October has FLOWN by! I cannot believe it is almost November and soon it will be the holiday season. We have had a busy month with many events and special programs. Please read below for more upcoming events and a review of what we've been up to in October!

~Kelli Colarusso

Pokemon cards are continuing to be a popular activity. Throughout the years, there have been times when Pokemon cards were not allowed. This was due to the majority of students misusing the privilege of playing with these cards at school. To avoid this from happening, here are the Pokemon card rules:

• Pokemon cards are allowed at recess. Other times are at the discretion of the teacher. These times may include snack or dismissal.
• Pokemon cards are not allowed on Bus 2 (Bus 74). This rule was created by the bus company because of problems on that bus.
• No trading or selling.
• Cards are the responsibility of the student, and WES is not responsible for lost cards.

We hope to deal with Pokemon card problems with individual students but if the problem becomes the majority, we will have to rethink the above rules. Please talk with your children about these rules so that they can continue to enjoy these cards at school.

Thank you!

October 27th - Fire Drill/Fire Safety with the Washington Fire Department

October 31st - Socktober Halloween Parade (see below for more details)

November 3rd - WES Flu Clinic **This date has been changed from a previous date. Please contact Alexa Kerry (akerry@hdsd.org) for more information if you have not signed up and would like to.

November 11th - No School - Veterans' Day

November 14th - Washington School Board Meeting 6:00pm in the art room

November 16th - Parent/Teacher Conferences - This is a full day for students. Students will participate in special activities with WES staff members while teachers conference with parents. Schedules will go home November 2nd. If there is a specific time you prefer, please reach out to your child's teacher.

November 23rd-25th - Thanksgiving Recess - No School

The 4th and 5th graders have organized Socktober yet again this year! In an effort to connect Halloween to also helping our community, we have combined a Halloween parade with donating socks. Socks are the least donated item in homeless shelters. Please bring in clean, unused socks to donate. We will carry our socks down to Camp Morgan on Monday, October 31st and try to fill the police cruiser! Afterwards, our local police help us find a shelter to donate the socks to.

Students are welcome to wear their costumes during the parade. We also invite our Early Learners to dress up and attend but parents need to walk with them since Early Learning is not in session on Mondays.

The parade will happen at 2:15pm. Parents are welcome to watch (see map below). Please send your child's costume to school with him/her. They will change into their costumes before the parade. And don't forget clean, unused socks!

Also, the 4th/5th graders will be leading some sock-related activities that morning for the entire school. If you have any mismatched, clean socks, please send them in with your child so that we can use them for a whole school activity. These socks will not be sent back home (and will not be donated because they are used).

This month, students are learning about Habit 6: Synergize (Together is Better). Here are some kid-friendly statements for Habit 6:

• Everyone is good at something; I learn from them.

• Not my way, not your way, but the high way.

• I work with others to solve problems.

• I value people’s differences.

• I am humble

At the end of each month, teachers also focus on Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw (Balance feels best). Habit 7 includes the following actions:

• I care for my body by eating right, exercising, and getting sleep.

• I learn in lots of ways and places, not just school.

• I spend time with family and friends.

• I find meaningful ways to help others.

• I care for my whole person.

Be on the lookout for HOWLer awards brought home by your students. In recognition for following any of our 7 Habits, staff members will give out HOWLer awards at each whole school morning meeting on Fridays. These are great awards to hang on your fridge at home!

At the end of the month, all students who received a HOWLer award will be put into a drawing to have lunch with our local police officers. Because we were still figuring out the details, we will choose 6 students (2 from each class) for a HOWLer lunch for the months of September and October.

We hope this helps students understand that ANYONE can be a leader when they are following the 7 Habits of Wolf Leaders.

If your family is experiencing difficulties at home, we would like to provide additional support at school. We understand that you are not always able to give details and that's okay. If your student is coming to school after a difficult night, morning, or weekend, please feel free to send in a note that simply says "Handle with Care." This will let us know that your student may need a little extra time, patience, or help during the day.

Teachers will follow up with an update about how your student's day went but we do not need more information other than to know how your student is doing in the coming days. We hope that this helps bridge communication between the school and families in order to best support all children.

Each month I will highlight a different community resource. If there is one that you think would be particularly helpful for WES families, please let me know! Previous resources will be linked below so that you always have access to learning more if you'd like to.

August's Highlight: West Central Behavioral Health

September/October's Highlight: 211 NH

This month's highlight: Washington Welfare Office and Holiday Gift Program

The Washington Welfare office can be reached by visiting the website below or calling 603-495-0262. The person of contact is Monica Scanlan.

From their website: "In keeping with the generosity of spirit and compassion of the RSA, the Washington Welfare Office strives to serve its clients with dignity, kindness, and confidentiality, and to provide emergency assistance with the basic necessities of shelter, food, heat, and medical care. These services are supported by a budget voted on at Town Meeting."

The welfare office also maintains the town's food pantry. They also have a holiday gift program for any family that receives free lunch at school. These forms were sent home this week but if you have questions about this program, please do not hesitate to reach out to Kelli Colarusso or Monica Scanlan.

School lunches can be PURCHASED this year for the following prices:

Breakfast: $1.50

Lunch: $2.60

Milk: $0.40

Reduced Breakfast: $0.00

Reduced Lunch: $0.40

We encourage ALL families to fill out the free and reduced lunch application. This application helps our school obtain federal grant money which funds our Early Learning program, special programs for students, and training for teachers. Without this funding, these programs would not be possible with our current budget. If you do not think you would qualify or you do not want to use the free/reduced lunch service, we understand but still ask that you fill out the application.

You can apply online here: https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ApplicationScreen.aspx

A paper application is attached and will be sent home on the first day of school.

How to Pay for Lunch:

Each week, Barbara Jackson will send home envelopes with your child's balance written on it. Please return the envelope with cash or check payable to Washington School District with enough money for that week's meals. Please also indicate which days your child will be getting lunch to help Barbara plan. Thank you!

If you know of any new students in the area or incoming kindergarteners, please give them the information below about how to register. Our Early Learning Program currently has a waitlist but families can register to be added to the waitlist and to ensure they are on our list for next year.

If you need to reach the school for any reason, please call the main office at 495-3463. If someone does not answer, please leave a message. We check messages frequently throughout the day, but there is not always someone at the front desk, as we all wear many hats!

If there are changes to your child's dismissal routine, please make sure to leave a message on the office phone before 2:30pm, as opposed to emailing Dawn or the teacher. Our teachers often do not have time to check their emails throughout the day and may miss the message, so a phone call is best. Please do not leave messages about dismissal or absences on the school Facebook page or any staff member's personal Facebook page.

In the event that internet is down, our phones are also down. We do have one emergency phone to use if this happens. The number for that phone is 603-495-0187. There is no way to leave a message on this line. Please only use this number if you try the main line and it does not ring or gives you a busy signal.

If there's ever anything we can do to improve our communication, please let us know!

If you ever have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I typically get to school by 7:45am, and I stay until about 4:30 (sometimes later!). I teach on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays so you may not reach me right away those days, but if you leave a message, I will give you a call when I am available. Email is also a great way to get a hold of me.

Email: kcolarusso@hdsd.org
Website: https://www.hdsd.org/Domain/200
Phone: 603-495-3463
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Washington-Elementary-School-110720773888378
Twitter: @MrsColarussoWES