Start with Hello Week

All throughout this week, MHS/WES students have participated in the national program, "Start with Hello." Start with Hello week was developed by Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were lost during the mass shooting at Sandy Hook School. The organization is focused on preventing violence BEFORE it happens by educating and mobilizing parents, schools and communities on mental health and wellness programs.

Each morning this week, we start off with a morning announcement reviewing the goal and theme for the day. Then we all say the kindness pledge together. In the classrooms, teachers lead a brief discussion after watching the "Start with Hello" video of the day. We are really proud of kids as they reach out and make new friends. A special thank you goes out to our school adjustment counselors, Lindsay Milne and Limari Rivera, for organizing this special week.

Bus Expectations

Please help us remind students of our expectations while riding the bus. The school bus is an extension of the school day. We are starting to receive many referrals to the office for poor choices while riding the bus. Bus expectations are listed further down in our newsletter.

Cell phone Presentation - Katharine Covino

On Friday, author Dr. Katharine Covino, will present to students in grades 2-5 about the use of cell phones. Please see Dr. Covino's letter to parents/guardians and handouts listed further below in our newsletter.

School Improvement Council - We need volunteers

We are in need of 1 parent and 1 community member to join our School Improvement Council. Our School Improvement Council serves as an advisory board to the administration of Meetinghouse School and Westminster Elementary School. The council gives input to the school improvement plan, as well as budget implications and programmatic changes throughout the school year. School Improvement Council meetings are held monthly and are open to the public. If you are interested, please email Kathy Taylor at ktaylor@awrsd.org.

The School Improvement Council meets once a month on Wednesdays from 4:15-5:30 p.m.

OCTOBER 25, NOVEMBER 29, JANUARY 31, MARCH 20, APRIL 24, MAY 29

Current School Improvement Council Members:

Kathy Taylor, Principal

Kellie O'Brien, Associate Principal

Melissa Haddad, WES Teacher

Kathleen Walsh, WES Teacher

Melissa Sullivan, MHS Teacher

Amy Grant, Parent

Molly Buckley, Parent

Nadine Leger, School Committee Liaison

If your child is going to be a parent pick up, walker, or going to extended day, it is VERY IMPORTANT to send in a note. One note is sufficient for the year with a consistent schedule, however, we need to know when plans change. Please include on your note, first and last name of your child. The safety of your child is our priority. Thank you!

September 27: Wednesday ~ MHS/WES PTO Meeting 6:30 PM, WES Cafeteria

October 5: Thursday ~ MHS Open House 5:30 - 6:30 PM (See more info. below)

October 21: Saturday ~ Westminster Cracker Festival 10:00-5:00 PM

October 25: Wednesday ~ MHS/WES School Improvement Council 4:15 PM, WES Office

October 30: Monday ~ PTO Boosterthon Begins

October 31: Tuesday ~ MHS Costume Parade 9:00 AM (PK, K, 1 only)

MHS Open House (PreK - 1)

Thursday, October 5th

5:30-6:30 p.m.

The entire family joins in on the fun. Students give their families a tour of their classroom and building.

Please remind students to gather ALL of their belongings on the bus when they are leaving the bus both in the morning and in the afternoon. Also, students are responsible for their belongings that are left on the buses, not the bus company or the district. Thank you for your help.

We recognize that parents provide their children with cell phones and smart watches for safety reasons. Therefore, we understand that students may occasionally bring these devices to school.

• Cell phones must remain turned off and stowed away in your child’s bag during the school day, this includes the bus.

• Smart watches must have text and call settings turned off during school hours.

Students are not to call, text, or message their family members or peers during the school day. If students need to reach a family member, they can use one of the phones in the main office. Students may also not photograph or take videos of any staff members or other students in and outside of the building or on the bus. You can help us enforce this policy by not texting your children and calling/answering their calls during the school day.

If a student should bring any electronic device, cell phone, or multi-media device etc. to school, MHS/WES is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.

Cell phones and smartwatches that are being used to make calls, text (family or peers) or play games during the day will be confiscated. Parents will be asked to pick up the device from school.

Please reach out to administration if you have any questions.

