Hello, Howard!

The March PRIDE theme of the month is TEAMWORK! Students this month will be exploring what it takes to be a member of an effective team. It couldn't come at a better time as spring arrives and students are itching to stretch their legs. Spring fever often presents itself as grumpiness; kids may be less patient and kind with each other. This is a good time to remind them that their words matter! Words can hurt just as much as hands, and even a comment made "as a joke" can leave a cut. Let's all commit to helping our kiddos be kind, always, and remember that we're all on the same TEAM.

It has come to our attention that many parents/guardians have been using the library parking lot as a pick-up point for students after school. Unfortunately, this has caused significant traffic congestion, creating a hazardous situation for both drivers and pedestrians. There have been several near accidents in the parking lot, and the situation is becoming more concerning every day.

When cars are parked in the middle of the lot, rather than in designated spaces, it blocks access for other drivers and prevents smooth movement for both patrons and parents/guardians. This often leads to confusion and delays, making it difficult for others to safely maneuver their vehicles and for children to walk through the lot.

We kindly ask that, for the safety of everyone, you refrain from using the library parking lot as a pick-up location. Please make alternate arrangements for picking up your student in a designated area, either on school grounds or another safe location. This will ensure that the flow of traffic is not disrupted and help prevent any further incidents.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our community safe, and we are grateful for your attention to this important matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your understanding.

Believe it or not, MCAS testing begins at the end of this month! Please review the schedule below and re-schedule any doctor or dentist appoints that may keep a child from attending school on the day of a test.

March 25th and 26th - 6th grade ELA

April 1st and 2nd - 4th grade ELA

April 8th and 10th - 6th grade ELA

May 6th and 8th - 5th grade Math

May 12th & 13th - 6th grade Math

May 14th and 15th - 4th grade Math

May 20th & 21st - 5th grade Science

Cell phones and smart watches are never allowed in the classroom. They are always supposed to be stored in a students locker. This is more important that ever during MCAS. The MCAS cell phone policy is shared with you below. If a student is found to be in possession of their cell phone AT ANY TIME during testing, whether they are actively testing or not, I have to call the state to report the discrepancy.

Please leave all cell phones and smart watches at home on MCAS testing days.

Over the course of March, students will be voting for the book they most want Mrs. Giuffre to read aloud. They listen to a book talk for each match up and vote for the book they want to move on to the next round. We'll have a winner by the end of March and celebrate with Book Bingo on Thursday, April 3rd from 6-7pm. Families can find the match up videos on Facebook and cast your vote, too! We hope to see you at Book Bingo on April 3rd.

School Council - March 18th

Report Cards - March 21st

6th grade ELA MCAS - March 25th and 26th

6th grade dance - March 26th

Book Fair - March 27th

Click the link below for lunch and breakfast menus.

https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=1560351497546&page=menus

This past week was School Breakfast Week: Clue in to Breakfast. Our creative cafeteria staff ran a Who-Done-It type game featuring questions about healthy breakfast foods. Students could answer questions and be entered into a drawing to win various prizes, including a CLUE board game!

Spring is finally approaching, but please continue to have your children layer up for outdoor play. Warm jackets, hats, mittens, and boots are important so everyone can enjoy the fresh air daily! This is the chart we use - as long as we're not "in the red," we'll go outside. Please advise your children accordingly! Also, if you have any new or gently used clothes (youth sizes 8-16), coats, or shoes/boots - we would love to have extra available in case someone needs a change!

For our 6th graders, Outdoor Classroom is just around the corner and you will be receiving more information and packets soon. Please read through the packets carefully and be sure to COMPLETE ALL FORMS, even if your child doesn’t take any scheduled medications. There will be a lot of information, so please do reach out to me with any of the health related concerns.

We want to keep everyone healthy while at school so please keep them home if they are not feeling well. Please refer to our Sick Child Guidelines and school health policies at https://www.wbridgewaterschools.org/page/health-services and reach out to me directly with any concerns. If your child is absent due to illness, it is recommended that they visit the doctor in order to document these as excused absences.

One final note, teachers always love donations of tissues and Clorox wipes to help keep the spread of illness to a minimum in the classrooms.

As always, please feel free to reach Nurse Mando if you have any questions or concerns: smando@wbridgewater.com or 508-894-1250 ext 3115. Thank you!

