Cheetah Pride Press

Families,

Welcome to May! I am so proud of how hard our grade 3 students worked this week, as they persevered through their first round of the Smarter Balanced assessments. They’ll be at it again next week, and we’re confident that they’ll continue to put forth their best effort.

Today we recognized School Cafeteria and Custodial Staff Appreciation Day. We are grateful for an amazing team who works hard to keep our school community healthy, clean, and fed every day! Please take a moment to say “thank you” to our custodians and cafeteria staff when you see them! Next week, we’ll keep the celebrations going with a week-long recognition of teachers! And if that wasn’t enough, on Wednesday May 6th, right in the middle of Teacher Appreciation Week, we’ll also recognize School Nurse Appreciation Day!

I hope everyone is able to engage in some seasonal activities this weekend. Between dance recitals, baseball games, yardwork, and spring concerts, it sounds like everyone is very busy!

Best,

Joey & Andrea

In partnership with our grade 3 Cheetah Council, Colin Roy presented Memorial School with our own Little Free Library. It will be available to our students all year. Colin is an East Hampton resident, and a former Memorial School Cheetah, who completed this as his Eagle Scout project. With the help of our Cheetah Council, he brainstormed a design for the book box, raised funds, sought appropriate permissions, built, and installed the box. Our council will be using funds raised during their weekly “Book Swap & Shop” to keep the little library filled. We are so thrilled with this partnership, and with the amazing addition to our school campus.

The RISE team has created a beautiful flower shop at Memorial School, and the first set of orders went out last week. Any staff member who would like to do something special for a coworker, may “order” a flower arrangement, and the RISE team will create and deliver an artificial bouquet! Students use visuals to match colors selected on the order forms to make the beautiful arrangements, and then deliver them in person. The task supports our learners in counting, color recognition, following visual schedules, and social skills. Recipients keep their bouquet for one week, before they are picked up so that new arrangements can be made.

This week, the Kindergarten team put on an amazing show for a packed house! Our young cheetahs sang an assortment of songs that they’ve learned throughout the year as part of their Wit & Wisdom modules. In addition to learning and rehearsing all of the songs, the students also created beautiful paintings that represent the four seasons.

The PTO is happy to announce the winners of the front and back cover art contest. The third graders put out a great show this year! Kael Lynch's artwork will be featured on the front cover, while Lennon Gasiewski's artwork will be featured on the back cover. Congratulations to our creative cheetahs!

Last week, in celebration of Every Kid Healthy Week and Earth Day, Director of Nutrition Services, Mrs. Caselli, along with Ms. Nang, Food Innovation Manager with Humane World, offered a sampling of healthy foods during Thursday’s lunch waves. The Cafeteria prepared Carrot Cake Breakfast Bites and Triple B Breakfast Brownies.

A PAWsitive office referral is submitted when a staff member recognizes a student who is going above and beyond to exemplify one of our three school rules - taking care of others, taking care of self, & taking care of things.

Memorial Models are chosen weekly by their teacher. These students have excelled all week in taking care of themselves, others and things. The recipients will dine at a VIP table during lunch every Friday!

Meet Aubrey.

Her teacher is Mr. Evans.

She is special because she does gymnastics and ice skates.

She loves playing games with her family.

She wanted to be on Cheetah Council to help people.

She loves school because it is so fun.

This week’s Order Of The Cheetah goes to paraeducator, Lee Tuxbury, for her commitment to our cheetahs. Whether Mrs. Tuxbury is supporting students during a math or reading lesson, assisting students in the cafeteria during lunch, or escorting a student to their bus or van, she is always willing to do whatever it takes to help our learners feel successful. Mrs. Tuxbury’s hard work, flexibility, and breadth of experience is appreciated by all.

Prekindergarten/Kindergarten/Grade1

Our students worked for four weeks (April into May) on the mats ("floor") with various balances, movements, and challenges. We used the tumbling wedges, balance boards, and exercise bands, and stilts. We also spent time each class on the balance beams and at the vaulting area (two and three level vaulting boxes and springboards). Our first graders (and Kindergarteners, with some modified versions) also worked on cartwheels, round offs, and various forward rolls. We concluded our gymnastic unit with a fifth week of cargo net climbing.

Grade 2/Grade 3

For four weeks (April into May) our students worked on the mats ("floor") with various balances, movements, and challenges. We used the tumbling wedges, balance boards, rocker board, and exercise bands. We also spent time each class on the balance beams (low and high) and at the vaulting area (two and three level vaulting boxes and springboards). Students practiced four dismounts (along with many balances and movements on the beam where routines were developed, practiced, and scored, if they wanted). At the vaulting area with our springboards, several various vaults were performed (twists, flanks, and straddles). Our students also worked on tripods and tip-ups as well. We concluded our gymnastic unit with a fifth week of cargo net climbing.

