The Wellfleet Elementary News

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” At WES, we’ve found that it also rings true for our students! During Chef Kyle’s weekly Wednesday visit to the cafeteria, students had the chance to try new and exciting options, including falafel burgers with tzatziki and a hearty vegetarian chili. On Thursday, they were even able to choose a falafel burger in place of a hamburger—a tasty plant-based alternative with plenty of kid appeal.

Healthy eating habits are built meal by meal, and the earlier they are instilled, the more lasting their impact. We’ve made great strides in our food services this year, but we know there’s still work ahead. One area that many see as a priority for improvement is the reliance on prepackaged foods.

Chef Kyle will continue teaming up with our talented food service duo, Cassie and Marianne, to bring more fresh, nutritious, and appealing plant-based options to our students—helping make healthy choices a part of every school day.

Principal O'Shea

Math Spotlight: Observation October in Grades 4 & 5

This year at Wellfleet Elementary, our fourth and fifth graders are diving into new approaches to strengthen their math understanding. We are committed to ensuring that every student leaves WES with the confidence and skills to be ahead of their peers across Nauset, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and even nationwide in mathematical thinking and problem solving.

One way we are making this happen is by putting all hands on deck. Through Tier I support—meaning the high-quality instruction and interventions provided to all students in the classroom—we are using data, collaboration, and creativity to meet each child where they are. Teachers and support staff are working closely to design lessons that respond directly to what students need most.

As part of Observation October, I joined our new math support specialist, Margie Wallace, along with Ariana Bradford and our 4th and 5th grade teachers, to observe lessons in action.

• In Grade 5, students participated in a lively lesson that used fish and money to spark mathematical thinking. In small groups, they had to decide whether addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division was the correct operation to solve the problem. This hands-on activity not only required problem-solving but also encouraged teamwork and real-world application. The lesson was carefully designed using recent i-Ready and MCAS data to make sure each student was working at the right level of challenge.

• In Grade 4, students tackled one- and two-step word problems centered around rounding. Again, the teachers used recent “exit tickets”—quick assessments designed to identify areas of difficulty—to tailor instruction and give every student the chance to practice exactly what they needed most.

In both classrooms, the observations showed impressive student engagement, strong collaboration, and high interest in mathematics. Most importantly, our students were spending meaningful time on learning—an essential ingredient to building lasting math confidence and skill.

We are proud of the work our students and teachers are doing, and we are excited to see their growth this year. With teamwork, targeted instruction, and a love of learning, WES is making math a true success story.

All School meetings offer a time to connect as a school community. A time to celebrate, reflect, and share the beliefs that we value. Mr. Andrew Staker directed the September meeting which included celebration and award ceremony for students that participated in the Summer Reading Challenge; a new segment that focused on WES Questions, or appropriately named “WEStions”, and an all school “wave” activity that focused on the characteristics of “Waves” our school’s emblem.

Calling All Creative and Energetic Instructors!

We're looking for passionate individuals to join our After School Enrichment Program (ASEP) as instructors! Do you love teaching kids and have a special talent to share? Whether it's jewelry making, sports, art, games, crafts, music, dance, STEM, or any other engaging activity, we want to hear from you!

This is a great opportunity to inspire young minds, build your teaching experience, and have fun in a supportive, dynamic environment. Bring your creativity, enthusiasm, and unique skills to our team and help make after school the best part of a student's day!

📅 Once a week, on a day you prefer
🧒 Grades K–5, you choose the grades you would like to teach!

If you are interested in teaching a class after school please fill out the ASEP Instructor Application!

Don't forget that on Wednesdays and Fridays it is Physical Education days at WES! Be sure to wear your PE Shoes! Does WES Worry? Goodness No!

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming delivery of 10 new raised garden beds! Our old wooden beds had finally reached the point of no return, but thanks to a generous grant from the Community Preservation Fund, we were able to remove the old materials, install irrigation, prepare the site with wood chips, and purchase high-quality steel beds from Vego.

These new planters feature rounded edges and food-grade paint, ensuring they’ll last for many years of growing and learning. Once they arrive, we’ll be calling on volunteers to help assemble and set up the planters.

Stay tuned for details about our WES Community Raised Bed Build and Bulb Fundraiser, where we’ll fill the beds with organic materials using the Hugelkultur Method and top them off with nutrient-rich soil.

If you have a cordless drill and would like to lend a hand, please contact Mrs. Crosen. Farmer Stephanie can’t wait to start teaching in a brand-new garden space!

-

Claudia Cope-Crosen, M.Ed. BSN, RN.

