Elm Hill School Newsletter
March 2026
A Season of Reading, Laughter, and Blue Hair?
Welcome to our March update! The halls have been buzzing with excitement following the incredible conclusion of our recent reading challenge. We are so proud of all our students, with a special shout-out to our kindergarten class for reading the most pages in the school! We celebrated this milestone with a healthy dose of silliness as some of our brave teachers volunteered to be pied in the face. Seeing the students filled with such pure joy and laughter was a major highlight. But the momentum doesn't stop here—our next challenge is set at 12,000 pages, and when the students hit the mark, Mr. Otis will be coloring his hair bright blue!
As we move into spring, our calendar is quickly filling up with fantastic opportunities for learning and connection. Our kindergarten and first-grade classes are especially excited for their upcoming field trip to the bowling alley in Claremont, NH—a wonderful chance for some active fun and community building. Please also remember that Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for March 26th and 27th; we look forward to seeing you there to discuss your child's growth.
None of these wonderful experiences would be possible without your incredible support. We are still smiling thinking about the success of Family Game Night—having over 200 people join us for an evening of fun was truly special. Thank you for being such an active part of our school community and for everything you do to support your children’s education. Here’s to a productive and exciting spring!
Thank you all!!!
Miss Rachel
March 18 - PTA Meeting @ Union Street School
March 20 - Field Trip to SHS to Watch Treasure Island
March 26 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 27 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 31 - K Bowling Trip
April 1 - First Grade Bowling Trip
April 8 - Early Release @ 11:30
April 15 - PTA Meeting @ Union Street School
April 20-24 - Spring Break
April 30 - First Grade Field Trip to VINS
Hello from Mrs. Kurpiel's class!
Our class has been mixing traditional and new learning lately! We tapped one of the maple trees on our playground and began the process of making maple syrup. Our class was able to taste both the maple sap as well as the syrup as a finished product. Most of the class said that they liked the sap and that it tasted like slightly sweet water, but a couple of students said, “yuck! I don’t like it!” However, all enjoyed the maple syrup when it was finished cooking! Our class learned, through some of the literature we read, that maple syrup was most probably first discovered, most likely accidentally, by some of the First Peoples who lived in the Northeast. We enjoyed sugar on snow with Mrs. Whaley’s class and some were surprised to see the maple syrup turn to a taffy-like consistency when mixed with the snow. Students also had the opportunity to eat this treat with a dill pickle and a plain donut.
Mr. Colin McKaig visited our class and spoke about robotics and AI. The students were fascinated and had many great questions. They also loved being able to show off what they knew about robotics. For example,
“Robots can make cars.”
“Robots can create things."
“Robots can save people.”
We also were able to see how a simple program could make a robot, like Dash, the robot Mr. McKaig brought, could move. Each student had the chance to use Mr. McKaig’s i-pad and program Dash to move around our rug. The class LOVED this and it prompted several questions, such as:
“Can Dash get dizzy?”
“Can robots say hello, donut, or kitty?”
“Can Dash get [it’s feelings] hurt?”
These questions led to a rich discussion with peers interacting and talking with each other about the subject. We also found out that we only learned “a dash” of what Dash could do that day! Thank you, Mr. McKaig!
Cardboard Needed for the Art Room
Our Elm Hill students LOVE to build with cardboard. We need non corrugated cardboard for example: cereal boxes, snack boxes, tissue boxes, paper towel rolls and any other kinds of thin cardboard that students can cut into with scissors. You can drop cardboard off for the art room at the Elm Hill office or send your child to school with cardboard for the art room. THANK YOU for your help!
News from Miss Merrow's Kindergarten
Miss Merrow’s Kindergarten students,as well as all of kindergarten, have enjoyed learning about Force and Motion from guest teacher Mr.Cody from VINS. In the first session students learned about push and pull and did experiments to see how hard you have to push or pull things. The second lesson students learned about gravity and how it speeds things up/slows things down. Students got to explore this concept using ramps and cars. The students are looking forward to next week to learn about the weight of objects and momentum.
