Sippican Staff Notes for the Week

Happy Sunday, Team Sippican!

Well, we did it! And if last week felt particularly crazy, consider the lineup: a full moon, Halloween, two days of parent-teacher conferences, and all the usual adventures of an elementary school. Seriously, who looked at the calendar and thought putting all of those things in the same week was a good idea?

We're not saying the full moon had anything to do with some of the behaviors we witnessed last week… but we're also not ruling it out. If you made it to Friday's dismissal with your sanity mostly intact, congratulations! You deserve a medal, a nap, and possibly a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup from your leftover Halloween stash.

And just when we needed it most, Daylight Saving Time came through with an extra hour! Unfortunately, most of us probably spent that hour doing laundry, catching up on work, or wondering why we were wide awake at 4:30 in the morning. Still, we'll take whatever we can get!

👏 Two Days of Conferences, One Amazing Staff!

Before we look ahead, we want to take a moment to recognize everyone for two successful days of parent-teacher conferences this past Thursday and Friday.

We know how much time, thought, and preparation go into these meetings. From gathering student work and reviewing progress to preparing for important conversations with families, conferences require a tremendous amount of effort. And let's not forget that you managed to do all of this while navigating Halloween excitement and everything else that comes with a busy school week!

Thank you for the professionalism, care, and dedication you brought to these conversations. The relationships we build with families are so important to our students' success, and your efforts make a difference. We also want to thank our specialists, support staff, and everyone who helped keep things running smoothly throughout both days.

We hope you walked away from conferences feeling proud of the work you're doing. We certainly are proud of you!

📚 The Book Fair Is Here!

This week, Sippican transforms into a literary shopping extravaganza! Students will arrive with crumpled dollar bills, bags of coins, and the firm belief that a $6 budget should somehow cover $37 worth of books, posters, pencils, and novelty erasers. And, of course, there will be at least one student who spends 25 minutes deciding between two books before purchasing a glow-in-the-dark pointer instead.

We appreciate everyone helping to make the Book Fair a success. Our families can find a volunteer sign-up link in the family newsletter, so hopefully we'll have plenty of extra hands!

🗳️ Tuesday, November 3rd — No School for Students!

Before anyone gets too excited, let's clarify: No school for STUDENTS. For the rest of us, it's Professional Development Day!

That's right. While our students enjoy a Tuesday off, we'll be sharpening our skills, collaborating with colleagues, and reminding ourselves what it's like to sit in a chair for an extended period of time without someone asking to use the bathroom.

In all seriousness, we hope it's a productive day that gives everyone an opportunity to learn, connect, and maybe even enjoy a cup of coffee while it's still hot. Imagine that!

❤️ A Little Appreciation Before We Go…

We know the past few weeks have been busy, and we recognize how much you give to our students and to one another. Your patience, flexibility, humor, and willingness to jump in when needed do not go unnoticed. Even on the craziest days, you continue to make Sippican a special place for kids.

So here's to November! May your coffee be strong, your classrooms be calm, your students remember their passwords, and the next full moon fall on a Saturday during school vacation.

And if anyone actually figured out how to get that extra hour of sleep this weekend, please share your secret at the next faculty meeting.

Have a great week, everyone!

Lynn & Greg

Anchored in Purpose • Sailing with Heart

At Sippican School, there's a wonderful crew,

But none quite as wild as Thing One and Thing Two!

Mrs. Gilbert is Thing One, with her bright, crazy hair,

She helps with big feelings and shows that she cares!

Mr. Lamontagne is Thing Two, full of wisdom and cheer,

He helps solve our problems and calms every fear!

They listen, they laugh, they know just what to do,

When your day turns all topsy and your skies aren't so blue!

So hooray for these Things, with their hair standing tall,

They may look a bit crazy, but they care most of all!

We’re sharing this reminder now so everyone has time to collect materials for our full-day PD on November 3. Following the morning introduction to The Writing Revolution (TWR) strategies, the afternoon will provide dedicated grade-level collaboration time to apply those strategies to upcoming lessons and analyze student writing.

