Hemenway Happenings
Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year, August 8th, 2022
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A Message from the Principal
February 6, 2023
Good Evening Families and Caregivers,
Our changes to the arrival and dismissal procedures have been going smoothly. As a reminder, buses are permitted to exit the lot either right or left. Passenger vehicles must turn right if entering the lot in the right lane and must exit the lot left if entering in the left lane for arrival. This is very important to ensure that the exit of vehicles continues to run smoothly.
As a result of the Friday closure, a few things have been rescheduled to today. The favorite weekly menu item - pizza - will be served today! Thank you to Ms. Lordan for all of her work to plan and encourage participation for our celebration of "b & d Day."
B&D Day for grades K-2 will take place on Monday, February 6th! Children may wear their pajamas! Students will be participating in activities throughout the day in all content areas to support the automatic recognition of these confusing letters. Students in grades K-2 are also invited to wear their pajamas as part of the celebration, and there will be balloons in the lobby. If you'd like to support our students, feel free to wear something fun! (something with bees, donuts, the color blue, dinosaurs, etc.).
This week and next week, several of our educators will host visiting educators from Chile. The Framingham Public Schools, Framingham State University have partnered with a non-profit organization, ChileMass to support educational growth and program development in Chile. We thank the Hemenway staff who will be sharing their practice with our visitors.
This week, our School Improvement Council will meet on Tuesday and 8:00 am in the office. Also, the PTO meets this Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm. Please review their newest newsletter and be sure to subscribe to their mailing list to ensure you know all of the upcoming events and opportunities for our Hemenway children. https://www.smore.com/5dys0
Finally, this week launches our Scholastic Book Fair. See below for more details.
Have a great week!
Sincerely,
Marybeth O'Brien
Principal
Quick Tips
Hemenway AM VALET - Drop Off Procedures
In order to ensure the safety of all members of Hemenway Elementary community, please follow these guidelines for a drop off upon pulling into the straight lanes in front of the school. Please remain in your vehicle so we may allow for speedy drop off. Please have your children ready to exit the vehicle before entering the school valet drop off.
Parking is only permitted for staff. All student drop off is Valet Drop Office.
Parking lot is closed for parking between 8:45-9:20
Two Lanes for drop off.
Left Lane (school side), Right lane (flag pole)
Vehicles in the left lane, should plan on exiting parking lot and turning left on Water St.
Vehicles in the right lane, should plan on exiting parking lot and turning right on Water St.
Do not cross lanes.
All vehicles must remain in the two-lane track to allow for the flow of traffic.
Please remain in your vehicles at all times
Do not allow children to exit the vehicle until the vehicle is in the drop off lanes.
Students should exit the vehicle on the side where the staff is
Left lane vehicles - students should exit on the school sidewalk.
Right Lane vehicles - student should exit on the grassy side, flag pole - then WAIT until the staff crosses using the cross walk. Students should walk up to the crosswalk area.
Drop Off Lanes are designated as the straight lanes along the front driveway of the school.
Please pull all the way to the front and wait for staff to signal for cars to exit.
All cars must follow the vehicle in front of them. Do not exit before the car in front of you.
We ask that the parking area remain unused as crossing through the parking lot presents a danger.
Our goal is to have a smooth, orderly drop off procedure and we ask for your cooperation and patience in order for this to happen.
Scholastic Book Fair!
Dear Parents and Families:
Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming our way (YAY!). Choosing their own books empowers
kids and inspires them to become Bolder, Prouder, and Stronger Readers. AND—as always—every
book they buy earns rewards for our school.
Here’s what you need to know about the Fair, which will take place from Feb. 7-Feb. 15 at
Hemenway in Room 8.
This year, say goodbye to cash and hello to eWallet—your child’s digital payment account. Before
the Fair, set up eWallet for worry-free, cash-free purchases. Anyone can contribute! Share each
child’s eWallet so friends and family can add funds and give your kids more books to enjoy.
If you can’t make it to the Fair, then shop at our school’s Online Book Fair. All orders ship directly
to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our
school.
Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/hemenwayelementary
If you’re available to lend a hand at this upcoming event, please sign-up to volunteer:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4FA5A62BA0FE3-hemenway35
For students, this is one of the most anticipated events of the school year—and as a volunteer, you’ll
have the chance to experience the Bookjoy firsthand!
The countdown to more Bookjoy is on! Catch you at the Fair!
Happy reading,
MIss O'Brien & Mrs. Napierski
WIDA ACCESS Testing Continues this week!
WIDA ACCESS Testing: Each January, schools across the country participate in annual testing. This testing is known as WIDA ACCESS for ELLs. Any student receiving English Language Services in grades K-5 is administered this test to determine their growth and their pathway towards proficiency with the English Language. These assessments provide us with important data regarding the performance of our students and our school. Your child will be tested in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. These tests are computer-based and will be administered using the student chromebooks.
