Bryn Mawr Bulletin
April 2026
Dear Families,
At school, our teachers have been discussing the importance of “productive struggle.” This is an important part of learning, especially in math, and we want to share what it means and how it helps children grow.
What is productive struggle?
Productive struggle happens when students are given a challenging problem and are encouraged to think, try different strategies, make mistakes, and keep going. It does not mean frustration without support. Instead, it means students are learning to persevere, problem-solve, and build confidence with guidance from their teachers.
Why is productive struggle important in math?
When children are allowed time to think through problems:
They develop stronger number sense and deeper understanding
They learn that mistakes are part of learning
They build confidence in their ability to figure things out
They practice explaining their thinking and listening to others
Rather than simply memorizing steps, students learn why math works.
How does this help in life?
Productive struggle teaches skills that go far beyond math:
Perseverance when things feel hard
Problem-solving and critical thinking
Resilience and growth mindset (“I can’t do it yet… but I will!”)
Independence and confidence
These are lifelong skills that help children succeed in school, friendships, activities, and future careers.
What might this look like at home?
You can support productive struggle by:
Giving your child time to think before helping
Asking questions like: “How did you figure that out?” or “What else could you try?”
Celebrating effort, not just correct answers
Encouraging positive self-talk: “This is tricky, but I can try again.”
Together, we can help children become brave thinkers, problem solvers, and confident learners.
Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s growth!
Smile,
Mrs. Beverly
Bryn Mawr Principal
Dear Families,
We will be piloting a new attendance notification system through ParentSquare starting on Monday, March 30, 2026. This system will send an email and/or text message to families if a student has not been reported absent from school.
When families notify the school prior to the start of the school day, our staff will make every effort to record the absence before notifications are sent, so you do not receive an unnecessary alert. If a notification is sent, families will have the option to respond directly through ParentSquare.
Timely communication about student absences is important to ensure student safety and accurate attendance records. This new feature will also help streamline communication and reduce the need for follow-up phone calls from our school nurses and office staff.
This system has been successfully piloted at Auburn Middle School and Auburn High School, and we are now extending it to our K–5 families.
Thank you for your continued partnership and for promptly reporting your child’s absences.
Sincerely,
Brooke Beverly
Principal, Bryn Mawr School
As we wrap up our Keyboarding Unit, our Technology classes will begin focusing on Science (STEAM) Units. We're thrilled to continue with an innovative program called Project Lead the Way, which is sparking our creativity! We'll move from using iPads to engaging in hands-on activities that address real-world problems through Engineering.
In Kindergarten, students will explore the concepts of Pushes and Pulls. They will be challenged to create a tool to help move rocks for building a new swing set. The Kindergarteners will be introduced to the Engineering Design Process and it will teach students to identify, discuss, and solve mistakes, helping them understand that errors are always a part of learning.
First Graders will participate in a unit where they design a shoe for someone traveling to the desert. They will research the desert environment and its plants and animals before collaborating on a shoe design that is durable enough for harsh desert conditions while remaining comfortable and lightweight.
Second Graders will work on a project to prevent landslides. They will study maps, landforms, and Earth's changes to develop strategies that can prevent a landslide from affecting a house at the base of a hill.
Please be sure to ask your child questions about what he/she is learning in Technology class!
To learn more about Project Lead the Way (PLTW), use your device's camera to scan the QR code below.
Dear Families,
Happy Spring! Marathon Monday’s have continued to be a success with a school mileage total of 476 miles! We are getting closer to our goal of 1,000 miles for the year! I am hoping for warmer weather so we can start running outside again!
The entire month of March, we have been really practicing our 3 P’s of PE; patience, practice and perseverance, in our jump rope unit. The students have been participating in Jump Rope Ninja where they need to perform a certain number of consecutive jumps to pass each belt color. I am so proud of how hard they have worked this past month, and they should be so proud of themselves. Through hard work and determination, so many were able to surpass their goals and become such great jump ropers! If you have a jump rope at home, have your child show you what they have learned!
If you have not already, please send in a picture of your child(ren) being active at home to hang on our bulletin board! You can send the picture in with your child or email it to me at aderosier@auburn.k12.ma.us.
As we enter Spring and hope for warmer weather, we will be starting to go outside as much as possible. The remaining units for the year, we will continue to work on manipulative skills through striking with a bat and racket, soccer, and summer games. If your child would like to wear a hat and sunglasses while outside, they are welcome to do so. For safety, please remember to have your child wear sneakers. I look forward to the rest of the school year!
In good health,
Miss. D
Happy Spring!
Creativity is in full swing as students explore the elements of art! Each grade level has been working on unique projects that enhance their learning and build their artistic skills. Through playful exploration and guided instruction, students are discovering how to apply the elements of art to their own creations.
Kindergarten students have been doing a wonderful job establishing classroom routines and having a blast exploring new materials. When learning about the element of color, we started by creating a mouse color wheel and reading the book Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Once students were familiar with the color wheel, they explored warm and cool colors by drawing dragons and painting them with warm colors and their backgrounds with cool colors.
