Dear Memorial Families,

We are in full swing and are taking full advantage of this beautiful weather! The students have been getting outdoors quite a bit and there have been a number of field trips and enrichment programs already. A huge thank you to all of you for your support of the MMPTO and to the MMPTO enrichment committee as they are the ones who make our enrichment programs happen!

Speaking of supporting the MMPTO...

One important way to make a difference is by contributing to the PTO's Annual Appeal. This annual fundraising effort helps strengthen your child's learning so that we can provide an amazing education for our students. Donations will help fund essential enrichment programs and community activities that enhance the educational experience at MMES, from classroom materials and technology to arts and music programs. Your support will have a direct impact on the education and opportunities available to our students.

If you would like to get involved with the MMPTO and help out in that way, email mmptopres@gmail.com - they are a very welcoming group!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Best,

John

Mrs. Decker's scientists experimented to see which toothpaste works best to clean stains off of teeth. They used eggshells instead of teeth and stained them using cola-flavored soda. So cool!

Dear Memorial Parents and Caregivers,

On Tuesday, Mrs. DiTullio, Mrs. Cochand, Mrs. Sheridan and 1/2 of Mrs. Friske's class visited with an Indigenous Museum Educator from Plimoth Patuxet this week to learn more about the Wampanoag Way. He used reproduction artifacts to explore how the Wampanoag families lived, worked, and built communities in Patuxet before and after Europeans arrived in the 16th and 17th centuries. Some questions to ask your child to initiate conversation:

1. How did Wampanoag girls spend their day?
Playing with dolls in the garden to scare away the crows.

2. How did they sweeten their food?
With berries.

3. How many homes did Wampanoag families have? What was the difference? Two. One in the summer by the coast where they fished and lived with immediate family. One in the winter, in the woods, where they hunted and lived communally with 50-60 family members.

The students were very engaged throughout the presentation and given the opportunity to ask numerous questions at the end. The Educator recommended that all families explore additional learning on the museum website, in particular the "You Are The Historian" interactive game. Our other 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students will meet with this Educator in the near future, unfortunately, their day was postponed due to car problems.

Warmly,

The MMPTO Enrichment Committee

Please remember to enter the building to sign your student in when returning from an appointment.

Health Room Headlines

Welcome back!

A couple start of the school year reminders:

· If your child is going to be absent or arriving late, please email the office: schmidtm@mersd.org, the nurse morrisseyj@mersd.org, and your teacher.

· If your child has a temperature of 100.4F or over, they need to be fever free for 24 hours (without the aid of Tylenol or Motrin) before re-entering the school.

· If your child is experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, we recommend that they are symptom free for 24 hours and can tolerate solid food before re-entering the building.

· ALL CLASSROOMS ARE PEANUT/NUT FREE

Physicals: Updated physicals and immunization records are due for grades PK, K,1, 4, and all new students in grades PK-5. Physicals expire within one year of last visit. Please send me a copy when physical is complete.

Forms: Please return permission to medicate, health update, and emergency forms as soon as possible.

Change of season: With the change of season comes many viruses this time of year. Let's kick start the year with some healthy habit reminders. Please stay vigilant with hand washing and keep up with drinking your fluids. Wash down surfaces frequently. Try to stay home when unwell to prevent the spread of illness.

Thank you all for your cooperation, any questions or concerns please call or email,

Jaclyn Morrissey, R.N.

978-526-1909

morrisseyj@mersd.org

2024-2025 Calendar

October

14 – Holiday, No School

23 - Early Release, PD 11:45 am

29 - School Picture Retake Day

29 -30 – Spring Book Fair

30 - Grade 4 Field Trip to Harvard Museum of Natural History

November

8 - Early Release, PD 11:45 am

11 – Veteran’s Day, No School

18 – Author Visit Hena Khan

27 – Early Release, 11:45 am

28-29 – Thanksgiving Recess No School

December

5 - Early Release, K-8 Conferences, 11:45am

6 – K-8 Conferences, No School

11 - Early Release, PD 11:45am

Winter Recess December 23-January 3: No School

MCAS Testing Windows - Please be mindful when planning family absences

ELA Testing Window - March 24 - April 18

Mathematics Testing Window - April 28 - May 23

STE Testing Window -April 28 - May 23

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We would like to extend a warm invitation to all members of the Manchester Memorial Elementary School (MMES) community to attend the upcoming MMPTO Meeting. This is a great opportunity to meet other families, learn about what we do, and find ways to get involved in supporting our school and making every student's experience memorable.