It is our goal to ensure that all students feel prepared and confident when approaching the assessment. We ask that students take this assessment very seriously so they can show all that they have learned. We ask that they show their thinking by working through difficult text and problems to demonstrate a growth mindset. You can help at home by ensuring that your child:
- Gets a good night’s sleep and plenty of rest the night before each testing session.
- Arrives at school on time so they may enjoy breakfast in the classroom with their peers.
- Comes to school with a positive “I can” attitude (a word of praise from parents is always a great way to begin the day)
Your partnership is very important to us. Please call us with any questions or concerns.
Cold Weather & Recess
We will be going out for recess as often as possible! Students must be properly dressed in winter coats, hats and gloves. On days that there is snow on the ground (and in instances where it has not completely melted) students must have on snow pants and boots in order to go in the snow. You may send your student into school with these items on a daily basis, or you may keep a set in school if you have spare pairs.
Students who are not properly dressed will still be going outside, but they will have to stand in areas that are not covered in snow or puddles.
Please ensure that each morning when your student leaves the house they are dressed properly for the day’s weather. If you need any assistance with winter clothing please contact your student’s classroom teacher.
Attendance and Reporting your child absent:
Absence line: 508-626-9149
Call between 4:00 P. M. and 8:30 A.M. if your child is to be absent OR tardy.
Late students must report directly to the office upon arrival.
Dismissing a Student Early
A written request from a parent is necessary for ANY dismissal changes. Requests should be emailed to the classroom teacher and tlambert@framingham.k12.ma.us or brought into the school office before the start of the school day. No requests will be taken after 2:30pm unless it is an emergency. No student will be dismissed based on a telephone request.
Stay Hydrated
It is very important to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated throughout the day. All of our classrooms have water bottle fill stations. Please send your child to school with a water bottle, so they are able to fill their bottles and stay hydrated. If you are unable to provide a water bottle, please contact your child's teacher, and the office will provide a water bottle for your child.
Dear Families,
The character education theme of the month for February is “Acceptance”. We have defined acceptance as “respecting the differences of other people”. Students will be taught the importance of not only accepting others’ differences, but celebrating and respecting the differences of their friends, peers, teachers and people in the community with whom they cross paths with on a daily basis. We live in a diverse community and students will discover that we can learn from others' differences and become better members of our community. Through morning meetings, focused read-alouds, and social emotional learning blocks in their classrooms, students will learn about the importance of acceptance in their school, the greater Framngham community, and the world at large. As a school, we will celebrate and accept all members of the school family by highlighting and embracing each other's uniqueness. We welcome families to join the conversation with their children to strengthen our students' understanding of and the importance of ACCEPTANCE!
Character Trait of the Month: ACCEPTANCE
Learning and Life Competency Skill Sets
Self Awareness:
- I know myself.
- I am aware of skills, behaviors, and attitudes that help me.
Self Management:
- I identify, express, and manage emotions.
- I exhibit self-regulation.
- I demonstrate perseverance and resilience.
Social Efficacy:
- I communicate and problem solve effectively.
- I demonstrate empathy and respect.
- I foster healthy relationships.
- I am assertive and I self-advocate.
- I cooperate and participate.
- I demonstrate civic responsibility.
Academic Efficacy:
- I invest in quality work.
- I organize to learn and study.
- I set goals and self-assess.
Here are some conversation starters that we are working on in class
- Discuss a time someone did or did not make you feel accepted. How did that impact you?
- What does acceptance look and sound like in a classroom? At home? In the community?
- What does a classroom feel like when everyone is accepted?
- How can making others feel accepted make you feel better?
- How can adults make you feel accepted?
- How can your peers make you feel accepted?
- Why can accepting others be hard sometimes?
- What steps can we each take to make sure that our words and actions respect everyone’s differences?
Hemenway Morning Drop Off Map
Thank you to Mrs. Stroschein for creating this for us!
Hemenway Dismissal Map
Thank you to Mrs. Stroschein for creating this for us!
Upcoming Events
Parent Teacher Organization:
The mission of the PTO is to enhance and support the educational experience at Hemenway for all students, to develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging caregiver involvement, and to improve the community environment at Hemenway through volunteer and financial support. Sign up for the PTO newsletter to learn more about the happenings, volunteer opportunities and more: https://hemenwaypto.membershiptoolkit.com/create_account
The PTO meets monthly to plan events, discuss PTO business, and work to achieve its mission. Join a meeting. Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 7:00-8:00 pm at the Hemenway Cafe.
- Wednesday, September 14th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, October 12th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 9th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, December 14th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, January 11th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, February 8th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, March 8th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, April 12th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, May 10th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday, June 14th: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm