New Manchester Elementary School

It is hard to believe that we are in the final days of the school year. It has been such a successful year for both students and staff! As we approach the end of another wonderful school year at NMES, I want to take a moment to reflect on our journey together and celebrate all that our students, staff, and families have accomplished. This year has been filled with learning, laughter, and growth. From our engaging classroom activities to our school events, field trips, spirt days, PTA programs, and interactive family engagement nights, our students have grown academically, socially, and emotionally throughout this school year. It has been an amazing journey. We are truly appreciative of the effort you have put forth. We firmly believe that through our collaborative efforts and following our mission statement - "It Takes a Team to Educate a Child" - our students will continue to thrive and accomplish great things.

It can sometimes be difficult to keep your child motivated and eager to learn this time of year. However, we will be continuing instruction so helping your child understand the importance of continuing to work hard throughout this last month will only increase his/her success at school and at home.

We hope that you and your child have had just as great an experience as all of us at NMES have had this year. We will miss our Fourth Grade students who are moving onto the next chapter of their lives at OGMS and wish them much success. There is no doubt that we will see wonderful accomplishments from them in their future endeavors. Remember 4th Grade: "Always a Bearcat!"

Have a wonderful, safe summer! See you in August!

Grab & Go and Lunch menus can also be found on our school website page under the tab "food service".

5/1 Progress Reports

5/1 School Lunch Hero Day

5/4-5/8 Staff Appreciation Week

5/4 - 5/15 General Summative Assessment for 3rd & 4th Grades

5/5 National Teacher's Day

5/6 School Nurse Day

5/10 Mother's Day

5/11 - 5/15 National Police Week

5/12 No School - Election Day

5/15 PTA Foam Party

5/22 Family Read Aloud

5/25 No School - Memorial Day

5/26 Mobile Dentist

5/27 4th Grade Field Trip to the Pittsburgh Aviary

5/27 OGHS Senior Walk

5/27 Pre-K End of the Year Celebration 5:30 - 6:30

5/28 AR Reward - Kona Ice (all dye free flavors)

5/29 School Carnival

5/29 Last Instructional Day for Pre-K

6/1 4th Grade Picnic at Tomlinson Run State Park

6/2 AR - Visit to the Animal Shelter

6/4 Last Instructional Day for Students K-4 -- 2 Hour Early Dismissal (1:00 p.m.)

6/4 Report Cards

6/5 Last Day for Staff

The WV General Summative Assessment for students in 3rd and 4th grades will begin May 1st and continue through May 15th. All 3rd and 4th grade students will be tested in Reading/Language Arts and Math. The students and teachers have been preparing, and we feel confident that our students will do well. It is important that EVERY student is in school EVERY day and arrives to school on time - once the classrooms begin testing, they cannot be interrupted. It is important that all students get plenty of rest and eat a healthy breakfast. Snacks will be provided for the students during testing compliments of the PTA. Please contact your child's teacher or the school office if you have specific questions regarding the WV General Summative Assessment.

Congratulations to the following students for being a recipient of May's Student Spotlight!

Preschool: Brik & Mattie

Kindergarten: Ryder & Brantley

1st Grade: Lorelei & Riley & Ainslee

2nd Grade: Ayden & Wyatt & Quincy

3rd Grade: Aliyah & Elowyn

4th Grade: Jaxon & Karsynn & Hattie

One student per classroom will be chosen each month by the teacher to be recognized for our "Student Spotlight". The student will have their picture posted to our front lobby bulletin board, will be recognized in our monthly newsletter, and will receive a token of appreciation for their efforts at our PTA meetings

Criteria for selecting the Student Spotlight recipients will include (but is not limited to) the following

• Effort
• Character through compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, optimism, and responsibility
• Behavior and self-control
• Attitude toward others/learning
• Good citizenship
• Leadership and integrity
• Demonstrates responsibility.
• Respectful to peers and teachers
• Significant progress in the classroom and/or marked improvement in grades

The character trait for May is DEDICATED which can be defined as being devoted to a task or purpose. This means students take ownership of their learning and responsibilities and demonstrate a strong commitment to their educational goals.

Being dedicated can be characterized by:

• Setting and achieving goals - students set realistic and achievable goals and work diligently to reach them
• Emotional investment - Students are emotionally invested in their learning which in turn drives their motivation and persistence
• Resilience - Students demonstrate resilience by overcoming challenges and setbacks. They learn from failures and continue to strive for success
• Responsibility - Students take responsibility for their actions and decisions which contributes to a positive learning environment
• Creativity - Students are creative at finding solutions to obstacles and challenges. This shows flexibility and adaptability
• Self-Discipline - Students can practice self-discipline by managing their time and energy effectively to complete tasks.