Dear Parents or Guardians:

At school on Friday (9/22), your child will participate in a program intended to begin a discussion about healthy and safe digital technology use. Although elementary school may seem young for this type of program, today, nearly all kids have access to digital technology.

Smartphones and other online learning tools provide incredible access to information and resources, and they offer unsurpassed opportunities to learn and connect. With a device that links to the internet, children can access a breathtaking world of information, learning, and connection. But they can also create challenges for parents and, sometimes, risks to kids.

As adults (administrators, teachers, parents, and guardians), it’s our job to help our kids learn to use their phones and digital devices safely and responsibly. With that in mind, we’ve created a resource for kids and tweens. It utilizes an in-school program and a book. You Got a Phone! (Now Read This Book) (Laugh & Learn®) was written for 7-11 year olds. The program at school and the book draw on research-based knowledge and our tested approach of combining research, science, and humor to offer information in an accessible, kid-friendly way. They discuss a range of topics, including talking and texting online, posting and sharing pictures, understanding and addressing device-related anxiety, navigating bullying and cyberbullying, and maintaining a healthy life balance.

The team that conducted the research and created this book includes Dr. Elizabeth Englander Executive Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University) and Dr. Katharine Covino (Associate Professor of English at Fitchburg State University).

It’s our hope that this award-winning book (National Parenting Product Award, 2023) can serve as a tool for kids and offer guidance for parents. Having open discussions, sharing concerns, creating agreements, and revisiting expectations together can help to create and maintain a supportive, structured, and safe environment for kids to learn through guidance and experience how to use their phones and digital devices appropriately.

Elizabeth K. Englander, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, MA 02325

Katharine Covino, Ed.D.

Associate Professor, Department of English Studies

Co-Chair, Middle and Secondary Education

Fitchburg State University

Children’s Literacy Specialist, MARC

We are so happy to welcome students back, and we hope that it was a wonderful and relaxing summer! It has been a successful start to the year, especially now that life is seemingly “back to normal”. We have been spending some extra time setting up classroom expectations and creating a classroom community.

This week, we are participating in various activities based on “Start with Hello”, which is a mission to reach out and show kindness to others at home and in the community.

Academically, we are beginning our BRIDGES math unit focusing on multiplication strategies, factors and multiples. It is so important for students to memorize their basic facts (1-12). Please work with them at home to practice skip-counting multiples, and memorizing fast facts. In ELA, we are beginning our first Module about what it means to have a great heart, both literally and figuratively. In science, we have started a plant and animal structures unit. Students have visited the newly created science garden, chosen their plants, and started collecting data.

Hello from Preschool where we have opened a new classroom being taught by Mrs. Gouldrup.

We have been learning about each other through our “All About Me” posters and other

interactive activities. We are also becoming familiar with our new school routines and our

classrooms as we learn and play with our new friends!

Welcome back everyone, I hope your school year is starting off great! This is my 30th year of teaching, and I love teaching your children! Here is my news for each grade level general music class, as well as the Bands, and the Chorus!

Grade K+1 -Our Meetinghouse kids are getting used to singing some fun songs and doing hand motions while they have fun doing the ABC’s, Twinkle Twinkle, various versions of Happy Birthday, and the Animal Fair. They also have learned how to echo rhythms by drumming.

Grade 2+3 -They have been working at learning rhythms by rote and by reading quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests.

Grade 4+5 -They have been reviewing their level 1 keyboard notes in class, and have also been working on a unit on rhythm.

BAND!!! -Our Beginning Band (B Band) has been starting to form and we have another big crop of beginners ever at WES, with OVER 50 NEW students and it keeps growing every day! It is not too late to sign up, so just email me at the school, I can have my assistant Director, Mrs. Jean Popik help you get squared away. Come join our band, and do a highly educational/worthwhile activity that is both challenging and fun! Lessons have started this week before/after school and the B Band rehearsals will start on 10/13 from 3-4pm. A google classroom will soon be set up with videos for the students to practice with, so be sure to remind your children to use them to help them progress faster. For additional questions, please contact my assistant director, Mrs. Jean Popik at wemusicprogram01473@gmail.com for more details.

