The Pulse of the Pride
Lyme School Friends,
We have had a great transition back to school after the February vacation. Our students are getting back into their routines! Both students and staff are working hard. As I make my way around the classrooms, I see engaged and happy children. Our school is a wonderful place to learn! There are a great number of photos in this edition. Enjoy!
Before break, we had an excellent 4th through 8th grade talent show and middle school Winter Carnival. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate for the lower school February Fun Fest, but we are planning to have this event in March.
There is an update about the Strategic Plan work below as well as links to community and alumni surveys. Please feel free to pass along the alumni survey to students that have graduated from our school. Thank you for participating.
Next week, we head into March and there are a few things to note. We will have no school on March 11th due to a Teacher In-Service Day. We will also have no school on March 28th for Parent/Teacher Conferences. March is also when the second trimester ends, which brings us to the last trimester of the year.
Have a fabulous weekend! The next newsletter will hit your inbox on March 14th!
As always, please reach out if I can be of assistance.
Regards,
John P. D'Entremont, Principal
Our second trimester ends on March 14 and we have parent-teacher conferences planned for the end of March. On Friday, March 28 we have no school for students and many parent-teacher conferences will be taking place that day. Teachers will be sending home their conference schedules next month for parents to sign up for a time slot.
Our K-5 teachers are beginning to look at science instruction in our school and how we can update our curriculum to better address the Next Generation Science standards. On our March 11 teacher inservice day, K-5 teachers will review our instructional philosophy and approach to science and begin to plan to pilot some new science materials in the 2025-26 school year.
Teaching Kids the “Bug and a Wish” Communication Tool
During Stanton Time, we regularly talk about communication and how we can best share how we’re feeling and what we need from others. I wanted to introduce a simple communication tool to help children express their feelings and needs respectfully. The technique is called “A Bug and a Wish”, and it’s designed to encourage kids to express themselves clearly while maintaining positive relationships with others.
What is “A Bug and a Wish”?
The idea behind “A Bug and a Wish” is simple. It helps children identify what’s bothering them (the “bug”) and express what they would like to happen instead (the “wish”). By using this structure, kids can communicate their emotions without placing blame, which reduces the likelihood of conflict.
This strategy is effective because it:
Promotes self-awareness: Children have to think about their feelings and what’s bothering them.
Encourages solution-focused communication: Rather than just expressing frustration, they are encouraged to offer a constructive solution.
Reduces blame and defensiveness: By framing their concern as a wish rather than a criticism, children are more likely to maintain a positive and open conversation.
How to Practice at Home
We encourage you to try “A Bug and a Wish” with your child at home. Here are a few tips:
Model the skill: Show your child how to use this technique by practicing it in your own communication. For example, “It bugs me when we rush through dinner. I wish we could slow down and enjoy our time together.”
Role-play scenarios: Give your child examples of situations where they might use “A Bug and a Wish,” and help them practice. This could be something as simple as sharing toys with siblings or resolving a disagreement with a friend.
Reinforce positive communication: When your child uses this technique, praise them for expressing themselves in a calm and respectful way.
By practicing “A Bug and a Wish,” children can develop stronger communication skills, build better relationships, and become more confident in expressing their feelings and needs. We hope this tool will be helpful in fostering positive interactions both at school and at home.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Stanton
The Monster Stuffy Project by Ms. G.
You might recall some photos of a group of Middle School students drawing with the kindergarten students. You might have wondered about the project or recognized the start of another round of the Monster Stuffies. In early December, the Middle School students read Jeremy Draws a Monster and drew monsters with a kindergarten buddy. Today, they read The Monster Returns, in which Jeremy surprises his monster with some monster friends. Then we pulled out our handmade monsters, crafted from those kindergarten drawings and lovingly gave them to their little buddies with a special tag that held some best wishes and instructions to care for the monsters.
Design Lab is Buzzing, at about 5,000 rpms by Mr. Betournay
Motors are spinning and wheels are squealing in the design lab right now. 4th and 5th graders are learning to build DC motor-powered cars. This unit provides hands-on experience with electrical circuits, motor control, and mechanical assembly, fostering problem-solving skills and creativity. Understanding how DC motors work enhances knowledge of physics concepts such as torque, speed, and power efficiency. Additionally, building these cars encourages innovation in renewable energy applications, such as integrating solar panels or battery management systems. This practical knowledge can serve as a foundation for careers in automotive engineering, robotics, and sustainable transportation. Meanwhile, students continue to develop resistance and tenacity in problem solving and iterating on their designs.
Breakfasts Around the World by Ms. Chandler
Students in Spanish have learned about breakfast around the world. They first used a world map to find the country we were discussing, working on world geography awareness. Then, we discussed the pictures in Spanish of the food and drink of a typical breakfast in that country, broadening our vocabulary. Next, students expressed their opinions on the food by walking to a section of the room labeled “¡Me gusta!” “Posible me gusta. Quiero probar.” or “No me gusta. ¡Guacala!” Finally, students were able to share comments or opinions in Spanish about the food in that country, including which items they loved or liked, wanted to try, or thought would be gross. It was very interesting to see everyone’s opinions and to hear some great Spanish sentences!
Other Spanish News by Ms. Chandler
In other Spanish news, 2nd and 3rd grade students are excited to share their digital books they created through Buncee! The goal of these books is to teach you some phrases to express emotions in Spanish. Please enjoy their hard work by visiting the links below:
3T Digital Book of Spanish Emotions
3G Digital Book of Spanish Emotions
PE News by Mrs. Damren
February is “ Healthy Heart Month”, a time when we celebrate and engage in activities that promote heart health and overall well being. For the past couple of weeks, the primary grades have been spending time in PE working on their jump roping skills.
This popular playground activity is a nice way for our students to learn about resting and active heart rates, what exercises are heart healthy, reinforcing the locomotor movement of jumping, and working on motor planning.
We have been spending time practicing various jump roping skills and getting some awesome cardiovascular exercise in, all while learning that the heart is the most important muscle in the body.
Advisory by Mrs. Damren
Advisory is a place where students and staff come together to build a community. Adults spend designated times each day talking about their weekends, engaging in activities, and checking in with one another.
This space is intended to be a safe space, where students form important relationships with one another and trusted adults. Students enter their advisories in grade six and stay with their same group throughout eighth grade. It is in this environment where students learn from one another, help one another, and mentor one another. Activities are planned by adults and through our newly formed SALT (Student Advisory Leadership Team).
One of the highlights of advisory is our advisory breakfasts, where students and their advisors bring in food and beverages to share with one another, in addition to sharing time talking and spending quality time together.
Advisory is an important part of each school day and we are grateful that the relationships formed and built are a priority of Lyme School.
Lyme School Apparel Store
The Lyme School Apparel Store has a variety of apparel and accessories all customizable with a variety of school logos. The Lyme School PTO earns 12% of all sales. Thank you for supporting our school and go Lions! #LYMESCHOOLROCKS
OUR VALUES
● Fairness ● Acceptance of Others ● Integrity ● Responsibility
● Perseverance ● Individuality ● Compassion ● Courage
John P. D'Entremont, Principal
Elise Foxall, Academic Director
Geoff Tomlinson, Student Services Director