School Nurse

Wellfleet Elementary School

508 349-3101 ex. 104

At WES, we emphasize our students to be the light- To pick each other up, to stay positive, and to practice kindness. With unsettling events occurring on campuses in Utah, Colorado, and even closer to home, our small school community can still feel the ripple effects.

Our goal is to provide students with a safe, secure, and nurturing experience in the place we proudly call WES. At the same time, we are compelled to prepare for the unexpected. Students are taught important safety measures, including A.L.I.C.E. training and fire safety practices.

As mandated by the State of Massachusetts, we also conduct regular drills to help students respond calmly and effectively should an emergency ever arise. These preparations are designed not to create fear, but to build confidence, resilience, and readiness in our students.

ALICE Training – October 3

Sergeant Paul Clark from the Wellfleet Police Department will provide our annual ALICE training. This session offers age-appropriate guidance on how students can respond in the event of a school intruder, with a focus on safety and preparedness.

Fire Safety – October 24

While it isn’t Fire Safety Week, Captain Kinshaw will join us to talk with students about fire response and prevention strategies.

If you have questions, please reach out for further explanation from Principal O'Shea

As mentioned by the PTO Treasurer, Ariana Bradford as well as Ollie in grade 5 at the Opening Ceremony, the WES PTO is made up of many parents of 5th grade students and needs more hands to help. Please consider becoming a part of this action oriented group. Here is a form to complete if you are interested. The next meeting is scheduled for November 19th at the Block & Tackle. We will send out reminders. Feel free to review the notes from last night's meeting.

We are also seeking interest in helping sell Wellfleet merchandise at a tent at the Oyster Festival. If you are interested please sign up here.

Homework Help is available to students in grades 2-5 after school from 2:00pm to 2:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. There is specific support available each of these days. On Mondays it will be Ms. Shuemaker and Mrs. Demeusy, Tuesdays Mr. Pursel and Mrs. Connolly, and on Thursday Ms. Lyman and Mrs. Botting. If you would like to sign up your child for Homework Help, please email Mrs. Belair in the front office at belairl@nausetschools.org.

Additionally, Mrs. Wallace will be inviting selected students mornings of Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursdays from 7:00am-7:45am.

From Monday, October 20th through Thursday, October 23rd, Wellfleet Elementary School’s 5th grade students will participate in the Seashore Program, an immersive overnight environmental education experience at the National Environmental Education Development (N.E.E.D.) Academy within the Cape Cod National Seashore. Staying in a former Coast Guard Station overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Pamet River valley, students will explore beaches, dunes, marshes, swamps, and forests while learning about the natural and cultural history of Cape Cod. Guided by lessons aligned with Massachusetts Science and Social Studies Curriculum Frameworks, they will investigate topics ranging from native ecosystems and coastal geology to the lives of Native Americans, early colonists, and the U.S. Life Saving Service. Field trips to sites like Great Island, the White Cedar Swamp, and Race Point will deepen their connection to the unique and fragile environment they call home. Evening activities such as night hikes, stargazing, and group games will foster camaraderie, while the shared the experience of living and learning together will strengthen classroom community, teamwork, and personal responsibility. For more information visit the NEED Website.

October Lunch Menu

WES October Calendar

Truro After-School Activities

Halloween Half-Day with Rec

Wellfleet Rec Halloween Parade

Wellfleet Rec Music at Mayo

Wellfleet Rec Website

FleetFund Info

Rental Assistance

Shuck N Run Wellfleet Recreation

Fleet FundRaiser!

Girls On The Run - Heart and Sole

Tip Of The Cape - Girls On The Run Info

Girls On The Run Registration

GROW at Castle Hill

Residences at Lawrence Hill Application

As you may know, the Nauset District has discontinued its use of ParentSquare and has transitioned to a new platform. If you download the Nauset App, you will receive all alerts, newsletters, and any other info from your child's school and the Nauset district. It’s the easiest way to stay updated with school news, alerts, and important announcements.

Similar to last year, I will continue using Smore to send out our weekly newsletters during the school year. These will begin the week before our return and will continue consistently throughout the year.

📱 Download the Nauset App:

• Apple App Store

• Google Play Store

Along with the information below, you will receive a great deal of first day paperwork. Please review it and where applicable, complete and return as soon as possible this will ensure we have the most up-to-date contact information.

• Breakfast and lunch: are free again for all students! If your child eats breakfast at home and you DO NOT want them to access the breakfast offered, please let the teacher know.
• Snack: Please send your student with a healthy snack and reusable water bottle daily. We are seeking to provide a healthy snack grant on Tuesdays and Thursday, and are awaiting if we received the grant. Plan to provide a healthy snack daily until you hear otherwise.
• School Arrival: Students may arrive at school at 7:25am. Breakfast is available, and students may otherwise sit in the cafeteria until the first bell rings at 7:45am.
• Supply Lists: All school supplies are provided to our students. Thank you Wellfleet taxpayers!

