Eagle Eye Tribune

"Your wings already exist. All you have to do is fly."

Let's soar together! 🪁

November 21, 2025

Dear AES Families,

On Friday, November 21st, we held our annual Turkey Trot! This fun event brought our community together while promoting fitness and school spirit. The students showed perseverance in finishing their laps and laughed, danced and sang while running. A number of teachers joined in the trot as well. Thank you to the PTO for providing apple cider at the finish line!

Our Annual AES Fall Feast for students and staff, which will take place on Tuesday, November 25th, at 12:00 PM. It certainly takes a village to create an event like this! Thank you so much to so many families who have volunteered. We are grateful to our community for lending a hand in so many ways. Thank to your incredible support, we’re looking forward to another wonderful event.

Wreath and Poinsettia Pick-up

Wreaths and Poinsettias will arrive at the school after noon the Monday after break on December 1st. Please come to the multipurpose room through the playground door to pick-up at dismissal. If the are not able to come at dismissal please contact the office to determine a time that works on Tuesday.

Over Thanksgiving Break

Many students have already earned raffle tickets for reading. Thanksgiving break is a perfect time to read together. Remember, every ten books read together, independently or listened earns a ticket to the Books for Bikes frawing at the end of the school year. If you need more punch cards please see Ms. Brett in the library.

It is my sincere hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving and that you are able to send some time with family and friends.

With appreciation,

Beth Gibney
Principal, Antrim Elementary School
bgibney@conval.edu • 603-588-6371

11/25: Fall Feast 12:00-1:00

11/26-11/28: Thanksgiving Recess (no school)

12/5: Report cards come home

12/23: Winter concert at 2:00 pm in the gym

12/24-1/2: Winter Recess (no school)

As temperatures continue to drop, please remember that students are required to have a coat or jacket for recess whenever the temperature is below 50°F. Outdoor play is an important part of our day, and proper outerwear helps keep everyone warm and comfortable. Thank you for helping your child come prepared for cooler weather!

Ms. Starr's First Friends

In class we have completed our Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See books written by Bill Martin and illustrated by the children. Everyone was very excited to see and read their completed project and are looking forward to share with their family and friends.

Ms. Lawler's Kindergarten Class

We’ve been excited in Ms. Lawler’s class to jump into the world of shapes! We have begun to explore shapes by describing them, finding shapes in picture books, going on shape scavenger hunts in the classroom and sorting shape images with a partner. We also had fun this week reading two Thanksgiving stories, Turkey Trouble and How to Catch a Turkey and making our headbands for the Turkey Trot!

Ms. Revaz's Second Grade Class

This week, our students have been doing an outstanding job with their independent writing! We are currently researching wild turkeys and working on turning our gathered facts into polished informational pieces. Our goal is to teach our readers all about these fascinating animals, and the students have shown wonderful focus, curiosity, and pride in their work. I am truly impressed with the quality of their writing and the effort they bring to each lesson!

Ms. Del Rossi's Fourth Grade Class

A big thank you to Miss Kara from the Harris Center for organizing a virtual field trip to the Aurora Fossil Museum in Aurora, NC! After exploring the museum, our 4th-grade paleontologists had the exciting opportunity to sort through microfossil material from the Pungo River Formation. Students uncovered shells, shark teeth, and more as they examined real fossils from North Carolina’s ancient past. It was a fun, hands-on, and highly engaging learning experience for all!

Library with Ms. Brett

This week in library we read some more Ladybug books. We are almost done. The mystery readers were Ms. Hartshorne, Ms. Voorhees and Mr. Steve (one of our Lunch with Lions guests). We have two more books to read! PreK has been working on learning the difference between fiction and nonfiction.

MuzArt with Mrs. Harvey

Children and the Arts Parade

K-4 students have been visited by Jeannie Connolly and friends and made their lanterns for the lantern parade! This will occur during the lantern festival in Peterborough on the first weekend of December. The parade will take place at 6pm on December 6th (rain/snow date Dec 7) and will begin behind the M&T Bank and end at Putnam park.

Lanterns (and an info letter) will be sent home during the week after thanksgiving and can be brought to the parade. The Children and the Arts Committee has 1000 pole/light set ups that can be used for the parade. Hope to see you there!

***this is NOT a Con-Val sponsored event and will require adult supervision. There will not be teachers there to accompany your child.

Winter Concert

Our winter concert will take place on December 23rd at 2 pm in the gym. All students PreK-4 will be participating and a special Select Choir will be debuting. All families are welcome!

Here are some ways to help encourage literacy development at home: now that the colder weather is setting in, it is a perfect time to create a cozy space at home with blankets, pillows, books, paper and writing supplies (pencils, crayons, markers). This cozy space can be a great place to relax before bed with a book or draw a picture and then tell a story about the picture.

