Principal Gretchen's Notes
We are off to a great start to the school year!
Week of September 2, 2025 - September 5, 2025
Hope everyone enjoyed the Labor Day weekend! This week, it's been wonderful to see students practicing routines and engaged in beginning of the year activities. Thursday, we were happy to welcome our youngest students. The Conwell preschoolers seemed to settle right into the classroom without a glitch!
We are so excited about this school year and hope you are too! As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Gretchen
gmorsedobosz@rhconwell.org
Word of the month with Ms. Sage
Starting in October, I will be visiting each classroom for a 30 minute story and/or activity around our SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) word of the month. Themes like gratitude, kindness and perseverance will help students build shared skills they can use in class, at home, on the playground and in the community. I'm looking forward to working with the classes! Our first word for the month of October is RESPECT.
Creative Movement with Miss Molly (Berkshire Pulse)
This week, I was thrilled to begin Movement classes! On the first day, we focused on getting to know one another. I learned what the students already knew about dance and shared my background as a dancer and educator. We connected our names to movements and used movement to express our personal preferences. I'm excited to continue teaching new movement skills, explore dance concepts such as rhythm, pathway, and balance, and learn more about the students through the dances they create!
Walk to School next Friday, September 12, 2025
In collaboration with the Wellness Committee, we have scheduled several Walk To School days throughout the school year! Our first one for this school year is next Friday the 12th! Students who ride the school bus will be dropped off at the Worthington Golf course on Ridge Road, and car riders should be dropped off no later than 8:30 a.m. at the golf course. And, families are welcome to walk with their child(ren)!
If you happen to be later than 8:30, please drop your child off at school for morning recess. A teacher will be there for those students who don't make the walk in time.
Fresh Fruits and Veggie Program
The Fresh Fruit and Veggie Program is back at R.H. Conwell this school year! What is the fresh fruit program? The Fresh Fruit and Veggie Program is a federally funded program that provides a variety of fresh produce to elementary school participating in the National School Lunch Program. The FFVP program is designed for children to learn about and taste fresh produce in its original, raw form.
Thursday's fresh fruit to try was a KIWI! Check out the FUN video link Ms. Ashley shared with the teachers and students.
After School Update
The After-School Program will begin on Monday, September 15th! (It will be closed Thursday, September 18th and Friday, September 19th). The program will be open on full days of school - Monday through Friday from 3:20 to 5:15 for grades 1st through 6th and Monday through Thursday for Kindergarten. Activities for session one include: Art Studio, Advanced Art, Outdoor Exploration, Mystery Quest, Lego Club, Harry Potter Club, Funday Thursday and Lip Syncapalooza. The After-School Program is free to students thanks to the 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant through the Department of Education (DESE). DESE requires students to enroll and attend the program a minimum of 2 days a week.
Registration forms for session one have been handed out to students in their classrooms. They should be returned to classroom teachers or e-mailed to me by September 8th. For more information, please contact Shannon Madden, Out of School Time Program Coordinator, at smadden@rhconwell.org.
A link to the registration form is here:
Upcoming Events at R.H. Conwell
- September 11, 2025: Picture Day
- September 11, 2025: School Committee Meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.
- September 12, 2025: WALK TO SCHOOL
- September 18, 2025: OPEN HOUSE BEGINNING AT 5:30
- PTO will have Hillside pizza, salad and a cookie for sale beginning at 5:00 p.m. (more information will follow)
- September 24, 2025: Noon Dismissal
- September 25, 2025: Hip Hop Intergenerational Project beginning at 3:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.