Fisher Family Update
September 13, 2024

Good Afternoon Fisher Families,
The teachers and I would like to congratulate our students for completing their first 5 day week of school! Throughout the first weeks of this school year, the teachers and I have been very impressed with the students’ positive attitudes and perseverance, not only with academics but also socially.
This week we had our first community meetings, sharing our SWIM core values. We ask our students, everyday, to Show respect, Work collaboratively, show Integrity and Make good decisions. These values are reinforced with conversations in the classroom, “catching” a student exhibiting these expected behaviors and recognizing their efforts with a “shout out”' on the morning announcements. Click HERE to view the slide show we used to help facilitate our discussion with the students. We encourage you to talk with your student about the assembly and inquire about how things are going in the classroom, the playground and the cafeteria.
Please read through this newsletter for updates, upcoming events and important dates. If you have any questions or concerns, as always please contact your student’s teacher, one of our school counselors or me.
Have a nice weekend,
Brian
Upcoming Dates and Events
17 - Ice Cream Social, 6-7pm
20 - Early Release - Fisher dismissal at 12:25pm
25 - Fisher PAC 7pm, STEM/Media Classroom
October
1 - Fisher School Picture Day
1 - NEW DATE - Fisher Open House/Curriculum Night 6 - 7:30pm
11 - Early Release - Fisher dismissal at 12:25pm
14 - NO SCHOOL - Columbus Day
16 - Fisher PAC 7pm, STEM/Media Classroom
November
12 - Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences - 5:00 - 7:00pm
14 - Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences - 5:00 - 7:00pm
15 - Early Release - Fisher dismissal at 12:25pm
15 - Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences -1:00pm-3:00pm
Fisher Counselors’ Newsletter - September
Hello Fisher Families and Welcome Back!
Our amazing Fisher friends have completed their first full week of school! We are off to a great start! Everyone has done well settling into the new school year and everyone is excited to be back. Our students did not forget how to S.W.I.M over the summer as we have already seen a great display of respect, teamwork, integrity, and great choices being made. Our older students have been so helpful with younger and new students. This year we will continue to provide bi-weekly S.W.I.M lessons to classes and will focus on the importance of continuing to show respect, teamwork, integrity and respect, not only at school but within the community as well.
We are looking forward to a wonderful school year ahead and cannot wait to see all of the student success that will fill up the Fisher School community!
Thank you,
Fisher School Counselors
ST Math September update
The 2024-25 school year is off to a great start around math! We’ve had an amazing launch to ST Math with all students in grades 1-5 starting their journey and we know our kindergarten friends will join very soon! Students have been excited to get back to Number Corner to try and figure out the patterns and structure of their first Calendar Grid of the year. Now that students are coming into a new grade with two years of the Bridges Curriculum, teachers are noticing they are making more connections, they have increased number sense and are ready to tackle the rigor of the next grade.
We are excited to share that the district has purchased subscriptions to Math Fact Lab for this school year for grades 1-5. Some teachers piloted the program last year and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on fact fluency for our students. Math Fact Lab is a program that builds fact knowledge, not just on rote memorization, but by providing the students with visual tools to develop their conceptual understanding while increasing their fluency. It is endorsed by Jo Boaler (renowned educator in the mathematical field) who, when reviewing the site, stated, “A really great use of visuals and important mathematical strategies.” Teachers will begin the program when developmentally appropriate for their classes. We do ask that while the platform is available for students to log into at home, please do not have your students utilize it at home until they have begun in their classroom. It is an adaptive program that adjusts practice to a student’s level, so the original placement assessment needs to be done at school. Thank you for your understanding.
We also wanted to take this opportunity to remind our returning families and share with our new families the link for our Family Math Website which is full of great resources and information to help build your child’s math disposition, conceptual knowledge and basic skills through at home activities. There are so many activities students can do at home to build their math skills from reading books to playing board and card games to even going on a grocery shopping trip and talking about all the different ways they see and use numbers at the store. We are looking forward to a great year!Consistent School Attendance is Important
Click this link to view a newsletter from Mr. Ed Connor, Dean of Student Support and Absenteeism.
