GVS Family Newsletter

Grantham Village School

75 Learning Drive

Grantham, NH 03753

603-863-1681

frontoffice@gvshawks.org

Principal: Kristen Reed

kreed@gvshawks.org

Dear GVS Families,

As we reflect on the recent tragedy at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, our hearts are with the students, families, educators, and community members impacted. Events like this remind us of the importance of remaining vigilant and consistent with the safety procedures we have in place to protect our students and staff.

At GVS, the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priorities. While we have established safety protocols, it is important that we periodically revisit and reinforce these expectations with our entire school community.

GVS Closed Campus: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM

GVS is a closed campus during our teachers' contracted hours, from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. During this time:

• All exterior doors will remain locked, and visitors must enter through the main entrance.

• All visitors must check in with the front office and receive permission before entering the main part of the building.

• The school grounds are not available for community members to walk, visit, or use recreationally during these hours unless they have checked in with and received permission from the front office.

• Parents, guardians, and other community members should not be on or around the playground during school hours. This allows our staff to maintain their full attention on supervising and supporting our students without unnecessary distractions.

Morning Arrival: Before-School Programs and Music Lessons

We are also making an adjustment to our morning entry procedures for students arriving before the regular school day.

For students participating in before-school programming or morning music lessons, the main entrance will be unlocked to allow students into the front foyer. However, the doors from the foyer into the main school building will remain locked. Students will need to be admitted into the building by a GVS staff member.

We ask families to remind their children to wait patiently in the foyer until a staff member lets them in. Please do not open or hold secured doors for others.

Working Together to Keep GVS Safe

We recognize that GVS is a close-knit community where families, staff, and students know one another well. That sense of community is one of our greatest strengths. At the same time, familiarity cannot take the place of established safety procedures. Consistent expectations help us maintain a safe and secure learning environment for everyone.

Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and continued partnership. We appreciate the important role each of you plays in helping us keep GVS a safe, welcoming, and caring place for our students.

Warmly,

Kristen Reed
Principal, Grantham Village School

Dear Grantham School Community,

I am sharing this important message from our A.R.E.A. (Authorized Regional Educational Area) partner, the Lebanon School District. We are collaborating to study the start and end times for Lebanon Middle and High School. This first step is to let all AREA communities know about these beginning efforts. It is important to know that no decisions have been made at this time. The message below includes a link to a Google Form that will allow any school community member, including students, families of PK to 12 Grantham students, and GVS staff members, to provide questions and concerns that the study committee may want to consider and review. Please consider completing the form, so we have a better sense of questions and concerns from a variety of stakeholders. This form will remain open through October 25, 2026. If you have students currently enrolled at LMS and/or LHS, you will likely receive a similar message directly from Lebanon. You only need to complete the form once for your family. I am sharing this information with our GVS PK to 6 students and families, as well as our GVS staff. This study will consider possible impacts to our GVS community.

Thank you for your time and attention to this request.

Sincerely,

Christine Downing, Grantham Superintendent

Lebanon Message:

New School Start/End Time Committee:

At the direction of the Lebanon School Board, our district has begun a process to examine potential changes to our school day start and end times to better support student learning and well-being. Because our district relies on a staggered bus transportation system, our elementary schools and secondary schools cannot open simultaneously. Research and recommendations from major professional organizations suggest that middle and high schools benefit from a later start time to align with adolescents' biological sleep patterns, yielding benefits such as improved academic performance, enhanced physical and mental health, reduced tardiness, and increased safety. Studies indicate that earlier start times do not negatively impact younger children, allowing districts to shift elementary schedules earlier to accommodate later secondary start times to support learning for all students. Currently, Lebanon Middle School and High School begin at 7:30 am. The national average for high schools is 8:00 am, and fewer than 10% of high schools begin at or before 7:30.

Our committee includes parents, teachers, and other district staff, as well as LHS and LMS student committees. We are proceeding cautiously with this inquiry and working in close collaboration with our Authorized Regional Educational Area (AREA) partners, including Grantham and Plainfield, to evaluate community impacts. Later this fall, we will send that information with surveys to families, faculty, and students to learn how a potential shift might affect your routines and schedules. In the winter, everyone will also have opportunities to share feedback during in-person Q&A sessions before any decisions are made. Should a change be decided upon, the earliest possible date for implementation would be Fall 2028.

You can read more about the research behind this initiative here. If you have questions or concerns that you would like the School Start Time Committee to know about now, you can submit them via this Google form; this will remain open until Oct. 25th.

The New Hampshire Department of Education wants to hear from you! If you have a child in grades PK–12 receiving special education services—including those in chartered public schools or approved special education programs—please take a few minutes to complete Grantham’s Parent Involvement Survey.

• Anonymous & Direct Impact: Your responses are completely confidential and directly shape special education decisions at both district and state levels.

• Multiple Children? Please complete a separate survey for each child receiving services.

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Have questions? Contact Superintendent Christine Downing at cdowning@sau75.org.

• Wednesday, October 21 - 9am - Off-site evacuation drill (rain date = 10/22)
• Tuesday, October 27 - SAU75 Presentation to the Community - NH School Fair Funding 5:45pm - GVS Cafeteria
• Wednesday, October 28 - SAU 75 Policy Committee meeting 9:30am via Google Meet
• Friday, October 30 - Costume Day - No face coverings or face paint. No weapons or gore.
• Monday, November 2 - Picture Retake Day
• Tuesday, November 3 - School Board Meeting at 6:30pm
• Wednesday, November 4 - 1:15 dismissal for students (parent teacher conferences)
• Thursday, November 5 - 1:15 dismissal for students (parent teacher conferences)

Photo retake day is set for Monday, November 2nd. This is for new students and staff members, transfer students, or for anyone who may have missed the initial picture day.

Additionally, we welcome anyone who was unhappy with their original picture and would like to give it another try. Retake photos automatically replace original photos in school documentation. If a student chooses to retake their photo, please have them return the original picture package to the photographer on picture day. It will be replaced at no additional cost.

Ailment of the week: Bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which are the air passages that carry air to and from your lungs. Acute Bronchitis,typically what we see at school, is a short-term condition that typically improves within 7 to 10 days, though a cough can linger for up to 3 weeks. It is most commonly caused by contagious viruses like those that cause the common cold or flu.

Common Symptoms

• Cough that produces thick mucus (clear, white, yellow, or green)

• Chest discomfort, tightness, or soreness

• Fatigue and general body aches

• Shortness of breath and wheezing

• Slight fever and chills

• Sore throat and runny nose

Antibiotics do not work because the illness is almost always viral. Treatment focuses on home care, such as resting, drinking plenty of fluids, using a humidifier or steam, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers or fever reducers. Sometimes, an inhaler will be prescribed.

Bronchitis itself is not contagious, because it is a condition of inflammation in your airways. However, the viruses or bacteria that cause acute bronchitis are contagious. To prevent bronchitis, you must avoid the respiratory viruses and lung irritants that trigger inflammation in your airways. How?

• Wash your hands: Clean your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Avoid touching your face: Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth to stop germs from entering your body.

• Stay away from sick people: Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold, the flu, or other respiratory illnesses, especially during winter months when people gather indoors.

• Wear a mask: Use a face mask in crowded indoor spaces during viral season, or if you are starting to show symptoms, to protect yourself and others.

In Lunch Bunch this month we are reading One Word for Kids and discussing personal goals.

One Word for Kids helps students identify one meaningful word that becomes a daily reminder of who they want to be and how they want to grow! That word might be courage, patience, curiosity, focus, gratitude, perseverance, kindness, or something completely unique to each child. The important part isn’t choosing the “perfect” word—it’s choosing one that reminds students of the person they want to become.

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Book Suggestion

(currently being read by Kathy Buckley, our reading specialist)

The newly revised and updated version of The Collapse of Parenting is a good read for parents who are worried about how social media and devices are impacting children's behavior and relationships.

Thanks to the hard work, generosity and participation of our school community, our school raised $642.00 through the 2026 Hannaford Helps Schools program. These funds will help us continue creating a positive, thriving environment for every student. Your support has made a meaningful impact on our school and your involvement and encouragement truly make a difference for our students, teachers and staff. Thank you for your continued dedication to our school community!

Grantham Village School, the Grantham School District/SAU 75, and the Grantham School Board proudly partner with various non-profit and community organizations to enrich our students' experience. Please note that while we include information about these organizations for communication and community awareness, they do not represent or act on behalf of the Grantham Village School, the Grantham School District/SAU 75, or the Grantham School Board in any official capacity.

When: October 27, 2026

Time: 6pm to 8pm

Location: Grantham Village School Cafeteria

Purpose: This is part of a 10-county tour that NHSFFP is providing throughout the state. It is an interactive conversation about school funding and property taxes on a county and state level. Learn how the educational funding system affects communities. Data for Sullivan county will be shared. NHSFFP is collecting different perspectives throughout the state to help consider potential future solutions.

You can learn more about NHSFFP and these presentations using this link: https://fairfundingnh.org/10countytour/

The GPTG is once again having GVS students participate in an Original Arts fundraiser. This allows their art to be turned into any myriad of items from their catalog. Order forms will be arriving soon and will go home in your student's communications folder. The order deadline is November 13th. Please see the attached flyer for additional details!

Are you ready for a spooky good time? Mark your calendars for Grantham Recreation’s Annual Trunk or Treat & DJ Dance Party

Saturday, October 24 3:00-6:00 pm

Grantham Rec Park, 19 Shedd Rd.

Trunk or Treat – 3:00-4:30

DJ Dance Party, Crafts & other Fall-Themed Fun – 4:00-6:00

Hungry? Grumpa’s Food Trunk will be there with your favorite burgers and fries!

For more information – CLICK HERE

Can you help us break a Trunk or Treat Record??

Let’s get 52 “trunks” registered this year and PACK THE REC PARK with Halloween fun!

CLICK HERE to reserve your spot today!

Grantham Recreation is accepting donations of Halloween

Candy through Oct. 23 rd . Donated candy will be distributed to the

homeowners along Routes 10 and 114 who entertain the largest

volume of trick or treaters on Halloween.

Thank you for helping offset the Halloween candy costs for your

neighbors along the Trick or Treat route.

Candy Donations can be dropped off in the donation bin located

in the Town Hall lobby during regular business hours.

*Team snap has a new platform called Team Snap One. You will

need a new Team Snap One account to register for basketball.

Practices begin the week of Nov. 16th for Grades 3-6. Games begin

(tentatively) on Dec. 5th.

Practice begin the week of Jan. 4 for Grades K-2.

Practices are based on coach availability. Please consider coaching

your child's team.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER