV and at the website for Ashburnham Westminster Community Access. The concert showcased the concert bands at each of the AWRSD schools and a few songs where all students play together at the same time. The spring concerts are currently scheduled for May 31 (9am for Veterans/Grandparents) and June 4 (9am at WES for the school, and 6:30pm at ORHS for parents.
Jazz Band students have been practicing on Wednesdays. Sometimes I add students based on need and ability for some students in A Band to our Jazz Band for students who have progressed to a certain point. Their first performance is scheduled for April 11 which will showcase the concert bands at each of the AWRSD schools and a few songs where all students play together at the same time. The next performance is at the WES Celebration night on May 15 from 6-6:30pm. A permission slip is coming soon. The spring concerts are currently scheduled for May 31 (9am for Veterans/Grandparents) and June 4 (9am at WES for the school, and 6:30pm at ORHS for parents.
Chorus students have been practicing on Fridays. They have a google classroom so that they can practice singing along with videos that I have made. They have done well with single part music, which means everyone sings the same part. We will begin to add some more 2 Part singing which is certainly more challenging. Our first performance was the District Chorus Concert showcased the chorus from each of the AWRSD schools and a few songs where all students sang together at the same time. That concert is available on TV on the Ashburnham Westminster Community Media website. The next performance is a short informal one for the opening of the Walk for Cancer on Academy Hill on May 14 from 7-7:30pm, a permission slip will be made. The spring concerts are currently scheduled for May 31 (9am for Veterans/Grandparents) and June 4 (9am at WES for the school, and 6:30pm at ORHS for parents.
IMPORTANT MUSIC DATES
4/11 Jazz Band -District Jazz Night at ORHS 6:30pm (short rehearsal before concert)
5/13 WES Recital Night - Student must sign up beforehand with a prepared piece 6:30pm
5/14 WES Chorus -Opening for the Walk for Cancer 7-7:30pm Academy Hill
5/15 WES Celebration Creation Night -Jazz Band performance at 6pm-6:30pm
4/24 MHS Grade K/1 -MHS Memorial Day Program 9am
4/24 Chorus (Grade 4 only) and A Band (grades 3+4 only) -WES Memorial Day Program (follows MHS program - @10am)
5/27 A Band -Memorial Day Parade (March/perform at program at Academy Hill)
5/31 WES Grandparent Concert - (Spring Concert just for Grandparents/Veterans!) 9am
6/4 Spring Concert -A Band/Chorus/Jazz Band
-Concert 1 at WES 9am
-Concert 2 at ORHS at 6:30pm
6/8 Great East Festival - Grade 4+5 A Band and Jazz Band members only @7am-6pm
PLEASE ALSO NOTE: A complete and detailed schedule of performance dates, times, locations, as well as rehearsal schedules with any date changes was sent out to your child/musician in the February newsletter. Please contact Mrs. Popik or myself if you are not getting any music newsletter/emails. Thank you.
News from the PTO
Thank you to everyone who joined the PTO on Monday night for our Family Literacy Night. We had a great time celebrating the works of author & illustrator, Peter Reynolds, along with his teammates Andrea & Mary. We hope the night inspired you to “Create Bravely” and take chances like the characters in Peter Reynolds’ books do.
Kindergarten Registration For The 2024-25 School Year Is Open
Ms. Banning looking for donations of........
Greetings from the Purple Palette and Paintbrush!
Looking for donations of EMPTY tissue boxes!
(Need a total of 100!)
AND.....Chobani yogurt cups, empty and cleaned
Thanks!
Ms. Banning
Secretaries
Our Amazing School Secretaries are here to help!
Please reach out with any questions you may have. We are happy to help!
- MHS - Kathi McCarthy 978-874-0163 ext. 0
- WES - Liz Maillet 978-874-2043 ext. 0
MCAS Testing Dates for 3, 4, and 5th Grade
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) - New Parenting Solutions Library
NEW PARENTING SOLUTIONS LIBRARY
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new, free MPY Parenting Solutions Library. To date, over 2,200 videos have been borrowed. MPY is offering the MPY Parenting Solutions Library in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.
Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. When parents grasp the interconnection between the brain, body, and behavior, they experience reduced stress levels, resulting in less stress for their children.
The Peace At Home Parenting Solutions team, comprised of experts with advanced degrees, stays abreast of the latest advancements in child development. With more than 30 specialists focused on child and adolescent development, including specific issues such as difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, handling racism, navigating grief, and other matters parents and our partners identify. These experts present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.
Parents can watch or just listen to experts who get right to the point solving big and small challenges. The 24 library presentations focus on the topics below. Each presentation includes a 10-minute videos and handouts.
· Inspire School Success for Elementary, Middle and High School Students
· Parenting Principles for Progress Not Perfection
· Mental Health Knowledge and Skills
· Support Your Anxious Child Library
· ADHD and Autism: How to Help Your Child Thrive
The Home Parenting Library may easily be accessed using the link: https://peaceathomeparenting.com/mpy-solution-libraries/ No log in or passcode is needed.
Car Line Reminders
Do you pick your child up at the end of the day? Please read.
REMINDER: Please take a look at how the PM pick up line at WES and MHS works. It is important that everyone follows these directions.
FOR WES Student Pick up: Please drive up Academy Hill Road and come down, park on the right hand side of Academy Hill Road and enter the parking lot on your left. Westminster Police have asked to NOT enter the parking lot when coming in from Main Street on your right because it starts a back up on Main Street. See map below.
Nursing Emails
For questions regarding your child's health, please use the following emails for our nurses.
MHS - MHSnurse@awrsd.org
WES - WESnurse@awrsd.org
Nurse Substitutes Needed
We are seeking substitute nurses (RN’s/ LPN’s/ BSN’s) If interested, please email your resume to Ally Law: alaw@awrsd.org.
PTO News
Ashburnham-Westminster Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
General Ashburnham-Westminster Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) membership is open to all AWRSD parents/guardians of children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans and other interested parties. We need volunteers to help plan workshops, staff tables at local school and community events, become future leaders, assist other parents, and plan new activities and projects. Learn more about us and our work on our website https://sites.google.com/view/ashburnham-westminster-sepac. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashwestsepac.
MHS/WES Friendly Reminders
School Hours, Grades K-5
ARRIVAL
8:20 - 8:30 AM
DISMISSAL
2:55 PM
HALF DAYS - DISMISSAL
12:00 PM
End of Day Procedures
We discourage early dismissals from school and urge you to schedule doctor, dentist or other appointments outside of school hours, on school holidays, or during vacation time. Extra-curricular activities should also be scheduled to allow students to complete the school day. We will send a written reminder if the number of early dismissals becomes unreasonable or excessive.
On the day of a dismissal, the parent or guardian must send a note to school stating the time of dismissal and who will pick up the student. No student will be dismissed to anyone but a parent/guardian or authorized adult, who must report to the office to meet the student.
Dismissals prior to 11:30 am will be considered an absence.
Any changes to dismissal plans must be made in writing on or before the day of dismissal. In the event of an emergency, a phone call to the school office will need to be followed up by an e-mail or fax.
Notes from Parent/Guardians
Written notes from parents/ guardians are required (in addition to excused absences), when your student will be:
- Picked up by someone other than the parent/ guardian.
- Dismissed during the school day.
- Picked up at school rather than taking the bus home, or other similar change in routine.
- Following a standing appointment one day per week such as Brownies, Boy Scouts, etc. One note at the start of the school year will suffice. If there is any change in the schedule, another note is needed.
- Given permission to independently ride a bike to school. (Grades 4 – 5 only)
- Cared for after school by a baby-sitter or family day care provider. Please provide the school with the names and phone numbers of all after-school care providers at the beginning of the school year..
Written notes are essential to insure your child’s safety. We would prefer notes over phone calls as it helps us to document your child's individual dismissal plan. (We have 611 students.) Thank you for your help.