Next, students did some independent color mixing inspired by Wassily Kandinsky, creating colorful mixing circles using oil pastels. Students’ faces truly lit up as they discovered and created their own colors! When learning about the element of value, we introduced new vocabulary terms such as hue, tint, shade, and tone. We then learned about Claude Monet and read Philippe in Monet’s Garden by Mick Inkpen, a story about a frog. To apply what we learned about value, students created their own frogs using a paper plate as a lily pad and a toilet paper roll for the frog. They painted their frogs by creating their own tints and shades of green, and the results were fantastic!
First graders have been exploring the elements of art in exciting new ways. We began with the element of color by creating complementary color turtles. Students first painted a paper plate with a secondary color they created by mixing two primary colors. They then designed their paper plate to become the turtle’s shell using the complementary color in oil pastel and added the head, legs, and arms with the complementary color as well.
We are now exploring the element of value by making value scale ice cream cones! Students chose one color or hue and created tints and shades of that color by mixing paint. Next, they will arrange their ice cream scoops in order of the value scale and glue them to a fun background that they created by mixing different colors and applying paint with a comb, toothbrush, paintbrush, and sponges.
Second-grade students have continued to grow in confidence while discovering their unique voices as artists. They explored the element of color, refreshing their understanding of secondary and tertiary colors through a variety of creative projects. For example, they completed a watercolor tree project where they learned how to create trees and then arranged the leaves in the order of the rainbow, watching primary colors mix to create secondary colors. They also painted penguins with beautiful, colorful backgrounds, experimenting with color mixing using tempera paint. Each penguin turned out unique and full of personality!
Recently, we began studying the element of value, including tints and shades, and how the lightness and darkness of color can add depth to artwork. Students are currently working on a watercolor floral still life to demonstrate value and a light source, and they have done a wonderful job approaching this new challenge with a growth mindset. I can’t wait to see the final results and for students to reflect on their amazing work and feel proud of their accomplishments.
Mindfulness Mondays
All grades have continued to explore creativity and self-reflection through our Mindfulness Mondays activities. We read Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg and played the Beautiful Oops game again, where students learned how to turn small mistakes or unplanned marks into something new and creative. This lesson is especially meaningful because mistakes can feel frustrating for young artists, especially when they cannot erase them. I guide students to think, “What if we turned it into something new and awesome?” I also introduce them to Bob Ross, one of my favorites, and his famous quote: “We don’t make mistakes, only happy accidents!”
During the game, I add an unexpected mark to students’ papers, such as a dab of paint or a Sharpie line. Students then transform that mark into part of their artwork. The results and reactions are amazing! Many students were pleasantly surprised by the joy they felt when they turned a mistake into something creative. Some even said, “I would have never thought to do that if you hadn’t made that mark, and I like it even more!” These activities not only inspire creativity but also help students build resilience, problem-solving skills, and confidence in their artistic abilities.
Special Projects
During Rocket Week, first- and second-grade students created their own toilet paper roll rockets and decorated them with neon and glitter paint, which they were very proud of. Kindergarten students made paper rockets and designed their own galaxy backgrounds, adding a colorful and imaginative touch to their creations.We are now beginning preparations for the art show and look forward to sharing their incredible work!
Hello to all Bryn Mawr Families!
This Spring is in full swing in our Music Classes!
Second Grade continues their trip around the world and have arrived in South America, where they are learning songs from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and other wonderful countries.
First Grade is exploring the science of sound and working on new xylophone skills. They have enjoyed our St. Patrick’s Day songs and used their new found xylophone skills to accompany!
Kindergarten is getting into making rhythm patterns, building their instrumental skills, and using their wonderful singing voices.
We have just begun to prepare for our annual Memorial Day program. We invite everyone to attend our annual celebration at 9:30 am on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. We are honored to welcome our local American Legion members as well as any family members currently or formerly serving our country to be honored at our program.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Have a wonderful and green Spring!
Ms. Garrow
Music Teacher
Bryn Mawr
This message was in Dr. Chamberland's newsletter, but wanted to ensure our Bryn Mawr families saw that bus registration is now open for the 2026-2027 school year. Please register as soon as possible if your child takes the bus.
2026-2027 BUS TRANPORTATION REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
It is hard to believe that we are already planning for the 2026-2027 school year. As we have done for several years now, we will be using an online Bus Application for 2026-2027 and applications are now being accepted.
There is a graduated fee schedule for all payments received after May 1st, so we urge you to apply and provide payment before May 1st. This allows us a much better planning window and saves you money!
We hope that families will apply electronically and as soon as possible, by following the link above. You can follow this link to the Rules and Regulations for APS Busing. All paper applications and fees must be sent in, or dropped off, at 5 West Street and can be left in the locked drop box outside of the main entrance.
Please apply early and remember, your application is NOT complete until we receive the bus fee. All students for whom applications are received after August 14th, will be placed on a waiting list.
If you have questions, please call the Central Office at 508-832-7755 or email apsbus@auburn.k12.ma.us.
