Mary Hogan Family Newsletter

Dear Mary Hogan Families,

The weather took a cool turn this week and we have more and more students who are wearing coats and hats at recess. It is mid-October, so this feels like the right weather for us to be having. We go out in all weather - rain, cold, snow, and sun.

Our general guidelines are to go outside until it is 0 degrees out or it is pouring rain. We still go out in a steady raing. We go out in cold weather. We go out when it is hot.

There is a good reason for this: Kids need and want to be outside!

Kids do their best outside when they have the right clothes for the weather, so please be sure to send in rain coats and/or umbrellas on days it may rain and coats, mittens/gloves, hats for days it may be cooler (and remember that wind makes it feel cold!).

Thanks for your help in making sure your child and others have a great time out at recess no matter the weather.

Best,
Jen

Saturday 10/18 9-11am - Fall Garden Clean Up Day!

Friday 10/24 - No School - Parent Teacher Conference Day

• Your child's teacher will be in contact with you soon about how to schedule a conference. It may be this day or within our conference window of 10/6-11/7.

Monday 10/27 - Cooking with NOM - Sign up form coming next week!

Wednesday 10/29 - Picture Retake Day

We gave away a good majority of the coats and snow pants that we had here at open house. Because of this, students need to bring in cool weather clothing to keep them warm for recess.

Please send in your child with a coat, hat, and gloves/mittens as well as extra clothes in case they need to change. Thank you!

The October challenge is for students to explore a "how to" book. They can learn words in another language or how to draw, make a new craft or a recipe, conduct a science experiment or a magic trick, and learn how to play a game, etc. Students can read and follow a recipe about apples and make something this weekend with the apples they brought home!! The other option is to read about an invention that someone else created.

We are asking students to show us their final project in the library or have an adult sign off witnessing that they used a book to create something!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and take action to create safe, supportive schools for every child. This month in guidance, we’re using Second Step’s Bullying Prevention Unit to help students learn how to Recognize, Refuse, and Report bullying and become upstanders who support others. Families can help by talking about kindness, checking in about friendships, and reminding children to seek help from trusted adults. Click here for more information. *Scroll through the newsletter for Spanish, Chinese, and Burmese translation.

As part of the health services program at school, screenings for vision and hearing are performed to detect problems that might interfere with your child's school performance or general health. These screenings are not a substitute for regular physical exams or comprehensive vision or hearing exams. If you have existing concerns about your child’s vision or hearing, please do not wait for school screening to take place and schedule an appointment with their provider.

This year’s screenings will take place over the next few months. Vision and hearing screening will be conducted by Nurse Caroline and Nurse Becky over the next few months for students in preschool, kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades, starting with 3rd grade on 10/23. The screenings will be based on the Vermont Health Department recommendations.

If you do not want your child's vision and/or hearing screened, please put this request in writing to Nurse Becky by 10/22/25.

If you have concerns and your child is in a grade not being screened, please inform your school nurse. If there are irregularities or causes for concern, families will be notified and a follow-up screening will be conducted by the nurse. The nurse will also recommend that you follow-up with your child’s health-care provider in the event of irregular results.

If there are any questions or concerns regarding vision and/or hearing screenings, please contact Nurse Becky (rharrell@acsdvt.org).

Students have been reading the How To books as part of the October Reading Challenge (see above) and have been trying out their new learning. From deer hunting to LEGO creation, origami to electricity, students have demonstrated their new skills in pictures and products. These are starting to line the shelves in the library.

Has your child read a How To book yet? Are they trying a second? Have them teach you all about what they know!

Mornign Meeting is a key part to every students' day here at Mary Hogan. We start the day together in community, greeting each other by name, sharing, and having some fun together. It is a great way to start the day. Here are some photos of what it looked like this week in 1st and 2nd grades.

Our 5th grade students have started to get ready and learn the story behind Romeo and Juliet for their performance of this Shakespeare play in November. In the first weeks of their work, students really are gaining an understanding of the story and how to show different emotions as the foundation for their acting. It was a lot of fun this week getting into different characters and times and places!

Many classes used the apples we picked last week to make apple sauce or apple crisp. Miss Marlies' class found a great way to help 2nd graders peel apples that you may want to try at home:

• Cut off the tops and bottoms of the apples so kids just have to use the peelers around the middle.

It is easier for kids since they have a way to hold on to the apples more completely.

Our next meeting will be in November (11/20).

No December meeting

Meeting in January (1/15)

No February meeting

Meeting in March (3/19)

No April meeting

Last meeting in May (5/21)

No June meeting.

-All meetings are at 6:30 in the Library (no roundtable, unless a particular topic is brought up in advance that we'd like to discuss).

-There will be links for families to attend virtually if they'd like.

-We'll continue to bring snacks/drinks.

-Children welcome!

-They will only last an hour.

We are so grateful to our family and community volunteers! If you plan to volunteer for an event or activity this year, now is a great time to apply or make sure your paperwork is up-to-date!

• Learn more about the volunteer process here.
• Check in with your front office if you've volunteered in the past to make your paperwork is up to date.
• Fill out this form if you've never volunteered before and plan to this year.

Want to know more about the Volunteer Process? Check out more information HERE.