• Electronics: Upon arrival, student electronics (phone/watch) should be turned off and stowed away in their backpack. If parents/caregivers need to contact your student, please call the school at 508-349-3101, and the front office can get a message to your student.

Greetings from the WES Health Office!

I hope your children are as excited to return to school as I am! I can’t wait to see their shining faces soon. Before the year gets underway, here are a few important reminders for families:

Health Requirements & Screenings

• The state of Massachusetts requires that all students be up to date with immunizations to attend school. Exemptions include:

  • Medical: must be documented by a medical provider

  • Religious: requires an annual written statement on file

• Vision and hearing screenings take place annually. If follow-up is needed, I will send a referral letter home.

• BMI screenings are conducted in grades 1 and 4.

• Postural screenings are done in grade 5.

• Puberty education using the Our Changing Bodies curriculum is provided to grades 4 and 5. Families will receive advance notice and the opportunity to preview materials.

Medication Guidelines

• All medications require both a medical provider’s order and a parent/guardian’s written permission.

• Medications must be in the original prescription bottle with prescribing information and delivered to school by an adult. No baggies of pills in backpacks, please!

• If you’re having trouble obtaining a second inhaler for school due to insurance issues, let me know so we can problem-solve together.

• Standing orders for over-the-counter acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and Tums are included in the back-to-school forms.

Please remember—if your child’s medical situation changes during the year, reach out so we can develop an appropriate plan for their school day.

Exciting News from the Garden & Cafeteria!
Thanks to a Community Preservation Funds grant, WES will be installing new raised beds in our school gardens. This will allow us to grow, sample, and even serve more school-grown foods in the cafeteria! We’ll also be welcoming guest chefs for taste tests to inspire students to try nutrient-dense foods.

Our Fresh Fruits & Veggies Program will return this year with offerings on Tuesdays and Thursdays right outside the classrooms. We’re also excited to welcome back Farmer in the School, Stephanie Rein, for hands-on garden learning. And—our very first apple harvest from the school orchard is coming this fall!

All of this programming is designed to support the long-term health and well-being of our students, helping them build the skills to make healthy decisions for life.

Looking forward to a wonderful year ahead,
Nurse Crosen

At Wellfleet Elementary School, we pride ourselves on providing supports that will help all students be successful. WES follows a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) a framework designed to provide early intervention and support for students facing academic or behavioral challenges.

It typically begins with universal screening to identify students in need of assistance, followed by tiered interventions that increase in intensity based on the student’s response.

• Tier 1 includes classroom instruction and universal supports for all students
• Tier 2 offers additional, small-group interventions for those who need extra help, and
• Tier 3 provides intensive, individualized support for students with significant challenges.

If a student continues to struggle despite these targeted supports, the MTSS team will convene to evaluate the student’s progress and needs. If it is determined that the interventions have been insufficient and the student demonstrates significant difficulties, a referral for a special education evaluation will be made by the school.

• This evaluation assesses whether the student has a qualifying disability and requires specialized services to succeed in the educational environment, ultimately leading to the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) if eligibility is established.

Here is the most recent WES Waves: A Student Run Online Publication presented by our very own Mr. Staker. This is the second edition and includes reports from all students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. It is well worth the watch!

WES School Health Services-Resource page: Contact Mrs. Cope-Crosen for more information at copec@nausetschools.org

The Lawrence Fund was established in March of 2023 by Ariana Bradford (Staff Member at WES) and Joan Zukas (School Committee member and grandmother to two students at WES). The Fund was established to honor Lawrence Zukas, father to Ariana and husband to Joan. Its’ purpose is to financially support students and their families who may be in need of funds for camps, sports equipment, shoes, coats, boots, musical instruments, school supplies including technology support, etc. Request can be made to Mrs. Ariana Bradford, Mr. Adam O’Shea, Mrs. Claudia Cope or your child’s teacher. No proof of need is asked, The Lawrence Fund is just happy to help. Any additional questions can be answered by Claudia Cope at copec@nausetschools.org or by phone at (508) 349-3101.

Throughout the school year you may want to reach out to your child's teacher, or reach out to me.

All Nauset staff follow the email formatting below:

• the staff person's last name
• then the initial of their first name
• ending with @nausetschools.org

Now there is an exception to the rule: Ms. Claudia Cope-Crosen, our school nurse, is simply copec@nausetschools.org