Waddles Weekly

Picture day at NGES is this Tuesday, October 20th! All students will have their picture taken and the option to purchase pictures (a proof will be sent home later in the week). These pictures are also used for your students lunch/id card. Pictures will be taken first thing in the morning, and again when our afternoon prek students come in just after 12:30pm

This Wednesday, October 21st is a half day of school. Please see schedule below for dismissal:

Preschool: dismisses at 11:30am

Kindergarten and Grade 1 dismisses at 11:50am.

Please be prepared to receive your child at the bus stop!

If your child needs a lunch on this day, please email Notestonges@grafton.k12.ma.us by the end of the day on Monday so that the lunches can be prepared.

Mark your calendars! Our book parade is coming. Our students are ready to bring their favorite storybook characters to life on Friday, October 30. Students can dress in a costume that represents their favorite book!! We can't wait to see all the creative and fun costumes!

Here is the schedule for the day:

☀️ AM Preschool, Kindergarten, & 1st Grade: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

🌤️ PM Preschool (Williams and Buckley): 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (classroom celebration and then parade at 2:40-2:50)

Don't forget to have your child bring along the book that matches their character costume.

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Monday, November 2nd: 5:00 PM-7:00 PM or on Tuesday, November 3rd: 8:30 AM -3:00 PM. You should have received an email from your teacher to sign up for a conference time. These meetings are a great opportunity for parents to connect with teachers to hear about how your child is adjusting to school and all that they are learning. We strongly encourage all families to make the time for these important meetings, as they set the stage for a strong connection between home and school.

Below are the links for the specialists if you would like to connect with them:

• Ms. Pilski: School Psychology. Click HERE
• Mrs. Casperaites: Music Teacher: Click HERE
• Ms. Wallen: School Adjustment Counselor: Click HERE
• Mrs. Largess: PE Teacher: Click HERE
• Ms. Runne: Art Teacher: Click HERE
• Mrs. Dufault: Technology Teacher: Click HERE

Thank you SO SO much to those of you who have donated and supported our Fun Run! The students had a blast running outside on that beautiful day. They are so excited for their ice cream surprise which will hopefully happen this week.

We are so close to our $60,000 goal. At last check we had raised $58, 917. I let the students know that if we reach the $60,000 goal they all get to SPRAY MRS.JOHNSON WITH SILLY STRING!!! They were so excited...and I would hate to disappoint them 😀😉!

Hopefully we can reach that goal.

If you have not donated already, get your pledges in. Donations close at midnight on October 20th!!

The North Grafton Parent Teacher Group invites you to an Adult Night Out featuring Bad Momz of Comedy!

Join us for a fun-filled evening of laughter, friends, and a well-deserved night away from the kids — all while supporting our schools!

Friday, November 6th

Apple Tree Arts

Doors Open: 7:00 PM

Show Starts: 8:00 PM

Light refreshments will be served, and a cash bar will be available!

Tickets are $45 per person.

Grab your friends, plan a date night, or make it a moms' night out! Don't miss this opportunity to laugh for a great cause.

This is an adults-only event.

Scan the QR code, or use the below links to purchase your tickets!

https://nges-ptg-2026-adults-night-out.cheddarup.com

Text 2026Funny to 234-324-3332

All proceeds benefit the North Grafton Parent Teacher Group and help support programs and enrichment opportunities for our students.

We hope to see you there!

Kindergarten Families:

I have only received 6 responses for our Kindergarten survey!

I would love to get your feedback about our Back to School activities that took place in August.

If you can please take a few minutes to fill out THIS survey that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Picture day at NGES will be on October 20th! All students will have their picture taken and the option to purchase pictures (a proof will be sent home later in the week). These pictures are also used for your students lunch/id card. Pictures will be taken first thing in the morning, and again when our afternoon prek students come in just after 12:30pm

Mark your calendars! Our students are ready to bring their favorite storybook characters to life on Friday, October 30. We can't wait to see all the creative and fun costumes!

Here is the schedule for the day:

☀️ AM Preschool, Kindergarten, & 1st Grade: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

🌤️ PM Preschool (Williams and Buckley): 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (classroom celebration and then parade at 2:40-2:50)

Don't forget to have your child bring along the book that matches their character costume.

Next month, we will hold our parent-teacher conferences. These meetings are a great opportunity for parents to connect with teachers to hear about how your child is adjusting to school and all that they are learning.

Please see below for the time frames in which conferences will be offered. By the end of this week, your child's teachers will have emailed out a link to sign up for a time that works for you. Additionally, I will send out an email for specialists conference links.

We strongly encourage all families to make the time for these important meetings, as they set the stage for a strong connection between home and school.

Monday, November 2nd: 5:00 PM-7:00 PM

Tuesday, November 3rd: 8:30 AM -3:00 PM

The students have enjoyed hearing our Fun Run updates and getting their prizes!!

Last time I checked we have raised almost $37,000...more than half way to our $60,000 goal

and...THE PRINCIPAL'S CHALLENGE!

I let the students know that if we reach the $60,000 goal they all get to

SPRAY MRS.JOHNSON WITH SILLY STRING!!!

They were so excited...and I would hate to disappoint them 😀😉!

Please be sure to Register here: https://funrun-2026.cheddarup.com.

Once registered, send the link to grandparents, family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Every donation—big or small—helps move our schools closer to the next goal!.

Fun Run is coming up this Thursday October 15th! The weather is looking cool but sunny!

Families are welcome to cheer on their child at their designated time.

Please park and join us on the field on the side of the building.

Come and visit our new Little Free Library. Take a book to enjoy and/or bring a book to share with others!! Thank you to Jen Mannion, our Curriculum Director, for passing this along to NGES, Mr. C for his handy work, and the students of NGES for voting on the name: Waddles Book Nook. Enjoy!

The first progress report for your student will be shared out on Wednesday through the Parent Portal. This initial report is a snapshot of how your child is settling in and progressing during the first part of the school year. Please log into the Parent Portal on Wednesday afternoon to view it.

If you have any trouble accessing the portal, please contact the main office for assistance.

Students are doing a wonderful job learning to Be Kind, Be Safe and Be Responsible throughout the school day.

As you know, students are recognized with penguin prints for demonstrating specific behaviors that we want to maintain or increase throughout the school year. The students have been so proud of themselves and their classmates!

If your child shares that they received a penguin print card or stamp on their igloo at lunch, ask them why!

Big shout out to our 1st grade students who have filled their grade level jar TWICE earning some grade level rewards!

Equally as awesome, our Kindergarten students filled their jar once and are well on their way to filling it a second time.

Preschool is not far behind and are earning pom poms and penguin prints all the time!!

As I spoke about during Know Your School Night, we would like all Kindergarten and 1st Grade students to be able to manage their meal independently which builds their self-confidence and ensures a smoother, more relaxed lunchtime.

Here are a few things you can practice with your child at home:

Practice Opening: Have your child practice opening all the containers, bags, and wrappers. This includes snack bags, yogurt tubes, juice boxes, and reusable containers (plastic only, no glass). If they can’t do it easily at home, set up their weekend lunch as you would for school to allow practice!

Include a Drink: Always send a drink with your child. Students who have to wait in line for water or get assistance with the fountain lose valuable eating time.

Picture day at NGES will be on October 20th! All students will have their picture taken and the option to purchase pictures (a proof will be sent home later in the week). These pictures are also used for your students lunch/id card. Pictures will be taken first thing in the morning, and again when our afternoon prek students come in just after 12:30pm

Kindergarten Families:

I would love to get your feedback about our Back to School activities that took place in August.

If you can please take a few minutes to fill out THIS survey that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Our Fun Run has been BLASTING OFF since our Pep Rally this past Wednesday.

Last time I checked we have raised over $13,000! Incredible!!

Please be sure to Register here: https://funrun-2026.cheddarup.com.

Once registered, send the link to grandparents, family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Every donation—big or small—helps move our schools closer to the next goal!.

Please join us for our October PTG Meeting (our first official meeting of the school year).

Everyone is welcome!

Mark your calendars! Our students are ready to bring their favorite storybook characters to life on Friday, October 30. We can't wait to see all the creative and fun costumes!

Here is the schedule for the day:

☀️ AM Preschool, Kindergarten, & 1st Grade: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

🌤️ PM Preschool (Williams and Buckley): 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (classroom celebration and then parade at 2:40-2:50)

Don't forget to have your child bring along the book that matches their character costume.

Thank you to the 3 parents that have reached out and will be part of our School Advisory Council.

If you know of any Community Member that would be interested in joining please have them email me as soon as possible.

