October 2025, Vol 2

Dear Families,

It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of October! The energy around Ellicott continues to be inspiring. Classrooms are filled with focused learning, creativity, and collaboration as students build confidence and independence in their routines. We’re seeing great examples of perseverance, teamwork, and kindness throughout the building which are all qualities that make us proud of our Ellicott learners.

As we continue into this school year, we encourage families to keep celebrating effort and progress at home. The growth we see each day is the result of students, teachers, and families working together, and that partnership truly makes a difference.

We’re looking forward to a fun finish to the month, with Halloween excitement in the air and plenty of learning still to come!

Thank you for your continued support and positivity.

Mrs. Nigro and Mrs. Brown

Friday, November 7th - Veterans Day Breakfast, 8:00 am

Tuesday, November 11th - Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL

RED RIBBON WEEK 🎀

Monday, October 27th - Rock your "Red Ribbon" - Kick-off the week by wearing as much red as you can!

Tuesday, October 28th - Cozy up with Healthy Choices - Wear fleece, flannel, sweats, or pjs!

Wednesday, October 29th - Together we are Ellicott Strong - Wear your Ellicott t-shirt! 👕

Thursday, October 30th - BILLieve that being kind to your mind makes a difference by wearing your favorite sports team clothing! ⚾🏈⚽🏒

Friday, October 31st - Say Boo! To Drugs - Wear your Halloween Costume to School 🎃

Friday, November 7th - Bills Day and Veterans Day Breakfast - Rock your Red, White and Blue!

Friday, November 14th - Elementary Half Day - Dismissal Starts at 11:15

Wednesday, November 26th - Friday November 28th - Thanksgiving Break - No School

As Halloween approaches, we want to ensure that all of our students enjoy a safe, fun, and inclusive celebration on Friday, October 31st. Please take a few minutes to review these important reminders:

👻Costumes

Students should wear their costumes to school. Please help us keep the day safe and school-appropriate by following these guidelines:

• No costumes that are violent or gory in nature.

• Weapons (real or pretend) are NOT allowed.

• No face paint, full masks or accessories.

• Students should wear their costumes to school over regular clothes.

• Inflatables are allowed but may be limited at the teacher’s discretion to ensure safety and classroom participation.

• Costumes should allow students to comfortably take part in regular school activities, including learning and recess.

🎉Classroom Celebrations

• Each class will celebrate in their own way. Please check your child’s teacher’s updates for details about activities, snacks, and classroom plans.

• Teachers will communicate any food restrictions related to allergies or medical needs.

• If your child will not participate in Halloween celebrations, notify the teacher so we can ensure they feel included in an alternate way.

🍬Snacks, Treats, & Candy

• No homemade treats are allowed and will not be distributed.

• Only pre-packaged, store-bought, individually wrapped items may be sent in, if approved by your child’s teacher or the nurse.

• Always check with your child’s teacher before sending treats to be sure they meet allergy and dietary guidelines.

🔦Safety First
For families who will be trick-or-treating:

• Please remind children to stay with a trusted adult.

• Use sidewalks, watch carefully for traffic, and cross streets safely.

• Carry a flashlight or wear reflective clothing for visibility.

If you have any questions about costumes, classroom celebrations, or snacks, please reach out to your child’s teacher before Halloween. Thank you for helping us ensure a safe, fun, and inclusive celebration for all students!

This year’s theme is “Service to Our Nation.”

As part of this year’s Veterans Day Breakfast, students are invited to submit a short tribute honoring their veteran, or any veteran. Tributes may be written or a picture. A few selected students may be invited to read their tribute at the event. All submissions will be displayed at the breakfast.

If your child would like to participate, they may create a written piece, drawing, or digital design (Canva or another platform). Be sure they add first name only, teacher and grade level to the work!

Submissions can be emailed to Mrs. Nigro (dnigro@opschools.org) or Mrs. Brown (abrown@opschools.org), printed and sent in, or turned in to the main office.

✨Thank you for helping us honor and celebrate the service of our veterans!

