Melville Message Community Update

In partnership with families and community, the mission of Melville Elementary School is to provide all students with a strong academic foundation through diverse and challenging instruction in a safe and nurturing environment enabling them to achieve their greatest potential while developing self-confidence, respect, responsibility, compassion and a love of learning.

No passport? No problem! The Global Eats program through Chartwells invites your child to travel to the Caribbean through a food tasting on March 19th. Students will be encouraged to experience the fierce flavors and vibrancy of Caribbean culture and samples of Caribbean culture will be offered during lunch.

If you have any concerns related to allergies, ingredients, and/or this food offering, please contact me directly by calling (401) 683-1650, Option 2 or by emailing me at trainora@portsmouthschoolsri.org.

If you would like to opt out your child to please connect with me by the morning of March 18, 2025.

Jr. Scholars are allowed two free visits for them and their adult guest to Mystic Aquarium per year with their 2024-2025 Jr. Scholar Card, but are requested to reserve a timed-ticket online prior to visiting!

For timed ticket reservations with a Feinstein Jr. Scholar Card, please share the following link with your school community: https://www.mysticaquarium.org/visit/tickets/discounts-and-promotions/feinstein-junior-scholar-discount/

Our Anchored4Life Team Leaders are excited to kick off our first Amenity Aid Shampoo and Conditioner schoolwide drive during the week of March 24th - 28th. Collection boxes will be in each classroom if you'd like to donate. Amenity Aid is Rhode Island’s only hygiene bank, providing products to those in need. They operate like a food bank, but for hygiene products that food banks typically don’t provide. Thank you for your support!

• People are made up of chromosomes, which make us who we are. Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes. People with down syndrome have an extra - instead of 2 copies of their 21st chromosome, they have 3 copies! This is why we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on 3.21.

• We celebrate by wearing crazy socks because when you look at a chromosome under a microscope they look like crazy socks.

Please sign up at the following link to help out with the MPTG's Whale of an Evening fundraiser on Friday, March 28th - volunteers are needed for set up,clean up, ticket sales, and more.

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/20F094CA5AB2CABF85-55621433-whale

Minutes from 1/8/25

Minutes from 11/13/24

Minutes from 9/11/24

Minutes from 10/9/24

At Melville Elementary, we are committed to every student’s success, and regular attendance is key! Did you know that students who miss two or more days a month—about 10% of the school year—are considered chronically absent?

Attendance Matters

We know that attendance plays a huge role in student success, and your support is key to improving it. Melville is currently ranked #33 in the state for attendance on the State’s Attendance Leaderboard.

If you would like to order a yearbook then please do so by following this link and use the SCHOOL ID.

Yearbook Order: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/
School ID: 12072425

If you do not pre order a yearbook, then we may not have enough available to purchase at the end of the school year when it comes out. We order some extra, but the only guarantee is to pre order, so I highly recommend ordering one ahead of time.

If you have a child in grade 4 and need financial assistance to purchase a yearbook, then please email me directly at lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org and we will make sure your child gets a yearbook.

National Nutrition Month is recognized in the month of March. This month focuses on raising awareness about the importance of nutrition, physical activity, and making informed food choices. It is important to develop healthy eating habits and to focus on nutritionally balanced and healthy meal planning. Recognizing the connection between nutrition and overall health is imperative to overall wellness. Good nutrition matters and it is the foundation of preventative health care. It helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, certain types of cancer, and so much more. To find out more information regarding health and nutrition, click here!

Melville Elementary School has had a few cases of lice this past month. Please do not be alarmed, as this is a common occurrence in schools. Head lice are not a sign of unclean people or homes.

Please take these precautions:

1. Check your child’s hair for eggs (also called nits).

2. If you suspect your child has head lice, ask your health care provider to diagnose the problem and recommend appropriate treatment.

3. Tell us if your child is diagnosed as having head lice.

4. If head lice are diagnosed, do not return your child to school until she or he has been treated.

INFORMATION ABOUT HEAD LICE:

What are they?

