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Bates Family Newsletter

January 21, 2024

Bates FamilyNewsletterJanuary 21, 2024

Believe, Be You, Belong...at Bates! Believe, Be You, Belong...at Bates!

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It's so cold out there!

Actually it's been so cold that we've had an unprecedented number of indoor recess days! Thankfully, we have games and coloring to keep us entertained during recess time. Also, we rotate the grade levels that go to the gym to run around on a daily basis as well. Let's hope the weather warms up this week, so we can get outside!


I'm going to keep reminding you of "Spotlight Families" because we believe it's so important to showcase our students and their families every chance we get! Sign up today😀


What is a "Spotlight Family"?

Twice a month, two of our wonderful families will be featured on our morning announcements that are shared each day to build community in our school as well as in our family newsletter. Our hope is that this will create new friendships, bring us closer as a community, and help us celebrate the beautiful diversity that we have here at Bates. It ties in with our new motto: "Believe, Be you, Belong, at Bates!".


Families will have two options from which to choose:


Option 1: Your family will be interviewed on Zoom by our Family Engagement Facilitator, Rosalyn Guevara. She will ask your family a few questions, such as, "What is your cultural background? What are your family's traditions? What does your family do for fun?" If you choose this Zoom option, Ms. Roz will reach out to you to schedule a time for the interview.


Option 2: If you prefer not to be recorded as a family, you can create a poster with family photos and answers to the questions listed above. You can also feel free to add details of your choice! Your student(s) will be recorded at school explaining the pictures you included on your family's poster. The poster will be returned after your student(s) are recorded. If you want to come to school and be recorded with your student to be recorded, let us know!


We all belong at Bates! Let's celebrate our community in this special way by getting as many families as we can to participate in this project. Interested? Fil in this Google Form, and Ms. Roz will reach out to you. Please sign up here today!

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Early release this Wednesday!

Remember, there's an early release this Wednesday, January 24!

Bates School Handbook Bates School Handbook

Spotlight on Bullying Intervention and Prevention

Salem Public Schools is committed to providing a safe, positive and productive educational environment where students can achieve the highest academic standards. No student shall be subjected to harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyber-bullying.

Salem Public Schools' policy on bullying prevention (See SC Policy 5410.01) defines bullying as “the repeated use by one or more students or school staff member of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at a target that:

  • causes physical or emotional harm to the target or damage to the target’s property;

  • places the target in reasonable fear of harm to him/herself, or of damage to his/her property;

  • creates a hostile environment at school for the target;

  • infringes on the rights of the target at school; or

  • materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.”

Please see the SPS Bullying Intervention and Prevention Policy


Social/Emotional Learning Social/Emotional Learning

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Managing Myself

Reviewing how to be active listeners!

This week we'll talk about why being an active listener is important. So far students have expressed that being an active listener is important because you have to be ready to receive important information, you might miss something you'd like to hear if you aren't listening, and in the event of an emergency, you need to listen to the directions. That's a great start!

Important Announcements/Reminders! Important Announcements/Reminders!

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Looking ahead to spring!

With the snow and cold temperatures, it's hard to believe it's time to start thinking about spring sports but that time is now! If you are interested in having your student participate in soccer, baseball, softball, flag football, etc. but don't know where to start, please reach out to our City Connects Coordinator, Sari Rudolph for help. If your child isn't interested in sports but you're looking for ideas to keep them busy and engaged after school, feel free to reach out to her to discuss other activity options!
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School menus are posted...

The school menus are posted on the SPS website. Find them here.

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Access Testing

Some of our multilingual learners continue to test this week! If your student is an ML, we wish them the very best of luck in this testing. We are so proud of all our multilingual learners! If you're student has finished testing, please make sure you tell them that everyone at Bates admires the effort and perseverance it required to complete this testing. Way to go!

Student Attendance Student Attendance

21.7% -- Chronic absenteeism

Our goal is 18.2% or under in the "Chronic Absence" category, and we seem to be slipping further away from this all-important number. We want to be sure that students are in school if they're healthy and able to attend. Time in school + opportunities to learn = student success.


Shout out to grade 1 again this week with the lowest number of chronic absences.

Bates Community Shout Outs! Bates Community Shout Outs!

BINGO night was fun! Thanks PTO for providing putting this together! BINGO night was fun! Thanks PTO for providing putting this together!

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Grade 3 Engineers at work! Grade 3 Engineers at work!

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Grade 5 students revised writing with feedback from Ms. Acconcia! Grade 5 students revised writing with feedback from Ms. Acconcia!

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PTO and Bates Community News PTO and Bates Community News

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Box Tops!

Did you know you can earn money for our school just by scanning your grocery receipts? All you need to do is download the Boxtops app, and scan those receipts! Don't want to scan? No worries, you can always send receipts into school with your student in an envelope marked, "PTO Boxtops".

Drop off reminder

Again, we're stressing that if you MUST leave your car during drop off, pull up past the school entrance and drive as far down the sidewalk as possible. Adults are exiting vehicles close to "the rock" causing a cars to back up into the street. This is unsafe. Please follow the drop off rules.

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Rent the Rock

Our Bates spirit rock is available for weekly rentals. Celebrate your student's birthday or other accomplishments by painting a message on our rock. Please click here to rent the rock!

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School Mission

Bates Elementary School, in partnership with our families and community, will provide all students with a culturally responsive, student – centered, and equitable learning experience that celebrates our students’ diverse backgrounds, creative pursuits, and their academic, social, emotional success.

Susan Faria-Smith
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