Gymnastics is a big favorite in PE class, and our "gymnasts" did a fantastic job!

We look forward to seeing many of our families at Fun Day, June 8-11!

Take care,

Coach Ruel

Coach Boscarino

5/4-5/8- Teacher Appreciation Week

5/6 School Nurse Appreciation Day

5/6- ACES Walk (All Children Walk Simultaneously)

5/8- K-12 Unified Sports Day at Center School

5/11 Board of Ed. at 6:30

5/18- PTO at 5:30 and Board of Ed. Meeting at 6:30pm

5/22-Cheetah PRIDE Assembly and Spirit Day

5/22- Half Day Professional Development For Teachers

5/25- Memorial Day- No School

5/27 - Works of Wisdom 5:30-7:00pm

5/29- IT Appreciation Day and Author's Visit

Spring Events Calendar:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DvL1o1X5PCiAjUaPzz5qmAzROXiyYBLFNyT7ZYA5yFM/edit?usp=sharing

Hello Parents, and Guardians,

With the spring weather upon us and the students spending more time outside, we have seen an increase in poison Ivy rashes. In the nurse's office we provide assessment of the rash and will contact a parent if the student is too uncomfortable to remain in school or requires higher level medical intervention. For most rashes all that is usually required is cleansing and itch relief which we can provide to make the student comfortable to continue their day at school. Below is information to help identify and care for your student with poison ivy rash.

What Is Poison Ivy?

Poison ivy is a plant that can cause an itchy rash when touched. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac all contain urushiol, a sticky, colorless, odorless oil.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Poison Ivy?

The allergic reaction to poison ivy includes a rash with blisters, itching, and sometimes swelling. The rash could look like straight lines if the plant brushed against the skin that way.

After a few days, the oozing blisters become crusty and start to flake off. The rash from poison ivy can start within hours of contact or as much as 5 days later. It may take 2 to 3 weeks to heal.

How Is Poison Ivy Treated?

If your child comes into contact with poison ivy/oak/sumac:

• Remove and wash any clothing that touched the plant.
• Gently wash your child's skin and scrub under fingernails right away with soap and cool water.
• Cut fingernails short to keep your child from breaking the skin when scratching. Broken skin can let bacteria in, causing infection.
• Place cool compresses on the skin as needed.

For itching:

• Add oatmeal to the bath.
• Use calamine lotion on the skin (but not on the face or on the genitals).

For nighttime help: If your doctor recommends it, give your child an over-the-counter oral antihistamine (Benadryl or a store brand). This can give temporary help with the itching, and it can make your child drowsy and better able to ignore nighttime itching. Make sure to follow the dosing directions carefully.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Call your doctor if your child has any kind of rash, especially with a fever. Home treatment can manage most poison ivy/oak/sumac rashes. But get medical care if the skin looks infected (with increasing redness, warmth, pain, swelling or pus) or the rash:

• covers a large part of the body
• is on the face or genitals
• gets worse despite home treatment

For more severe cases, doctors sometimes prescribe pills or creams with steroids (not the same type of steroids that bodybuilders use) to decrease itching and redness. If the skin looks infected, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

Is Poison Ivy Contagious?

The poison ivy rash itself isn't contagious. Fluid from a blister can't spread the rash. But it is possible to get a rash from poison ivy without touching a plant. Urushiol can transfer from one person to another from their skin or clothing. Kids also can pick it up from anything that's been in contact with the oil, including pets. Urushiol can even travel through the air if someone burns the plants to clear brush.

Thank you,

Krista Kardys RN

Ms. Michelle, Health Aid

Memorial School Nurse

860-365-4020 ext. 816

When considering the number of absences your student has accrued, keep in mind that a student must be present for 195 minutes in order for the day to count! When bringing your student in late, or signing them out early if they have not been in school for a 195 minutes the day will be recorded as an absence.

Memorial School Attendance email:

memorial_attendance@easthamptonct.org * there is an _ between memorial and attendance!

Please Review This Important Information Below.

Students, parents, and community members have access to an anonymous tip line on the front page of the school district website to report self-concerns, mental health concerns of a friend, or concerns of violence. Simply click here or view on the website: https://www.easthamptonps.org/.

Email: jbauer@easthamptonct.org
Website: https://www.easthamptonps.org/o/memorial-school
Location: 20 Smith Street, East Hampton, CT, USA
Phone: 860-365-4020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ehmemorialschool