Fisher Family Update
October 13, 2023
Dear Fisher Families,
This week we had a whole-school assembly that brought our community together to celebrate and reinforce our school’s SWIM core values. We ask our students to Show respect, Work cooperatively, demonstrate Integrity and Make good decisions, everyday. These values are reinforced by conversations in the classroom, “catching” students exhibiting SWIM behavior and recognizing individuals that are doing the right thing with “shout outs”' on the morning announcements. At the assembly, Ms. Nicole Jdey led a group of students in grades 2 and 5 that creatively acted out scenarios that showcased positive and expected behaviors. These students shared “real life” strategies to help their peers deal with difficult situations (name calling, being excluded, teasing, etc.) and how to be an upstander and a Fisher friend. The students illustrated the significance of treating one another with respect and consideration. They showed how a simple act of kindness can create a welcoming and inclusive environment within our school. We encourage you to talk with your student about the assembly and inquire about how things are going for them in the classroom, the playground and the cafeteria. If you have any questions or concerns, as always please contact your student’s teacher, one of our school counselors or me.
Enjoy the weekend,
Brian
Parent Teacher Conferences
We look forward to having conversations with our students' families in just a few weeks. Our conversations will focus on your student's transition to their new classroom, academic and social emotional progress and our learning goals for the year. Please come to the meeting ready to share about your child's experience so far and some goals you may have for your student this year.
Please choose a date and time from the link below to schedule a 10 minute conference with your student's teacher. The teachers are listed ALPHABETICALLY, you will need to scroll down to find the teacher name you are looking for. Please double check that you are signing up for the correct teacher. A virtual option (zoom call or phone call) will be on November 2rd only, the other dates are in person. If you are scheduling conferences for more than one student, please allow time between them to get to the next classroom.
Math Updates
With conferences coming at the end of the month, it is usually a time when parents ask, “What can I do at home to support my student,” or “How can I help with math work when it looks so different from how I learned it?” Your conference time is precious so hopefully we can provide a few tips here to help answer those questions. First, our Family Math Site is full of suggestions and ideas for how to both support your child in math and how to support yourself in the process! If you click on the Parents/Caregivers Link you will find in the sidebar the page FAQs for Math Today. Here you will find podcasts, videos, and articles that help explain why math has moved away from just teaching formulas and procedures, to embedding concepts in real math situations so students can see there is more than one way to solve a problem, regardless of the operation needed.
When you are supporting your students at home with math work, two things you want to do are: try to understand your child’s thinking and build on what they know. You can ask them open-ended questions like, “Tell me about this problem…,” “What do you notice about the situation….”, this will help you zone in on what your child already knows and maybe where they are getting stuck. Some basic questions that work in almost any situation include:
What do you notice?
How did you figure that out?
How can you show your thinking? (e.g., picture, model, equation)
Do you see any patterns?
Finally, please remember, their way of solving a problem might not be the most efficient way right now, but they are building conceptual knowledge and problem solving skills that will get them there. Getting your child to teach you “their way” deepens their understanding of the concept, so encourage them to share and teach you!
2023 MCAS Results
This coming week, the Walpole Public Schools will be mailing MCAS results home to families. It is important to understand that the MCAS are one of the many ways we measure student progress across the curriculum. We also use many ongoing assessments in classrooms not only to measure student progress but also to assess the success of our district curriculum. Parent-teacher conferences will be taking place over the next two weeks and this is a great opportunity to hear about specific aspects of the grade-level standards that going well for your child and other areas that may be a challenge.
Fisher School Store
The School Store is opening next week! Our first date will be October 18th.
What is the School Store?
- For students in grades 3, 4 and 5
- Open on Wednesdays during lunch. Students can only come up to shop after they have finished their lunch.
- Students can purchase pens, pencils, erasers and other fun novelty items
- Items are priced from .25¢ - $2.00. Spending limit of $2.00 per visit.
- Grades 3, 4 and 5 are split into two groups and shop every other Wednesday. Groups and the starting schedule are below.
