North Scituate Elementary School
April Newsletter 2020
A note from Mrs.Soccio
Our North Scituate community has come together during a time of uncertainty. I am proud to be a part of a community that supports one another no matter what it may be faced with. During our first week and a half of Distance Learning, teachers, support staff, students, and families have persevered during difficult times. Our North Scituate staff have gone above and beyond to create packets, lesson plans, and digital platforms for each student while communicating expectations with families. I know our students are missing each other dearly but they have stepped up and completed their work by engaging in distance learning. I have enjoying meeting with them on Google Meet, Zoom, and seeing pictures that their teacher shares. Families, thank you for stepping into a new role in educating your child at home. I know this is not an easy task but I appreciate your efforts to support our work and communicate feedback with staff.
As you know, Distance Learning in RI will continue through May 1st. Districts have been asked to adjust April calendars to accommodate the following dates:
- April 3rd & 17th will be professional development release days for teachers to engage in longer term strategic planning for distance learning. Students will not be attending school on those days.
- April 9th & 10th will be days off, creating a long weekend for everyone. Scituate already had April 10th off, so that means we will add April 9th as another day of vacation.
The RI Department of Education was also granted a waiver from standardized testing for this year. The following tests will not occur this year:
- RI SAT School Day with Essay
- PSAT10
- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) alternate assessments
- Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System (RICAS)
- Next Generation Science Assessment (NGSA)
Lastly, I want to remind all families that we have many supports available for both academic and social emotional needs. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any suggestions, questions or concerns.
Scituate Elementary Distance Learning Guide for Families
Distance Learning Kudos from our Families
REMINDER: Yearbooks can be ordered here using ID code 1980520.
It will soon be time to begin planning for the 2020-2021 school year! If there are any special considerations about your child that you would like to make sure we take into account throughout this process, please do so in writing no later than May 1st. Due to fluctuating enrollment, classroom consolidation and/or additions, placement adjustments may occur prior to the start of school.
Warm Regards,
Kaitlin M. Soccio, Principal
Attendance Matters!
Just a reminder that attendance matters during Distance Learning, each day counts as a full day of school. Mrs. Pagliarini will be calling any family who does not submit attendance each day.
Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Parents: Please email the classroom teacher by 9:30 a.m.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Students: Please fill out and submit the Google form for your attendance by 9:30 a.m.
RI Reads at Home! - April Reading Challenge
Governor Raimondo and Commissioner Infante-Green have challenged all students in Rhode Island to read for at least 20-60 minutes every single day in the month of April.
Here are the guidelines for the amount of uninterrupted reading students should strive to reach each day in April:
- Pre-K and Kindergarteners read or are read to at least 20 minutes
- Grades 1-3 read at least 30 minutes
- Grades 4-5 read at least 45 minutes
- Grades 6-12 at least 60 minutes
We encourage families and educators to get creative and help us band together as a community to promote reading as a daily habit for our students. We are hoping you will help make sure this is a fun activity for students, and we will be strongly encouraging you to use social media throughout the month to model good reading habits using the hashtags #RIReadsAtHome and #ReadTogether.
Click the link below to learn more! Source: Ride.RI.gov
SCITUATE KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Our registration date of April 8th has been postponed. Stay tuned for more information regarding Kindergarten registration using a digital platform.
Children who will be five years old by September 1, 2020 are eligible to attend kindergarten in September 2020. The Scituate School Department requires registration for Kindergarten in Scituate.
If you have a question regarding which school your child will attend based on your address, please contact the Scituate School Department at 401-647-4100. Be advised that the Scituate School Department reserves the right to selectively redistrict your child to another Scituate elementary school based on class size issues. In most years this involves a relatively small number of students.
scituate art festival grants
Mrs. Ethier, our music teacher, was recently awarded $270.00 from the Scituate Art Festival Grant! The funding will be used to purchase materials to start a Ukulele program at the elementary schools!
THANK YOU to the Scituate Art Festival Committee for supporting the education of our students!
Positive Office Referrals
Perfect Attendance February
Distance Learning Snapshots
Older siblings reading to younger ones
Fourth Graders in Google Classroom
Grade 3 Zooming into Learning
1st Grade Smiling Faces
Kindergarteners at Work
Bedtime Stories & Messages from Mrs. Soccio
Bedtime Story 1 - Laura's Star
Bedtime Story 2 - If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
Afternoon Story - Pete the Cat and the New Guy
Bedtime Story 4 - Pete the Cat and the Cool Cat Boogie
Bedtime Story 5- The Kissing Hand
Bedtime Story 6- Giraffes Can't Dance
steam bingo challenge!