Walpole Public Schools App
We invite all families to download the "Walpole Public Schools" app to your tablet or phone. By downloading this free app you will have access to the WPS news feed, past and current Fisher Family Updates, upcoming events, school documents and forms, lunch menus and much more. Instead of relying solely on email for important school news , you will be able to receive alerts and view updates from your phone. Stay connected!
You can find links to download the app by scrolling to the bottom of the Fisher School website at https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/fs
We are just a few short weeks away from Walpole's 300th Anniversary Parade! The Parade will kick off on October 5th at 11am from the Norfolk County Agricultural High School and proceed up Main Street to the Town Common and then turn and proceed up Common Street to Walpole High School which will allow for 2 miles of viewing. Downtown we will have food trucks around the common. Join us as we watch bands and performance groups from around the region celebrate our hometown.
The 300th Committee is also looking for additional floats from Community Groups, as well as antique autos which would like to participate in the parade. Check out Walpole300.com for more information
Afterschool Actvities
Lego Robotics and Stem Program
Walpole Robotics Academy is on the lookout for 10 members in grades 2nd-5th who want to join an after-school LEGO Robotics and STEM Program! The program is geared to students ages 7-11 and utilizes LEGO WeDo 2.0 and LEGO Spike. Teams of 2-3 students will receive a mini challenge weekly based on the LEGO Education programs and build kits. Students spend time exploring, designing, building, and coding these robotics kits each week . This program will build on design, engineering and coding skills. Please visit https://education.lego.com/en-us for additional information.
The students will also have an opportunity to work with members of the High School robotics team the Walpole Timberwolves Team 1153 and PupCups Team 1119. This collaboration will greatly benefit the students, showing them the many different aspects of the robotics field and how it is applied today and in future applications.
Instructor: Scott Carpenter of Walpole Robotics Academy
For students grades 2-5
Time: 3:25 - 4:20
Place: Fisher School Stem Lab
Maximum 10 Students (first come first serve)
Dates: 10/7/24, 10/21/24,10/28/24, 11/4/2024, 11/18/24 & 11/25/24
Parents/Guardians, you are responsible for transportation home. Pick up at door 1(main entrance) Promptly at 4:20 PM
Fee $35.00 Check or money order made payable to: Town of Walpole
PAC News
School Store Info
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 once per month.
Groups and the starting schedule are below.
Group 1: Barend, Blake, Hughes, Fomenko, Brogan, O'Neill
Group 2: Penfield, McDonald, Sullivan, Winer, Terranova, Wesinger
Private Lessons through the WPS Music Department
The Walpole Public Schools Music Department is pleased to announce the fall session for our Private Lesson Program for students in grades 4 - 12. If your child is interested in taking private instrument or voice lessons, here is your chance. Lessons are offered in flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, guitar and voice. All lessons are taught by accomplished performers on their respective instruments. Some lessons are currently being taught virtually. Session 1 will run September 23 to January 31. Registration is open until Monday, September 16th. For more information and to register, visit: https://sites.google.com/walpole.k12.ma.us/wpsmusic/private-lesson-program/overview For questions, email: Tim Fleming (K-12 Music Coordinator) at tfleming@walpole.k12.ma.us
Beginning of the School Year Information
Main Office Information
Absences: If your student is going to be absent or tardy, please call the absence line and let us know in advance. You may call this line at anytime and leave a message. The telephone number is 508-660-7234 and then press 1
Dismissals: Please send a hand written note with your student in the morning or fill out this form with at least 2 hours advance notice.
Afterschool dismissal changes: If your student is changing their typical way of leaving Fisher at 3:25pm, please send a note into school with the plan that morning.
We understand that there are unavoidable last minute changes, however, please be mindful that we must call the classroom and upset time on leaning with each change.
Please feel free to email the front office: fisher-secretaries@walpole.k12.ma.us
Start and End Times 2024-2025
School Day Begins at 8:55am
Dismissal is at 3:25pm
Early Release Days - Dismissal is at 12:25pm
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Click HERE to view our arrival and dismissal procedures