Something to Yelle About

ANOTHER SPLENDIDLY PRODUCTIVE

WEEK IN #HAYNation!

Hello from the Yelle.

It was another incredible week in #HAYNation! It might have been only a 4-day week, but the achievements of these kids are phenomenal!

In the big picture above, each week, I use it as a way to highlight and show what we were able to accomplish during the week.

This week I highlight students supporting each other in their classes. Students just reading; something I absolutely love. Students working on projects together and learning through hands-on activities. Students working together in the hallways. Students, as I like to call it, WOOT, Writing Out Our Thinking as they are completing math problems. And there is one picture of a young man who has already completed his ST Math grade level journey; such a tremendous accomplishment showing grit, determination and resilience!

These and the other pictures below that I have snapped throughout the week in and around the classrooms really do relay a story of the incredible relational accomplishments our students and teachers achieved this week. Please check them out below and all over our Instagram feed to help to tell the tremendous story we are writing this year.

Please check out the rest of the Newsletter for some important information including ...

Fall Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Ups

HAY PTO Meeting This Week

HAY PTO Fall Scholastic Book Fair

LLT Support at the Yelle

NPS Combined Elementary Schools School Council Opportunity

HAY PTO Special Author Visit

Upcoming Calendar Events to Mark Your Own Calendar

Community Events

Other PTO News

And much, much more ...

Please check it out.

Thanks; have a wonderful weekend; stay safe and well; enjoy it,

Marty

Martin R. Geoghegan

Principal

Henri A. Yelle Elementary School

Wednesday, October 15 – Parent-Teacher Conferences Sign-Ups Started at 10AM (See Below)

Tuesday, October 21 – HAY PTO In-School Scholastic Book Fair Day with 4th Grade

Tuesday, October 21 – Combined Norton Elementary Schools Council Meeting (Info Below)

Wednesday, October 22 – HAY PTO In-School Scholastic Book Fair Day with 5th Grade

Wednesday, October 22 – Parent-Teacher Conferences 5 to 7:45PM (Info Below)

Thursday, October 23 – ½ Day PTC Day 11:40AM Dismissal

Thursday, October 23 – Parent-Teacher Conferences 12 Noon to 6PM

Wednesday, October 29 – ½ Day PD Day 11:40AM Dismissal

Thursday, October 30 – Yelle Fall Picture Re-Takes

Friday, October 31 – HAY PTO Halloween Bingo

This coming Thursday, October 23, is a half day

Early Dismissal for all Yelle students at 11:40 AM

for Fall Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences.

* Also, for those whose children ride the bus in the afternoon, our Yelle students will be home a little earlier than even a normal half-day, maybe even 10-20 minutes earlier, since the NMS students do not have an early dismissal half-day.

We hope to see you at Conferences!

Our Fall Elementary School Conferences are coming up next week on Wednesday, October 22, from 5 to 7:45PM, and then again on Thursday, October 23, after our early release day for all Yelle students at 11:40AM, with the conferences scheduled from 12 Noon to 6PM.

We are using ParentSquare for Elementary Fall Conference Sign-ups

When a parent/guardian logs into ParentSquare, they can view their children in the upper left of the screen or top of the app. They will see all children associated with their ParentSquare account even if their child is at another school. If they have multiple children, they will be able to view all posts associated with one child at a time. They can move between children simply by clicking on another child from the list.

For school conferences, parents/guardians will need to sign up with each teacher they would like to meet with during conferences. For example, a parent/guardian might want to meet with the classroom teacher and the Art teacher. They would need to sign up for separate conference times with both teachers. Look under “MY SCHOOL, CLASSES, and GROUPS” to find all classes associated with your child.

All elementary conference sign-ups were available beginning on Wednesday, October 15th at 10AM in ParentSquare.

Look for a post from your child’s teacher where you will be able to select the time that works best for your schedule.

