CHIPS Weekly Update

Hello CHIPS Families,

Here at CHIPS, one of the things we work on with all students is increasing independence in their daily routine. Teachers and staff provide support and scaffolding as needed, with the goal being able to fade adult support around things like arrival/dismissal routines, snack time, etc. Here are a few things things families can do to help with this:

• Make sure all of your child's belongings (coat, snack bag, etc) are labeled with their name. We encourage children to pack and unpack their own backpacks, and this helps when mix ups happen.
• Send child friendly snack containers. While we provide adult assistance, it sets children up for success if their snacks are packed in containers they can open and close independently.
• Practice at home! Encourage your children to do things like dress and undress by themselves whenever possible.

I've included a link below to an article on Building Independence in preschoolers.

• October 10- No School- Columbus Day
• October 13- School Pictures
• October 18- No School- Professional Development

Dear families,

We would like to address that there are many students with life threatening food allergies within our classrooms.

We are requesting that peanut/tree-nuts derived foods, shellfish and eggs (hard boiled/cooked) not be sent in with your child for snack. Keeping your children safe is our priority. We continue to practice hand washing daily, disinfect our surfaces and monitor closely as to not share food items.

Age-appropriate information for allergy awareness and a list of safe and healthy snacks are included below.

Thank you for your cooperation, understanding and being a 'PAL' with this very important issue.

Please use our absence line (978-251-5188 Option 0) to report your child's absence from school and be sure to state the reason for the absence (illness, appointment, travel, etc).

Nurse Kristen can be reached by calling the CHIPS main number (978-251-5188) and selecting option 3.

I wanted to pass along the information below to families. If you are interested in registering for one or more of these free sessions, the link is below.

From Brazelton Touchpoints Center:

We are excited to launch our Developmental Challenges series in 2022! This free, 6-episode virtual conversation series offers a warm and inviting opportunity to connect with other parents and families of children with differences in or challenges to their development. Through a series of conversations with parents of children with developmental differences, challenges, or disabilities, we will explore the unique and common experiences of loving and raising children whose developmental process and journey is delayed or atypical. We will discuss the challenges and joys of family life with children with a wide array of ways of being in the world. Over the six conversations, we will cover topics near and dear to the hearts and experiences of families as we all learn from each other about how to best support and advocate for our children, the whole family, and our communities.

The six-part series begins on Monday, September 26, 2022, and will be held on Monday, October 24, November 7, November 21, December 5, and 19 from 3 to 4:30 PM ET / 12 to 1:30 PM PT. All webinars are 1 hour followed by a NEW 30-minute Q&A session with our panelists. You are invited to attend any and all episodes that interest you!

All webinars have live Spanish translation and closed captioning available.

Our CHIPS Little Free Library- such a fun way to help foster a love of reading in our preschoolers! Feel free to stop by with your child and borrow a book! Please remember to return the book when you are finished:) If you have books at home that you would like to donate, please put them in the Little Library or send them into CHIPS with your child. Thank you!!

The CHIPS PTO will hold its first meeting of the year on Thursday, 9/29 at 6:30pm in the CHIPS cafeteria. Hope to see you there! There will be a Google Meet link shared prior to the meeting for those who cannot make it in person but would like to attend virtually.

Email: mcguirkm@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://chelmsfordschools.org
Location: 170 Dalton Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: (978)251-5188