Dates to Know
Tuesday, May 6th - Last Day of Chess
Wednesday, May 7th - Emerson's Incoming 6th Grader's Night 5:30-7:30 pm
Friday, May 9th - 1st Grade Field Trip
Friday, May 9th - 5th Grade to Emerson
Monday May 12th -Friday May 16th FASTBRIDGE TESTING
Tuesday, May 13th - Kindergarten Field Trip
Tuesday, May 13th - Chorus Concert
Thursday, May 15th - Incoming K Screenings
Thursday, May 15th - CHORAL TOUR 1:50 pm
Tuesday, May 20th - Field Day
Monday, May 26th - No School, Memorial Day
Thursday May 29th -Last Day of School
Friday, May 30th - Records Planning Day
FROM THE DESK OF MR. BALDUF: SMART WATCHES - HELP OR HINDRANCE?
It’s been a while since I’ve written about a specific topic in this newsletter, but I thought this one might be worth sharing. It also ties into the concepts of Screen-Free Week. I briefly mentioned smartwatches earlier this year, but as they continue to become more prevalent, I’ve been thinking more about whether they are helping or hindering our kids. If you asked me (and I know you didn’t), I’d say they’re starting to present more challenges in the school setting.
As a parent myself, with children who are a little older now (no longer "children" in the traditional sense), I understand the appeal of having a direct link to your child. It’s comforting to know where they are and to have the ability to communicate with them easily. I have my 20-year-old’s location on my phone, and it’s nice to check in from time to time. However, what we’re seeing in schools is that smartwatches are becoming more problematic.
I'm sure you’ve noticed, but kids today need a lot of energy and support to stay focused and engaged in their learning. With their constant shifting between short videos, apps, and games online, it can be difficult to keep them focused on a math or ELA lesson, especially if the content isn’t their top interest. Smartwatches can easily become another distraction—pulling their attention away from lessons, independent work, or social interactions with peers.
Another issue we’re seeing is communication between students and parents during school hours. While it’s natural for parents to want to stay in touch with their children, there is really no need for communication to happen during the school day unless it’s an emergency. If anyone disagrees with this, I’d be happy to discuss it further. All before- and after-school plans should be communicated ahead of time, and if something urgent comes up, parents can contact the school office, and we can help facilitate any changes.
We’ve had situations where students texted home saying they weren’t feeling well, and parents came to pick them up—without us even knowing about it, or without the child seeing the nurse. We’ve also had instances where a student was upset about something at school, but their text home made it sound like a crisis. When communication happens this way, it leads to confusion, and it’s hard to understand what’s actually going on. It becomes a game of "telephone," with different versions of events adding to the complexity.
In short, we’re not anti-smartwatch, but we do need your help in guiding our children on how to use them appropriately at this age. Many smartwatches have a “school mode” feature, and we’d encourage you to activate it if possible. Please talk to your child(ren) about their use of the watch during school, and let them know that if it becomes a distraction, their teacher will reach out. It’s a privilege they may lose if it continues to interfere with their learning. Also, we’d appreciate it if you could model not engaging in communication with your child during school hours, and instead, use our school systems for any important messages or emergencies.
We need to establish healthy norms for technology use at an early age to support their academic growth, communication skills, and social development. I wanted to put this out there to make sure we’re all on the same page as we work together on this.
5th Grade Famiilies
You’re Invited!
Emerson Middle School’s
Incoming 6th Grade Family Night
When: Wednesday, May 7, 2025; 5:30-7:30 pm
Who: Incoming 6th Grade Families and Students
Where: Emerson Middle School’s MPR
Emerson’s administrators will discuss the transition from 5th to 6th grade and 6th grade programming with our future families from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
At 6:00 pm, you are welcome to tour the building and meet 6th grade teachers on the 3rd floor. The exploratory teachers will be in the Gym.
We hope to see you there! Please contact the Emerson Main Office with any questions!
Join the Award-Winning D64 Instrumental Music Program!
We would like to invite your student to join the District 64 Instrumental Music program next year! Beginning in 4th grade, your child is eligible to join Orchestra and 5th grade students are eligible to join the band or orchestra. To learn more about the program and the string instruments offered, please see the links below:
Read: Important Information About Instrumental Music
Video Presentation: All About Band!
Video Presentation: All About Orchestra!
If you already registered your child for the 2025-2026 school year but did not select instrumental music, log back into your account to add band/orchestra: Click Here to Add Instrumental Music, click "Forms" on the left, then "Enrollment" at the top and scroll down to instrumental music.
Click here for a video tutorial on how to add band/orchestra to your child’s registration!
The instrumental music registration deadline is August 1. Band/Orchestra teachers will communicate more information via email with registered families the second week of school. Lessons will begin the week of September 8.
If you have any questions, please email Erica Faulhaber (efaulhaber@d64.org), Curriculum Specialist for Instrumental Music.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES 2025-2026
It's Time to Buy! Don't Wait!
Carpenter Elementary parents, we've all been there! Back-to-school sneaks up on us, and suddenly we're running from store to store trying to find supplies. But what if you could check it off your list today? Order Here: Carpenter Elementary School Supplies
1st Day School Supplies makes it easy. In just a few clicks, you can order the exact supplies your teacher requested, packaged in a beautiful new box and delivered on time, stress-free!