The School Advisory Council is made up of parents, teachers, principals, staff and community representatives that work together towards the School Improvement Plan to support and enhance student learning.

Thank you to those of you who have reached out to be Room Parents. We have enough room parents for every classroom! THANK YOU!

Tuesday the Red Sox will be going into game 1 of the Playoffs against the Yankees AND the Bruins will have their first preseason game!!

Let's cheer both teams on by wearing your favorite Red Sox, Bruins, Baseball, or Hockey shirts on Tuesday

Picture day at NGES will be on October 20th! All students will have their picture taken and the option to purchase pictures (a proof will be sent home later in the week). These pictures are also used for your students lunch/id card. Pictures will be taken first thing in the morning, and again when our afternoon prek students come in just after 12:30pm

Please see below for a few reminders from our Nurse:

-To be prepared for any possible accidents, please pack spare clothes, especially a spare pair of underwear in your child's backpack (place it in a ziploc bag as they will be kept in the backpack).

-If your child currently has spare clothes in their backpack, please be sure that they are relevant for the weather. Shorts should be replaced with pants, etc.

**The nurses office is in need of extra underwear for both boys and girls. If you are interested in donating a brand new package of underwear please send them in with your child with attention to the school nurse.

Thank you!!

Our Fun Run Is Changing This Year — Here’s What Families Need to Know!

Dear NGES & North Street Families,

Our annual Fun Run is back, but this year you may notice that things look a little different!

For the past several years, we have partnered with Boosterthon to help manage our Fun Run fundraiser. This year, the PTG has decided to take on the planning and management of the fundraiser ourselves.

Why the change?

One of our biggest goals is to make sure that as much of the money raised by our families as possible stays right here at NGES & North Street.

When using a third-party fundraising company, a portion of the money raised goes toward the cost of running the program. By managing the Fun Run ourselves this year, we are able to keep more of those funds and put them directly back into our schools—supporting our teachers, classrooms, students, programs, enrichment opportunities and school experiences.

You raise it. Our schools keep more of it.

Prizes Are Changing Too!

Due to new guidelines set by the Grafton School Committee, our prize system will look different this year. Instead of individual students earning prizes based on how much they personally raise, EVERY student will receive the prizes that our schools unlock together based on our total amount raised!

That means we're working as one big team toward our $60,000 goal.

As our combined fundraising total grows, ALL students will unlock prizes along the way—including stress balls/squishies at $5,000, alien glasses at $10,000, digital writing boards at $15,000, string backpacks at $20,000, stuffies at $30,000, water games at $40,000, an ice cream party at $50,000 and the Principal's Challenge at $60,000!

No competition between students. No child is left out because of how much their family is able to raise. We reach each level together, and EVERYONE celebrates together.

So How Does Fundraising Work?

The process for families is still easy! Register your student, share their fundraising page with family and friends, and watch our school-wide total climb.

Every $5, $10, $25 or $100 donation helps move our entire school community closer to the next level. With approximately 700 students between our two schools, imagine what we can accomplish when everyone participates!

Our mission will culminate with our NGES & North Street Fun Run on Thursday, October 15!

We're excited to try something new this year and even more excited that more of the money our families work so hard to raise can go directly back to our schools and teachers.

**Click the picture above to register and to start donating!

Thank you for supporting our students, our teachers and our schools. We can't wait to see how far we can go together!

Same School. Brighter Futures. Out of This World Together!

NGES & North Street PTG

Click the photo above to sign up to attend!

Just a reminder that this Wednesday, September 23rd is a half day of school. This means...

- Our AM and full day Pre-k students will be dismissed at 11:30am.

- Our K/1 students will begin dismissal at 11:50am.

Please be mindful of this time and be present for your child's bus.

- There is no afternoon Pre-k

We do offer a bagel lunch on the 1/2 day. If you are interested in your child receiving this brown bagged cold lunch, please email NotestoNGES@grafton.k12.ma.us by the end of the day on Monday September 21st.

Throughout the school year if you would like to volunteer in our classrooms (aside from being a mystery reader), you will need to have an active CORI in place.

To do that, please come to the main office to fill out the paperwork with Nancy

**Please try to avoid arrival and dismissal times.

Also if you are coming to volunteer, please be sure that you bring your license into the building with you as we will need to scan it to get you a volunteer badge.

Thank you!

