Something To Yelle About

WE ARE POPPIN' INTO

SPRING IN #HAYNation!

Hello from the Yelle.

Another great week in #HAYNation! The weather, Spring, and these students are "poppin'" in all the right ways.

As I try to do each week, I use the big picture above to tell the story of the week in pictures for us here at the Yelle.

This week the Big Picture highlights a couple more trips to "The Dew" for a few more classes. A couple of our students leading and "teaching" at the STEAM Showcase. A wonderful, smiling student as I try to snap a picture as she is working. A student at the board showing her thinking, and another student Writing Out Our Thinking, WOOT, as she is solving a math problem. And, there is a group of smiling young ladies holding this week's #PositiveSignThursday with the message of how We Are Poppin' Into Spring, and we are definitely doing that in all the right ways!

These and the other pictures below in and around the classrooms really do relay a story of the fantastic accomplishments our students and teachers achieved this week. Please check them out below and all over our Instagram feed to help to tell the tremendous story we are writing this year.

Please check out the rest of the Newsletter for some important information including ...

Half Day This Coming Thursday

Parent-Teacher Conferences This Wednesday & Thursday

Term 2 Report Cards

Upcoming ELA MCAS Dates

Our Successful Lockdown Drill

Important Upcoming Calendar Events to Mark Your Own Calendar

HAY PTO Spring Scholastic Book Fair This Week

Community Events

Open To All Providence B's Star Wars Night

And much, much more ...

Please check it out.

Thanks; have a wonderful weekend; stay safe and well,

Marty

Martin R. Geoghegan

Principal

Henri A. Yelle Elementary School

Monday, March 23 – Term 2 Report Cards Come Home

Tuesday, March 24 – Spring In-School HAY PTO Scholastic Fall Book Fair for 5th Grade

Wednesday, March 25 – Spring In-School HAY PTO Scholastic Fall Book Fair for 4th Grade

Wednesday, March 25 – Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences – 5 to 7:45 PM

Thursday, March 26 – Elementary Parent-Teacher Conference ½ Day – 11:40 AM Dismissal

Thursday, March 26 – Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences – 12 Noon to 6 PM

Thursday, March 26 – HAY PTO Meeting – 6 PM in the Library

Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1 – 5th Grade ELA MCAS

Thursday, April 2 and Friday, April 3 – 4th Grade ELA MCAS

Wednesday, April 8 – Districtwide PD Day ½ Day – 11:40 AM Dismissal

Thursday, April 16 – Yelle Spring Picture Day

Next Thursday, March 26th -- We have a 1/2 Day Early Dismissal for

All NPS Elementary Students for Parent-Teacher Conferences.

All Yelle Students will be Dismissed at 11:40AM

* If students ride the bus, they will be home earlier (maybe even 15-20 minutes) earlier since the NMS students do not have an early dismissal half-day.

Please Mark Your Calendar!

Thanks!

The Norton Elementary Schools Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held Wednesday, March 25th, from 5 to 7:45PM, and again on Thursday, March 26th from 12 Noon to 6 PM.

*Note that Thursday, March 26th is an Early Release Day with an 11:40AM dismissal for all Yelle students to accommodate for conferences.

Conference sign-ups went out directly from your child's teachers on Tuesday, March 17th.

The purpose of the conferences is to provide an opportunity for our teachers to share current information about your child’s student growth, and to provide guardians with a chance to ask questions.

Conference times are less than ten minutes long. Conferences are typically just for adults but kids may wait in the hallway with parents/guardians.

Our HAY PTO will also have our Spring Scholastic Book Fair open in the Library for you to check out and purchase books. 5th Grade students will be going to the Book Fair, on Tuesday, March 24, during the school day. 4th Grade students will be going on Wednesday, March 25, during the school day.

We look forward to seeing you at the Conferences!

Term 2 report cards are coming home on Monday, March 17th. The overview below provides context for families on the purpose of the report card, how a growth mindset influences what we are sharing, and what the ratings mean for their child at this point in the year.

One major point I want to make, as I know it has been a continuous debate over the years, is that the report card will give families information on how their child is performing based on the expectations for this time of the year. As a Norton Report Card Committee, we had a lot of conversations about this. When giving families only information about how their child is doing towards the end of the year standards -- most students were making progress and it was not an accurate representation of their day-to-day classroom experience. Please keep this in mind as you see the Report Card on Monday:

A Standards-Based Report Card provides a snapshot of how your child is making progress towards grade level standards. Standards-Based Report Cards focus on end-of-the-year goals and track your child’s progress toward those goals. Each trimester report card will reflect the progress your child has made to that point, leading toward mastery as the year progresses, NOT against an End of Year benchmark, but progress to date. This allows parents and students to have a clear understanding of where the student is currently performing.

If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher and/or Mr. Geoghegan.

Yelle Spring 2026 MCAS Schedule

Our 2026 ELA MCAS administration starts on Tuesday, March 31, and then

Wednesday, April 1, for our 5th Grade students, and then

Thursday, April 2, and Friday, April 3rd for our 4th Grade students.

