Fisher Family Update

Dear Fisher Families,

On Tuesday we had our second whole school assembly of the year. Fortunately, we had a rain free morning and were able to have the entire school community meet together on the playground. Classrooms met with their "buddy" class and were given an assignment to complete on the blacktop. A group of fifth grade leaders planned for each buddy group to color in a word that was related to our SWIM core values. Integrity, Be Kind, Effort, Teamwork, Respect and Believe along with the SWIM letters and a few drawings of the Fisher fish were to be decorated. Before the art work began the students were introduced to the concept of being an "UpStander". In the past, students who witnessed students being unkind or bullying others were called bystanders. Empowering students to be UpStandards is the more proactive and effective strategy to stopping this negative behavior. We talked to the students about how we are a team and we need to have each other's backs and stick up for one another. (Click HERE to read more about being an UpStander). Our fifth grade leaders then shared some realistic examples of what they can do or say when they see unkind behavior occurring. Please take a look at the pictures of our assembly below and be sure to click the link below to hear from our fifth graders. We look forward to continuing this conversation in the classrooms and at our next whole school assembly.

Thank you for taking the time to schedule and meet with your child's teacher this week during conferences. If we didn't see you this week, we look forward to seeing you next Thursday (11/3) 6-8pm. If you need to schedule or reschedule a conference, please contact your child's teacher.

Please read through this edition of our family newsletter and I hope you have a great weekend!

Brian

If you are interested or think that you will be later this year, please complete the "Volunteer Contract" and the CORI form below. The contract has some general "agreements'' that we need all volunteers to abide by and we appreciate your cooperation. We know the students really enjoy seeing their adults involved in the school and we hope you sign up to join us.

Please be aware that we are required to see you in the office with your CORI form. We need to ascertain that whoever we are checking is in fact the correct person. We will take a copy of your license while you are here. Also, please try to avoid arrival and dismissal times if possible when you are coming in.

November

3 Parent/Teacher Conferences 6pm-8pm

11 No School - Veterans' Day

16 Fisher PAC Meeting - 6pm-8pm Fisher Library

16 Lifetouch Picture Make Up/Retake Day

18 Fisher Scene 7pm

23 Early Release - Thanksgiving Break

24/25 Thanksgiving Break

28 School Resumes

December

9 Early Release

This week in STEM, students applied what they have been learning about coding to help them program Bee-Bots. During this lesson, groups of students were first tasked with designing and building a maze for their Bee- Bots. After building the maze, groups were required to write their code and program their Bee-Bot to pass through their custom made maze. This lesson focused greatly on group collaboration, planning, and problem solving.

On Tuesday October 25th, the Walpole Public Schools mailed MCAS results home to families. It is important to understand that the MCAS are one of the many ways we measure student progress across the curriculum. We also use many ongoing assessments in classrooms not only to measure student progress but also to assess the success of our district curriculum. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be taking place over the next two weeks and this is a great opportunity to hear about specific aspects of the grade-level standards that are going well for your child and other areas that may be a challenge.

Lifetouch will be here on November 16th for retakes. Information below.

We are looking to gather general household items to further enhance our Math instruction and would love your help! Items can be sent in with your child or dropped off at the main office. We greatly appreciate all of your support!

If you are interested in participating, click the grade level list below to sign up.

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

FISHER’S FINEST RALLY AGAINSTCANCER and BOON SUPPLY ARE PARTNERING AGAIN!

Our Fall Fundraiser is Coming Monday, November 7th!

Learn more about our fundraiser by watching a short 2-minute video. By following the simple steps, you will help our school meet our financial goals!

All we ask is that you REGISTER, SEND, SHARE, and SHOP (easy as 1, 2, 3!). It only takes minutes and will help our school’s fundraiser supporting cancer research and patient care at The Jimmy Fund!

Please click here to watch a 2-minute video to learn more.

Our Rally Against Cancer fundraiser code is #535207

Please contact Carolyn McDonough for more information

cmcdonough@walpole.k12.ma.us

The Fisher PAC is happy to roll out our Teacher Wish Lists!!! Click on our website and look through the grade levels to see what they want. If you can help out, great! We have also included the Math Household Items wish lists on here, too, to keep it all in one place!!! Teachers will be updating these lists throughout the year so keep checking back!

Fisher PAC

https://sites.google.com/walpole.k12.ma.us/fisherpac/home?authuser=3

The PAC has been busy all week setting up for the fair. Please show your support by stopping by at any of the conference times to make a purchase. Pictures below show students previewing the books and making their wish lists. They're very excited!

Below is a link for the ongoing Scholastic Book Fair here at Fisher! Scholastic will give Fisher School 25% in rewards when you shop online between October 24th and November 6th! This is a good opportunity to support our school and maybe find a title that wasn't available at the Book Fair.

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/fisherelementaryschool1

Thanks and please reach out to Michaela Stuart at michaelaj84@gmail.com with any questions.

Fisher Scene is fast approaching!!! Fisher Scene is our adult night out fundraiser which is our biggest fundraiser of the year!!! More details on the event will be coming out later!

This year we are asking each grade to create a fun basket to raffle or auction off. Check out your child(ren)'s grade level sign up below to see if you want to contribute! Any questions? Email your grade level coordinator (on the sign up) or FisherSchoolPAC@gmail.com.