Yearbooks are on sale! Yearbooks can be purchased at the website https://ybpay.com - The code to use is 2461425. The cost of the yearbook is $20. The deadline to purchase yearbooks is 4/21/25.

We have begun reading the novel, Hatchet. Students have started planning for their own survival narrative writing by brainstorming and prewriting using a graphic organizer.

In math, we will be learning how to add and subtract fractions & mixed numbers with common denominators, as well as multiplying fractions by a whole number. Also, we will work on skills focusing on decimals.

We will be learning about erosion and how wind, water, and ice

shape Earth's surface and natural disasters. We will also be investigating how to use maps to reduce the impact of natural disasters.

March focuses on the theme Teamwork. Students will discuss and practice how to work successfully as a team.

In ELA, students are reading The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and working on character snapshots. This process allows students to achieve the ability to write a narrative.

In math, we are finishing Topic 8 - Apply Understanding of Multiplying to Multiplying Fractions and then moving on to Topic 9 - Apply Understanding of Division to Divide Fractions.

In Science, students are learning what matter is, its characteristics, and the three states of matter. They will learn that its properties can be observed and measured. They will learn about changes in matter.

On March 6th, Victoria J. Coe, a local author, taught the students how important perspective is in writing. Thank you to the P.T.O. for sponsoring this program and providing each student with a personalized "Fenway and Hattie" book. Also, the students enjoyed the "Black History Month" laser light show courtesy of the P.T.O.

Students are beginning their ELA MCAS prep! We will be reviewing topics such as plot stage, figurative language, author's point of view, and a wide range of vocabulary. Students will also take practice tests to understand the format and writing tasks. Pictures below are from our water walk connected to our novel unit on A Long Walk to Water!

We are currently wrapping up Ramayana: Divine Loophole. From here, we will begin The Odyssey adapted by Gillian Cross. We will continue our study of the Hero's Journey leading to students writing their own narrative Heroes Journey.

Students in science class are exploring space! We are learning the different phases of the moon, the different types of eclipses and how gravity is noticeable in space! We completed a stations lab to explore the movements of the earth and will create a project next week!

We are wrapping up our Ancient Egyptian unit with a museum project! The test is this week! Then we are learning about African Geography and powerful African civilizations in Sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Axum/Ethiopia, the Swahili Coast, and Great Zimbabwe.

In ELA, we have just started reading The Odyssey by Gillian Cross with illustrations by Neil Packer. This continues our unit on The Hero's Journey. We will put these lessons into action later in the trimester when students write their own Hero's Journey story.

In 6th grade math, this month we are finishing our ratios unit. Next we will begin our rates unit. Students will use rates to solve problems and to make comparisons. We will use unit rates to compare prices to find the better deal. We will also use unit rates to solve problems involving constant speed.

To explore the theme of teamwork, students will write about an activity they participate in that requires team work. Students will also engage in a collaborative competition to put team work into action.

The third and final payment for Outdoor Classroom (formerly Nature's Classroom) was due on Monday March 3. The final payment is $155. (If you missed a payment please make sure you have paid the total of $465.)

Paperwork was sent home Wednesday 3/5 with important information and forms for the trip. All paperwork must be filled out and returned by no later than Wednesday 3/26. Please pay close attention to the packing list and the medication forms.

A parent meeting will be held on Wednesday April 2 at 5:00 in the Howard cafeteria. This is an informational meeting for parents only. The students will have a separate meeting during the school day.

All Howard students will start a fiber arts (weaving) project within the next couple of months. We would appreciate donations of yarn. If you are a crafter and have extra yarn leftover from a project or would like to purchase yarn for us, we would greatly appreciate it! Any questions can be emailed to ktomas@wbridgewater.com

🔹 4th Grade: Habitat Dioramas & Food Chains

Students are building detailed habitat dioramas to showcase their understanding of ecosystems and food chains. They will illustrate the flow of energy from the sun to producers, consumers, and decomposers while considering how different organisms depend on each other for survival.

🔹 5th Grade: Planet Research Project

Fifth graders are embarking on a research journey through space! They will investigate the planets of our solar system, learning how to gather reliable information, cite sources, and present their findings. This project will strengthen their research skills while deepening their understanding of planetary characteristics and their place in the universe.