Hi Everyone! I have missed seeing you for STEAM Enrichment time every week. I have worked together with the Librarian at North Scituate Elementary to create an optional STEAM Bingo game. I challenge you to fill your bingo board after completing assignments for school. This is not a requirement but it will be fun! Send pictures of you and your work when you have earned bingo! I will share pictures of me completing bingo as well! Keep up the good work, I know you can do it! See you soon. ~Ms. Tourgee
A Note from Mrs. McCann
Dear Parents,
I hope this note finds you and your families well. Our lives have changed dramatically in the past several weeks as we’ve practiced social distancing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Even though we are not in school physically, I wanted to let you all know that I am available anytime, each day that school is in session. If you need any assistance with any health related concerns or questions regarding health lessons that I've posted to your child’s google classrooms, please feel free to contact me. My email is colleen.mccann@scituateschoolsri.net.
Each day, many of you are trying to work from home and supervise your child’s distance learning at the same time. You are amazing!!! It’s easy for parents to forget about their own health at times like these. Here are a few tips to keep yourself healthy as you navigate this new normal!
Take breaks from watching and reading about the pandemic. Taking in too much negative information can be draining.
Take care of your body by getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy foods, getting some exercise if you can. Try deep breathing or meditation.
Have fun by doing some activities you enjoy.
Reach out by phone or virtually to people you love or people who make you laugh!
Earlier this week you received information about Governor Gina Raimondo’s COVID-19 question and answer session for kids. Included with that information were links to COVID-19 information for children. I wanted to share a link to my favorite site for information about kid’s health, https://healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspx
This is the American Academy of Pediatrics Parenting Website which has trusted information on many topics related to children's health. Of particular importance at this time, of course is COVID-19. They have information about talking to your children about COVID-19, working and learning at home, and caring for a family member with COVID-19.
Other trusted websites for accurate information about Coronavirus/COVID-19 are, the Centers for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019 and the Rhode Island Department of Health, https://health.ri.gov/.
There is one other issue I wanted to mention to you. The Rhode Island Hearing Center was scheduled to come to North Scituate School during the end of April, for their annual screening of students in grades K-3. Since we will not be in school, we will not be able to get this screening done this year. However, once social distancing measures have eased, if you have concerns about your child’s hearing, you could make an appointment for your child to be screened at the center, free of charge. Their address is: RI Hearing Center, 1 Corliss Park, Providence, RI. Their telephone number is (401) 222-3525. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thank you and if I can be of assistance in any way please reach out to me anytime!
Stay well!
Mrs. McCann
A Note from the School Psychologist
Talking to Children about COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource
Concern over this new virus can make children and families feel anxious. It is important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. If parents seem overly worried, children’s anxiety may rise. Parents should reassure children that health and school officials are working hard to ensure that people throughout the country stay healthy. However, children also need factual, age appropriate information about the disease and how to avoid infections and spread of disease.
Specific Guidelines
Remain calm and reassuring
Children will react to and follow your verbal and nonverbal reactions.
What you say and do about COVID-19, current prevention efforts and related events can either increase or decrease your children’s anxiety.
If true, emphasize to your children that they and your family are fine.
Remind them that the adults in their lives are there to keep them safe and healthy.
Let your children talk about their feelings.
Children may need extra attention from you and may want to talk about their concerns, fears and questions.
It is important that they know they have someone who will listen to them, make time for them.
Monitor television viewing and social media
Maintain a normal routine to the extent possible.
Be honest and accurate.
In the absence of factual information, children often imagine situations far worse than reality.
Children can be told this disease is thought to be spread between people who are in close contact with one another.
Keep information brief and simple for children to understand.
Emphasize when talking to Children
Adults are taking care of your health and safety, please talk to a trusted adult if you have concerns.
Not everyone will get the disease.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Stay home when you are sick
Avoid touching eyes, nose, mouth
Wash hands often with soap and water (30 seconds)
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects.
Information provided by the National Association of School Psychologist
Mrs. Schiappa MA, CAGS
School Psychologist
PTO News
As it stands, all events and field trips have been postponed through May 15th. Our PTO will be in touch regarding postponing events and offering refunds if requested. No decisions have been made regarding whether or not we can reschedule each event. We will continue to provide updates as more information is made available. Be sure to complete this form here that discusses rescheduled events and refunds.
Stop & Shop A+ School Rewards Program- click here for more information.
Please email NorthScituatePTO@gmail.com with any questions.
Scituate School Committee Update
Important Dates
03/31-5/1: Distance Learning Occurs- Schools are closed.
04/03: No School Professional Development Day
04/09-04/10: No School
04/17: No School Professional Development Day
05/29: Girls Choice Event Alpine Country Club
05/31: Boys Choice Event Dave & Busters
North Scituate Elementary School
Email: kaitlin.soccio@scituateschoolri.net
Website: https://nses.scituateschoolsri.net/
Location: 46 Institute Lane, Scituate, RI, USA
Phone: 401-647-4110
Twitter: @NScituateSchool