Haynes Elementary School
The Month of May
News and Updates
May 5, 2023
April Edition
Principal's Message
Dear Families,
May the sunshine outside this weekend bring you much happiness and joy with your family and friends. We are happy to report that the 3rd and 4th-grade students have completed MCAS for this year. Our 5th-grade students will finish their last two days of MCAS this upcoming Tuesday. Our teachers are continuing to finalize recommendations for the FY24 classroom placements. On May 17th, the scheduling committee will work on revising the FY24 daily school schedules.
Haynes continues to have many exciting events coming up, and our calendar is looking very active. Please continue to review the Haynes calendar for any upcoming events for your child(ren).
We hope you enjoy our newsletter. As always, thank you for your continuous support for Haynes.
Sincerely,
Nadine Ekstrom, Ph.D.
Interim Principal
Thank You to the Administrative Professionals at Haynes Elementary
Last Wednesday, on April 26th, was administrative professional's day. We want to publicly thank Marcy Sawin and Nancy Carbutt for their outstanding work in supporting our school. They do so much for our school each and every day, beginning with aligning substitutes when staff are out, answering calls, marking in students who are tardy, coordinating end of the protocols for dismissal, partnering with HOP to arrange for upcoming events, purchasing items as needed to support our teachers, and the list goes on an on! Basically, our school would not run smoothly if it wasn't for these two individuals who do so much for our Haynes community. Thank you, Marcy and Nancy, for all you do each and every day!
Thank You to our Amazing Educators
We have 87 staff at Haynes Elementary School, who are dedicated to teach our students during the school year, and spend numerous hours beyond 7:45 - 2:25 to prepare, plan, and collaborate with one another to ensure our students are receiving the highest quality education possible. Haynes is fortunate to have some of the most outstanding educators in Massachusetts. Thank you to our Haynes staff for being the people you are and for your dedication and commitment to the Haynes community!
Snippets from Poem In Your Poet Day
The students had fun selecting their poems for the day.
Choosing a Poem for their pocket!
Deciding which poem is best!
Showing a teacher their selection!
Haynes Field Day is Friday May 12!
Visitors are not permitted UNLESS they have registered!
We look forward to a memorable day filled with fun, teamwork, popsicles, and healthy competition on the field and in the gym! Please send your student(s) with sneakers, a labeled water bottle, and a nut-free snack, and apply any sunscreen and/ or bug spray at home.
Each grade will show its spirit by wearing a class color - we can’t wait to see those outfits!
Kindergarten: RED
1st grade: ORANGE
2nd grade: YELLOW
3rd grade: GREEN
4th grade: BLUE
5th grade: Fifth-grade class t-shirt
Opening Ceremony for grades K, 1, and 2 will begin at 8:20 am, and the games will run until 10:45 am. 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will start at 11:40 am and run until 2:05 pm.
Students will go about their regularly scheduled day before/ after the events. Lunch will be eaten in the cafeteria as usual.
To our volunteers:
Thank you for making this day possible - we couldn’t do it without you! Please note:
This is a closed-campus event for registered volunteers only. Spectators who have not registered in advance will not be permitted.
Volunteers must have an up-to-date CORI on file.
Please park in permissible areas. We kindly ask that you do not park on Julian’s Way.
Words on Wellness
Sudbury Public Schools - Spring 2023
Words onWellnessSudbury Public Schools - Spring 2023
School Wellness Policy Changes
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We wanted to take a moment to share information with you about our district wellness policy and why it is important to us as a community. The purpose of the Sudbury Public Schools wellness policy is to promote the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families. It is our goal to provide an environment that supports healthy choices and behaviors, and to teach our students the importance of making good choices for their health.
In order to meet the requirements set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), our wellness policy includes guidelines for school meals, as well as standards for physical activity and nutrition education. We are committed to meeting these requirements and providing our students with the best possible resources for a healthy lifestyle.
As part of our commitment to maintaining a strong wellness policy, we undergo triennial administrative reviews to ensure that we are meeting all of the requirements and guidelines set forth by the USDA. This review process allows us to identify areas where we can improve and make changes that will benefit our students and staff. A result of the review process was to make revisions to the SPS Wellness Policy. The revisions were completed by the School Wellness Committee members and the policy is linked here for your review. The recommended changes will be presented to the School Committee on May 8, 2023.
We understand that as parents, you play a critical role in supporting your child's health and wellness. We encourage you to continue to promote healthy habits and lifestyles, both at school and at home.
If you wish to learn more about the School Wellness Committee activities or the administrative review process, feel free to contact us by email at betsy_grams@sudbury.k12.ma.us or carol_bradford@sudbury.k12.ma.us
Thank you for your ongoing support to promote a healthy school environment.
Best Regards,
Betsy Grams, BS, MSEd
Wellness Coordinator
Carol Bradford, BSN, RN, NCSN
Nursing Leader
TECHNOLOGY TIPS FOR PARENTS
The best place for parents to start is with the non-technical pieces of the puzzle:
Charge devices in a family area rather than bedrooms. The best "screen time" solution is simply not allowing physical access to the device.
Require children to inform parents when using a device. Casual, no-barrier access to technology can encourage a casual attitude toward inappropriate behaviors and content.
Check in on children periodically while they are using technology. The best filtering solution is knowing a parent will be checking in.
Clearly communicate to children that parents may examine their internet use, and exercise that authority when there is a concern.
After establishing good practices for children accessing technology, parents may want to start looking at various helpful resources online:
Common Sense Media is the best resource out there for parents searching for helpful information for children's internet use at home. Specifically, the section "Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between" offers parents articles that contain detailed help articles. They have articles on specific devices, social media platforms, age ranges, etc.
Know how to manage parental controls on different devices:
Apple iPhone or iPad
Android Phone or Tablet
Apple Macintosh
Microsoft Windows
Google Chromebook (Note that this is Google's consumer child safety product; it is not the enterprise product we use on school Chromebooks.)There are also many devices and services out there that can make your home wifi more secure, including Circle, Gryphon, OpenDNS, as well as services from your internet provider. Note that many of these solutions help manage your home wifi, but not children's cellular access on phones.
Install History Trends Unlimited to get a quick visual view of their browsing history if your child is using Google Chrome on a Chromebook, Mac or Windows computer.
A Note from Sudbury Public Schools Transportation Department
Dear Parents/Guardians:
If you will not need school bus transportation for the upcoming year, no further action is necessary.
School bus registration is now open for the 2023-2024 school year. All families who choose school bus transportation, whether no-fee or fee-based, must register and pay (if applicable) by May 12, 2023.
Incoming Kindergarten students through grade 6 living two or more miles from their districted schools are eligible to receive no-fee transportation. Incoming Kindergarten students through grade 6 living less than two miles from their districted schools are eligible for fee-based transportation, based on space availability.
All incoming 7th and 8th grade students who wish to ride the bus
MUST REGISTER AND PAY FOR TRANSPORTATION REGARDLESS OF DISTANCE TO SCHOOL.
Transportation fees for the 2023-2024 school year are:
First student: $420
Family cap: $765
Late fee: $75
Click here to register for the school bus.
Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School will be contacting rising 9th graders closer to the start of the 2023-2024 school year.
Please direct any questions about K-8th grade transportation to the Transportation Department at transportation@sudbury.k12.ma.us or by calling 978-639-3215.
Building Social and Emotional Skills
Fostering social and emotional skills in children is essential for their overall development and well-being. Here are some tips for parents to promote social and emotional learning in their children:
Encourage self-awareness: Help your child recognize and understand their own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Talk to them about their feelings and encourage them to express themselves.
Teach empathy: Help your child learn to understand and empathize with others. Encourage them to consider other people's feelings and perspectives.
Develop problem-solving skills: Help your child learn to identify problems, think critically, and find solutions. Encourage them to think creatively and try different approaches.
Foster responsible decision-making: Teach your child to make responsible decisions based on their values and the impact of their choices on themselves and others.
Encourage teamwork: Help your child learn to work collaboratively with others. Encourage them to share responsibilities and work towards a common goal.
Model positive behaviors: Children learn a lot from their parents and caregivers. Model positive behaviors such as empathy, communication, and problem-solving.
To learn more about social and emotional learning, click here to visit the SPS social and emotional learning webpage, and here to view the 8 SEL competencies and related skills that educators work to develop in your children.
May Happiness Calendar
A day-by-day guide to wellness and tips for managing stress.
Local Resources and Helpful Information
SPS Social-Emotional Resource Site for Families
This site includes a variety of resources designed for caregivers to help you support children in their social, emotional, and self-regulation growth. Contact information for the school-based mental health professionals is located on this site.
Bethany Hadvab, Town of Sudbury Social Worker, can be reached by phone at 978-440-5476 and by email at hadvabb@sudbury.ma.us
William James INTERFACE Referral Service
A mental health and wellness referral helpline. Each referral best meets the location, insurance, and specialty needs of the caller. Click here to watch a short video about the referral service.
Call toll-free: (888) 244-6843 Monday - Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Framingham Family Resource Center
Family Resource Centers (FRCs) are a statewide network of community-based providers offering multi-cultural parenting programs, support groups, early childhood services, information and referral resources and education for families whose children range in age from birth to 18 years old.
A referral agency that helps find and connect you to services needed to improve your quality of life. Metrowest referral line: 1-844-528-6800
Sudbury Public Schools Wellness Contacts
Betsy Grams, Wellness Coordinator
Carol Bradford, Nursing Leader
carol_bradford@sudbury.k12.ma.us
Phone: (978) 443-1085
Some FUN Event Dates!!!
Please watch for more details...
Kindergarten Orientation - Wednesday, May 10th
Field Day - Friday, May 12th
Fun Run - Thursday, June 1st
Grade 5 Moving On - Tuesday, June 13th
Last Day of School - Thursday, June 15th
2023-2024 School Calendar
Sudbury Public Schools 2023-2024 Calendar is now available.
FY2022 - FY2023 Calendar
Please look at our FY2023 school calendar for Josiah Haynes Elementary School
UPCOMING EVENTS
Week of May 8-12
Teacher Appreciation Week
Wednesday, May 10
Kindergarten Orientation (12:30 to 1:30 OR 1:30 to 2:30)
Grade 1/Curriculum Day
Friday, May 12
Food Pantry Collection
Field Day
Monday - Friday, May 15 - May 19
Book Fair
Tuesday, May 16
Grade 3/Field Trip to Sudbury Town Center
Thursday, May 18
Field Day (RAIN DATE)
Monday, May 22
Grade 5/Field Trip to Curtis Middle School
Wednesday, May 24
Grade 2/Curriculum Day
1/2 Day Wednesday (dismissal at 11:45)
Thursday, May 25
Grade 3/Curriculum Day