Kindergarten: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a49adab2ea6fe3-kindergarten

First: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a45aaab28a4fa7-1stgrade

Second: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0e4caeaf2babfc1-2ndgrade

Third: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090849acab2ea7fd0-3rdgrade

Fourth: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084eaaa622a5f58-4thgrade
Fifth: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0848a9ab23a20-5thgrade1

HERE is the school calendar for 2022-2023, including start dates, holidays and early dismissal days. This is continually updated over the course of the year if we have snow days.Please note that there are different start dates for Kindergarten students

The four elementary schools rotate start and end times every three years. The 2022-2023 School Year represents year one of the next rotation. For the next 3 years, Boyden and Fisher School will start at 8:55 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m.

Doors open at 8:45am and the doors will be locked at 8:53. If your child arrives after 8:53 they will be marked as tardy. Instruction/learning begins promptly at 8:55am

We are excited to have our students back at Fisher School! Please see below some guidelines for attendance. Any questions can be emailed to fisher-secretaries@walpole.k12.ma.us

If your student will be absent or tardy for any reason, call 508 660 7234 and press 1 and leave a message as to the reason before school begins at 8:55 am. Our automated absence calls go out at 9:30. If we do not have a reason noted for the absence you will receive an automated phone call and email. This is for your student’s safety, to ensure that all are accounted for.

The front doors will be closed at 8:53 as students are expected to be sitting in their seats at 8:55. If your student is arriving tardy, please ring the front doorbell and you will enter the building to sign your student in. A student must be accompanied by a parent/guardian when arriving. There is a sign in sheet with a column to indicate the reason for the tardy arrival.

Please note: We mark all students having school lunch in Aspen with a “L”. This does not mean the student was marked Late. We use T for tardy.

If you are dismissing your student early or changing the way they go home, send a written note on the day of dismissal that includes your student’s first and last name. The teacher will note the dismissal and plan accordingly, and the note goes to the office so we can enter it into our Aspen system. An email sent during the day may be missed by your student’s teacher.

Please avoid calling with an early dismissal change or a change in the way your student goes home. When this happens we need to call the classroom to let the teacher know and this disrupts learning time.

We cannot change the way a student goes home based on them telling the office or their teacher. We need to hear from a parent/guardian via note or phone call to make that change. If they are scheduled for Extended Day and we do not hear otherwise, we will send them to Extended Day.

Arrival/Dismissal procedures will be the same as they were last year. Please click HERE for all details regarding car drop off and pick up. Staff will be outside everyday to assist you student. Please do not exit your vehicle.

If your student is a "walker" at dismissal time.....

• Please do not park in the Fisher parking lot - You could park on Cobb terrace and walk down but the parking lot is not a safe option at dismissal time
• You may walk down to door 18 (by the Fisher Garden) to pick up your student

We are pleased to share that Massachusetts will continue to fund free school meals for all students, regardless of household income, under a one-year expansion of a free federal school lunch program. The state’s budgetary commitment will ensure 400,000 students statewide, who would not otherwise qualify for free school meals, continue to have access to free school lunch and breakfast for the next year.

What does this mean?

All Walpole Public School children will receive free school meals while at school.

Important: We still encourage all families to submit a school meal application if they believe they are income eligible to receive free meals. While your child will receive a free meal regardless of their free or reduced-price meal status, the meal application can qualify your family for additional benefits beyond free school meals.

You can access our on-line meal benefit application here: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application

This on-line application is available in multiple languages via a drop-down menu "Language" on the toolbar.

Click HERE to view the District's virtual backpack. Inside you will find flyers and notices about upcoming events in and around our community.

Mosca Martial Arts will be having an afterschool activity, at Fisher School, for K-2 children. There are a few spots still available, first come, first served! Click below for registration and further information.

Happy Fall!

• Here is a link to the WPS Health Services website. On this site you can find links to forms (ie medication administration, over the counter medication consent forms), medication policies, and information regarding illnesses, concussions and injuries.
• Walpole Pharmacy (699 Main Street) has Flu Vaccines along with COVID vaccines (ages 9+) and boosters available. They accept walk ins for the flu vaccine but require appointments to be made for the COVID vaccines.
• Please continue to check your child(ren) thoroughly for ticks at home every day. HERE are some guidelines.
• Please pack an extra outfit in your child’s backpack in case of emergencies, this can be stored at the school in their locker or cubbies. Please be mindful of your child wearing appropriate shoes to minimize injuries at recess and PE- sneakers are best.
  

• The Health Office will gladly accept donations of new or gently used clothes of all sizes and gender. We are in need of kids shorts and pants presently. We really appreciate it! Here is the Fisher health office wish list. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/KPFDTT3GDQRG?ref_=wl_share

As always, please feel free to send me an email with any questions or concerns regarding your child.

We are excited to announce that we have partnered up with Linewize by Family Zone, a leading education technology company, to provide our school communities with the highest quality of online safety and digital wellness education. Linewize's global team of experts work together to empower families to navigate the online world with greater ease and confidence. This partnership provides our district with tools, resources, and expert advice on all the latest online safety issues you and your family may be encountering. As members of our school community, you have direct access to our custom-designed Online Safety Hub, where you can access a wide array of research-backed tools and educational materials that will help you implement online safety measures at home.