We are in need of 1-2 Room Parents in the following classrooms:

-Mrs. Parr

-Mrs. Carr

-Mrs. Denomme

-Mrs. Williams' AM Preschool Class

-Ms. Buckley's PM Preschool Class

Room parents to help coordinate and implement four class celebrations throughout the year! These celebrations can include crafts, games, and activities to engage all students in a way to celebrate as a class throughout each season! Click HERE for more information.

If you are interested please email me with the title "Room Parent" at johnsonme@grafton.k12.ma.us.

If there are more than 3 volunteers from a class we will either pick from a hat or divide you up for 2 and 2 celebrations each!

We are seeking 1-2 parents and community members to serve on our School Advisory Council. SAC will meet 2-3 times per year for an hour. The School Advisory Council is made up of parents, teachers, principals, staff and community representatives that work together towards the School Improvement Plan to support and enhance student learning.

If you are interested, please email me at johnsonme@grafton.k12.ma.us

It is important to keep your child's demographic information up to date. Please be sure that the following information is updated in Powerschool:

• Emergency and routine contact details

• Home and mailing addresses

• Student health and medical information

Please use the link here to get the directions on how to update your information: Annual Demographic Update

Having accurate information is critical, as our nurses and secretaries rely on it daily to keep students safe and informed.

A huge THANK YOU to UniBank for their Random Act of Kindness here at NGES. Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade classrooms were gifted some of their classroom wishlist items! Connections with the community are so important and we are so grateful to Unibank in North Grafton!!

Click the photo above to sign up to attend!

We are looking forward to seeing Kindergarten and 1st grade students and parents, as well as Preschool Parents (Adults only for preschool please!) for our Know Your School Night on Tuesday! Doors will open at

4:45 for Kindergarten and 1st Grade

5:00 for Preschool (use the Preschool Wing Entrance)

Mrs. Johnson will speak with Kindergarten and First Grade families first in the cafeteria at 5:00 and then will speak with Preschool families around 5:40 in the meeting area in the preschool wing!

International Dot Day, on September 15th, is a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration based on Peter Reynold's book The Dot. From the International Dot Day website, "The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage."

This Tuesday, I encourage all NGES students to wear DOTS!!

Anything with dots...polka dots big or small will do!

I will be reading The Dot to each grade level and "challenging" them to make their mark, both a school and at home, using our school motto (Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Responsible) as a basis.

I am excited to see our students build their confidence and courage here at NGES!

Please share any examples of your child doing this at home as well!

NGES Health Screenings Notification and Opt Out Email for All Parents

NGES Health Screenings will begin soon. Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires the following school screenings:

• Preschool: Vision Screening

• Kindergarten: Hearing Screening & Vision Screening

• Grade 1: Hearing Screening, Height/Weight/BMI Screening and Vision Screening

All screenings are conducted by school nurses. Screenings are used to identify potential medical conditions of school children as soon as possible so as to enable all children to obtain the fullest benefit of their educational opportunities. Please note that these are screenings for referral for further care so should not be considered diagnostic and are not meant to replace an examination by your healthcare provider. Letters will be mailed home if follow-up is recommended. BMI data is available by parent request to the nurse. All information is kept confidential.

Opt Out Only - Please use the following link only to opt-out your child(ren) from the NGES required health screenings. Fill out one form per child. If you have more than one student at NGES, you will be offered a choice at the end of this form to submit another response for another child.

Link: NGES Health Screening Opt Out Form 2026-2027

If you do not want to opt your child out of health screenings, you do not have to complete this google form.

Kindergarten students are required to have an updated physical exam done within the past year. If you have not sent in an updated physical exam, please email one to the NGES School Nurse Katelyn Chalupka-Thompson at chalupkak@grafton.k12.ma.us.

Opt out results will be accumulated until 10/1/26. NGES health screenings will begin after 10/1/25.

Click the photo above to sign up to attend!

We are certainly making progress on our dismissal time. Thank you for your patience! Please continue to see the information below if you would like your child to take the bus!

If you have questions about the bus please do not hesitate to call or email me!

To make the switch, please contact Mrs. Tauras in the main office this week to make the change!

Learning to ride the bus in K/1 is significantly easier than when your child transitions to NSS, where they will be riding with more students, ranging in grades 2-6. Now is the time to start- it gives your child a sense of independence and autonomy, something all students want and need!

What a fantastic first week of school! I could not be more impressed with our Kindergarten and First Grade students, who jumped right into the school year with big smiles and incredible enthusiasm. It has been inspiring to watch our youngest learners master their new classroom routines, navigate the hallways like pros, and earn an astonishing number of "Penguin Prints" for demonstrating kindness, safety, and responsibility.

We also successfully completed our very first practice fire drill of the year, and our students handled it like absolute champions—listening carefully, walking quietly, and following directions perfectly.

I do have pictures to share of our first week however we are still pulling together our "do not photo list" so I will share them as soon as I can!

Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us; their positive energy and dedication to learning is really setting the tone for an amazing year ahead!

This week our preschool students will start!

I cannot wait to see them in the hallways :)

Preschool parents please click on the buttons below for the preschool arrival and dismissal procedures as well as the preschool calendar!

Teachers will be compiling a class email list as a resource to you throughout the year. This is a great way to make connections for playdates, birthday parties, etc.

If you DO NOT want your email included in the class email distribution list, please let your child’s teacher know by Friday, September 11th.

While our bus dismissal has significantly improved over this past week, our parent pick up line is still VERY long. At this time we are completing our parent pick up by 3:48 pm, which is significantly later than it should be.

Therefore, I would like all parent pick up families to consider having your child ride the school bus, especially if you are on the fence about your student riding the bus. If you have questions about the bus please do not hesitate to call or email me!

To make the switch, please contact Mrs. Tauras in the main office this week to make the change!

Learning to ride the bus in K/1 is significantly easier than when your child transitions to NSS, where they will be riding with more students, ranging in grades 2-6. Now is the time to start- it gives your child a sense of independence and autonomy, something all students want and need!

If the parent pick up line remains as long as it has been, I may need to update our dismissal plan as to get everyone out and on their way in a reasonable time.

What is PBIS? School wide positive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) is an evidence based framework for developing positive behavior within the school setting. The premise of PBIS is that the continued teaching modeling and reinforcement of positive behavior will reduce any discipline issues if they arise and promote a climate of greater productivity, safety and academic achievement.

Like academic skills, social skills and positive behavior must be learned through practice, acknowledgement and frequent reinforcement. PBIS school staff to acknowledge desired behaviors and actively promote them throughout the school day. PBIS is for all students and is implemented within all areas of the school, both within the classroom and in all non-classroom settings. Consistent use in all areas of the school provides uniform communication of our school expectations and our responses to student behavior.

Our school mantra, Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Responsible, combines our work with Responsive Classroom and our PBIS framework. In all of the routines and expectations we are teaching, we connect it to how to be safe, kind and responsible in our school.

A great way to help your child and to learn about their first weeks at school is to ask.

Here are a few questions!

Question: What does it look like to be safe in the cafeteria

Answer: Sitting flat, legs under the table, and hands to yourself. We only eat/touch your own food. Walk slowly when lining up.

Question: What does it mean to be responsible in the classroom?

Answer: Take care of materials, use them as you have learned. Raise your hand to gain an adult's attention. Follow the group plan.

Question: What does it mean to be kind on the playground?

Answer: Invite others to play. Use kind words with all students.

As you can see, we firmly believe that the social learning is just as important as academic learning. Teachers and students will be spending a significant amount of time in the next few weeks, as well as throughout the year, learning all about how to be a productive member of the NGES rookery!

As part of PBIS, students earn penguin prints for demonstrating how they are being

SAFE, KIND, and RESPONSIBLE.

Ask them all about it!!

Please be sure that your child as a drink for lunch so this may be a 2nd water bottle! More than likely your child's water bottle does remain in class...so it may be worth packing a 2nd one for lunch which will limit trips to the water fountain!

If your child would like to purchase just milk, they will need to chose 2 other components to get the milk for free! Some have been confused about this so please remind them if they are getting only milk!

NGES Spirit Wear is Here. Click on the picture below to order yours now!

What an incredible first few days of school! I am so proud of our Kindergarten and 1st Grade students! Each and every day they are coming to school with big smiles, listening ears, and an excitement for learning.

In each Kindergarten classroom, the students are learning classroom and school wide routines which will set them up for success for the entire school year. It is amazing to see them navigate all of these new situations and move throughout their day.

Our First Grade students truly are the role models of the school. I am impressed at how they have jumped right back into the swing of things, remembering how to be Safe, Kind, and Responsible. They also are excited to get to know their new teacher, classmates, and to explore their curriculum materials.

Over this next week, we will continue to build on the routines and expectations that they have been learning. I can't to see their smiling faces on Monday!

Reminder for 1st Grade Families: If your student completed their summer reading bingo calendar, please send it back to school by this Thursday September 3rd. Please click HERE for the Summer Reading letter and HERE for the BINGO calendar if you misplaced it.

Our dismissal significantly improved by the end of the week. Thank you for your patience as we navigate bus transportation with new/substitute drivers as well as an increase in parent drop off/pick up.

Every K/1 family should have received a yellow transportation form in your child's green folder.

I do need EVERY family to complete that form and send it back to school by Tuesday September 1st at the latest.

Remember- you can switch to having your child ride the bus at any time- just call Mrs. Tauras to make that change! Learning to ride the bus in K/1 is significantly easier than when your child transitions to NSS and is riding with more students ranging in grades 2-6. Now is the time to start- it gives your child a sense of independence and autonomy, something all students want and need!

Some reminders to make dismissal go as smooth as possible:

1. Please have your child sitting behind the passenger’s seat, with their backpack ready. They will exit out the back passenger side right onto the curb. At drop off, once you are in park, your child can and should get out on their own if they can.

2. We have provided you with a sign for your car if you are doing parent pick up. I would suggest clipping it to your visor with a binder clip and then putting your visor down as you enter the line. This will keep the line moving quickly! If you do not have one, please let your child's teacher know.

3. Please remain on the curb until the cars in front of you pull away and then pull away in a single line. This will help to avoid accidents!

4. Adults should remain inside the car. Your child will get in/out on their own, with support from our staff. Please follow this rule so that we can keep the line moving. Please share this with grandparents and other family members as well!

BUS RIDERS

Please remember that the first two buses leave school at @3:30. We have 8 buses in total! Therefore I do not consider a bus to be late unless it arrives at NGES after 3:45-3:50. If that is ever the case (as it was on Wednesday) I will send an email and text out to those bus families.

Bus #1 is notoriously the last bus to arrive at NGES. We also have to account for substitute drivers which, for bus #8 families, you knew there was one yesterday. Again, please be patient if your child's bus does not arrive at the stop at its normal time, especially during these first few weeks of school.

Please consider getting involved with our PTG!

I hope to see you at our first meeting on Wednesday at 6:30 at NGES!

NGES Spirit Wear is Here. Click on the picture below to order yours now!

Let the new school year begin!!

The NGES teachers and staff have been working hard to get our school and their classrooms ready to welcome students back to school.

It was so great to meet our new Preschool and Kindergarten students at the Popsicle Social.

Their excitement for school was contagious!!

We cannot wait to see you all this week!

Please click HERE to learn about more about the schedule for Bus Practice and Open Door Day!

Our first graders and a parent are invited to stop by and meet your teacher, see your classroom and connect with new classmates!

Open Door Day for Grade 1 will be held on August 25th from 9:45am-10:15am.

(Families please be sure to arrive after 9:30 to allow for Kindergarten families to leave and for their to be enough parking!)

Preschool Students and their Families are welcome to come on Thursday August 27th to meet their teacher, see their classroom, and to connect with some new friends. The schedule for open houses are below:

9:00-9:30 Ms. Cameron's Full Day Class

10:00-10:30 Mrs. Williams AM class and

Students in double session in Williams AM/Buckley PM

11:30-12:00 Mrs. Williams PM Class and Ms. Buckley's PM Class

All preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade students will need a backpack for school.

Preschool Students will need to pack a snack and water bottle.

Those preschoolers staying full day will also need a 2nd snack and a lunch (or can get school lunch!)

Kindergarten and First Grade students will need 1 snack, a water bottle and a lunch (or can get school lunch)

**Important: Please make sure all items are labeled with your child's name (lunch box, water bottle, etc)

Also please remember to pack your child a drink for lunch.

If their water bottle is their lunch drink, please make sure they know that they should take their water bottle with them to lunch, as water bottles are often taken out during the day to be accessed in class.

Arrival:

Arrival time starts at 8:45 AM, with the school day beginning promptly at 9:00 AM. It is important that students arrive on time. For those driving, we strongly encourage you to arrive between 8:45 AM and 8:50 AM. When students arrive, they will go directly to their classrooms to sign in.

Students do have an opportunity to access breakfast in the morning if they chose. (They will check in with their classroom teacher and then go to the cafeteria for breakfast.)

Important Note for Drop-Off

All kindergarten and 1st-grade students will be dropped off at the main circle. Please pull up along the tree line and wait in line until a staff member directs you to a drop spot.

Students are expected to get out of the car independently with staff support as needed. Parents should remain in the car. This is a great chance to help your child practice independence, like unbuckling and opening their own door. We will provide assistance, but the goal is for them to become more self-sufficient over time.

Dismissal

Similar to arrival, all kindergarten and 1st-grade students will be picked up at the main circle. Please pull up along the tree line and wait in line until a staff member directs you to a pick up spot. School buses will typically be called first, followed by those parent pick up cars.

Please consider getting involved with our PTG!

Hello NGES Families!!

I hope you all are enjoying every minute of the summer, especially this beautiful weather. As the school year approaches I am excited to introduce myself and share some back to school updates with our NGES community.

As the start of the school year gets closer, I am so thrilled to welcome back our returning students and their families. While I am new to the principal role, I am not new to NGES which makes me excited to reconnect with students and to hear all about their summer adventures.

For those of you I have not yet met, my name is Melissa Johnson and I am overjoyed to be your child's principal here at NGES. Prior to this role, I have been a paraprofessional, classroom teacher, and most recently the Preschool Coordinator and TEAM Chair across both NGES and SGES! I am the proud mom of two children, Mackenzie and Jack, as well as dog mom to our Dachshund, Molly! Mackenzie loves volleyball and basketball and Jack enjoys playing first base for his baseball team! We recently went on our first cruise as a family. On the cruise we visited Trunk Bay on the island of St. John's where we swam in the tropical blue water. Much to our surprise, there were some sting rays who wanted to swim with us as well! That was so exciting!

I understand that the start of a new school year can bring both excitement and some nervousness. Please know that I am here to support you and your child in any way possible. If you have any questions, concerns, or simply want to connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I will send out our Waddles Weekly each Sunday during the school year. As the school year approaches, please take time to explore our newsletter for information about exciting events, activities, and school happenings. I encourage you to get involved in our school community and staying informed is one of the best ways to do that. I can't wait to see all those smiling faces walk through our doors!

Sincerely

Melissa Johnson

Teacher Assignments for 2026

Prek: Miss Cameron, Ms. Buckley, Ms. Williams, Mrs. Dumas

Kindergarten: Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Bond & Mrs. Bergstrom, Mrs. Minardi, Ms. Malone, Mrs. White

Grade 1: Mrs. Carr, Mrs. Guyette, Mrs. Denomme, Mrs. Gieser, Ms. Watson

The PTG and Mrs. Johnson would love to welcome our incoming preschool students to a Popsicles on the Playground event on Tuesday, August 18th from 4:00-4:45 pm. This event is a great way to explore our preschool playground, to connect friends that will be in your class and meet Mrs. Johnson and to learn more about the PTG!

*Please note this event will be held on the PREK playground which is located behind the building on the far left (if you are looking at the school).

On the same night (Tuesday August 18th from 5:00-6:00) we would love to welcome our incoming Kindergarten students to a Popsicles on the Playground event. Students can use this time to explore the K/1 playground, see friends that will be in your class, get your colored penguin for open door day, and to meet Mrs. Johnson and to learn more about the PTG!

*Please note the K/1 playground is located behind the school on the far right (if you are looking at the school).

We look forward to seeing you!

Please click HERE to learn about more about the schedule for Bus Practice and Open Door Day!

Our first graders and a parent are invited to stop by and meet your teacher, see your classroom and connect with new classmates!

Open Door Day for Grade 1 will be held on August 25th from 9:45am-10:15am.

Just a note: While our Kindergarten teachers look forward to seeing your children around school on the first few days, this is not a time to stop by for a visit. Our Kindergarten teachers will be meeting and planning for the first day with their new kiddos and they promise to find their first grade friends on Day 1 for a hug and hello!

Just a quick note to let you know where you can find our weekly update, pictures and more:

1. Your email (once the school year gets started, every Sunday Waddles Weekly Update will make it's way into your inbox. Check your spam, it sometimes lands there:)

2. Our school website

3. Our school Facebook page!