The Brown School Buzz

Welcome back to our first, second, and third grade families, and welcome aboard to our new Kindergarten and Preschool Families! The Brown School has been very active this summer getting ready for another fabulous year of learning and fun. Our office has been busy with orders, scheduling and summer school programs. Our gardens are thriving and our PTO has already scheduled their events for the year!

Yes, the beginning of a new school year is exciting for many, and sometimes a bit anxiety provoking for others. Shifting from summer schedules to school schedules can be challenging for all of us. If your child is feeling uneasy about starting school, read on for tips from the National PTA organization for ways to help make your child feel positive about starting a new year. And remember, we are all here to help, so please reach out if we can support you or your child in any way.

As we get ready to start the year, we recognize that our relationship with you is paramount. We promise to care for your children, to keep them safe and do everything we can to help them succeed academically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally every single day. And as it is with all relationships, there may be a bump or two along the way. While we will give your children 100% our our effort, we won't always get it 100% right, and there will likely be an occasional miscommunication. Strong relationships are built on trust and clear communication. So please reach out to your child's teacher, our office folks, Mr. Manfredi, our counselors, or me whenever you are needing clarification or increased understanding.

In our June Brown School Buzz, we shared the efforts we have made to "become" The Brown School. As we embark on a new school year together, it bears repeating how much we appreciate your partnership as we continue to provide a positive school culture and learning community.

Our culture and future is being built upon classroom experiences, events, coming together and sharing common goals. The process of "becoming" is not the work and effort of one, but rather many, many entities coming together to commit to becoming.

Becoming the Lucretia and Joseph Brown School has been the work of the teachers working together to keep our students safe, happy and learning each day. It is the give and take of the entire staff to subscribe to a vision and mission we can agree upon. It is the students working through challenging content, sharing their learning and resolving conflicts. And it is you.

Every time you reach out to a teacher, staff member, cafeteria worker, custodian, or to me to ask a question, to say thank you, to give us constructive feedback, or approach with an assumption of good intention, we move forward as a school community. Everytime you believe in us, volunteer, smile, express gratitude, chaperone, send an email, and tell your child it' s going to be okay, we move forward as a school community. Truly, when we say, "we couldn't do it without you.", we mean it.

Looking forward to a great year together!

Mary

Marblehead is known for many wonderful things, unfortunately, seamless and efficient traffic flow during the school arrival and dismissal times is not one of them. :-) Coordinating busses, car riders, walkers, cyclists, and after school programs to assure the safety of 450 children is a tall order. We would ask everyone to please be patient, be kind and allow for extra time, especially the first week.

One way you can help is to make sure you have shared your child's dismissal plan with your child's classroom teacher. And whenever a change from the regular plan is made, be sure to review it with your child in the morning and give the teacher a heads up to keep everyone in the communication loop. Thanks so much!

*As communicated by Superintendent Robidoux, there will be a slight change in our arrival time. For your planning, please make note of the following:

Arrival occurs in a variety of areas on the Brown Campus

1. For PK and K: Depending on where the classroom is situated, students enter the building either through the classroom door or the PK playground door adjacent to the main parking lot

Classroom Doors: Simmons, Connelly, Ross, Hecht

PK Playground Door: Herendeen, Duffy, Kleemola, and Zisson

*Classroom doors and the playground door will open at 8:05.

2. Students arriving between 7:50-8:00, should enter through the Main Entrance on Baldwin Road and proceed to the cafeteria.

3. The Westside Entrance (Dartmouth Road side) will be opened at 8:00 when supervision begins for carline students.

8:10-SCHOOL OFFICIALLY BEGINS

*Students arriving in the building after 8:10 AM are considered tardy.

New routines take time, and I'm sure we'll have some wrinkles to iron out, but I'm also sure we will be running smoothly in no time at all! Thank you for your patience and help as we all work together to get kids safely to school each day.

If your child is feeling a little anxious about a new teacher, classroom, or school. The National PTA has some great advice for helping your child feel ease the stress of a new school year and start on a positive note:

• Re-assure your child. Listen to and acknowledge your child’s feelings and demonstrate confidence that they can handle the situation. Encourage your children to talk openly with you and with teachers about concerns or worries they may have
• Point out the positives. Starting a new school year can be fun. Your child will see old friends and meet new ones. The first week of school offers a chance to learn about new things and pursue interests. Reinforce the fun and excitement of learning with your child
• Prepare ahead and start a routine. Start preparing your child for the upcoming school year by establishing or getting into back-to-school routines a week or two before school starts. Have your child pick out the clothes he or she plans to wear to school the next day. Encourage everyone in the house to go to bed early and get up 15 to 30 minutes earlier so they’re not rushing around in the morning. Allow enough time for a good breakfast, and make arrangements for your child’s lunch. During the first week of school, find out if any additional materials are requested (pencils, folders, etc.) and remember that your school, local nonprofit groups and PTAs often can help with providing school supplies
• Encourage safe traveling to and from school. Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk or bike to school, or ride with on the bus. Briefly review the basics of safe walking and biking. If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with him) to school and pick him up on the first day.
• Plan for special needs. If your child requires medication, treatment or has special needs, talk to the school administrative staff, then talk to your child about how those needs will be handled at school (what time to go to the office for medication or what foods in the cafeteria to avoid, etc.)
• Prepare for emergency situations. What should your child do if you are late picking her up, or if no one is at the house when she arrives home? What should your child do if he feels picked on while at recess? Talking in advance with your child and having a plan will help minimize panic and stress.

The first full day of PK is on Thursday, August 28, but we welcome all families to come met the teacher and explore the classroom from 9:00-10:00 on Wednesday, August 27th. Since the first full day for K-3 creates day an excessively busy and sometimes becomes a bit chaotic in our parking lots and hallways, we thought it best for PK families to come once the traffic has dissipated and things have quieted down for our youngest learners to be introduced to the classroom. So please join us on Wednesday for a meet and greet and on Thursday for your first full day!

There are a few positions across the District we are still trying to fill. If you, or someone you know is interested in working for the Marblehead School District, please reach out. Currently we have openings at the Brown School for a Lunch/Recess Supervisor. and substitutes. Please CLICK HERE for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. and to learn more about how to become a substitute at the Brown School for 1 or more days a week. You can name your days!! Come join the Brown School Team!

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

Tuesday, August 26-Kindergarten Orientation 2:00-3:00 PM

Wednesday, August 27-FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL K-3

Wednesday, August 27-PK Drop In Open House 9:00-10:00

Tuesday and Wednesday September 23/24 NO SCHOOL-Rosh Hashanah

Thursday, September 25-OPEN HOUSE

Tuesday, September 30-PICTURE DAY

Thursday, October 2-NO School-Yom Kippur

Thursday, October 13-NO SCHOOL-Indigenous People's Day

Friday, October 17-PTO Monster Mash

Email: maxfield.mary@marbleheadschools.org
Website: https://www.marbleheadschools.org
Location: 40-41 Baldwin Road, Marblehead, MA, USA
Phone: (781) 639-3112