Group 1: Beatty, Blake, Hughes, Barend, Fomenko, Brogan, O'Neill
Dates: Oct. 18th, Nov. 1st, Nov. 15th, Dec 6th,
Group 2: Penfield/Vose, Winer, McDonald, Sullivan, Terranova, Wesinger
Dates: Oct. 25th, Nov. 8th, 29th, Dec. 13th
We believe that education is the key to unlocking endless possibilities for students. Regular attendance plays a critical role in academic success and overall development. We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment for each child to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. One of the fundamental pillars of this success is regular and punctual attendance.
Here are some reasons why attendance matters:
1. Academic Achievement. Attending school regularly allows students to receive consistent
instruction, engage in meaningful learning activities, and stay on track with the curriculum.
Consistent attendance is linked to better grades and academic achievement.
2. Building Relationships. School is not just a place for learning. It is also a place for building
relationships with peers and teachers. Regular attendance helps students establish these
connections, making them feel more connected to their school community.
3. Developing Responsibility: Being present and on time teaches students the importance of
responsibility and punctuality, skills that are valuable throughout their lives.
4. Preventing Learning Gaps: Missing school days can result in learning gaps that are challenging to overcome. Consistent attendance helps ensure that your child receives the necessary instruction to succeed.
We understand that occasionally absences due to illness or family emergencies are inevitable. However, we encourage you to prioritize attendance and schedule appointments or vacations during school breaks whenever possible.
We look forward to a school year filled with growth, learning, and achievement. If you have any
questions or concerns regarding attendance or any other school -related matter, do not hesitate to
reach out to us.
Sincerely,
Pamela H. Peckinpaugh
School Psychologist
New Staff Spotlight
Each week will be introducing you to staff that are new to Fisher. This week's highlight is Ms Beatty.
I live in Canton with my mom and my younger sister Bridget. I grew up in Canton (right down the road) and I am a proud Bulldog! I am an iced coffee and country music fanatic! My favorite place in the WHOLE world is Cape Cod. My family has a house in Pocasset, right outside of North Falmouth. I am so grateful to have joined the Fisher Family this year. Shoutout to my AMAZING 3rd grade class, you guys rock!
Absence Line Reminder
If your student will be absent or tardy for any reason, call 508-660-7234 and press 1 to leave a message, you do not need to speak to somebody in the main office. Please state the reason for the student(s) absence (illness, medical appointment, personal, or will be tardy). If we do not have a reason noted for the absence, you will receive an automated phone call and email. This is for student safety to ensure that all are accounted for.
Multilingual Learner Parent Advisory Council - (MLPAC)
Walpole Public Schools invites families of multilingual learners to attend MLPAC to discuss opportunities for the educational success of students who are currently or were formerly in the English Language Education (ELE) program. It is also a time to network with other families as we continue to build collaborative partnerships.
MEETING INFORMATION
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
PLACE: Walpole High School Media Center
TIME: 6:00 - 7:00 P.M.
AGENDA
Announcements
Speaker: Meet the ELE Department
Discussion: MLPAC Bylaws & Leadership
Questions / Suggestions
Please contact the Multilingual Learner Family Engagement Center at mlfec@walpole.k12.ma.us or at (508) 660-7257 ext. 5033 for further information or to request an interpreter or child care for the event.
This past week of STEM was greatly focused on the themes of teamwork and collaboration. After reading the story If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen, groups of students rose to the challenge of designing and building a school of their wildest dreams. Younger students were inspired by the story The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires to create something magnificent using the limited materials given to them.
Volunteer Interest
Please fill out the form with the link below if you are interested in volunteering opportunities at Fisher school.
Note: You must have an active CORI to volunteer!
Trunk or Treat is October 27th!
Please see signup genius for more information and to register your car. We will be collecting candy donations in the front entryway, if you are not decorating a car and would like to donate candy it would be greatly appreciated!
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/60B0E4CAEAF2BABFC1-44518182-4thannual
Scholastic Book Fair
PAC is looking for some volunteers to help with the Book Fair. Please sign up if you are able to volunteer. Click here to sign up.
Fisher School Friendship Directory
Schools are not at liberty to provide student contact information for outside of school activities. If you would like to provide your child (ren)'s information for others to see please click the link below and complete the form.
