Hello Families,

Spring is finally here and we are all enjoying a little outdoor time at last. In addition to hosting Kindergarten screening this coming week we will have an all school Yoga enrichment during PE. This is a favorite among many students.

We will be having our last ALICE drill this coming week. Communication has been sent out to families about this important safety drill.

Please consider signing up to volunteer for one of our many upcoming events!

Enjoy your weekend.

Respectfully,

Terri and Jayson

Monday, May 22nd

• YOGA Week begins all week during PE
• MCAS Make Up Week begins as needed
• Rising Kindergarten Screening

Tuesday, May 23rd

• Rising Kindergarten Screening
• Try it Tuesday - Watermelon

Wednesday, May 24th

• No events

Thursday, May 25th

• No events

Friday, May 26th

• BEACH School Spirit Day

• May 22nd and May 23rd- RISING Kindergarten Screening
• May 22nd through May 26th- Whole School YOGA Enrichment
• May 29th - No School - Memorial Day
• May 30th - Gr. K-2 Fire Safety Program
• May 31st - Gr. 3 Engineering Day
• June 1st - Art Show, 6-8 PM
• June 1st - Gr. 4 Ellis Island Simulation, 9:30am-11:00am
• June 5th- Authors Day
• June 6th - Tentative Final Whole School Reward
• June 7th- Fit Fest
• June 8th- Rain Date for Fit Fest
• June 9th - Grade 4 Clap Out
• June 9th- Grade 4 Field Day
• June 12th- Rain-Date Grade 4 Field Day
• June 13th- Kindergarten Musical - Richman/Patriquin, 2:15-3:00PM, Cafe
• June 14th - Kindergarten Musical - Sbordy/Rigby, 2:15-3:00PM, Cafe
• June 14th- Tentative Moving Up Day ( for students rising to grades 1-4)
• June 15th - Last Day of School for Students (half day) ~ Students dismissed at 11:45AM
• June 15th- Last Day of School - Gr. 4 Moving on Ceremony, 9:30AM, Cafeteria

**Please note: additional activities could be added.

Upcoming Try it Tuesday Dates and Food Selections:

• 5/23 watermelon
• 6/6 bell peppers

Water Bottles/Sunscreen: The warm weather is here and hopefully will stick around! Please send your child to school with a water bottle daily. Students will be outside for recess and other activities, please remember to apply sunscreen too!

Dear South Row Families,

Just a friendly reminder that as the weather gets warmer we sweat more and need to shower more often to stay fresh and clean! Please make sure your students are bathing regularly, wearing clean clothes, and airing out their shoes. Thank you!

Here at South Row we are experiencing an increase in strep throat among our students across all grades. We have increased our cleaning and sanitation and teachers are encouraging students to wash their hands frequently.

The CDC has great information on strep, you can find the link to the full article here. I have summarized the key points below.

What causes strep throat?

Strep throat is an infection in the throat and tonsils caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep).

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms may include:

• Fever

• Pain when swallowing

• Sore throat that can start very quickly and may look red

• Red and swollen tonsils

• White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils

• Tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth, called petechiae (pronounced pi-TEE-kee-eye)

• Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck

Small Children (usually kindergarten, 1st grade) may experience:

• Headache

• Stomach pain

• Nausea or vomiting

• Rash (scarlet fever)

How does it spread?

Group A strep bacteria often live in the nose and throat. People who are infected spread the bacteria by talking, coughing, or sneezing, which creates respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria.

People can get sick if they:

• Breathe in respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria

• Touch something with those droplets on it and then touch their mouth or nose

• Drink from the same glass or eat from the same plate as a person infected with group A strep bacteria

How can I prevent my child from getting strep?

The best way to keep from getting or spreading group A strep is to wash your hands often. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing and before preparing foods or eating.

To prevent group A strep infections, you should:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

• Put your used tissue in the wastebasket.

• Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands, if you don’t have a tissue.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• Use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.

You should also wash glasses, utensils, and plates after someone who is sick uses them. These items are safe for others to use once washed.

How is strep throat treated?

Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics. Benefits of antibiotics include:

• Decreasing how long someone is sick

• Decreasing symptoms (feeling better)

• Preventing the bacteria from spreading to others

• Preventing serious complications like rheumatic fever

Someone with strep throat should start feeling better in just a day or two after starting antibiotics. Call the doctor if you or your child are not feeling better after taking antibiotics for 48 hours.

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Warmly,

Nurse V.

GRADE 3 Engineering Day

Sign up to volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044CA4AA22ABFC1-2023

PLEASE check with the main office ahead of time to make sure you have a current CORI on file.

Items needed that you may have at home:

- scraps of yarn or narrow ribbon

- a box fan (to borrow or donate - there are classrooms that could use them when it gets warm)

- empty 20oz water/soda bottles (stiff ones like Dasani bottles that bounce back after being squeezed)

You can send these items in to school, drop them at the office, or drop them in the collection bin at Jo Shaw's house - 171 Mill Rd..

