Pleasant Street School News
building a community of learners that strive for excellence
February 14, 2016
Happy Winter Vacation Week
We want to take a moment to wish you an enjoyable vacation week with your children! It is times like this during school vacation weeks we do well to spend quality time and enjoy the simple pleasures of a good book, meals which you prepare together, or time bundled up having an outdoor adventure. Despite being a short week we have much to report on in our newsletter including our sock hop and go gold event, 100 day project celebrations: part 2, and a special submission from school committee member, Mitch Grosky, on the progress of our new elementary school, ACES. Please check back next week for pictures from our Mad Science assembly programs, recycling club, dinosaur dioramas, and more!
Warm regards,
Principal Ellis
Words are Not for Hurting
Sock Hop and Go Gold Event on February 12th
Wow! By all appearances everyone had a fantastic time at our Sock Hop dance on Friday night. This was so much fun! The cafeteria was transformed with decorations throughout, courtesy of Athol High School, and children and families alike were well entertained with music, games, and dancing to the YMCA, the twist, the macarena, and much more! Please click on the video link to see more pictures from this night.
https://animoto.com/play/Cfk9gmQM3geXiiVt7yKaug
We are pleased to report we raised about $120 to benefit the American Childhood Cancer fund for our "Go Gold" awareness and support efforts.
The success of such events requires people helping out and pitching in! At the risk of forgeting someone we want to offer many thanks to our PTO members including Becky Lanoue, Julie Hall, Laurie Jennings, Becky-Tower Hughes, and Laura Robinson and well as the AHS Honor Society students who helped decorate. Thanks are due to our student council members for running the bake sale, to families for contributing baked goods, snacks, and bottled water and to student council faculty advisors, Barbara Franck and Robyn Robertson. Technology thanks are due to "Mr. T," Chris Tamulevich who set up and prepped all of the instructional music videos (this is no small task) and to Patty Winters and Jen Laroche, faculty members who came in costume and danced to the delight of students. For contributing beautiful handmade "Go Gold" bracelets many thanks are due to Rachel Schwab and her son Benjamin. These sold out in about ten minutes! Last but not least, Principal Ellis also played a big role in making this event possible and she may never go out in public again in pigtails!
Celebrations! 100 day projects: Part 2
Your children's 100 day projects certainly brightened up our school lobby! Featured here are some projects we didn't include last week due to our Friday snow day. Please enjoy viewing the additional projects featured below and in our short video link.
February is Black History Month
Our month long celebration of Black History month continues. We have included some websites and resources linked below to explore and to share with your children. The Reading Rockets site, in particular, has recommended children's books, family activities, interviews, writing prompts, and more. This is a wonderful way to spend family time and to enhance your child or children's background knowledge of our larger community and world.
http://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/blackhistory
http://fun.familyeducation.com/black-history-month/holidays/32871.html
http://www.timeforkids.com/minisite/black-history-month
http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/13-ways-celebrate-black-history-month
Caught Being Good
So you know...our faculty and staff use Caught Being Goods as just another way of letting children know that we notice and appreciate simple acts of being helpful and kind throughout our school. When a student receives a Caught Being Good certificate he or she also receives a small prize from Principal Ellis. Some of our recent prize winners include Marissa, Jaylece, Melania, Savannah, and Kayleigh.
Six Flags Reading Challenge Logs are due on Feb. 22nd
To learn more about this program please find information below.
Reading log form:
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/StudentReadingLog.pdf
Program overview:
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ProgramOverview.pdf
Parent informational letter:
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ParentLetter.pdf
Caring Paws Club
So you know- the Caring Paws club is a group that was formed over a year ago by some now third grade friends at Pleasant Street. The focus of their civic minded club is to put an an end to kill shelters.
Pictured below: Morgan, Alyssa, Aurore, Ruby, and Elizabeth, Caring Paws Club members and friends.
Catch of the Day!
The new Athol Community Elementary School (ACES) is progressing nicely!
To see pictures and more information about the progress of our new school building please click on the links below.
Celebrate Schools Athol Royalston Facebook site:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1757122054507155.1073741838.1414589338760430&type=3
Athol Royalston Regional School District:
February Vacation Ideas!
February 17th- 5:00-8:00 pm, Munch & Move at the Athol /Orange Elks, 92 New Athol Rd.
This event is brought to you by the North Quabbin Community Coalition Childrens' Health & Wellness Taskforce and area sponsors and includes dinner, music, games, and much more! For more information please contact (978) 249-3703. (This is not a school sponsored event but is listed as a public service).
Partipate in our Six Flags Reading Challenge
An informational sheet and reading log form has been sent. The log form must be complete with all required information (with legible print!) and turned into the school office no later than February 22 for your child to qualify for the free ticket to Six Flags.
We also encourage families to check out the local libraries for events and activities.
You can make a drive-in Movie date! More February Vacation Ideas
Free Breakfast & Lunch
As part of the 2010 Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act, Athol-Royalston Regional School District, along with other districts, now offers free meals to all students this school year.
Menus
- Breakfast menu for February
- Lunch menu for February
Community Events & Postings
Do you have news to share or want to inform members of our school community about family friendly events in our area? if so, please email or forward a flyer or link.
Thank you :)
Mother Goose on the Loose Playgroup-Thursdays 10am—11:30am Valuing Our Children 217 Walnut St. Athol. For more information contact: Jen: 978-249-8467 x 22
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PG-and-MGOL.pdf
Petersham Playgroup- Beginning on Thursday, Sept. 17th from 10-11:30 at the Petersham Center School. For more information please call Jennifer at Valuing Our Children 978-249-8467 x22
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Petersham-playgroup.pdf
For other local events, happenings, and resources in this area... you can also check the North Quabbin Community Coalition website below:
These are not school sponsored events but are posted here as a public service for families in the greater North Quabbin community.
Upcoming Events...Mark your Calendars!
- Feb. 14, Valentines' Day
- Feb. 15-19, Winter recess, no school
- Feb. 22, school resumes
- March 9, District professional development, noon dismissal, lunch is served
http://www.arrsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CALENDARFOR2015-2016a.pdf
Check back soon for more news!
News from Principal Ellis
Email: dellis@arrsd.org
Website: arrsd.org
Location: 1060 Pleasant Street., Athol, MA 01331
Phone: (978) 249-2405