Melville Message Community Update

In partnership with families and community, the mission of Melville Elementary School is to provide all students with a strong academic foundation through diverse and challenging instruction in a safe and nurturing environment enabling them to achieve their greatest potential while developing self-confidence, respect, responsibility, compassion and a love of learning.

This week, we held our first community gathering of the year, and it was a wonderful success! Our Anchored for Life team leaders kicked things off by sharing the many ways they support one another, new students, and especially our military families. We also recognized our classrooms for being RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE, SAFE, AND READY TO LEARN in Unified Arts and Recess. Then some of our Grade 4 students delivered an important message on standing up against bullying to defend a friend. To wrap up, Squirt the Whale joined us for some dancing, and we celebrated with recognizing our “Whale Done” classroom of the month.

Physical Education Recognition: Miss Apici's Class

Art Recognition: Miss Heffernan's Class

Music Recognition: Mrs. Vieira's Class

Library Recognition: Mr. Totten's Class

Recess Recognition: Mrs. Walker's Class

Class Whaledone: Mrs. Brennan's Class

☕You can register to attend by scanning the QR code below or by CLICKING HERE.

Unity Day was started by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in October 2011. It’s the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month. This is a day when we can come together in one giant, ORANGE message of hope and support.

Please wear your orange on Unity Day, October 16th!

We take all reported incidents seriously. If you see something that could be constituted as bullying, cyber-bullying, or harassment, please say something.

I hope the start of the school year has been enjoyable!

Please be advised that if your child has any concerning health condition that you would like to share with the Melville Elementary School Health Office, please feel free to email our School Nurse at trainora@portsmouthschoolsri.org or you may call (401) 683-1650, Option 2.

Please remember that our school is a nut and peanut free school.

If your child requires any kind of medication administration during school hours (daily medication, as needed medication, emergency medication), the Melville Elementary School Health Office requires new physician orders every school year.

Here are links to forms that you may need for your child: Long Term Medication Form, Asthma Action Plan, and FARE Form. These forms will need to be signed by a parent/legal guardian as well as your child’s healthcare provider. Please select the form that applies to your child. Medications cannot be given during school hours without physician and parent/legal guardian consent and doctor’s orders from the last school year do not transfer over to the new school year. Please make sure your child’s medication is not expired prior to providing it to the health office.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

All the best,
Alexia

🍀October 🎃

4th- Escobar Corn Maze (Time 3:30-Dusk), Raid Date: 10/8)

9th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

14th-Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day (No School)

16th-Unity Day-Wear Orange to make a Stand Against Bullying

16th- Melville Community Clinic

16th- Fall Festival Planning Meeting, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

23rd- School Picture Day

24th- After School Family-Teacher Conferences

26th-Fall Festival, 10AM-2PM

29th-Kindergarten Monster Mash 5PM-6PM (more information to follow)

🦃November

5th- Election Day (No School for Students)

5th- Staff Professional Development Day

7th- After School Family-Teacher Conferences

11th- Veterans’ Day Observance (No School)

13th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

27th – 29th: Thanksgiving Recess (No School)

December 🎄

5th- Picture Retake Day

10th- Holiday Craft & Ornament. 4:30PM-6:30PM, Melville Cafeteria and Library

23rd– 31st- Holiday Recess (No School)

⛄January.

8th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

1/27 – 1/31: Scholastic Book Fair Week & Reading Spirit Week

February💕

12th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

🍀March

12th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

April

9th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

May

14th- MPTG Meeting 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

21st- Melville Fun Run (during the school day, rain date 5/22)

June

11th- MPTG Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation, 6PM-7PM, Melville Library

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Has everyone in your family had their flu vaccine?

There will be a FREE flu vaccine clinic at Melville Elementary School (in the cafeteria) on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 from 4 pm - 7 pm. Ages 3 and up are welcome. The COVID-19 vaccine will also be available.

Here’s some important information about the FREE flu vaccine clinic:

• Register online at schoolflu.com to schedule an appointment.
• Online registration is required to ensure the availability of the vaccine, walk-ins will be limited.
• Insurance information will be collected, but the vaccine is FREE whether you have insurance or not.

The flu is a serious, highly contagious, and sometimes deadly disease. Catching the flu means missing days of work and school. You might even have to spend time in the hospital. Don’t take the risk — the flu vaccine is your best protection against the flu.

For more information, visit health.ri.gov/flu/, or call the Department of Health’s information line at 401-222-5960.

Planet Aid is a nonprofit organization that collects used clothes to protect the environment and strengthen communities. Planet Aid’s non-binding school partnerships provide a passive fundraising stream and an opportunity to teach students about environmental sustainability. Melville School hosts a Planet Aid clothing donation bin and with this we raise funds for every pound donated.

The Planet Aid bin is in our parking lot again this year...please continue to fill it with clothes and shoes. Thank you!

Going forward please use meloffice@portsmouthschoolsri.org to notify the main office of changes to your child's dismissal routine or of your child's absence.

If you are interested in volunteering or chaperoning this school year, then you will need to complete the volunteer approval process. Mrs. McEvoy in our office is a notary and can be of any assistance, so please do not hesitate to reach out!

We love to celebrate our students. If they have special news that you would like us to share, e.g. State Wrestling or Cheerleading Championship accomplishments, then please email me at lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org and we will be sure to include their recognition in our morning announcements.

In keeping with the spirit of giving, our Feinstein Jr. Scholars are excited to start an in-school food pantry that our students and families can donate to and access when needed.

Please help us as we continue to support our community by sending in food items with your child from time to time. Please email

Mrs. Powell: powelld@portsmouthschoolsri.org or

Mrs. Pascoe: pascoen@portsmouthschoolsri.org

if you would like to access our food pantry during the school year.

Securly Home is an app that allows parents to monitor their child’s Chromebook activity at home and add rules for home use. Please take some time to review the slideshow from the informational parent meeting hosted for families.

We encourage you to sign up now for Securly Home!

Google Slideshow

At Melville School we provide continuous updates on student progress. Mid-Trimester Progress Reports and Report Cards help us to better communicate student progress with parents and caregivers.

All families will be invited to parent teacher conferences the week of October 15th. At the conference teachers will review beginning of year data and benchmarking assessments. Benchmarking assessments are assessments given to students three times a year to measure their progress towards achieving the end of year standard for their grade level. If your child qualifies for a Response to Intervention Plan, this will be discussed during the conference. Report Cards are published three times a year and will be available on the ASPEN Platform.

Report Cards reflect your child's current mastery of end-of-grade level standards. The grades earned by your child, as reflected on the Report Card, are their current mastery of end-of-grade level standards. For example, if your child is in second grade they are being assessed on the standard that is expected of a student exiting second grade. If your child receives an S (secure), this means that they are secure and have reached the end of the year benchmark. Earning a D (developing) means your child is demonstrating growth towards meeting the end of grade level with support. If your child is beginning to progress towards meeting the end of year standard, then they will receive a B (beginning). It is common for most students to receive B’s and D’s during the first trimester now that we are switching to reporting out on end-of-year standards. An N/A means that this standard has not yet been taught. NP means that your child did not participate in the learning/activities related to this standard.

Fire drills occur on a regular basis. State law requires each school to conduct eleven fire drills, two lockdown drills and two evacuation drills each year. Shelter in Place drills are conducted throughout the school year. Children are given instruction on all procedures. Children are expected to behave in a calm, orderly manner during these exercises. Please review the importance of such exercises with your child and emphasize the need for appropriate behavior.

A lockdown is an alert to a school community that students and staff should not leave the classroom and should gather in one area of the room until provided with further direction.

An evacuation requires all students and staff to exit the building and meet at a designated safe place.

A shelter in place is an alert to a school community that movement outside of classrooms is being restricted for a brief period of time. It is typically used when a student or staff member is requiring some sort of attention (sometimes medical) and the school is trying to keep that area clear and/or protect that person’s privacy. If there were a serious safety concern the school would not issue a shelter in place.

We will send notification of lockdowns, evacuations, and shelter in place drills and events via email.

Here is the presentation that was shared at a Parent Safety Forum that was hosted in conjunction with the Police and Fire Departments. The Run, Hide, Fight FBI philosophy guides our safety training.

The P3 Sandy Hook Promise Anonymous tip line is a resource that we encourage anyone to use if there is ever an immediate safety concern.

Email: lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org
Website: https://www.portsmouthschoolsri.org/Domain/11
Location: 1351 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI, USA
Phone: 401-683-1650
Facebook: Melville Principal
Twitter: @MelvilleSchool