-Our Advanced Band (A Band) has been practicing already and will be performing at the Westminster Cracker Festival on 10/21 from 10-11am. Rehearsal times will be changed slightly on October 5, 12, and 19, to be from 3-3:45pm, to allow the jazz band to practice from 3:45-4:30pm. By the way, Mr. Lucander will also be performing with his classic rock band Mr. Strickland sometime in the afternoon! The A Band will perform at the town Veterans Program at 11am on November 11. The Holiday Concerts are scheduled for Friday December 8 (Grandparent/Veterans Concert) at 9am at WES, Wednesday, December 13 (9am at WES for students, and 6:30pm at Oakmont for parents/public). A google classroom will soon be set up with videos for the students to practice with, so be sure to remind your children to use them to help them progress faster.

-Last year’s Jazz Band will return soon to practice for the Westminster Cracker Festival. Please see the rehearsal times/dates above in the A Band blurb. Then we’ll take a break, and start a brand new season in January. An announcement on specific rehearsals will be coming soon.

Chorus!!! -Sign ups for Chorus have been passed out and our roster of 60 has been reached! Rehearsals will be each Wednesday from 3-4:15pm, starting October 4. The Chorus will perform at the Town Tree Lighting on Sunday December 3, at 5:30pm. The Holiday Concerts are scheduled for Friday December 8 (Grandparent/Veterans Concert) at 9am at WES, Wednesday, December 13 (9am at WES for students, and 6:30pm at Oakmont for parents/public). A google classroom will soon be set up with videos for the students to practice with, so be sure to remind your children to use them to help them progress faster.

NOTE: Complete Schedules for each group from the A Band, B Band, and Chorus will be given out soon and will include rehearsal dates/times and performance dates.

That’s all for now, I’m looking forward to a great year of music at MHS/WES!

Sincerely,

Mr. Lucander - Music Teacher/Music Director of Ensembles

Mrs. Popik - Assistant Director of Ensembles

Full lunch = Free

Just Milk = .50 cents

Free Lunches:

According to government regulations, free lunches must include:

• 3 out of 5 items at breakfast 1 has to be a fruit or a vegetable (lunch components meat/meat alternate, grain, vegetable, fruit, milk)

• 3 out of 4 items at breakfast 1 has to be a fruit or juice (muffins and breakfast sandwiches count as two items)

Just Milk:

If your child is just buying milk and nothing else, the cost is .50 cents.

There are many food allergies throughout our schools. Please remind your child not to share food at school. Also there is NO eating on the bus. Thank you for your help.

As you may have noticed in recent messaging, the Ashburnham Westminster Regional School District has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with teachers and administrators. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:

• Send and receive school and class information

• Share pictures and files

• See calendar items

• Sign up to volunteer

• Schedule parent-teacher conferences

• and much more . . . all in one centralized place!

Parents—Getting Started Video

District and school, grade level and classroom information will continue to be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).

Invitations to the app will be going out over the next few days, so please keep an eye on your email.

Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.

Grade 5 Nature's Classroom at Camp Cody 2024

Monday, May 20th - Friday, May 24th

Each year our 5th grade students travel to Camp Cody in Freedom, NH for an outdoor classroom experience. The trip is 5 days/4 nights. Next year we are going the week of May 20-24th. We want to prepare families that the cost of this trip has increased and is estimated to be about $450-475 per student. Please note this trip in your calendars, more information will go home with students soon!

General Ashburnham-Westminster Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) membership is open to all AWRSD parents/guardians of children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans and other interested parties. We need volunteers to help plan workshops, staff tables at local school and community events, become future leaders, assist other parents, and plan new activities and projects. Learn more about us and our work on our website https://sites.google.com/view/ashburnham-westminster-sepac. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashwestsepac.

ARRIVAL

8:20 - 8:30 AM

DISMISSAL

2:55 PM

HALF DAYS - DISMISSAL

12:00 PM

Please reach out with any questions you may have. We are happy to help!

• MHS - Kathi McCarthy 978-874-0163 ext. 0
• WES - Liz Maillet 978-874-2043 ext 0