Family Buzz
September 30, 2022
Dear South School Community,
Dear South School Community,
We have had a wonderful week and month of September here at South thanks to everyone in our amazing village! THANK YOU ALL!!! On our many walk-throughs of the classrooms, we are observing children who are very engaged in learning. They are reading, writing and manipulating numbers like it is much later in the school year. They are also enjoying recess games, special classes and movement breaks! We are indeed well on our way to creating “sound minds in healthy, happy bodies.” (to paraphrase the Ancient Greeks)….Add all of the other fun activities that are planned and/or happening, and our Back to the Future II picture is off to a great start!
Thank you all for attending our Back to School Nights. The staff felt extremely supported by the large turn-out. It is also so wonderful to see how excited the children were to show off their classrooms and their hard work. We all feel very fortunate to be working in a community that values education so much… AND it was a pleasure to show your school to many of you who did not have that opportunity during the COVID years…
Quote of the Week for 10/3: I listen with my ears, eyes and heart. This is related to the third of our Twelve Tools (Social Emotional Learning Program) that we will teach and review school-wide for two weeks, the Listening Tool. This is week one for tool three!
· Special Note: We are here for all of our families. Here is a special note to let ALL know that we may be able to give specific help to those in need:
o We know that making ends meet can sometimes get difficult for some of the families in our HPS community. Therefore, we want to let you know that there are individuals in each of our schools who are ready to provide information and assistance. With that in mind, please be aware that access to government programs and other resources that are donated by a very generous Hingham Community may be available to help families in times of financial or other need. Some examples of such outreach include the federal free and reduced breakfast/ lunch program (Free for all currently) and assistance with costs such as with athletic, bus/field trip, school pictures, and tuition fees. As well, because of the generosity and caring of parents and others in our community, we are able to support families during the holiday seasons. Please don’t hesitate to contact an administrator, the school nurse, or counseling personnel in your child's school if you need any kind of assistance. Please be assured that your request will be managed in a way that respects your rights for confidentiality.
Staff News:
· Ms. Dowling : I’m sure you will all join us in welcoming Ms. Ruth Dowling to South as a paraprofessional in the RISE II Program. She started this week.
· Ms. Lanzalotta: I’m sure you will all also join us in welcoming Ms. Bonnie Lanzalotta to South as a paraprofessional in the RISE I Program. She will start soon.
PTO NEWS/Thank You :
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.
· October 3-14: PTO is collecting gently used Halloween Costumes to donate to children who do not have costumes. There will be a collection container in the vestibule of the school during that time period.
Other News/Reminders:
· Noon Release/Professional Development: On this Wednesday, October 5, we will have our first noon dismissal. ALL early dismissals will be at noon, and lunch will not be served. This particular one is set aside for Professional Development for staff. Other early release dates: 11/2; 11/16; 11/23; 12/7; 1/ 4; 2/1; 3/1; 4/5; 5/3; 6/7 also listed in Fast Facts 22-23.
· Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month: We are celebrating this month from September 15-October 15 in Spanish class and in our whole school which includes the studying of the Latinx/Hispanic Culture and special announcements daily.
· First Buzz Assembly/Friday, October 7: We will be having our first all school assembly to celebrate good behavior next Friday. We ask that students wear their grade level reainbow colors if possible:
o K= red; 1=orange; 2=yellow; 3= green; 4=blue; 5=violet/purple
.
· BOKS: We are so grateful to Sarah MacAvery, one of our parents, who is continuing to offer this free before school exercise program that she brought back to us last year, here is a summary from her:
Register TODAY for BOKS…Make physical activity and play a part of your child's day! BOKS (Build Our Kids Success) is a FREE 1-hour physical fitness program featuring a mix of games and activities designed to get your child moving and motivated for their school day. The program runs for 6 weeks, before-school, beginning the second week in November. Register today at https://boksfallsession2022.splashthat.com/
(Password: South). Space is limited. Registration closes on November First.
· DESE Time on Learning/Recess: We have had a few questions about the recess schedule, particularly in grades 3-5. In case you missed the explanation in the original Welcome Back Letter, here is a more extensive one:
This past spring it became clear that establishing an aligned elementary schedule was a priority to ensure continuity across all four Hingham elementary schools. This undertaking began with stakeholders throughout the district meeting and providing input relative to their experiences and offering insight into potential changes. With this input in mind, as well as time-on-learning guidelines provided by DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), a schedule framework was developed that reflected not only time-on-learning parameters but also changes to past practices (ex. recess preceding lunch district-wide and the elimination of a second, standalone recess for Grades 3-5). Our Grades 3-5 classrooms have adjusted to this change by providing opportunities to enjoy snack while working and embedding movement throughout their day.
Should you have any further questions or concerns about this adjustment, feel free to contact myself or Mrs. Jacobs any time.
· Some Helpful Important Reminders:
o Please remember that children should not arrive at school prior to 8:40 am as we want to make sure they have proper supervision.
o Thank you for making signs for your car windows at dismissal
o Please make sure to send in notes to the classroom teacher for absences, dismissals, and any change in a child's departure from school. We also need a note if a child rides their bike to school. Be sure to include the child’s name, class and your name.
o Thank you from refraining from cell phone use in dismissal car lines
· No School: Here is a link to No School Procedures as they have been updated by Central Office. I know it seems early to mention, but you might recall that we had two storm days in October last year.
· Chain of Communication FYI: Here is a link to the also recently updated by Central Office Chain of Communication and is is now up on the HPS website.
Preschool Screenings: Under federal and state special education regulations, Hingham Public Schools (HPS) has a responsibility to locate, identify, refer, evaluate, and if eligible, provide a free, appropriate, public education to students with disabilities who reside in the town of Hingham. For this purpose, we offer screenings twice per year, in November and February. Our first screening of the 2022-2023 school year will take place on Thursday, November 3rd at East Elementary School. If you would like your child screened, please call Darcy Greene, Administrative Assistant at 781-741-1570, x4967 or email dgreene@hinghamschools.org. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Early Childhood Coordinator Elizabeth Costanza, at ecostanza@hinghamschools.org. Will be posted until 10/28. Please feel free to forward this item to people with preschool aged children.
· Foster School News: I am sure that many of you are interested in what is happening with the Foster School Project. Here are some links with interesting information:
Flyer on some quick information
Flyer for Upcoming Meetings
Learn more about the Foster Building Project.
· Coming Events / Attractions This Week:
o Tuesday, October 4 – Tuesday Fly South Begins
o Tuesday, October 6 – Thursday Fly South Begins
o Wednesday, October 5 – Noon Release for Professional Development; no lunch will be served
o Friday, October 7 – First Buzz Assembly (see above)
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):
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
Complete COVID UPDATE: Below you will find the link to a communication that was sent out from the HPS Central Office earlier this week. Part of it states that masks will not be required as was true in the Spring, but we also want you to know that we will support personal choice on this matter…
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QxrZpXYsOmvfhcWz1wGq3EnRDJH0rPXst37yMpjMY6o/edit
Important Dates
Tuesday, October 4/Thursday, October 6- Fly South begins. Informational Email was sent out September 21. Please contact Eugene Buczynski at ebuczynski@hinghamschools.org with questions.
Wednesday, October 5- Noon Release for Staff Professional Development; lunch will not be served.
Monday, October 10- School Closed for Holiday
Friday, October 21 – SES (PTO sponsored) Family Harvest Party from 4-6 on the SES Playground. Details to follow from PTO
Wednesday, November 2- Noon Release for Staff Professional Development; lunch will not be served.
Saturday, November 5- PTO Social for parents/caregivers. It will be held from 7-10 PM at the Hingham Community Center. Come and meet some new friends!
Wednesday, November 16- Noon Release for Parent/Teacher Conferences; lunch will not be served. Should you wish to schedule a conference, contact Ms. Laurie Barry at lbarry@hinghamschools.org
Saturday, November 19 – South School Fun Run
If your child’s teacher’s appointments are all filled up, feel free to contact the teacher directly to find a mutually convenient time to meet on another day.
Wednesday, November 23 - Noon Release for Thanksgiving Holiday; lunch will not be served.
Thursday, November 24; Friday, November 25 – School Closed for Thanksgiving Recess
Wednesday, December 7- Noon Release for Staff Professional Development; lunch will not be served.
Saturday, November 19- PTO Fun Run, Bare Cove Park @ 9 AM
Monday, December 26, 2022-Monday, January 2, 2023- School closed for Holiday/Winter Break
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,
Mary M. Eastwood (: and Lori A. Jacobs (: