News From The Nest: Issue #11

Hello Elm Street School Families and Friends!

We absolutely SOARED through this short week with so much to celebrate! Members of our Garden Club did an incredible job presenting to the School Committee on Thursday night highlighting all the hard work that went into transforming our garden space. Friday afternoon several members of our Student Council spent time after the early release day engaging with seniors at the Council on Aging for a fun version of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. We also welcomed many families in for Educator/Family conferences Thursday evening and Friday afternoon. If you haven't yet signed up for a conference there may still be slots available during our last Fall conference block on Tuesday evening.

In this edition of our newsletter you will find more information about:

upcoming dates and celebrations for November
Counseling Corner: November Counseling Newsletter (mindfulness and dealing with stress, holiday assistance, social emotional learning lessons preview)
Essentialist Newsletter: PHYSICAL EDUCATION with Mr. Iadarola
Garden Club at School Committee (link to video of presentation)
Elm Multicultural Potluck: Nov 19th
Before/After School Enrichment Classes: Session 2 (Registration Closes Tuesday 11/17)
Elm Turkey Trot
Math Corner
Elm PAC Corner
Year at a Glance at Elm
2026 - 2027 School Calendar
Elm Student Notification Form
Lunch Menus
Walpole Virtual Backpack (community notices)

This coming week we have the Elm Multicultural Night on Thursday (11/19) starting at 6:30p. We all have culture to share and I hope you not only join us for this amazing night of celebration and community building, but also consider contributing a craft, performance, presentation, or dish to share about your family. (Sign up/RSVP here). This is a favorite event within the community and one you will not want to miss!

As a reminder, registration for session 2 of Elm Enrichment classes will close on Tuesday morning. We opened up Slime Squad to include grade 1 to provide more options for our younger students.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and we will see all of our Eagles back at the Nest on Monday!

Jen

Upcoming Dates: November

At the beginning of each month I will share a calendar of some upcoming Elm events as well as upcoming cultural celebrations and heritage months with hyperlinks to more information if you are interested in learning more. Below is information for November.

If there are cultural celebrations that are important to you and your family that you would like to share with the adult Elm community, please email me so I can be sure to include them in upcoming newsletters. If you have any questions about anything you see on our calendar, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly.

November

Native American Heritage Month
11/1 All Saints Day
11/1 - 2 Day of the Dead
11/3 Election Day
11/5 7:00p Elm PAC Meeting
11/10 3:45p Elm School Council meeting
11/11 Veterans Day, School Closed
11/12 5:00 - 7:00p Family Educator Conferences, 6:45p School Committee meeting
11/13 Early Release Day- Family Educator Conferences
11/17 5:00 - 7:00p Family Educator Conferences
11/19 6:30p Elm Multicultural Potluck
11/20 Transgender Day of Remembrance
11/25 Early Release Day, Elm Turkey Trot
11/26 - 27 School Closed
11/26 Thanksgiving, National Day of Mourning

Before/After School Enrichment Classes: Session 2

Enrichment Session II: REGISTRATION CLOSES ON TUESDAY 11/17

November 30 - January 18

(no classes the week of Dec 21 and Dec 28)

TUESDAY

(12/1, 12/8, 12/15, 1/5, 1/12, 1/19)

Gym Games with Mr. I

Grades: K, 1 & 2

Day: Tuesday 3:40-4:40 (12/1, 12/8, 12/15, 1/5, 1/12, 1/19)

Price per Student: $40

Get ready to move, play, and have fun! This engaging after-school enrichment program gives students in grades K-2 the opportunity to participate in their favorite gym games while developing important physical and social skills.

Students will enjoy age-appropriate games commonly played in physical education classes, with activities designed to build movement, coordination, listening, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Each session encourages students to be active, try new skills, work together, and most importantly, have fun!

WEDNESDAY

(12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20)

Dodgeball with Mr. I

Grades: 3, 4, & 5

Day: Wednesday 3:40-4:40 (12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20)

Price per student: $40

Get ready to duck, dip, dive, and dodge! In this high-energy after-school program, students in grades 3-5 will learn teamwork, sportsmanship, and agility through exciting and safe games of dodgeball. Each session focuses on skill-building such as throwing accuracy, quick reflexes, and strategic thinking all while emphasizing respect, fair play, and fun.

The Slime Squad with Ms. Torigian and Ms. Sullivan

Grades: 1, 2, 3 & 4

Day: Wednesday 3:40-4:40 (12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20)

Price per student: $55 ($40 class & $15 supply cost)

Welcome to the SLIME SQUAD!

Get ready to get messy, creative, and have a SLIMY good time!

Join the Slime Squad for 6 weeks of squishy, stretchy, fluffy, and fabulous fun! Each week, we'll experiment with different slime recipes, explore amazing textures, mix in colorful surprises, and create our very own slime masterpieces.

From fluffy slime to cloud slime, butter slime to glitter slime, there's always something exciting bubbling up in the Slime Squad lab!

Best of all? Every student gets to make their own slime creations and take them home each week!

Come ready to mix, stretch, squish, and SLIME!

One squad. Six weeks. Endless slime-tastic fun!

THURSDAY

(12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14, 1/21)

Clinic Club with Nurse DiCicco and Ms. Maloney

Grades: 2, 3, 4 & 5

Day: Thursday 3:40-4:40 (12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14, 1/21)

Price per student: $45 ($40 class & $5 supply cost)

Welcome to Clinic Club, an exciting after-school enrichment program where your child can step into the shoes of a healthcare hero! Designed specifically for young, curious minds, our interactive club introduces students to the fascinating worlds of medicine, anatomy, and first aid through completely hands-on activities. Throughout the program, your junior clinicians will learn how the body works by building working lung models and using real stethoscopes to explore the heart. They will also gain vital life skills in our "First Aid Academy"—learning the "Check, Call, Care" rule, practicing how to safely manage minor injuries, and even building their very own take-home first aid kits. From immersive "Operation" themed medical game days and empathy-building community service projects to an exclusive, real-life ambulance exploration, Clinic Club makes learning about health, science, and safety an unforgettable adventure.

Athletic Republic Norwood – Speed / Agility / Conditioning Training with Coach Jason Sylvester

Grades: 2, 3, 4 & 5

Day: Thursday 3:40-4:40 (12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14, 1/21)

Price per student: $90

Athletic Republic Norwood is offering an exercise class for grades 2-5 in an organized safe environment. We will incorporate Speed, Agility, Footwork, Change of Direction, Conditioning and Bodyweight Strength Training in a supportive way for the students. Each week will have a different emphasis and will incorporate teamwork and partner workouts as well. Perfect for students looking to get quicker for their sports/activities and to learn proper mechanics.

THURSDAY - MORNING CLASS

Cardboard Creations with Ms. Edwards & Ms. Beach

Grades: 3, 4, & 5

Day: Thursday 7:50-8:50am (12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14, 1/21)

Price per student: $45 ($40 class & $5 supply cost)

Students will spend six weeks exploring, designing, and building with our school's new ChompSaws! Students will take on hands-on engineering challenges, creating everything from airplanes and dinosaurs to their own original inventions. Along the way, they will experiment with different cutting and building techniques, test their designs, solve problems, and learn from one another. Our goal is to encourage creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and perseverance while giving students the freedom to turn their ideas into something amazing!

*** Reminder: All classes will be filled using a lottery system. Families will be notified on 11/19 of registrations. Payment is due by 11/23 to secure registration. If payment is not received by 11/23 the student's spot(s) may be given to the next available student on the waitlist. ***

Session 2 Enrichment Class Registration Link

Elm Turkey Trot

Elm Street School is hosting our annual Turkey Trot on Wednesday November 25, 2026 during the half-day. Each grade will be invited outside during their specials block to see how many laps they can run, walk, roll, or jog! Students are encouraged to bring in nonperishable food items Monday, November 23 through Wednesday November 25, 2026. There will be a donation table set up in the main lobby by the office and the bus loop doors by preschool. These items will be donated to the Walpole Food Pantry to help members of the community during the holiday season. Please remind your child(ren) to dress appropriately for the outdoors including sneakers. In case of extreme inclement weather we will move the Turkey Trot indoors.

Math Corner

This month in Math Corner, we will explore the importance of play in learning math.

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

~ Fred Rogers

When children play math games, they aren't just having fun; they are practicing strategy, problem-solving, and critical thinking in an active, low-stress environment. Game-based learning also builds vital social-emotional skills like turn-taking, collaboration, following rules, and navigating healthy competition.

In Walpole math classrooms, play is everywhere! Whether our students are solving ST Math puzzles, playing Bridges workstation games, or participating in Number Corner routines, they are constantly applying concepts, making connections, and extending their thinking. As they play, students are prompted to explain their reasoning and rephrase their strategies—deepening their understanding of the math behind the game.

Parents often ask how they can support their child’s math progress and development. Playing board and card games at home is a wonderful way to strengthen these core skills as a family. (Digital math games offer great benefits too, when balanced in moderation!)

Check out our Family Math site includes a whole section on games that support your child’s growth as a mathematician.

Elm PAC Corner

Thanks to all who attended our Fall Festival! Thank you especially to all of the volunteers who made the event happen. Many of our volunteers stayed well past their assigned "shifts" to make sure everything was covered, and we are very appreciative!! Everyone had a lot of fun!

Our annual Multicultural Potluck Event will take place on November 19th at 6:30pm. Please RSVP and sign up for contributions here and email elmpac@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering to help with this wonderful event!

We are looking for a parent chairperson for our December 9th Maker's Market. This is a fun, holiday evening event that allows our students to become little craft entrepreneurs for the evening, selling their creations at a winter marketplace at school. Our prior chairperson has offered to share her "playbook" for the event and estimates it's about 3 hours of planning before. Mrs. Buller will support the event with in school efforts. Please email elmpac@gmail.com if you think this is something you can help with.

The Garden Committee is selling holiday bulbs online. Here is the link to the fundraiser, which will support the purchase of a new garden shed. Thanks to all who helped with our rescheduled garden cleanup on November 11.

The Elm Street School apparel sale is coming soon! Expect an email in the next week or so! Walpole apparel makes for great holiday gifts!

Health Office Supply Collection Mrs. DiCicco was a big success. Thank you to everyone who contributed. I believe there are one or two items remaining if you have yet to donate and want to.

Health Office Amazon Wish List

The Friend Finder on the PAC website is a great feature that many parents use when sending birthday party invitations or organizing playdates. PAC can no longer update your child's grade level and classroom teacher for you. If you would like your information to be updated, please log on here and manually change their info.

On the horizon...

Mid-Late November, Apparel Sale
November 19, Multicultural Potluck
December 9, Maker's Market
February 1, Glow Run Fundraiser Kickoff
February 5, Half Day Family Swim at Goldfish, Norwood
February 10, Glow Run
March Conference Week, Book Fair
June 13, Woo Sox Game Fundraiser