Memorial Mustangs

Dear Memorial Families and Caregivers:

It seems February passed by in the blink of an eye. The month of March is a time of transitioning from the many winter activities into the anticipation of spring. As we hope for warmer weather, we want to keep our students focused on continuing to strive to do their best. I appreciate all of the effort you put in at home to ensure this carries over into their school day, as it impacts their academics and social emotional well being. Thank you to all of our students, staff, families, and PTO for your participation and continuous support.

To me, March is a conflicted month. It arrives like a lion and goes out like a lamb (or vice versa...something like that). The ancient Britons referred to it as hyld-monath—loud and stormy. In ancient Rome, March was called Martius, in honor of the Roman god of war; it was considered a good time of the year to start a battle. Rudyard Kipling referred to the month as steel grey. While March welcomes the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere, it also commemorates the Great Blizzards of 1888 and 1993, but March is also filled with Madness (the NCAA college basketball tournament).

O.K., O.K. (from oll korrect, a phrase first recorded in a March 1839 edition of the Boston Morning Globe), I have to admit, though somewhat conflicted, March celebrates some of my favorite events. Miles Davis held his first sessions for Kind of Blue during March. Astrud and Joao Gilberta recorded The Girl From Ipanema in March. The band, Pink Floyd, released Dark Side of the Moon in March.

Speaking of bands, the rubber band was invented in March, 1845. The original King Kong premiered in March, 1933. Sixty years later, Charlie Brown hit his first home run during a March scrimmage. Vincent Van Gogh, Lois Lowry and Bach were all born in the month (as well as so many Memorial staff members, Mrs. Flynn, Mrs. Anderson, Miss. Kelley, Miss Pascarelli, Mrs. Romano, Ms. Souza, and Mrs. Weddle, Mrs. Freeman). And lest we forget, March is Women’s History month, American Red Cross month, and National Umbrella month. If this all seems trivial, take comfort in knowing that Jeopardy debuted on television in March, 1964.

March is the time of the school year when students often begin to display mastery of new skills. Yet isn’t it ironic that the pencil with an attached eraser was first patented in March, 1858? And, at a time of the year when many students are celebrating the growth reflected in their hard work throughout the year, others view this time of the year with apprehension and anxiety. This seems to hold true especially for our 4th graders as they begin their transition over to middle school.

Let's continue to March forward—stay optimistic—spring is on the horizon.

Respectfully,

Troy Holding

Our annual March Book Madness competition has been refashioned and is in full swing with all students in grades K-4. Now called the Memorial Book Match-Up, this year's competition features 16 new books facing off in a single-elimination bracket that will pit fiction against non-fiction in the final face-off. Students read, study, and critique the books during library classes during the winter and spring and will engage in four rounds of voting which will guide us to our 2023 Memorial Book of the Year. This year's books differ widely in style and subject, but all are chosen to help us learn about the world, ourselves, and each other. Ask your child how many stars they've awarded on the 5-star scale to the following books we've shared:

• Pando: A Living Wonder of Trees
• Bessie the Motorcycle Queen
• Clovis Keeps His Cool
• The Longest Letsgoboy
• The Water Lady
• When Cloud Became a Cloud

Ten more titles will be covered, and the student judges at Memorial are taking their jobs VERY seriously!

1. NPS Parent Orientation Night - Thursday, March 30, 2023, @ 7:00 p.m.

Virtual Live Stream on YouTube with Elementary School Principals Parents of incoming Kindergarten students are invited to meet with the Elementary School Principals to learn more about the Kindergarten onboarding process, overall curriculum goals, and how Natick Public Schools works to support its youngest learners. Principals will discuss the orientation process (parent orientation, student assessment, and student orientation) and the modifications in place to support safety at school. Also discussed will be programming and services and the calendar of important events. This evening will help you prepare for your child’s transition into kindergarten. Building-based meetings will be hosted in May to review building-specific procedures. Links will be shared via email closer to these dates.

2. Kindergarten Registration for 2023-2024 School Year (IMPORTANT)

Please remember that the Kindergarten registration period is February 6th - March 10th, 2023.

Kindergarten registration has 2 parts:

• Submit the online registration form in PowerSchool Enroll (or complete forms in PowerSchool for Natick Public Schools Preschool Families attending NHS/Memorial/Lilja or receiving Special Education services)
• In-person registration appointment @ NPS registration office with required documents (please call 508-647-6492 to schedule an appointment after completing the online forms).

If you have not completed the registration process, please remember to complete both parts as soon as possible. Once your child's registration is complete, more information will be shared later in March about the scheduled meetings mentioned in the registration letter.

3. The following link is information regarding registration for ASAP and Early Riser for our new families only: NEW FAMILY ASAP/EARLY RISER Registration Information

4. Lost and Found is open for business. Please stop by or have your child visit for missing belongings. If you have names on items, it is helpful so that we can provide more support.

5. Please enjoy my weekend vibe: Tears For Fears- Everybody Wants To Rule The World

The Memorial PTO is a parent and teacher run, non-profit organization committed to enhancing and enriching the education of our students and fostering a sense of community within our school. The PTO provides assistance to teachers within the classroom settings, raises funds for educational materials and experiences, advocates school and family social interaction, and provides an unbiased forum for sharing information on issues that impact our students. We believe in cultivating a positive learning environment to allow for students to achieve their highest potential. Please become an active participant in the PTO. Below is the link to their website:

https://www.memorialnatickpto.org/

or email them at:

pto@memorialnatickpto.org

Natick Public Schools does not discriminate in employment nor its educational programs, services, and activities based on race, creed, color, age, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Please be aware all electronic communication to and from Natick Public Schools is public record and subject to public disclosure per Massachusetts General Law Chapter 66, Section 10.

• Title I: Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title II
• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title VI
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Title IX
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• MGL, Ch.76, Section 5: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 76, Section 5