Head lice are tiny insects that live only on people’s scalp and hair. They hatch from small eggs (nits) that are firmly attached to the individual hairs near the scalp and cannot be easily moved up or down the hair (as can specks of dandruff). They look like grains of sand. Nits may be found throughout the hair but are most often located at the back of the scalp, behind the ears, and at the top of the head. The eggs hatch in about 10 days, with new lice reaching adulthood in about 2 weeks. The female louse, about the size of a sesame seed, can live for 20 to 30 days and can lay about 6 eggs a day. The lice live by biting and sucking blood from the scalp. Lice can survive up to 8 hours between feedings and can do so off the body. Until a person with head lice is treated they can transmit them to others.

How should you check for head lice?

You probably will not see the lice, only the eggs. These are tiny, pearl-gray, oval shaped specks attached to the hair near the scalp. Look carefully, using a magnifying glass and natural light. Search for nits at the back of the neck, behind the ears and at the top of the head.

How does a person get head lice?

Anyone who has close contact with an infested person or shares personal items can become infested. Lice are spread only by crawling from person to person directly or onto shared personal items, such as combs, brushes, head coverings, clothing, bedding or towels.

To Get Rid of Head Lice

1. Use a medicine that your health care provider prescribes or recommends. Use any of these products very carefully and consult a physician before treating infants, pregnant or nursing women, or people with extensive cuts or scratches on the head or neck.

2. After appropriate treatment, removal of nits is not necessary to prevent spread, although sometimes removal is done for aesthetic reasons. Removal is a difficult and time-consuming process because nits have such a firm grip on the hair. A solution of vinegar and water may help loosen nits so you can remove them with a special, fine-toothed, nit-removal comb.

3. Check for nits daily for the next 10-14 days. Then repeat the treatment to kill any newly hatched lice.

4. Clean personal items and surroundings:

• Machine wash all washable and possibly infested items in hot water. Dry them in a hot dryer.

• Put non-washable items (furry toys or pillows) in a hot dryer for 20 minutes or dry clean them.

• Seal items that cannot be washed or dried in a plastic bag for 10 days (any eggs or lice present will die in this time).

• Soak combs and brushes for 10 minutes, or wash them with a shampoo approved to kill lice.

• Thoroughly vacuum rugs, upholstered furniture, and mattresses.

• Do not use insecticide sprays because they can be harmful to people and animals.

When can your child return?

Your child may come back as soon as the shampoo has been used, you have removed as many nits as possible from your child’s hair, and you have cleaned or stored personal items. Remember that you must keep checking your child’s hair for new nits for at least 2 weeks.

What should you do about head lice?

If your child does have head lice, your health care provider may want to treat everyone in your family. Everyone should be checked and anyone with nits should definitely be treated.

🍀March

28th- Whale of an Evening

April ☔

8th & 9th-Students in Grades 3 and 4 will take RICAS

9th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

14th– 18th : Spring Recess (No School)

22nd- School Bus Driver Appreciation

🌸May

6th & 7th-Students in Grades 3 and 4 will take RICAS

14th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

21st- Melville Fun Run (during the school day, rain date 5/22)

23rd-Staff Professional Development Day (No School for students)

June 🌞

5th-Kindergarten Field Trip to Coggeshall

6th- Grade 4 Field Trip to the State House

10th-Kindergarten Celebration, 3:30-5:00

11th- MPTG Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

11th- Field Day (Rain Date 12th)

11th- MPTG Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

16th- Grade 4 Stepping Up Celebration

18th or 180th day: Last Day of School – All Students

19th: Juneteenth (No School)

20th, 23rd, 24th, 25th: Snow Makeup Days if needed

We take all reported incidents seriously. If you see something that could be constituted as bullying, cyber-bullying, or harassment, please say something.

Planet Aid is a nonprofit organization that collects used clothes to protect the environment and strengthen communities. Planet Aid’s non-binding school partnerships provide a passive fundraising stream and an opportunity to teach students about environmental sustainability. Melville School hosts a Planet Aid clothing donation bin and with this we raise funds for every pound donated.