Classroom Lessons

Mrs. Phaneuf's Class: We continued learning about the four zones: BLUE ZONE (low energy and down feelings), GREEN ZONE (calm energy and a sense of control), YELLOW ZONE (increased energy and stronger feelings), and RED ZONE (the highest energy and strongest feelings). Students sorted a variety of emotions into the zones, creating a poster for their classroom.

Mrs. Sullivan's Class: We continued Concept 3 - All the Zones are Okay with another round of Four Corners where students identified which zone they would be in when in a variety of situations. Students then worked to identify common feelings and behaviors connected to them.

Ms. Voorhees's Class: We began Concept 3 - All The Zones Are Okay. Students learned the definition of PERSPECTIVE and SITUATION, played Four Corners to better understand perspective, and identified a variety of emotions that may arise in different situations.

Ms. Revaz's Class: We finished Concept 3 - All The Zones Are Okay. We reviewed the definitions of PERSPECTIVE and SITUATION and went through the four zones to discuss the strength of emotions and energy associated with each zone. Students completed a handout predicting situations that would result in them being in each of the zones.

Mr. Morris's Class: We continued Concept 3 - All the Zones are Okay with another round of Four Corners where students identified which zone they would be in when in a variety of situations. Students then worked to identify common feelings and behaviors connected to them.

Ms. Del Rossi's Class: We began Concept 3 - All The Zones Are Okay. Students learned the definition of PERSPECTIVE and SITUATION, played Four Corners to better understand perspective, and identified a variety of emotions that may arise in different situations.

Let's Talk - Raising Grateful Kids

Saying thank you is one of the first social rules many parents teach their children, and for good reason. We want our kids to be appreciative and not take things for granted, and learning to be grateful can improve kids’ relationships, ability to empathize, and overall happiness. If you are looking for ways to reinforce the importance of gratitude or would like to find other meaningful ways your kids can show appreciation, here are some tips:

1. Set an example

Kids learn a lot from watching their caregivers. Show them what it means to be grateful by offering a genuine “thank you!” to a waitress who serves your food, a helpful neighbor, someone who holds the door open for you. But don’t stop there — include your kids, too. Thanking children for doing things that are helpful, even when they are chores like putting away toys, reinforces the behavior and lets them know they’re appreciated.

2. Point out generosity

Call attention to it when people (including your kids!) do things that go beyond what’s expected — helping without being asked, being especially thoughtful, or taking extra time to do something because it’s important to someone else. Send the message that you will notice if they knock themselves out for you, or for someone else.

3. Have a talk

For some kids, especially young children or those who have trouble understanding emotions, it can help to have a talk about how showing appreciation makes other people feel. Try asking your child how they feel when people say thank you to them for doing something nice, and then how they feel when they don’t. Going over his own feelings will help them understand how his behavior affects others and make it easier for them to understand the emotional benefits of being grateful.

4. Find fun ways to say thanks

There are lots of ways to show gratitude. If your child isn’t comfortable talking to strangers or has a hard time expressing themself in writing, work together to come up with a different way for them to show their appreciation. They could try giving a smile or a thumbs up if someone holds the door, or show grandma how much they love their new coat by drawing a thank you picture (or taking a smiling selfie!) instead of writing a card.

5. Share the love

Encourage kids to think of people who help them, from coaches to neighbors to the local firemen, and say thanks with cookies or cupcakes. Making them and giving them are fun, and they help kids see how connected we all are.

6. Put things in perspective

Talk to your kids about those who are less fortunate. Don’t scare them, but don’t keep them in the dark either. Understanding that not everyone has the same advantages will help them develop compassion for others and gratitude for their own privileges.

7. Let kids choose

Encourage kids to turn their interests into action. Whether it’s a fundraising drive at school, a bake sale, or a run for charity, expressing their interests and using their skills for a good cause is a great way to boost their confidence and give them a chance to give back at the same time.

8. Get involved

Make giving back a family affair. Find places where you can volunteer together or let your child choose a charity to donate to. Giving and gratitude go hand in hand, and doing it as a family will bring everyone closer and help you make some great memories.

9. Make gratitude part of bedtime

When you tuck them in at night, ask your child to tell you three things they’re grateful for. Even if they’ve had a bad day it will help them — and you — end each day on a positive note.

10. Give kids credit

Be mindful of the fact that your child may have their own way of expressing gratitude, even if it doesn’t fit your expectations. Different kids communicate in different ways. For example, your child may be more comfortable giving a hug than a verbal thank you, or might show their appreciation by helping out around the house or drawing you a picture. Tuning in to your child’s unique way of being thankful will let them know that even as they’re learning new ways to give back, you see and appreciate the thoughtful person they already are.

Adapted from Child Mind Institute