Date: October, 21
Time:8:30am
Location: First Floor Multi Purpose Room

Whether you are new to MMES or have been part of our community for some time, we welcome your participation and input. Your involvement makes a difference, and together, we can create amazing experiences for our children.

Hope to see you there!

For the 2024-2025 school year, the PTO has partnered with Square 1 Art for the annual art fundraiser. This new company offers a number of advantages - simple online ordering (no complicated paper forms to fill out!), free shipping directly to your home, a fun catalog featuring your students' actual artwork to choose from, and a free set of stickers of your child's artwork. Keep an eye out for order packets to come home during the week of October 28th. Ordering will be open until November 13. Please email coordinator Becky Stephenson at treasurermmpto@gmail.com with any questions!

As a valued member of our Manchester Memorial school community, we invite you to make a meaningful impact on your child's educational experience by contributing to our PTO Annual Appeal. Your donation will directly fund essential programs, events, and resources that benefit all students, from classroom materials and technology to arts and music programs. Every contribution, big or small, counts and is tax-deductible. You can donate easily via Venmo (@manchesterpto), online through our website, or by check payable to MMPTO. If you need information for company match or organizational donations, please contact us at mmptopres@gmail.com. Your support will help us continue to provide a world-class education for our students. Thank you for considering a donation to our Annual Appeal!

MERSD elementary students now have access to the iReady "My Path" program at home. This aspect of iReady is an online tool that provides students with learning activities and practice geared towards their individual skills and needs. Below you will find information regarding accessing this tool at home for extra skill practice in reading and mathematics.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qhiOnoPCkyzwb8HLql0PdEgwNC_tiKcN/view

Chili Cook-Off: To celebrate National Fire Prevention Week, the fire department is hosting an open house at the fire station. The event features a friendly chili cookoff between the firefighters, hot dogs, drinks, tours, and safety demos. Free and open to all.

Daisy's Beach Day: Let's help raise money for Daisy the Comfort Dog's care. Bring your dog to Singing Beach a day early on October 14 from 1 PM to 4 PM for a special fundraising event. Dogs are not allowed on the beach until October 15 but the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea has given special permission for this event in Daisy's honor. A $10 Donation is Requested/Canine to enter the beach. Bring your dog or just come play with Daisy at this fun event to kick off "dogs on the beach" season.

The Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum's Autumn Art & History Saturday morning (11 AM to 12 noon) children's workshops will be as follows: on October 5th, participants will learn about Manchester's Fishery heritage and draw and paint a sea creature. On October 19th, we will look at the museum's collection of Charles Hopkinson's portraits, and then will draw and color a portrait. On November 2nd, we will learn about the Cape Ann Sea serpent, viewed by many people in the 1800s, and then put together a sea creature assemblage. On November 16th, we will look at paintings of Singing Beach, and then adapt our own version of beach activities. These workshops are made available by The Hooper Fund.

Saturday workshops are geared toward ages 5 to 12.
To register for one or more, please visit mbtsmuseum.org/autumn-art.

Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum10 Union St. Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944

Felted Ghost Project at Manchester Public Library

Tuesday, October 15, 4-5:30 p.m.

Get in the Halloween spirit with the library and Pop Up Art! Using just wool and a needle, you'll craft a decoration that'll put the "ooooo" in booooo! (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Recommended for ages 11 and up.

https://manchesterpl.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/pop-up-art-school-felted-ghost/

Manchester-Essex Travel Basketball Grades 5-8 registration for the 2024-2025 is now open. For more information and to register please visit www.MEtravelbasketball.com

• Mobile Markets will then run from 2:30-3:30pm through January on the first Wednesday of each month.
• Mobile Market will run on an early release schedule of 11am-12:15pm on the first Wednesday of each month in February, March, May, and June.