For our Elementary Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences, parents/guardians will need to sign up with each teacher you would like to meet with during conferences. For example, a parent/guardian might want to meet with the classroom teacher and the Art Teacher. You would need to sign up for separate conference times with both teachers. Look under “MY SCHOOL, CLASSES, and GROUPS” to find all classes associated with your child.

All elementary school conference sign-ups will be available beginning on Wednesday, October 15th at 10AM in ParentSquare. Look for a post from your child’s teacher where you will be able to select the time that works best for your schedule on either Wednesday, October 22 evening, or on Thursday, October 23, in the afternoon to late afternoon.

The purpose of the conferences is to provide an opportunity for teachers to share current information about your child’s student growth, and to provide guardians with a chance to ask questions.

Conference times are less than ten minutes long. Chairs are set up outside classrooms for folks waiting. Conferences are typically just for adults but kids may wait in the hallway with parents/guardians.

Our HAY PTO will also have our Fall Scholastic Book Fair open in the Library during conference times for you to check out and purchase books.

If you have any questions or problems signing up, please email your child’s Homeroom Teacher or call the Main Office.

Parents/guardians should have received an email invitation from ParentSquare to sign up to receive electronic school notifications prior to the beginning of the school year. If one wasn’t received, please reach out to Karen Winsper, kwinsper@norton.k12.ma.us who will assist.

This week, you should have received in the mail your child's MCAS Score Report from the Spring 2025 administration. I just want you to know we are using these reports as purely formative for our purposes.

We always want to do as well as we can on these assessments, but we also know and understand that these tests are only a snapshot of what are students are capable of doing and achieving.

Last Spring, when we and the JCS/LGN administered the MCAS, we all take it seriously and want our students to do their best. We encouraged students to try their best, for it is a way for us to see how we are doing as a school.

We will be using these reports for our LLT (Lancer Learning Time) RTI Block and our classroom teachers will be checking these reports to see where students either progressed or didn't do so well, but for the most part it is just another piece of data we will utilize to try to better help your child succeed this year and beyond.

If you have any specific questions, please do not ever hesitate to get in touch with me mgeoghegan@norton.k12.ma.us or your child's teacher.

Thank you.

Are you interested in getting involved with your child’s education in another way besides PTA or fundraising?

Would you like to be more engaged in the academic aspects and decision-making that shape your child’s school experience at the elementary level?

If so, we encourage you to consider joining the Norton Public Schools Combined Elementary School Council (also called a School Improvement Council).

What is a School Council?

By Massachusetts law, every public school is required to have a School Council made up of parents, teachers, the principal, and community members. The law outlines four major areas of responsibility:

1. Adopting educational goals for the school that align with district policies and state performance standards.

2. Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school.

3. Reviewing the annual school building budget.

4. Formulating and monitoring the School Improvement Plan.

What does the Council do?

The Norton Elementary School Council will focus on school improvement rather than fundraising. Together, we will:

• Develop the Combined Elementary School Improvement Plan aligned with the new District Improvement Plan.

• Review student learning data, including MCAS results, and discuss strategies to support growth.

• Explore ways to strengthen teaching and learning across the three elementary schools (J.C. Solomonese, L.G. Nourse, and H.A. Yelle).

• Discuss curriculum ideas, parent involvement opportunities, and ways to improve school climate and student success.

Meeting Details

• First Meeting: Tuesday, October 21, at 6:00 PM (held virtually)

• Ongoing Schedule: Every other month, with additional meetings as needed

• Who Can Join: Parents, teachers, and at least one community member — all voices are welcome!

Whether you’re ready to commit as a representative or would simply like to attend and learn more, we’d love to have you.

👉 To express interest or join the first meeting, please email mgeoghegan@norton.k12.ma.us.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to play a direct role in shaping the future of our Norton elementary schools.

Wellness Class Footwear Reminder from Mrs. McCallister

As a reminder, students should wear sneakers on their Wellness days to ensure safety and full participation in class activities. Proper footwear allows students to move comfortably and safely during lessons. Please avoid boots, sandals, crocs, or other non-athletic shoes on these days. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students stay active and safe!

Dear Norton Families,

At Norton Public Schools, we’re always working to improve the meals we serve to students. That’s why we’re excited to partner with Chartwells K12 on the School Meals Report Card.

At Chartwells K12, our mission is to ensure that kids leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than when they came in. To support this mission, we are excited to announce the School Meals Report Card, a nationwide initiative designed to gather valuable feedback and insights from the people who matter most: students, their parents and families, and school staff.

What is the School Meals Report Card?

The School Meals Report Card survey will provide valuable insights into satisfaction and preferences at both local and national levels. This feedback will enable us to make meaningful improvements to our meal programs, ensuring they better meet the needs of Norton PS and the community, and ultimately enhancing K-12 school meal programs nationwide.

Why is Your Support Important?

The success of this initiative depends on participation. The survey will be available from October 13 to November 7, 2025, and we need your help to ensure it reaches the right audience.

A Note on Privacy

Please note that the survey is completely anonymous. No identifying information will be collected.

Mike Vaccaro

mvaccaro@norton.k12.ma.us

Our Inter-State Studios Fall Picture Retake Day

is Thursday, October 30.

If your child was absent or you did not the Fall Picture,

Retake Day is for you!

The retake picture day ordering code is 0323SP.

Parents can go to Inter-State Studios and plug in the code to order photos.

Anyone that would like a retake would simply bring back their original portraits and hand them to the photographer on retake day.

If they forget the originals, we will still give them a retake.

Please mark your calendar.

Hello Yelle Families:

The HAY Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) hopes all families had a great Summer vacation. We are looking forward to another senational school year!

The PTO sponsors monthly meetings, which are usually held the third Thursday of each month from 6-7PM in the HAY Library. The meetings could be changed if there is a calendar conflict with a school vacation or holiday and are usually moved to the Wednesday before or after. You can view on the HAY Calendar on the NPS website.

We look forward to seeing returning parents along with new faces from our fourth grade families!

Come join the meetings to hear what’s happening in your child’s school, how you can help out by volunteering, or ways for you to share an idea!

Contact us at:

hayellepto@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/HAYPTO/

Our Fall HAY PTO Scholastic Book Fair is Next Week!

Be on the lookout for fliers and here is the link to set-up an eWallet

for your child:

CLICK HERE TO SET-UP AN eWALLET FOR YOUR CHILD

Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, October 21 – HAY PTO In-School Scholastic Book Fair Day with 4th Grade

Wednesday, October 22 – HAY PTO In-School Scholastic Book Fair Day with 5th Grade

Wednesday, October 22, and Thursday, October 23 -- Book Fair Open during

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences

We hope to see you at the Fair!

The HAY PTO with the Unlikely Book Store are bringing

Author Mr. Eoin Colfer to the Yelle for a special

assembly on Friday, November 14th!

Mr. Colfer will be discussing writing,

his novels, and his newest book, Firefox Moon.

Please see the flier above for pre-ordering

a copy of this book at a special price!

Please see more great Pictures and what is happening in #HAYNation like these by going to Instagram at @HAYSchoolNorton -- Make sure you Follow Us and Tag Us in any Posts you want us to see!

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts will be hosting a Webex Webinar Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online: A Project Safe Childhood Presentation for Parents. The webinar will take place on the evening of Wednesday, October 22nd at 6:30 pm in a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations Digital Forensics/Child Exploitation/Cyber Crime Unit. The registration flyer is attached. Advanced registration is required.

Click Here For the Link to Register.

Principal Martin R. Geoghegan

Past Newsletters can be found Here.

Website: https://www.norton.k12.ma.us/henri-a-yelle-elementary-school
Location: 64 West Main Street, Norton, MA, USA
Phone: 508-285-0190
Instagram: @HAYSchoolNorton