The MMES Buzz
News from Manchester Memorial Elementary School!
February 14, 2025
Principal's Note
Dear MMES Families,
I wanted to give a huge shout out to our Grade 5 Student Ambassadors, Mrs. LeStage, Ms. Xiarhos, and Mrs. Tomaiolo for organizing our "Great Kindness Challenge" week! It was so heartwarming to see all of the kind gestures by our students that made their classmates and our staff smile all week! While it was wonderful to see everyone working together to be extra kind this week, we are truly fortunate to have a school community with so many kind children and adults! This challenge was a perfect fit for us!
I hope you all have a restful and fun break next week with your children!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Best,
John
What’s the Buzz with Ms. X?
Happy Friday and Vacation Hornets. I am blown away by the acts of kindness I saw this week, from the little things to the big! This week our students participated in the Great Kindness Challenge working to help “Kindness Move” throughout our community and to move our community members. Some classes wrote notes of support and love for LA and others wrote notes of gratitude to staff that support them. More than anything, I am beyond grateful for how much our community (MMES and beyond) came together to collect socks for the Love for LA drive. It was a heaping mountain by Friday - 1,149 pair of socks! Thank you to all our classrooms, families and friends who supported the drive, students/staff who worked to show kindness the MMES way, our administration for supporting, and the PTO for helping us ship our donations. It was a great week of fun focused on the bigger picture – that kindness matters here at MMES.
Have a wonderful, restful and safe break! – Ms. X
Literacy Ideas for Home!
Did you know that elementary-age students are introduced to 2,000 - 3,000 new vocabulary words each year?! Research shows students need to engage with each word at least 30 times to build true comprehension. To support vocabulary growth, pick 1-2 words per week and play games as an authentic and fun way to continue the learning at home. Play Charades or Headbands, have friendly competitions to see who can accurately use the words the most in one day, even play Pictionary! For fun at-home ways to enjoy vocabulary acquisition, check out: https://www.merriam-webster.com/
(Beth LeDoux, Elementary Literacy Coach, ledouxb@mersd.org)
Health Room Headlines
Please remember:
· If your child is going to be absent, tardy, or there is a change to dismissal plans- utilize PickUp Patrol for those changes. You no longer need to email or call Mrs. Schmidt, the teacher, or the school nurse to report those changes.
· If your child has a temperature of 100.4F or over, they need to be fever free for 24 hours (without the aid of Tylenol or Motrin) before re-entering the school.
· If your child is experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, they need to be symptom free for 24 hours and can tolerate solid food before re-entering the building.
· ALL CLASSROOMS ARE PEANUT/NUT FREE
Please refer to the link below for guidelines on staying home with respiratory illnesses in Massachusetts.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/staying-home-to-prevent-the-spread-of-respiratory-viruses
Change of clothes: Each student should have a complete change of clothes in case of spills, wetness from snow or rain, and any accidents.
This winter has been particularly cold, and although we've spent much of the month indoors, we try to take students outside for fresh air whenever the temperature "feels" above 20°F. Please make sure your child comes to school prepared with a winter hat, gloves, boots, jacket, and snowpants.
Stay healthy and have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you all for your cooperation, any questions or concerns please call or email,
Jaclyn Morrissey, R.N.
978-526-1909
Dates to Remember
2024-2025 Calendar
February
17 - Presidents Day
Vacation February 17-21
March
3-8 - Read Across America
4 – Dr. Suess Day
5 – Pajama Day
5 - MMPTO
5 - Early Release, 11:45
6 – Dress as a Book Character Day
7 – Drop Everything and Read (End of Book Drive)
17 - Teacher PD Day, No School
20 - Grade K to Mass Audubon
21 - Grade 1 to NSMT 9:00 – 11:45 am
April
4 - K-8 Conferences, Early Release 11:45
9 - MCAS ELA Testing G3-5
10 - MCAS ELA Testing G3-5
21 - Patriots Day
Vacation April 21-25
May
7 - Early Release, 11:45
14 - MCAS Math Testing G3-5
15 - MCAS Math Testing G3-5
16 – Hit the Street for Little Feet
19 - MCAS STE Testing G5
21 - MCAS STE Testing G5
26 - Memorial Day, No School
27 - G5 Host Day
28 – G5 to Essex Ship Building 9-1p
June
6 – G5 to Boston
10 - Field Day (rain date 6/12)
11 – G5 to Project Adventure
13 – G5 to Maritime Gloucester
Menus - February
Menus with full nutritional information: https://mersd.nutrislice.com/menu/mersd-elementary-lunch/breakfast/2025-01-31
Breakfast
Lunch
Coming Up in March - DESE Review of MERSD ELE Program
During the week of March 3, 2025, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE’s) Office of Language Acquisition (OLA) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of the Manchester-Essex Regional School District. The Office of Language Acquisition reviews each district’s and charter school’s ELE program every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state English learner education laws and regulations. Areas of review will include English learners’ student assessments, identification of English learners; what programs English learners are placed in, parent and community involvement, curriculum and instruction, student support services, licensure requirements for faculty, staff and administration, program plans, and evaluation and recordkeeping.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The district will send a survey to the parents of students whose records the review team examines with. The survey focuses on key areas of their child’s English learner education program. Survey results will be reviewed by OLA and they will contribute to the monitoring report.
Parents and other individuals may call Samantha Kodak, Office of Language Acquisition Review Chairperson, at (781) 338-3561 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, DESE will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days of the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the (district or charter school) with a report with information about areas in which the (district or charter school) meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the (district or charter school) requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The report will be available to the public at https://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/cpr/.
For more information contact: Allison Collins, Ed.D., Director of Student Services, Manchester-Essex Regional School District
iReady My Path - Home Access
MERSD elementary students now have access to the iReady "My Path" program at home. This aspect of iReady is an online tool that provides students with learning activities and practice geared towards their individual skills and needs. Below you will find information regarding accessing this tool at home for extra skill practice in reading and mathematics.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qhiOnoPCkyzwb8HLql0PdEgwNC_tiKcN/view
MMPTO
🌸🎉 Spring into Beauty with a Purpose! 🎉🌸
Ready to embrace the freshness of spring? Join the talented Linda Brown for a delightful evening of creativity and community at the Spring Wreath Workshop! 🌸🌿
📅 Date: February 22 ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM 📍 Location: Sought Interiors Studio, 11 Center St, Gloucester, MA
$5 of each registration will be donated to support the MMES PTO! 🌱❤️
👉 Register Now: Link to Registration
Don’t miss this opportunity to beautify your home and support a great cause. 🌸✨
Notices From Our Friends
From Manchester Essex Youth Soccer:
It’s that time of year again—spring soccer registration is officially open!
Yes, you read that right! Registration will close on February 8, so don’t miss out. This deadline allows us to submit team rosters to the league in mid-February, ensuring league deadlines are met and we have a smooth start to the season.
Time for Little League Sign Ups.
Open Door Mobile Market
Mobile Market at Memorial - Open Door
- Mobile Markets will then run from 2:30-3:30pm through January on the first Wednesday of each month.
- Mobile Market will run on an early release schedule of 11am-12:15pm on the first Wednesday of each month in February, March, May, and June.