Family Buzz
February 16, 2024
Dear South School Community,
OK...so the quote below was in last week's Buzz...AND then you all go and live beyond it!!! We cannot believe how many of you came out to support the Adelia Night at Nona's on Monday!!! You are just incredible...so I just HAD to leave the quote in for one more read because you ALL keep making it truer and truer...I feel fortunate to know ALL of you!!!
The quote below describes you all perfectly!!! Thanks for being such a great citizens of our village!!!
From Adam Grant in the Boston Globe (2/5/23):
“Generosity is not (only) about putting others first. It’s about treating people better than they expect-and expecting nothing in return. Showing care is as much about the respect you grant as the time you give. A sign of character is consistently choosing to be kinder than necessary.”
Quote of the week:" I am strong enough to wait!" This is the Patience Tool Quote…we are in week two for this tool …it’s perfect for this time of the year as we gear up to waiting for Spring !!!
AND we are continuing to use the Breathing Tool, and other tools …(This is all part of the Twelve Tools Social/Emotional Curriculum that we use at SES) Stay tuned for the "thirteenth" which we added ourselves!!!
Staff News
Mrs. Beverly Vernon: We are so grateful to Mrs. Beverly Vernon who came out of retirement to teach
3 W from Thanksgiving until last Friday, February 9! She did an amazing job and has now gone back to the many wonderful projects she does, especially one she does for all third graders in town in conjunction with
Mrs. Ashley Balaconis: We are also grateful to Mrs. Ashley Balaconis who has taken over 3 W and will finish out the year in this class which in the now renamed 3 BA...The class is quickly getting to know her and they are continuing with all of the great third grade curriculum.
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PTO NEWS/Thank You :
· Dismissal Notes: The Change of Dismissal Note Pads are BACK!!! We have them for sale in the Main Office. $5.00 each. The Main Office loves these types of dismissal notes. Easy & Clear. PTO will be selling them on the Back to School Night, but also want them to be available in the Main Office. Families may also send in $5.00 in an envelope addressed to the Main Office, we will make sure a dismissal pad is placed in your child’s mailbox.
Read Across America Breakfast: We are so grateful to the PTO and Charlotte McAlpine and Loren McGrath as well as many volunteers for the sponsorship and arrangement of the Read Across Amercia Breakfast which is open to all preschoolers and kindergarten students. It will take place on Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 9:30-10:30 in our cafeteria. Please teel your SES neighbors and friends who may not have children in our school yet...
OTHER NEWS AND REMINDERS:
South School Night at Nona's In Hingham Square to Honor Adelia, the Wonder GIrl: Thank you to ALL who attended; donated, scooped and CC Nona's employees...
Math Olympics: South School PTO is excited to once again offer this voluntary “Math Olympics” program! The 10 week program is designed to be a fun, “extra-challenge” that will enhance the development of your student’s problem-solving skills. We encourage all children K-5 to participate! Participation and best efforts are the focus of the program. Math Olympics is run by volunteer parents/guardians (Thank you to them!) working together with the school administration. More information and dates to follow.
Valentine’s Day: Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make this a fund day for ALL!
Kindergarten 2024- 2025: We need your help in getting out the word that we are gearing up and getting ready to welcome out new kindergarten class for September, 2024!!! Registration is available online and at home schools and will officially began LAST Monday, February 5, and continue until Friday, February 16 at home schools. Please be sure to mention this to any neighbors who may not receive communications. THANK YOU!
· Registration for all grades: Encourage your friends and neighbors to register early for grades 1-5 as well. It is so important for us to know our numbers for 24-25 ASAP.
Cafeteria Accounts: Please take a moment to check your child's (ren's) account(s) to make sure there is not a balance. Even though lunch is free, there is a charge for a la carte items, therefore, your child may have a balance. Thank you for taking care of that!
Items for Buzz:
Parent/ Caregiver Resource: A new, free resource for families- MPY Parenting Solutions Library. Learn more about how to inspire your child or support your anxious child. Gain more knowledge about menthol health and our youth. Help your neurodiverse child thrive. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions empowers parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections and safeguard their children's mental well-being. The Parenting Solutions Library may easily be accessed using the link. No login or passcode is needed.
Special NOTE: Kindergarten Orientation and Screening will take place on Thursday, May 16. Time Invitations will be sent out to all families of students who are registered.
New SES Principal: At this point, many people have let their thougths be known about the profile of our new principal through visits with Dr. Adams and Ms. Roberts as well as the survey which closed last Friday. Interviews are still taking place today and finalists will be announced soon. All families will have the chance to meet the finalists and give input once we reach that phase. This will happen right after February Vacation . More details to follow ASAP...
On a different note, it will be hard to leave you all as you are an amazing village, and that is the reason that this AMAZING place will be just fine!!! YOU (STAFF AND FAMILIES) are the magic that makes EVERYTHING happen and YOU will still be here!!! I am sure someone great will be found, and they will be the luckiest principal on Earth to inherit this staff team and village!!!
Outerwear: Just a reminder that winter is here and when the snow falls, children need snow boots and waterproof pants to play on the playground. Thank you for planning ahead or letting us know if you need assistance!
