Caregiver Update

Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend along with a great Patriots win yesterday. How quickly we have moved into the feel of fall!

This week, we have our two Curriculum Nights scheduled. On Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1st grade and 2nd grade parents and guardians will be able to come into classrooms to learn from teachers about the curriculum. On Wednesday, Sept. 23, 3rd grade and 4th grade parents and guardians will be able to come into classrooms to learn from teachers about the curriculum. This is an evening for parents/guardians only.

We will be hosting showcases of learning later in the year where parents/guardians will have a chance to see their students' learning and engage with students in the classroom. Please remember that Curriculum Night is a general information evening rather than an individual parent-teacher conference. If you would like to discuss your child individually, our teachers are always happy to arrange another time to connect.

Here is the specific schedule for each grade:

Grade 1 - Tuesday, Sept 22, 6:00-6:25pm

Grade 2 - Tuesday, Sept 22, 6:35 -7:00pm

Grade 3 - Wednesday, Sept 23, 6:00-6:25pm

Grade 4 - Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6:35-7:00pm

Because we will have a lot of traffic coming and going, we have built in a 10 minute window in between grades on both nights to hopefully help with parking and large groups entering and exiting. The PTO will be in the lobby selling raffle tickets for Gym Teacher for the Day, Cafeteria Manager for the Day, Ride in a Fire Truck, etc. Dean Bank will also be here on those evenings for anyone who wants to sign up for the savings program. And we will have a literacy table set up with information about supporting reading at home. Looking forward to seeing many of our parents and guardians this week!

Preschool and Kindergarten will have an Open House on Wednesday, October 21. We like to give our youngest learners a chance to get settled into school before we have their event. This will be the same night as our family shopping event for the Scholastic Book Fair.

Check out the sections below for information about: our school breakfast/lunch program, our creative writing contest, enrichment starting next week, Clough Library volunteers, and more!

Our Clough Classic Golf Tournament is this Friday. Thank you to the PTO team who has helped organize this event. We are so fortunate to have so much support from our community and grateful for the money that this event raises. It all goes back into the school to provide programs, field trips, and more for our students.

Thanks,

Liz Garden

Principal

Hello, my name is Janet Dixon and I am the Kitchen Manager at Clough Elementary School. The year has gotten off to a great start and I am enjoying getting to know your children as they visit our cafeteria! There are always many questions at the start of a new school year, so I would like to try to answer some of them for you. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if this does not address any concerns you may have.

I’m happy to announce that breakfasts and lunches are FREE FOR ALL again this school year! If your child brings lunch from home and would like to buy just a milk, the cost is 50 cents. Money can be put on your child’s account for milk purchases at: www.MySchoolBucks.com.

Our healthy breakfasts are available daily for your children to enjoy in the cafeteria before their school day begins. They consist of a whole-grain entree, fruit and milk. Assorted low-sugar cereals are also offered each day. These choices may vary slightly and are subject to change:

Monday: cinnamon roll

Tuesday: homemade muffin

Wednesday: fresh fruit cup or yogurt parfait

Thursday: warm pancakes

Friday: breakfast sandwich

Each day, we prepare 5 different options for lunch. With all of these choices, we hope your child will find something they enjoy! We offer:

● A hot entree of the day, served with assorted fruits, vegetables and milk

● A warm pretzel lunch, served with string cheese or yogurt, veggies, fruit and milk

● A sun butter and jelly sandwich, served with string cheese or yogurt, veggies, fruit and milk

● A warm bagel and cream cheese lunch, served with yogurt or string cheese, veggies, fruit and milk

● A freshly-made garden salad, with croutons, protein, a choice of salad dressing, fruit and milk (sometimes we use produce from the Clough Garden!)

Students will input their 4-digit pin #s at the cash register when getting breakfast and lunch. It is very helpful for children to work on memorizing these 4 numbers, to speed things along in the cafeteria. If you have any questions or concerns, I can be reached at 508.634.9176 ext: 4013 or you can email me at: jdixon@mursd.org. Thanks very much!