For the items you are less likely to have lying around, we have set up an Amazon wishlist. The list is set to send the items to Jen's home so that they won't get misplaced at school or overtake the office.

Shop here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2LLF3IIMM9UVC?ref_=wl_share

From Mrs. C in the Art Room

On June 1, 2023 we will have the annual South Row Art show here at school from 6-8 PM.

Families and friends can come by the front hallway between those times to view the student Art picked out by the artists themselves.

If you would like to help out, we could us some more hands to make this a special event.

The Artists have worked so hard on their art this year! Thanks in advance!

Please sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0D4CABAA22ABFC1-2023

Click the Volunteer Google form if you are able to volunteer.

Fit Fest Volunteer Sign-Ups - June 7th:

It is that time of the year again. Summer is right around the corner and that means Fit Fest will be here before we know it. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please use the links below to sign up. If all the spots are taken and you still would like to volunteer just send me an email (brownr@chelmsford.k12.ma.us) and I can add you to the list. And thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to volunteer. This event would not be successful if it weren't for you, so thank you.

Fit Fest will be Wednesday, June 7th this year, with a rain date of Thursday the 8th.

Kindergarten will be from 9:15-10:10

1st and 2nd grade will be 9:45-11:30

3rd and 4th grade will be 1:20-3:05.

We're using SignUp (the leading online SignUp and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming SignUps.

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

1) Click the appropriate link for the grade level you would like to sign up for.

2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.

3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.

Note: SignUp does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

• K Sign Ups - https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/973596596081/false#/invitation
• Grade 1&2 Sign Ups https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/1083756418010/false#/invitation
• Grdes 3 and 4 Sign Ups https://signup.com/go/xKmYTxS

Email me with any questions and again, thank you!

Rebecca Brown

South Row Elementary

Physical Education

brownr@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Yearbooks

The yearbook has been submitted to the printer! A HUGE thank you to the parents who worked tirelessly on this- it truly was a labor of love! ALL students will receive a yearbook and signing pen at school as well as time to collect autographs from all classes.

Ellis Island

The 4th Grade Teaching team sent home a request for parents to help out on the morning of June 1 for the beloved Ellis Island simulation. We hope you will consider helping out!

Field Day & Clap Out

The "clap-out" of 4th graders will be Friday June 9. Field Day is also scheduled for that day- rain date Monday June 12. Sign-ups to help out https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45A5AF2CA6F4C25-4thgrade1.

Moving On Ceremony

Parents bring your tissues! This will be the last day of school (1/2 day) Thursday June 15 at 9:30am. More info to come.

A huge thank you to everyone that contributed to our staff appreciation lunch. It was WONDERFUL!

EVENT PLANNERS NEEDED!!! I know we haven't finished this school year yet but we are already looking ahead to the next! Our fall events (ICE CREAM SOCIAL and PUMPKIN FAIR) are always much more fun when some of the planning has been done over the summer. Please email us at SouthRowPTO@gmail.com if you would like to help with the planning of either event.

~Your time is the greatest gift you can give~

Please find below:

• Tentative Breakfast & Lunch Menu
• Breakfast Sign Up Information
• Early Release Day Lunch Sign Up Information
• Direct Link to Food Services webpage

Set Up Your Account Now

Directions to set up your account and order:

1. URL Link: family.onlineordering.linq.com
2. Sign up now: Email, create password.
3. School District: Chelmsford Public Schools
4. Student ID: This can be found on x2- Child’s student ID number
5. Last Name: (You can also search and add siblings/family members at this time). Once this is completed, student’s name should appear on page.

How to order meals

1. School Menu-breakfast online ordering
2. Scroll to day/week you are selecting breakfast (top right of page)
3. Find date, select meal option
4. Add item to cart/Select Add to order
5. Click on shopping cart icon at top right of page
6. Click Check out
7. Select pick up location: Elementary pick-up location classroom
8. Place order

If you are having difficulty setting up an account, please reach out to contacts below and we will gladly assist you.

Nancy Antolini, Director of Nutrition Services

• Email: antolinin@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Holley Ready, School Nutrition Office Manager

• Email: readyh@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
• (978) 251-5111 ext: 5641

Mrs. Terri Gilbert

Principal

gilbertt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Mr. Jayson Ramalho, M.Ed.

Assistant Principal

ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Email: gilbertt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.chelmsford.k12.ma.us/Domain/15
Location: 250 Boston Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-251-5177
Facebook: facebook.com/SouthRowElementary
Twitter: @CPSSouthRow

• Mrs. Terri Gilbert, Principal: gilbertt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177 ext. 4
• Mr. Jayson Ramalho, Assistant Principal: ramalhoj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177 ext. 3
• Mrs. Shannon Vandevoordt, School Nurse: vandevoordts@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177, ext.2
• Mrs. Debbie O'Neill, Secretary: oneilld@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177, ext. 0
• Mrs. Kim Sepe, School Clerk: sepek@chelmsford.k12.ma.us, 978-251-5177, ext.0
• Absentee Line: 978-251-5177 ext. 1