Noon Release Reminder: Wednesday, March 6, 2024- Noon Release for Professional Development; 4/3; (Conferences) 6/5 (Professional Development) are also listed in Fast Facts 24-25
Quick Reminder: PLEASE do not make two lines in the driveway...if you cannot get in in the single line; please drive past and come back...we will NEVER leave your child alone while they wait for you.
Absent Letters: It is our responsibility to send letters to students who have excessive absences per DESE. If you receive one about your child, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. We like to encourage all stduents (unless ill) to attend school on a daily basis as it makes such a difference to their education over many years! It's also very important to help them access the curriculum and build confidence and independence for adulthood!
Bus Reminder: We need your help! We have had some reports of unkindness on our buses. Thank you for working with us to remind students that they should be kind at all times, even when no one is looking...and to treat others as they would like to be treated...and it might also be worth reminding them that we do have cameras on all of our buses...
Some Tips About Pick-Up and Drop-Off:
· If you are the first car, please pull up to the red sign across from the fire station as this gets more cars off of Main St.
· If you are walking to pick up your child, please stand on the larger/grassy area at the end of the school by the OT Room as this will help to clear the small sidewalk.
· Please do not stand in the driveway!
· If you are also riding a bike to/from school; please do not ride it on school property during arrival/dismissal for safety reasons and also to be an example to students who are trained to walk their bikes on school property at these times.
· We also do not allow scooter riding on school property during arrival/dismissal for safety reasons; thank you for walking them as well.
Calling all CORIs: We love to have you all volunteer either at school or on a field trip. Don’t forget that ALL need to be CORIed for these activities. This has to be newly done each school year. Please drop in with you driver’s license and fill out a form should you wish to be CORIed. The turn-around takes about two weeks. Kudos to those of you who already came in
Subscribe to the Calendar: Want to have all school events downloaded to your phone? Click this link to find step-by-step instructions on how to subscribe to calendars. Get started at hinghamschools.org/calendar.
We have also introduced an Athletics Calendar and Fine Arts Calendar. You can subscribe to these the same way as the schools by going to hinghamschools.org/calendar.
Some Important Links and Still Relevant Reprints from Past Newsletters:
Fast Facts: The Fast Facts would be a wonderful thing to keep on your refrigerator or someplace handy in your home as it answers many of the often asked questions about school life/year. Here is the link to Fast Facts (a summary of the SES Handbook)
HPS Elementary Marking and Conference Schedule Link
Care Solace: As we start the new school year, we want to remind you of the invaluable resources available to our community:
· Aspire Health Alliance To Make an appointment 617.847.1914 In a Crisis 800.528.4890
· Quincy Family Resource Center 617.481.7227
· Plymouth Family Resource Center 774.283.6531 aarcuri@baystatecs.org
· South Shore Coalition of Independent Therapists Find a licensed mental health provider near you
· The Baker Center for Children and Families 617.232.8390
· Boston Child Study Center 617.800.9610
In addition, Care Solace offers mental health care coordination services and can help connect you and your child with appropriate community-based providers. Whether it's counseling, therapy, or other mental health services, Care Solace can assist you in finding the support your family may need.
To access Care Solace's coordination services, simply reach out using the following options:
Call 888-515-0595: Their multilingual helpline is staffed 24/7/365.
Visit www.caresolace.com/hinghamschools: On their website, you can explore mental health providers independently or click "Book Appointment" for personalized assistance through video chat, email, or phone.
By joining hands and working together as a community, we can provide a nurturing and inclusive environment that supports the mental health and well-being of our youth. Let's continue to prioritize their emotional growth, and together, we can create a brighter future for our children.
Thank you for being caring and involved parents and guardians in the Hingham Public Schools. Your dedication to supporting our youth is truly commendable.
Most current DESE COVID guidance is as follows:
Important Dates
Monday, February 19-Friday, February 23- School Closed for February Break
Wednesday, March 6 - Noon Release for Professional Development
Friday, March 29 - School closed for Good Friday
Monday, April 15-Friday, April 19- School Closed for April Break
Thursday, May 16 - Kindergarten Orientations and Screening; Personal Invitation to Follow
Monday, May 27- School Closed in recognition of Memorial Day
Winter Dates Grade 5 ALL TOWN PERFORMANCES:
All-Town Chorus - Thursday, 2/1, 7pm in the HMS Auditorium
All-Town Band - Tuesday, 3/13, 7pm in the HHS Gym (note date change)
All-Town Orchestra - Thursday, 3/7, 7pm in the HMS Auditorium
MCAS DATES:
ELA
Grade 3: April 1,2
Grade 4: April 4,5
Grade 5: April 8,9
Last day for make-ups is April 26
Math
Grade 5: May 6.7
Grade 4: May 8,9
Grade 3: May 13,14
Science/Technology and Engineering:
Grade 5 ONLY: May 20/21
Last date for make-ups = May 24
More Dates to Follow in the weekly “Buzz”
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions.
Sincerely,
Mary M. Eastwood (: and Lori A. Jacobs (: