New Manchester Elementary School
September 2023
A Message from the Principal
A new teacher, classroom, supplies, and books…each school year is full of changes for your child. We are so excited to be a part of these wonderful changes. Our staff has been working very hard to ensure this is a productive year full of learning, growing, and enjoyment. Our theme, "Let's Hit It Out Of The Park, Bearcats" represents our goal to work with each of you to ensure your child reaches his/her fullest potential and achieves academic, social/emotional, and behavioral success.
Remember, education is like a baseball game - it needs all of its players: Students, Staff, Family, and Community.
To help us along our journey, ask your child about his/her day, help with homework, and keep in contact with your child’s teacher. When we work together we can help each student achieve wonderful things. We appreciate everything you do! Remember: “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere” – A Chinese Proverb
September Events
9/4 No School - Labor Day
9/5 First Day of PreK (1/2 class)
9/6 First Day of PreK (1/2 class)
9/11 Patriot Day
9/15 School Pictures
9/22 "Be An Attendance HERO" - wear super hero clothing
9/22 PreK Family Engagement: Why Attendance Matters from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
9/23 First day of Autumn
9/25 - 9/29 Book Fair
9/28 Open House 5:00 - 5:45 p.m. & 6:00 - 6:45 p.m.
Welcome to our newest Staff Bearcats!
Allyson Martin, LPN
Amber Phillips, Autism Mentor
Ashley Hissam, Special Education Teacher
Bethany Cowart, ECCAT Aide
Holly Winterrowd, ECCAT Aide
Jodi Cole, Title I Reading Specialist
LeAnn Gamble, Speech Language Pathologist
Pam Miller, Autism Mentor
Savannah Weaver, 2nd Grade Teacher
Sandi Hissom, Special Education Teacher
Karla Lamp, Custodian
Nate Robinson - Lonkert, Custodian
PTA Membership
PTA meetings are held the first Monday of each month beginning in October (with the exception of some date changes- you will be notified of those). The meetings start at 6:00 p.m. Most meetings will have a presentation by one of the grade levels. April will be PTA elections for the following year.
PTA membership is now underway. More information will be sent home with students. Please consider joining the PTA. It is a great way to become involved in your child's education at New Manchester Elementary School.
Each grade level that meets 90% participation will be rewarded on October 6 with "Popcorn on the Playground with the PTA".
Our PTA officers for the 2023-24 School Year
Courtney Shaw, President
Danielle Gregory, Vice President
Analissa White, Secretary
Michael Staley, Treasurer
NMES Starting Line Up
We will begin our NMES Starting Line Up (formerly known as "Student Spotlight") in October.
Criteria for selecting the Students of the Month will include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Effort
- Character through compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, optimism, and responsibility
- Behavior and self-control
- Attitude toward others/learning
- Good citizenship
- Leadership and integrity
- Demonstrates responsibility
- Respectful to peers and teachers
- Significant progress in the classroom and/or marked improvement in grades
BEARCATS - Let's Knock It Out Of The Park!
New Manchester Elementary School follows the Expected Behaviors in Safe and Supportive Schools – Policy JG. A condensed version is found in the New Manchester Elementary School student handbook. A complete copy can be obtained in the Hancock County Board of Education office or our school office.
Our theme for the students is "Bearcats - Let's Knock It Out of the Park!"
BEARCATS stands for a behavior we will focus on each month (B= Behavior/Striving to be your best self; E = Effort; A = Acceptance; R = Respect; C = Commitment; A = Attitude; T = Trustworthy; S = Supporting one another). Students will work toward earning a badge for each month related to the focused behavioral concept. Each student will receive a baseball diamond that will keep track if they met their goal for each nine weeks (which will be considered a base - 1st 9 weeks = 1st Base, and so on). If a student has made it around all 4 bases, they can attend the end of the year PBIS reward full time. If they earned 3 bases, they can attend 75% of the time; 2 bases = 50% of the reward time; 1 base = 25% of the reward time. Throughout each month, students will have the opportunity to turn their dojo points in for classroom incentives so that they are rewarded for positive behavior continuously throughout the year.
In September, we will focus on "Behavior" and being your best self. Behavior is how you conduct yourself towards others. Someone who exhibits what is generally considered good behavior may show respect, exhibit ambition, have good manners, and show empathy. While striving for behavior, we are concentrating on "being our best selves". Keep in mind that being your best self does not mean that you are "perfect" or that you don't make mistakes. Self acceptance is the ability to accept both your strengths and weaknesses without judgement. We all have ways in which we want to improve. Focusing on this concept in September will allow students to understand their strenghts and weaknesses and to develop positive ways to become "their best selves".
Be An Attendance 'HERO' - Attendance Matters!
New Manchester Elementary School is encouraging “SUPER” attendance by promoting our theme: “Be An Attendance Super ‘Hero’”. HERO stands for “Here”, “Everyday”, “Ready”, and “On Time”.
Research has proven that students who attend school regularly do better academically, socially, and emotionally in school. When your child misses school, even if it is for a few minutes, it is difficult to "catch up". Nothing substitutes participating daily in classroom activities.
Attendance does matter!
9 or Less = SUCCESS
When a student misses 2 days of school a month:
- They will miss 20 days of school a year
- They will miss approximately 30 hours of math instruction over the school year
- They will miss approximately 60 hours of reading instruction over the school year
- They will miss over 1 year of school by graduation
Remind your child that school is important and that she/he can only be absent if she/he is sick. Please try to schedule appointments and family trips outside of school hours. If your child is absent, you MUST call the school office to inform us of your child’s absence. After 3 unexcused absences, families will be contacted. After 5 unexcused absences, the attendance director will become involved. It is best practice to receive a medical excuse from a medical provider if your child is sick or must attend an appointment during school hours.
If your child is tardy, a parent or guardian MUST come into the office with the student to sign the student in.
To help you and your child to keep track of their absences, please place the form below on your refrigerator at home.
Some fun events at NMES for being an Attendance HERO:
- We will be promoting our new theme on Friday, September 22. All students will be encouraged to wear a Super Hero shirt/outfit. More information will be sent home closer to the date.
- We will also be having an Attendance Matters coloring contest. One winner from each homeroom will be chosen and will have their picture displayed on a billboard in our community.
- We will be rewarding grade levels that have the best attendance school wide each month.
Nurse's Corner - Beginning of the Year Information
With the beginning of the new school year many new and wonderful things are happening, but being sick is not one of them!
Here are a few reminders if your child is sick:
- If your child has a temperature of 100.4, they cannot come to school. Your child must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication to return to school.
- If your child has diarrhea or vomiting, they should not come to school.
- If your child has green drainage, bloodshot eyes, or crusty drainage on their eyelashes, please do not send them to school. They may be contagious and should be seen by their doctor.
- Reminding our students to wash their hands, cover their mouths when they cough and to not touch their faces may help prevent some illnesses.
- Please DO NOT send medication to school in your child’s backpack. They are not permitted to carry any medication on them. If they need to take medication, please call the School Nurse to discuss with her.
Please feel free to contact the School Nurse at the school anytime if you have questions!
Let’s have a Happy and Healthy School Year!!!!!
Coffee with the Counselor
I would like to extend a heartfelt “Welcome Back!” to our Bearcat Family.
As I did last year, I thought it would be a great idea to explain the role of a school counselor in this first newsletter post of the 2023-2024 school year.
What a school counselor does do:
I serve ALL students at NMES, not just those struggling socially, emotionally, or behaviorally. I do preventative work by teaching social-emotional skills to all students through classroom guidance lessons. I assist students academically by teaching lessons on topics like study skills and I offer individual academic assistance in the classroom setting to those students requiring additional help with focus or behavior management. I collaborate with our teachers regarding whole classroom concerns or those pertaining to an individual student.
Since school and personal safety remain priorities at NMES, I do anti-bullying guidance lessons in all classes with our Resource Officer and address any reports of individual bullying. I also can meet with individual students regarding safety concerns in their home or neighborhood environments.
I communicate with guardians regarding any issues of which I become aware with their child. As a licensed counselor I do provide some short-term individual or group counseling with permission from the guardian. Regular updates are provided to the student’s grownups either through phone calls or Class Dojo. Students and guardians get to decide what information is shared with the respective teacher. Otherwise, the information is considered confidential.
What a school counselor does not do:
While I work with students on making positive behavior choices and understanding feelings, I do not discipline children beyond the use of our Class Dojo point system. My role is to provide Restorative Practices in situations that might warrant a Minor Offense – in lieu of punishment when appropriate.
I do not do long-term counseling because of time constraints but will gladly assist families in locating appropriate services as needed.
I do not judge students and or families for what they are experiencing. I am here to help and support students and families and connect families with resources to eliminate or significantly reduce needs.
Lastly, I do not fix problems with a “magic wand.” However, I am committed to doing everything in my power to help every student become the best possible version of themselves.
Please, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you may have. Look for upcoming information regarding a schoolwide Handle with Care notification process that I am working on with Principals Yeater and Enochs and our school resource officer Deputy Barnhart.
Math at Home - A Soapy Situation
- Have your child count out loud to 20
- Have your child count backward from 20
- Have your child count by 2s, 5s, 10s
- Think about counting to 20 and then add 10 more. What happens if you change the first number to 11, how does that change the other number you count to?
- Have your child use numbers and math words to explain what they are doing
- Can your child come up with a different way to count
Fun Facts
- September is known as the harvest month
- September 22 is the fall equinox. This means that the day and night hours are roughly the same
- September is the month with the most letters in its name, and its nine total letters also equal its position in the calendar, the ninth month of the year
- September is full of wacky days, including National Speak like a Pirate Day - ARR, matey!
- The first newspaper in the US was published on September 25, 1690 in Boston
- A full moon in September is known as the corn moon or the harvest moon
New Manchester Elementary School
Email: cyeater@k12.wv.us
Website: https://newmanchester.hancock.k12.wv.us
Location: 128 Frankfort Road, New Cumberland, WV, USA
Phone: 304-564-3242
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057713167536