Making Maple Syrup At Elm Hill School
We have tapped 3 trees at Elm Hill. Three classes are collecting sap and learning about making maple syrup. We have tasted sap and had sugar on snow! Read what Mrs. Whaley’s Class has learned about maple syrup.
We make maple syrup in Vermont.
Sugaring season is the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Sap comes out of a tree.
The tree is a maple tree.
You need night time to be cold and daytime to be warm.
When it is cold the sap goes down to the roots.
When you gather the sap goes in a bucket.
You have to boil sap. It is not maple syrup when it comes out of a tree.
You cook sap to make maple syrup.
Sap is clear and then it turns brown.
You can put syrup on pancakes, waffles, french toast and ice-cream.
You can make maple candy with maple syrup.
You can make sugar on snow. You boil maple syrup to 232 degrees F.
Maple syrup is yummy!
From the Literacy Corner:
Go Build a Fort
Struggling to get your family into a reading routine?
Need a change to a lifelong routine?
A safe and cozy spot to read is important to developing and maintaining a routine. What is one solution to transition from wiggles and play time into reading time? Build a fort! Grab an old sheet or towels, perhaps a pillow. Build a fort and settle in with a good book or two!
Read for 20 minutes every day.
Keep reading!
Ms. Emily, Literacy Interventionist at Elm
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Elm Hill School!
Join us in the library during Parent–Teacher Conferences on March 26–27. Families are invited to shop together and explore great books for all ages.
Wednesday, March 26: 1:00–6:30 PM
Thursday, March 27: 8:00 AM–12:00 PM
Every purchase helps the Elm Hill School Library add more books and audiobooks for our students. Thank you for supporting our school library.
Preview the fair here:
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/elmhillelementaryschool
News from the Guidance Office
Hello Elm Hill Families!
I am so happy to be a part of this community and family. This appreciation grows on a
daily basis! This month I want to bring to the forefront our efforts to bring assistance to you in
the form of a newly created food pantry. I have been sending home care packages here and
there, and so far it has been helpful to a few families. If this is something that you would find
helpful, please reach out! We have collected donations of non perishable foods, and have
collaborated with Springfield Family Center to stock a small pantry of items. The PTA graciously
donated $250 worth of groceries as well! We have a good start! If you are interested in
accessing help I can be reached directly in the guidance office at 802-885-5329. With gas
prices rising, and groceries at a high, we are happy to help out our families in any way possible.
Remember it takes a village to raise a child and a community to care for each other. I am so
proud and grateful to be a part of yours!
Jen Dufield
Elm Hill Guidance Office
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Updates
As we move into the second half of the school year, our ECSE team continues to stay busy supporting students and families through important transitions, services, and growth!
Transitions to Kindergarten
With kindergarten registration now open, we are beginning to prepare our preschoolers for their next big step. Transition planning is an important part of what we do, and we work closely with families and kindergarten teams to ensure each child feels supported and ready. This may include transition meetings, sharing information with new teachers, and helping children build skills for the kindergarten environment.
IEPs and 504 Plans
Our team continues to support students through Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans. These plans are designed to meet each child’s unique needs and ensure they have access to learning and success in the classroom. We value family input and encourage ongoing communication throughout this process.
Welcoming New Learners (CIS Transitions)
We are also excited to welcome children transitioning from Children’s Integrated Services (CIS) into our school district. This is another important transition, and we work collaboratively with families and providers to create a smooth and supportive start in preschool.
Supporting Communication
Communication is at the heart of everything we do. Our goal is to help every child express their wants, needs, thoughts, and ideas with both peers and family members. Some children receive support from a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), and we use a variety of tools to support communication. These may include AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices, as well as low-tech supports like picture cards with words. These tools help empower children to be successful communicators in all environments.
Building Independence at Home and School
We are also focusing on helping children build independence with daily routines such as dressing, toileting, cleaning up, and following directions. Families can support this at home by encouraging children to try tasks on their own, offering simple choices, and using consistent routines. These small steps help build confidence and prepare children for kindergarten and beyond.
Please Reach Out!
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the ECSE Department at Elm Hill:
(802) 885-5174
(802) 885-5242
We value our partnership with families and look forward to continuing to support your child’s growth and success!