The Planet Aid bin is in our parking lot again this year...please continue to fill it with clothes and shoes. Thank you!

Going forward please use meloffice@portsmouthschoolsri.org to notify the main office of changes to your child's dismissal routine or of your child's absence.

If you are interested in volunteering or chaperoning this school year, then you will need to complete the volunteer approval process. Please check in with our office if a notary if available to assist you.

We love to celebrate our students. If they have special news that you would like us to share, e.g. State Wrestling or Cheerleading Championship accomplishments, then please email me at lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org and we will be sure to include their recognition in our morning announcements.

In keeping with the spirit of giving, our Feinstein Jr. Scholars are excited to start an in-school food pantry that our students and families can donate to and access when needed.

Please help us as we continue to support our community by sending in food items with your child from time to time. Please email

Mrs. Powell: powelld@portsmouthschoolsri.org or

Mrs. Pascoe: pascoen@portsmouthschoolsri.org

if you would like to access our food pantry during the school year.

Securly Home is an app that allows parents to monitor their child’s Chromebook activity at home and add rules for home use. Please take some time to review the slideshow from the informational parent meeting hosted for families.

We encourage you to sign up now for Securly Home!

Google Slideshow

At Melville School we provide continuous updates on student progress. Mid-Trimester Progress Reports and Report Cards help us to better communicate student progress with parents and caregivers.

Benchmarking assessments are assessments given to students three times a year to measure their progress towards achieving the end of year standard for their grade level. If your child qualifies for a Response to Intervention Plan, this will be discussed during the conference. Report Cards are published three times a year and will be available on the ASPEN Platform.

Report Cards reflect your child's current mastery of end-of-grade level standards. The grades earned by your child, as reflected on the Report Card, are their current mastery of end-of-grade level standards. For example, if your child is in second grade they are being assessed on the standard that is expected of a student exiting second grade. If your child receives an S (secure), this means that they are secure and have reached the end of the year benchmark. Earning a D (developing) means your child is demonstrating growth towards meeting the end of grade level with support. If your child is beginning to progress towards meeting the end of year standard, then they will receive a B (beginning). It is common for most students to receive B’s and D’s during the first trimester now that we are switching to reporting out on end-of-year standards. An N/A means that this standard has not yet been taught. NP means that your child did not participate in the learning/activities related to this standard.

Fire drills occur on a regular basis. State law requires each school to conduct eleven fire drills, two lockdown drills and two evacuation drills each year. Shelter in Place drills are conducted throughout the school year. Children are given instruction on all procedures. Children are expected to behave in a calm, orderly manner during these exercises. Please review the importance of such exercises with your child and emphasize the need for appropriate behavior.

A lockdown is an alert to the school community indicating that students and staff should remain in their classrooms, dispersing around the room and staying low, either standing or crouching, to avoid visibility. This positioning also prepares students and staff to move quickly if evacuation becomes necessary. Remain in this position until further direction is given

An evacuation requires all students and staff to exit the building and meet at a designated safe place.

A shelter in place is an alert to a school community that movement outside of classrooms is being restricted for a brief period of time. It is typically used when a student or staff member is requiring some sort of attention (sometimes medical) and the school is trying to keep that area clear and/or protect that person’s privacy. If there were a serious safety concern the school would not issue a shelter in place.

We will send notification of lockdowns, evacuations, and shelter in place drills and events via email.

Here is the presentation that was shared at a Parent Safety Forum that was hosted in conjunction with the Police and Fire Departments. The Run, Hide, Fight FBI philosophy guides our safety training.

The P3 Sandy Hook Promise Anonymous tip line is a resource that we encourage anyone to use if there is ever an immediate safety concern.

Email: lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org
Website: https://www.portsmouthschoolsri.org/Domain/11
Location: 1351 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI, USA
Phone: 401-683-1650
Facebook: Melville Principal
Twitter: @MelvilleSchool