Penn Brook Elementary School

Dear Penn Brook Families,

Here is this week’s school newsletter, packed with important updates, student highlights, and upcoming events.

Please remember that tomorrow there is no school for students in preschool through 5th grade due to a professional development day for our staff. Parent-teacher conferences will take place tomorrow afternoon and evening; please check directly with your child's classroom teacher if you need more information or to confirm your scheduled time.

Inside this week's edition, you will also find:

• Lost & Found Update: A helpful reminder from our 5th-grade Student Council.
• Character Traits: Highlights on "Courage" from our October community meetings and a look ahead at this month’s focus on "Problem Solving."
• Reading Challenge: Details on how to participate in this month’s school-wide reading challenge.
• MCAS Dates: Important testing schedules and reminders for families.
• Art News: A special message and update from our art teacher.
• Message from photographer regarding re-takes

Thank you for your continued partnership and support! Have a wonderful week ahead.

Warmly,

Penn Brook Administration - (978) 352-5785

Principal - Beth Benoit

Assistant Principals - Amy Wahl, Kate (Donlin) Gwisdalla and Shannon Tenney

Penn Brook Office Dianne Collins and Jeannine Dion

Nurse - Collen Wilson and Zinta Gulens

Our 5th Grade Student Council members have worked hard to organize the lost and found items that have accumulated over just a few short months. Please visit the lost and found located in the main lobby when you are at Penn Brook for your parent/teacher conferences this week. If you label your child’s clothing it has a greater chance of making its way back to them!

During our grade-level gatherings last month, our school-wide focus was on Courage, specifically how students can use their voice to stand up for themselves and others.

As part of these gatherings, we reinforced that hurtful comments regarding someone’s race, background, appearance, speech, or how they learn are never tolerated. We had open, age-appropriate discussions about the explicit difference between a joke’s intent and its impact, emphasizing that saying "just kidding" does not erase or excuse the harm caused by biased language or slurs.

Building on our Second Step Bullying Prevention curriculum, students learned actionable ways to be upstanders rather than bystanders. They practiced simple, firm phrases to call out unkind behavior when they see it, such as "That’s not cool" or "We don't say that here" and were reminded to report biased language to a trusted adult right away.

Our younger learners practiced how to be brave helper friends by:

• Including others: Inviting someone to play if they are sitting alone.

• Standing up for kindness: Saying "That's not nice" if they see someone being unkind.

• Getting help: Telling a teacher or trusted adult right away if someone is feeling left out or hurt.

This month, we’re excited to support our students in building the skills they need to think critically and work through challenges together.

We’re focusing on Problem Solving- the ability to identify a problem, think of possible solutions, and make choices that are safe, respectful, and effective. Students will attend grade-level gatherings to explore everyday school problem-solving. Through interactive practice, they will identify common challenges and learn how to stop and think, collaborate, try different solutions, and reflect on their choices. Throughout the month, students will have the opportunity to earn a yellow “Problem Solving” leaf when they demonstrate problem solving by resolving conflicts peacefully, persevering through challenges, making thoughtful choices, and seeking help when needed.

We’re excited to see our Penn Brook students grow as confident problem solvers and use these skills to navigate both learning and everyday situations!

Thank you for supporting our Monthly Reading Challenge. We are starting a new month so let’s see how many students will meet the challenge in November!

November in Art Class- This month, students are exploring exciting art concepts and experimenting with a variety of materials! Kindergarten is discovering the element of line using Play-Doh, oil pastels, paint, and paper cutting. First graders are exploring line and space through colorful hot air balloon artwork. Second graders are learning about value with a Jeff Koons inspired mixed-media Balloon Dog collage. Third graders are creating owl glue drawings and practicing blending with chalk pastels. Fourth graders are exploring radial symmetry through paper relief sculptures, while fifth graders are discovering abstract art by creating their own scratch art paper with paint sticks and oil pastels!

PS. Square 1 Art Order Deadline is November 18th, 2026. Don’t miss out!

Hello,

Please find attached a copy of your Retake Picture Day Notice. We will not be offering preorders for retakes, so there is no preorder code on the notice. Please read below for *more information on how orders are processed from this day.

This notice is to inform families about your upcoming Retake Day. Please blast this out to your family emails, and posting on your school's social media and website works great, too!

Thank you, and please contact me if you have any questions about your upcoming Retake Day.

*Retake day is for new students and staff members, transfer students, or for anyone who may have missed the initial picture day. Additionally, we welcome anyone who was unhappy with their original picture and would like to give it another try. Retake photos automatically replace original photos in school services and yearbook. If a student chooses to retake their photo, please have them return the original picture package to the photographer on picture day. We will replace it at no additional cost.

If this is the first time being photographed, just have the student/staff go to the camera and we’ll create a proof for them that will be sent to the school (and/or to their family email if we have that information). These proofs will be delivered approx. 4 weeks after picture day. An order code will be on the proof along with ordering instructions.

Best,

Amy Cotter

Geskus Studios & Yearbook Publishing

(800) 948-1120

www.wearegeskus.com

Grade Level Holiday Basket Items due by October 30th for Raffles at the Holiday Fair.

Pk- Baby Item

K- Games

1st- All Occasion Wrap

2nd- Move Night

3rd- Books, Books and More Books

4th- Pets

5th- Gift Cards.

https://georgetown.k12.ma.us/transportation

Please use the link below to access the District’s Community Board for local happenings!

Please use the link below to access the district’s new Community Board for local happenings!

Community Bulletin Board