Please bring student writing samples and the corresponding assignment directions or prompts:

• K–6 classroom and special education teachers: Samples from students in your classroom or on your caseload.
• Reading and math teams: Samples of student writing from assignments completed during your work with students.
• Grades 5–6: Include science or social studies writing samples.
• Grades 3–6: Bring the Spring MCAS writing samples shared during our Data Dive.
• Grades K–2: Bring current classroom writing samples for analysis.

During the afternoon, teams will identify an area where students need support strengthening or expanding their written responses, select at least one TWR strategy that addresses that need, and incorporate it into upcoming instruction. Having these materials ready will help us make the most of our collaborative planning time.

DESE released the 2026 MCAS results this past week. We will have opportunities to look at Sippican’s results closely together soon. In the meantime, you can explore our MCAS assessment results and accountability report.

Our average achievement scores declined in ELA, math, and science. ELA and math growth fell in DESE’s lower typical range. Sippican remains classified as not requiring assistance or intervention, with moderate progress toward improvement targets.

You will see Recovery Path and Path Forward in the accountability report. Recovery Path means DESE set a target to move a particular subject and student group back toward its pre-COVID (2019) achievement level. Path Forward means DESE set a continued improvement target because that group had reached or surpassed its pre-COVID level when the paths were established, or because its existing improvement target was more demanding. These labels explain how targets were set; they are not separate classifications of our school or a statement that a group met its 2026 target.

We know these results are difficult to see. They also give us important information about where students need us most. As we review the grade level and student group data, our five commitments will guide us in making thoughtful, specific decisions about daily instruction and support. We appreciate the care you bring to this work and look forward to examining the results together.

Monday:

Tracy Feeney 9:00AM

Jean Roseman 10:45AM

Wednesday:

Kim Souza 9:00AM

Nicole Boussy 1:00PM

Thursday:

Molly Cruise 10:00AM

Friday:

Sue Swoish 9:45AM

• November 3rd - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS (Election Day) - PD for Staff
• November 3rd - 5th - Book Fair
• November 11th - NO SCHOOL (Veteran's Day)
• November 17th - School Council Meeting
• November 18th - Faculty Meeting (Grade 4 Brings Snacks)
• November 25th - Early Release Day/All School Meeting
• November 26th & 27th - NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Day Break)
• November 30th - December 2nd - Mural Painting with Bren Bataclan

These reflection sheets are in draft form, but I’d like to begin using them school-wide as a way to help students take responsibility for their choices while also giving them meaningful time to pause, process, and reflect on their actions. The goal is to promote accountability in a supportive and restorative way, consistent with our Sippican 3 to Be — Respectful, Responsible, and Kind.

Link-Sippican Intervention and Support

Click the buttons below to access them.

Thank you Chelsey!!

Dear Team,

As we begin the year, we’d like to clarify our expectations for PLC and Consult blocks. These times are valuable opportunities for collaboration and planning that directly support student success.

Thank you for your dedication to making PLC and Consult both purposeful and productive. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Warmly,
Lynn & Greg

Staff roles and collaboration

Classroom teachers, special educators, the reading team, and math support staff will plan and deliver FLEX instruction according to student needs, staff expertise, schedules, and required services. We will determine who teaches each group together; group assignments will not rest solely on individual preference. IEP services and accommodations will continue to be provided as required.

Reading and math staff may also provide push-in support during Tier 1 instruction. Grade-level teams will use the data and available staffing to decide where that support will have the greatest impact. FLEX and push-in serve different purposes, so teams will plan both as part of a coordinated approach.

PLCs will be the place to make this work manageable and responsive. Teams will:

• Identify the priority skill and learning goal for each group.

• Agree on who will teach each group and what materials or strategies they will use.

• Plan how students will practice and apply the skill.

• Review student work and progress monitoring results.

• Adjust instruction and regroup students when the evidence shows they are ready or need a different approach.

We developed an initial plan in June, and we are refining it as we complete assessments and work through schedules together. Thank you for your flexibility, collaboration, and commitment to providing each student with the instruction they need.

PowerSchool will alert the ELL Specialist when a student's family has reported a home language other than English. At times, the alert is not sent or the form has been filled out incorrectly.

If you believe one of your students needs an ELL screening, please fill out the attached form and email it back to: TeahKeogh@oldrochester.org