Dedication is a vital trait that influences a student's ability to set goals, overcome challenges, and develop resilience.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month - a good time to highlight the importance of emotional well-being for children and families. Discover your parenting superpowers! Explore simple, research-backed tips to strengthen communication, build connection, and raise confident, resilient kids.

All children enjoy a scavenger hunt, so why not make one based around math?

• Give children a grid with some pre-set weights and/or lengths on it.
• Challenge them to find something outside (at the park, in the garden, etc.) that is approximately 5 inches long or something that weighs approximately 1 pound. Continue this with various measurements.
• Have your child gather all of the items they think match the weights/lengths on the card and check how well they have done with a kitchen scale or a tape measure.

• May is the third and last month of the season of Spring
• May is "Get Caught Reading" month. This is a great time for students to earn AR points.
• The Indianapolis 500 car race is held each year during May
• May is named after the Greek goddess Maia, who is associated with spring and growth
• The Kentucky Derby, the world's most famous horse race, is held in May
• May's full moon is called the Flower Moon.
• Star Wars Day happens on May 4th - "May the 4th Be With You!"
• May was once considered a bad luck month to get married. There is a poem that says "Marry in May and you'll rue the day."
• May is the seasonal equivalent to November in the Southern Hemisphere
• No US president has ever died in the month of May, making it unique compared to other months
• Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on the 5th of May, commemorating the Mexican army's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla

For my last submission for the school year, I want to share some ideas for meaningful family activities that can keep children engaged, happy, and connected for the summer months – both for learning and people around them.

Summer learning ideas include reading together daily by visiting your local library, creating a summer reading list, or starting a family book club. Nature exploration could include taking hikes, collecting rocks, observing insects, and discussing what your family discovers. Involve kids in cooking projects by having them meal prep – it is science, math, and nutrition all in one. Kids can be encouraged to journal about their day, draw pictures, or create comic strips.

Summer can be the perfect time to deepen family connections. Designate tech-free hours for conversation, games, or outdoor activities. Start a weekly movie night, pizza dinner, or game night. Provide some one-on-one time and actively listen to their interests. You could possibly volunteer together. You can check into park and recreation activities and free museum days

Help your child develop social skills and friendships through playdates and group activities. Explore camps, sports leagues, or community center classes. Perhaps you could initiate a neighborhood get-together. That could include math and organizational skills.

All of these can be a continuation of the social, emotional learning we focus on throughout the school year.

I wish you a safe, wonderful, restful summer!

Summer is quickly approaching! My hope is that all students have a safe, healthy, and fun time away from school. Warmer weather means more time in the sun. It is especially important to protect your child’s skin. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children wear sunscreen with at least 15 to 50 SPF. Remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming, sweating, toweling off, and consider wearing sun protective clothing as an added barrier. Harmful ultraviolet rays are at their strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hydration is key, and the best source is water! Try to avoid soda, energy drinks, and fruit juices because they can worsen dehydration. Be aware of hot cars! There is no safe temperature, situation, or length of time for a child to be left alone in a car!

Children should always wear a properly fitted helmet when riding on anything. The following are signs to be aware of if your child has a head injury that would warrant medical attention: constant headache that gets worse, slurred speech or confusion, dizziness that does not go away or happens repeatedly, extreme irritability or other abnormal behavior, vomiting, stumbling or difficulty walking, oozing blood or watery fluid from the nose or ears, difficulty waking up or excessive sleepiness, unequal size of the pupils (the dark center part of the eyes), double vision or blurry vision, unusual paleness that lasts for more than an hour, seizures, difficulty recognizing familiar people, and weakness of arms or legs.

Practice water safety! Never leave your child around water without supervision. Children who cannot swim should always have a properly fitted life jacket on as well. Ward off bugs by using insect repellent and avoiding stagnant water. Check for ticks. Take breaks from the heat! Children need time to relax, cool off, and hydrate before returning to play. Be safe this summer and enjoy!

Although summer is a time to relax, regroup, and enjoy the outdoors, don't forget to spend some time reviewing skills with your child. Here are some practical tips you can easily put into any summer schedule:

• Continue reading this summer. Plan a weekly visit to the library. Complete the AR Summer Reading Challenge.
• Practice math skills during the summer. That will prevent a "backslide" in skills.
• If your child is participating in summer sports, be sure he or she takes frequent breaks to avoid getting overwhelmed.
• Make sure your child stays well hydrated when playing outside in the heat.
• Don't forget the sunscreen!

"It Takes a Team to Educate a Child"

Email: cyeater@k12.wv.us
Website: https://newmanchester.hancock.k12.wv.us/
Location: 128 Frankfort Road, New Cumberland, WV, USA
Phone: 304-564-3242
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Elementary-School/New-Manchester-Elementary-School