You may not believe this but our students like our MCAS Days.

How might you ask?

Well, our students start their day with a morning Recess, then a Snack, then a couple of hours

set up for testing, then an Afternoon Recess and Lunch, with their Special happening in the

afternoon.

It's a day we just ask for our students to take their time and give their best effort.

That's all we ask.

Other than the testing, the day is very nice for them.

Please just wish your kids to do their best on those days.

That is all we ask.

Any questions, please let me know.

Grade 4

ELA Day 1 on Thursday 4/2

ELA Day 2 on Friday 4/3

Math Day 1 on Thursday 5/7

Math Day 2 on Friday 5/8

Grade 5

ELA Day 1 on Tuesday 3/31

ELA Day 2 on Wednesday 4/1

Math Day 1 on Tuesday 5/5

Math Day 2 on Wednesday 5/6

STE on Tuesday 5/12

On Friday, March 20, we engaged in a successful lockdown drill.

The drill began at approximately 8:45 AM and was completed efficiently, with all classrooms cleared within 11 minutes. Many classrooms were cleared even sooner, depending on the time it took for Sgt. Dennett, Student Resource Officer Robichaud, additional Norton Police Department officers, and school administrators to safely reach and check each room.

I am proud to share that Sgt. Dennett specifically commended our students and staff for how well they performed. Across the building, students followed directions carefully, remained calm and quiet, and demonstrated a strong understanding of the procedures. Our staff executed the protocol with precision and care, ensuring that each classroom was secure and that students felt supported throughout the process.

As a reminder, lockdown drills are safety exercises designed to prepare students and staff for immediate threats by practicing how to secure classrooms, remain out of sight, and stay silent. In a real emergency, these actions are critical to protecting everyone in the building. Practicing these routines helps build muscle memory, improves response time, and ensures that both students and adults can act quickly and effectively under pressure.

During the drill, classrooms followed our established “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” protocol:

• Doors were locked and lights were turned off
• Students and staff moved to secure, concealed areas away from doors and windows
• Everyone remained quiet and still until cleared by law enforcement

These drills are always conducted in partnership with local law enforcement and in a developmentally appropriate way. As shared previously, students were well-prepared through classroom discussions and visits from Sgt. Dennett, helping them understand both the purpose of the drill and what was expected of them.

We recognize that these types of drills can feel serious, but they are an important part of maintaining a safe school environment. Our goal is always to ensure that students feel safe, supported, and confident in knowing what to do in any situation.

Thank you for your continued partnership and trust as we work together to keep our school community safe.

If parents or guardians have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Geoghegan.

Hello Yelle Families:

The HAY Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) hopes all families are enjoying the school year. We are always trying to make this another senational experience for our students!

The PTO sponsors monthly meetings, which are usually held the third Thursday of each month from 6-7PM in the HAY Library. The meetings could be changed if there is a calendar conflict with a school vacation or holiday and are usually moved to the Wednesday before or after. You can view on the HAY Calendar on the NPS website.

We look forward to seeing returning parents along with new faces from our fourth grade families!

Come join the meetings to hear what’s happening in your child’s school, how you can help out by volunteering, or ways for you to share an idea!

Contact us at:

hayellepto@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/HAYPTO/

The HAY PTO Scholastic Book Fair Is March 24-26!

Fliers should have come home, but if not, they will be on Monday.

The HAY PTO Book Fair will be during Parent-Teacher Conferences Wednesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 26.

In-School Visits will happen on

Tuesday, March 24 for 5th Grade

Wednesday, March 25 for 4th Grade

Please see the Link below for E-Wallet setup:

E-Wallet Set-Up

HAY PTO Scholastic Book Fair Page

Please see more great Pictures and what is happening in #HAYNation like these by going to Instagram at @HAYSchoolNorton -- Make sure you Follow Us and Tag Us in any Posts you want us to see!

Please consider attending our biggest music fundraiser of the year! This is a ticketed performance event which includes light refreshments and music provided by the students of NHS. Tickets can be purchased HERE or in-person at the door. This is open to everyone, not just the school community! Please share!

Save the Date!

Friday April 10th, 2026

6:00 PM @ The NHS Cafe

Tickets $20

Discounts available

See the poster for more details!

Join us at Bridgewater State University for an Earth Day celebration filled with hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and inspire a love for our planet!

This free family-friendly event is perfect for younger learners (PK–6), and all are welcome.

April 21, 2026

Drop in anytime from 1–3 PM (activities end at 3 PM)

Registration is required, and space is limited—be sure to save your spot! https://forms.gle/mwJXVLVimpD6beY7A

Serving Grades 4 and 5

Principal Martin R. Geoghegan

Past Newsletters can be found Here.

Website: https://www.norton.k12.ma.us/henri-a-yelle-elementary-school
Location: 64 West Main Street, Norton, MA, USA
Phone: 508-285-0190
Instagram: @HAYSchoolNorton