🔹 6th Grade: Forensics & Investigations

Our 6th graders are stepping into the shoes of forensic scientists as they begin their forensics unit. They’ll learn how to analyze and interpret evidence, from fingerprint patterns to extracting DNA using scientific methods. By piecing together clues, they’ll develop critical thinking skills and experience real-world problem-solving.

Meeting dates until Spring Break: 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/8

We are gearing up for our next project and planning out the rest of our year on 3/11. We will be preparing for WB Clean up day and choosing decorations and Photo booth backdrops for the 6th grade dance hosted with Student Council.

Thank you for your generous donations from the Penny war! The money has been sent the Massachusetts Lions Club Eye Research fund and the Disaster Relief fund! Thank you again for all of your help.

Student Council and Little Leo's Club are hosting a 6th grade spring dance on March 26th from 5-6:30 PM in the gym. Students will dance, watch a movie, and enjoy pizza and water. Dance forms will be passed out in homeroom closer to dance and the price of tickets will be $5.00. The DJ is provided by the WB PTO, and the WB Lions Club will donate the water. Thank you for being so generous and supportive!

I’m Riley, and I’m Annie and we interviewed Mr. LeMarier! He is the band teacher at Howard Elementary School. He went to college at Berklee College of Music in Boston. His favorite school subject was High School Business Class. He says this year he is looking forward to growing the band. When he is not teaching, he is with his wife, his two kids, dog, and fish. When Mr. L was a child he wanted to be a professional hockey player, business owner, a computer scientist and finally a musician. Mr. L likes to fly planes, runs three businesses, makes digital art, and creates music. He likes to watch Star Wars, Star Trek, and Gladiator when he has time. On weekends he coaches soccer for his kids. He wants everyone to know that it is important to be well-rounded because you never know where it will lead.

Hi, we are Liliana Morales and Christina Webber and we interviewed Jamie Ferraria. She is a 4th-grade teacher. Mrs. Ferraria went to Regis College to be a teacher. Mrs. Ferraria has a husband and 3 kids, 2 girls and 1 baby boy. She also has 2 cats. Her favorite subject is math. One thing she is looking forward to this year is to see how her students grow and see how independent and organized they get. She's always wanted to be a teacher and fulfilled her dream and now is working here at the Howard School. Her favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast, or really anything Disney related. She likes to craft when she has time. Disney World is her favorite place to hang out with her family, and anything she can do to spend time with family she will.

The Wildcats Unified Basketball team had their first game on Thursday against Middleboro. The Wildcats lost 34-27 but played a phenomenal game. The team was led by captains Gio Vieira, Zach Folger, Brendan Hulme, and Adri Guardione. Adri was the defensive player of the game with over 15 steals and Jacob Kenney was the high scorer of the game. Kenzie Snell, Mekenna Clark, Sal Guardione, Enzo Vieira, Graham Edgerly, Theo Barrows, and Thomas DuBois contributed greatly to the Wildcats offense and moved the ball around the court in stellar fashion. The Wildcats defense was very strong with Jeremiah Barrows, Christian O’Connor, and Geoffrey Simmons getting the majority of the rebounds and feeding the ball to their teammates. The Wildcats face off against Franklin on Thursday, March 13 at home!

When eleven-year-old Hank’s mom doesn’t come home, he takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it’s been a week now. They are out of food and mom has never stayed away this long… Hank knows he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact.

But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers, and a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he's been trying to keep secret. And if they can't find his mom soon, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes--he could lose everything.

Gennifer Choldenko has written a heart-wrenching, healing, and ultimately hopeful story about how complicated family can be. About how you can love someone, even when you can’t rely on them. And about the transformative power of second chances.

Is there a teacher, therapist, staff person, or administrator you would like to recognize for their inclusive efforts in the classroom, school, or district? See the attached PDF for a nomination form.

Butter Braids are back!

Place your order for these delicious pastries using the attached PDF. A tasty treat that supports enrichment programs for our students? What's not to love!?

Girls aged 10-14 are invited to attend this free STEM workshop! Click the link for registration information. https://www.greenlightforgirls.org/calendar/2025/3/29/stem-learning-fun-g4g-day-in-bridgewater

See the classes in the attached PDF and register here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bJLK4m5Mv3RzjHwslwVpWUpS2DLjpNCdv6vciKBNHJk/edit?chromeless=1