Janet Dixon

Our spring creative writing contest was so popular, we decided to do another one this fall! See the flyer below for information and prompt options. This is open to all students, Kindergarten through 4th Grade.

**If you have registered your child for enrichment - Please send in payment ASAP!

We have created a handout explaining our SOAR expectations across various school settings. I have linked an electronic version below. Teachers will be handing out paper copies of these documents at Curriculum Night. We will also send home a paper copy to those who are unable to attend. After the Curriculum Nights, we will send home a yellow slip of paper for you to sign off acknowledging that you have reviewed the expectations with your child. Please sign and send it back into school. PK and K families will get the yellow slip after their Open House in October. Thank you for partnering with us to help all students understand the behavior expectations and our PBIS system (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports).

Again this year we will be partnering with Dean Bank to offer a savings account program at Clough. Students will be able to open an account and Dean Bank has agreed to put the first $5 in for every student who opens an account. The accounts will earn 4% interest.

We will have a deposit day on the first Tuesday of every month, starting on October 6th. We have a parent volunteer who is our "teller", collecting the students' deposits and entering the amounts into the system. Clough students can open an account and siblings of Clough students can open accounts as well. We are excited to have this partnership with Dean Bank. If you are interested in this program, let the office know and we will send home an application. Dean Bank reps will be in the lobby during Curriculum Nights next week if you want to speak more with them. For those who signed up last year, your child will continue having deposit days on the first Tuesday of the month. (Except for November, since we have no school on that Tuesday, we will move the deposit day to Monday that week.) If you want to read more about this program, check out this link.

Again this year, across the district, we’re asking parents and guardians to help us with a special activity called “A Million Words or Less.” We invite you to tell us, in any length you choose, what makes your child special. You know their joys, challenges, quirks, interests, hopes, and what helps them feel safe and confident. Your insight helps us support them in the best way possible. We had several parents and guardians complete this last year, including many who did it during kindergarten screening. If you already shared information, you don't need to share again. But if you have not completed this, please take some time to help us get to know your child.

You can share in whatever style works for you—a few sentences, a list of bullet points, a poem, a note, even a song! The goal is simply for us to hear your voice.

We’ve created a form where you can type your thoughts. But we know writing isn’t the easiest or preferred way for everyone. You’re welcome to upload a photo, a short video, voice recording, or a document instead—whatever helps us get to know your child. If you would prefer to hand write your thoughts, you are welcome to do that as well and send in the information to us, that works as well.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

The wait is over! Nipmuc Youth Basketball registration is officially OPEN!

Get your player ready for another great season of basketball, teamwork, competition, and fun!

Registration details, dates, and information can be found on our website.

Head to the Nipmuc Youth Basketball website to register today! https://www.nipmucyb.com

Don’t wait—secure your spot!
Go Nipmuc!

September:

Sept. 22 - Grade 1 and 2 Curriculum Night, 6:00-6:25pm 1st grade, 6:35-7:00pm 2nd grade

Sept 23 - Grade 3 and 4 Curriculum Night, 6:00-6:25pm 3rd grade, 6:35-7:00pm 4th grade

Sept 25 - Clough Classic Fundraiser Golf Tournament!

October:

Oct. 6 - Dean Bank Deposit Day

Oct. 9 - Half day. dismissal @ 12:05

Oct. 12 - No School, Indigenous People's Day

Oct. 19-23 - Scholastic Book Fair

Oct. 21 - PK/K Open House

Oct. 22 - School Pictures Day - Coffee Pond Photography

Email: lgarden@mursd.org
Website: https://www.mursd.org/o/henry-p-clough-elementary
Location: 10 North Avenue, Mendon, MA, USA
Phone: 508-634-1580
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HPClough-Elementary-School-102887309160164
Twitter: @HPClough