Students and staff had a productive and exciting week back. I had the privilege of visiting all classrooms. Students couldn't wait to show me what they were working on and learning about. I will update you monthly with news, classroom updates, reminders, and student photographs. I hope to see you all at our Open House/Back to School night on September 11th. Please do not hesitate to call the school or email me if you have any questions or concerns throughout the year. I look forward to partnering with each and every family throughout the year to ensure each child's success.

Remember to follow our school on:

Twitter: @NScituateSchool

Instagram:#ShineAlways

Warm Regards,

Kaitlin M. Soccio, Principal

Kaitlin.Soccio@ScituateSchoolsRI.net

• *Please note, Free and Reduced Forms were sent home with students! If you are in need of another copy, please call our main office 401-647-4115. All other questions should be directed to the Superintendent's Office, 647-4100.
• Student lunch money can be put onto to their account using myschoolbucks.com. Their four digit school ID will be needed.
• All student information forms should be returned as soon as possible.
• A digital copy of the Parent-Student Handbook will be distributed the week of September 3rd. A hard copy of the signature page will be sent home- please sign and return the last page no later than September 13th.
• Please make sure all notes that are sent to school with students are dated. If you are writing a note about dismissal, please write the full name of the person picking up your child.
• Clearly mark water bottles, lunch boxes, etc. with student's name.
• School spirit wear can be ordered here. Please email NorthScituatePTO@gmail.com with any questions.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.

• Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.

• Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.

• Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.

• Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Set a regular bed time and morning routine.

• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.

• Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has

the required shots.

• Introduce your child to her teachers and classmates before

school starts to help her transition.

• Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in

mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign

of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.

• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to

teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on

how to make her feel comfortable and excited about learning.

• Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something

comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or

another parent.

• Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school

is in session.

Source: Attendanceworks.org

Students will receive these awards for EXEMPLARY behavior in the following categories: self-control, citizenship, hard work, attitude, responsibility, courage, team work, and honesty. Any adult in the building may choose the recipients. Grade levels are color coded: 5th Gold, 4th Silver, 3rd Bronze, 2nd Stardust, 1st Jupiter (red) and Kindergarten Sapphire. Students will also be able to decorate a star. These stars will be displayed in the showcase in the hall adjacent to the cafeteria. These certificates are presented to students on Fridays. Monthly newsletters will include photographs of our recipients.

With the approval of our School Committee, teachers and administrators in Scituate worked hard to identify highly rated curricula to prepare our students for the future. The chosen curriculum was vetted through an independent non-profit company, called EdReports. Through this process, high quality instructional materials were selected to help ensure students receive an excellent education. Continue reading for more information about our chosen curriculum!

We are excited to launch the American Reading Company Core curriculum in grades 2, 3 and 6! ARC Core is a basal alternative designed to turn balanced literacy into transformative literacy for both students and teachers. ARC Core is is organized into thematic units that carefully structure a project-based learning process that ensures students participate in complete extensive reading (both as a class and independently), multiple extended writing projects, and daily practice discussing both ideas and texts with peers.

A key component of the program is the Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA), which is a tool that works with every student, at any reading level. The IRLA delivers specific and actionable data that tells the teacher where a student is, why, and the sequence of skills/behaviors she needs to learn next to accelerate her reading growth.

Parents in grades 2 and 3, be on the look out for information about how to support this curriculum at home! We look forward to rolling out the curriculum to the rest of the grade levels, K-8, within the next few years! Click here for an introductory video.

District-wide, we are also launching Bridges in Mathematics for students in grades kindergarten and 1. Bridges is a comprehensive curriculum for grades designed to address the new math standards in a way that’s enjoyable and accessible to all learners. The curriculum focuses on developing students’ deep understandings of mathematical concepts, proficiency with key skills, and ability to solve complex and novel problems. Bridges blends direct instruction, structured investigation, and open exploration. It taps into the intelligence and strengths of all students by presenting material that is as linguistically, visually, and kinesthetically rich as it is mathematically powerful. Click below for more information!

Teachers in grades 2-5 will fully implement Eureka Math! Eureka Math is a complete, PreK through 12 curriculum that carefully sequences the mathematical progressions into expertly crafted modules. Eureka Math provides educators with a comprehensive curriculum, in-depth professional development, books, and support materials. Pieces of the program have been implemented in the past. However, this is the first year of implementation will all parts of the program.

Parents, please note, Eureka provides a series of free Parent Tip Sheets at the topic level that include suggested strategies and models, key vocabulary, and tips for how you can support learning at home. Be on the look out for the tip sheets at the beginning of each module!

North Scituate Elementary School is honored to participate in Start With Hello for the second year! This program enables students to make a difference with their peers in a simple, fun, and impactful way by encouraging them to take small but powerful actions to promote connectedness and inclusion, and to identify and help others who are showing signs of social isolation.

We will be kicking off the program by participating in Start With Hello Week: September 23–27. More information about the activities planned for the week will be distributed within the next few weeks! Click below to learn more about Start With Hello.

Stop & Shop A+ School Rewards Program- click here for more information. The school is still collecting empty ink cartridges and box tops.

Our first PTO meeting will be on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:30pm in the school library.

Please email NorthScituatePTO@gmail.com with any questions. We hope to see you there!

09/11: Open House/Back to School Night 6:30pm

09/18: PTO Meeting @ 6:30pm in the library

09/18: Picture Day (more details to come)

09/22: Scituate High School Homecoming

09/25: Uno's Fundraiser

10/01: School Committee Meeting

10/07: Flu Clinic 3:30-7:00PM

10/11: No School- Professional Development Day

10/12: NSES Bake Sale at Scituate Art Festival

10/22: Chipotle Fundraiser 4-8PM

10/25: Trunk or Treat (rain date 10/26)