Family Buzz
December 16, 2022
Dear South School Community,
Dear South School Community,
Thank you for another great week! We have been so fortunate to have two of our pre-pandemic activities come back fully over the past ten days! Fourth grade had the wonderful Box City and today, the kindergarten students were shining with their Holidays Around the World presentations!!! Thank you for your support of these activities from the home front! It does take a village!!!
Next week, we are looking forward to our grade five Band, Strings, and Chorus Concert and many holiday celebrations in other grade levels!!! THANK YOU for planning ahead on parking, remembering to walk, car pool, park at the Lutheran Church, or at a close-by friend’s house when you visit us! Also, for security reasons, please only go to the grade level/place you are visiting and with the exception of the cafeteria, please use the front door when you exit. We do not want to take a chance that a door gets left ajar. Also, for very large events, staff does park on the playground before children arrive. We ask that you do not do this as children could be out at recess when you arrive/leave, and we want to make sure that all children are safe at all times!!!
Quote of the Week for 12/19: I let the little things go! This is the quote for the Garbage Can Tool. This is related to the eighth of our Twelve Tools (Social Emotional Learning Program) that we will teach and review school-wide for two weeks, the Garbage Can Tool. This is week two for tool eight!
Staff News:
· None this week
PTO NEWS/Thank You :
· Parking for upcoming (many overlapping) events: Thank you for remembering that parking is very limited at SES! Thank you for walking if you can, finding a parking buddy, and/or parking at the Lutheran Church which is diagonally across the street!
· Flag Project Thank You/Update: Maintenance and the HHS Traces Program are working on the molding currently. We are so grateful for all of the physical and monetary support this project is receiving!
· Dismissal Notes: The Change of Dismissal Note Pads are still available!!! 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.
Other News/Reminders:
- Holiday Concert: This concert will take place on Wednesday, December 21@9:15 AM. It involves all of our fifth graders who will perform in either the Band, Strings, or Chorus. Grades 3 and 4 students will attend the concert and all others will watch it on tape due to limited space. Family guests of fifth graders are more than welcome to attend also.
- Kindergarten 2023- 2024: 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!!! The first event will be a parent/caregiver orientation on Wednesday, January 11 @ 6:30 PM…location Town Hall, room= TBD. Please tell all of your neighbors and friends with kindergarten aged children to save the date.
- Care Solace Partnership: We are committed to the well-being of our students, staff, and families to create a safe and healthy learning environment. In support of our ongoing commitment, we partnered with Care Solace to provide an additional layer of care for our community. A separate email was sent to families on Thursday, December 8, regarding all of this…Feel free to reach out to us if you need anything at all…Our new guidance counselor is Joanne Smith ( jsmith@hinghamschools.org ) our adjustment counselor is Vanessa Bryer (vbryer@hinghamschools.org)
- Special Note: We are here for all of our families. Don’t hesitate to reach out to myself (meastwood@hinghamschools.org) ; Lori Jacobs (ljacobs@hinghamschools.org) ; Joanne Smith, guidance counselor (joannesmith@hinghamschools.org) ; or Vaneaas Bryer, adjustment counselor (vbryer@hinghamschools.org) if you need anything at all…
- Homework Heroes/Fly South/BOKS News: This session will be ending on December 13. Homework Heroes, Fly South and BOKS will all return in 2023!
- Outerwear: Just a reminder that winter is coming 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, January 4- Noon Release for Professional Development lunch will not be served. Future noon release dates: 2/1; 3/1; 4/5; 5/3; 6/7 also listed in Fast Facts 22-23.
- Bus Pledge/Behavior: Thank you for your continued support! We have seen an improvement already!!! Safety and learning appropriate behavior/manners are a bonus here! The students also seem so much happier about the bus ride as well! Let’s all keep reminding them every day!
- CORI FORMS: If you plan to volunteer this school year, please come to SES with your driver’s license and fill out a CORI Form when you have a chance. We need to verify the license in person.
· Counselor’s Corner: Use link below to read how to help with Holiday Stress (You may need to cut and paste it into your browser:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lafbafNZagPNWrJhzlGdWw199zb5orovugxt9eL8pvQ/edit
Some Important Links and Still Relevant Reprints from Past Newsletters:
Some Important Links and Still Relevant Reprints from Past Newsletters:
· Dismissing Students from School: Thank you all for understanding that even if you tell a teacher that you are dismissing a student from school, you also need to notify the front office as it is important for the office to know exactly who is in the building at all times…
· Missed Events: Although we don’t want any students to miss any special events, we are also trying to keep our population as “well” as possible, so thank you for keeping your child home when they are sick even if they miss a special classroom event…we know it’s hard to miss the events, but everyone’s health and wellbeing is much more important…
- No School: Here is a link to No School Procedures as they have been updated by Central Office.
- Absences: Please be aware that we are required to send out a letter to families after an excessive number of absences. Of course we take into account that absence could be due to COVID (5 days required) and other circumstances.
- Chain of Communication FYI: Here is a link to the also recently updated by Central Office Chain of Communication and is now up on the HPS website.
More about Toolbox: As a result of the HTSS Task Force which has met years ago to explore how we can further support the Social/Emotional well-being of our students, all of the teaching staff was trained in Essential Toolbox. It is a wonderful program that can be easily integrated into daily instruction. Children will be taught the twelve tools for learning and life: Breathing Tool (hence the quote of the week), Quiet/Safe Place Tool, Listening Tool, Empathy Tool, Personal Space Tool, Using our Words Tool, Garbage Can Tool, Taking Time Tool, Please and Thank You Tool, Apology and Forgiveness Tool, Patience Tool, and Courage Tool. We know that you all already reinforce these life skills at home, but we wanted you to be aware that we will be talking about 2-3 tools a month as a school as the year progresses. We will also integrate this with our “Bee Kinder than Necessary” theme…
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):
https://hinghamschools.org/south-elementary-school/files/2022/08/Copy-of-Fast-Facts-22-23-SES.pdf
HPS Elementary Marking and Conference Schedule Link
https://hinghamschools.org/south-elementary-school/files/2022/08/Elementary-Term-Dates-2022-2023.pdf
Important Dates
Wednesday, December 21 – SES Holiday Concert @ 9:15 AM (see above) Fifth Grade Performs
Monday, December 26, 2022-Monday, January 2, 2023- School closed for Holiday/Winter Break
Wednesday, January 4 – Noon Release for Professional Development
Monday, January 16- School Closed in recognition of MLK Day
Monday, February 20- Friday, February 24 – School Closed for Winter Break
Friday, April 7- School Closed for Good Friday
Monday, April 17- Friday, April 21 – School Closed for Spring Break
Monday, May 29 – School Closed in recognition of Memorial Day
Monday, June 19- School Closed in recognition of Juneteenth
More Dates to Follow in the weekly “Buzz”
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions…
Sincerely,