Hello, Howard!
Community Newsletter 5/1/26
Gratitude
The PRIDE theme of the month is Gratitude. Practicing gratitude helps children improve mental health by increasing joy, contentment, and optimism while decreasing anxiety, depression, and stress. It builds resilience, fosters better social relationships, enhances self-esteem, and leading to happier well-adjusted kids.
Families can practice gratitude together by "three good things" every day. Consider helping children write a thank-you note to a teacher or caregiver. Parents can model appreciation by verbalizing thanks for small, daily blessings.
Spring is in full swing and outdoor play can sometimes get messy, so please send in extra clothes in backpacks just in case it’s needed! If you have any new or gently used clothes (youth sizes 8-16), coats, or shoes - we would love to have extra available in case someone needs a change!
Spring also means tick season in MA, and the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases is through prevention of tick bites. Always check for ticks after outdoor activities to keep everyone safe and healthy!
More specific information can be found in the following resources:
https://www.mass.gov/tick-prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/media/pdfs/lyme-disease-prophylaxis-after-tick-bite-poster.pdf
Anyone that sent medications to the Outdoor Classroom, they are being held in the nurse’s office. Please pick them up at your earliest convenience, as they will not be sent home with students.
One final note, I am including information about caffeine as there has been an increase in students reporting drinking energy drinks. Please read carefully and pay attention to labels, as you might not be aware how much caffeine is found in these drinks.
Our cafeteria goes through almost 100 plastic cups each day! Please remind students to bring their reuseable water bottles to fill at the water station!
Menus for breakfast and lunch are linked below.
Frozen treats are available for purchase. While breakfast and lunch are free, ice cream and other snacks do cost extra (.50 - $1.50). To add money to your students account for a la carte items you can go click this link or have your student bring in cash to the office.
Mrs. Lehane's class spent a day with the RLM CLP! Ms. Worden's class joined us, and we went to Stardust Gym for a day of fun, exercise, teamwork, and problem-solving! We stretched and warmed up to get our bodies ready for all the fun. Then the kids played "The Floor is Lava" where they needed to quickly problem solve in order to be able to stay in the game. We did obstacle courses that required a lot of strength and resiliency. Jumping on the trampolines really helped get all the wiggles out and gave great sensory input by engaging their vestibular and proprioceptive systems! We did a few crafts with a Stardust staff member, Ms.Kaia, to work on fine motor skills. It was great seeing all the students playing "Freeze Tag" and working together to un-freeze their friends. We are incredibly thankful that the Massachusetts Freemasons Angel Fund funded this trip for us! We also want to thank Stardust Gym for being so welcoming and helpful!
Unified Sports
The Unified Cornhole team had their first week of practice and learned about the rules of the game. They have upcoming matches against Norton and Canton and look forward to kicking off the season. They will host the Unified Cornhole jamboree in the MSHS gym on Thursday, May 21 from 3:15-5:00 with students from eight other towns and hope to see everyone there!
Inspired by April and Autism Acceptance
Check out these lists of books featuring autistic and neurodivergent characters:
Boston Public Library Recommendations
Mrs. Giuffre recommends:
A Boy Called Bat by Elena Arnold
Good Different by Meg Eden
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
Anybody Here Seen Frenchie by Leslie Connor
Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
Happy Reading!