*Note: students do not need to be attending the breakfast in order to submit a tribute.

PK–1 Students: Keep it short, simple, and from the heart.
Options: Draw/create a picture, dictate to an adult, or write a few labels, words or a sentence or two.

• “My veteran is ______.”

• “They make me feel ______.”

• “Thank you for ______.”

• Draw your veteran in uniform or with your family.

• Create a heart, flag, or star picture and add your veteran’s name.

Grades 2–3 Students: Keep it simple and from the heart but expand with more detail.
Options: Write a paragraph, make a Canva/electronic design, drawing, etc.

• “I admire my veteran because ______.”

• “My veteran shows service by ______.”

• “Service to our nation means ______.”

• “When I think of my veteran, I feel ______ because ______.”

• Design a card or small poster thanking your veteran.

Grades 4–5 Students: Create something using reflection, connection to the theme, and more complete writing.
Options: Write 4–6 sentences, create a Canva/poster, or record a short speech.

• “Service to our nation means ______.”

• “My veteran demonstrates loyalty and service by ______.”

• “Because of their service, I have learned ______.”

• “My veteran inspires me to ______.”

• Create a short thank-you message or digital slide with photos, images,
  or symbols.

Yes, already!

Our lost and found is bursting with nice unlabeled items just waiting to be reunited with their owners. Remind your child to check for anything missing, and if it’s still not there, reach out to their teacher. Don’t forget—labeling jackets, sweatshirts, and other belongings helps make sure everything finds its way home!

See below for an opportunity to order labels through the Ellicott PTO!

Kindergarten life is moving right along! It is hard to believe we are in October already. The beginning of Kindergarten focuses a lot on routines and we are so proud of our students.

Our first reading unit focused on how we can make our classroom community a joyful place to be. What a great way to start the year! We have moved forward to our celebrating fall unit and learning so much with our non fiction texts.

We are moving forward in our phonics program and it is so exciting to see the students work on naming letters, forming letters and recognizing their sounds as well as building words. It is amazing.

Our math program allows our students to investigate and explore math materials and utilize useful strategies to count accurately.

We have also enjoyed this gorgeous weather on the playground and have truly loved our visits with Mr. Morton and his animals.

The Orchard Park Family Solutions Center is excited to offer Fall Parenting Enrichment classes at no cost to families! These sessions provide a welcoming space for parents to connect, share, and gain strategies for navigating the joys and challenges of raising children.

Classes are tailored to fit different stages of parenting:

• Universal Pre-K

• Kindergarten through Fifth Grade

• Pre-Teens and Teenagers

In addition, a yearlong Co-Parenting Cohort is available for families navigating separation or divorce. This supportive group focuses on building healthy communication and providing practical tools, and on-site child care is included.

👉 Click the PDF below for full details and registration information!

WHO WE ARE:

OPSEPTSA is a group of hard working volunteers and community members in Orchard Park, NY and the surrounding area. We are parents, family members, teachers, students, administrators and community members. All are welcome.

WHAT WE DO:

We advocate for the education and well-being of EVERY child in our community. We support families of students with special needs in the Orchard Park Central School District (OPCSD), helping them navigate the system.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

JOIN OUR MEMBER NETWORK SO YOU CAN LEARN:

• About the OPCSD services available for your child
• How to advocate for your child’s education needs
• Your child’s rights under NYS Education Law
• What to expect at your child’s Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings, and how to prepare and participate
• About the best places to go for support services outside of school

Click here to become a member today!

WE MEET MONTHLY

2025-26 MEETING SCHEDULE:

Next Meeting on: November 19

December 17

January 21

February 25

March 18

April 22

May 20

June 17

* Meetings are currently scheduled as hybrid: virtual & in-person

🍔 Wednesday, November 12th - Red Robin Fundraiser, 20% of sales go back to our PTO 🍔

Ongoing Opportunities:

• Ellicott Spirit Wear Sale - linked above
• Mabels Labels (durable, waterproof school labels)
• go to THIS WEBSITE and search for Ellicott Elementary PTO (Orchard Park)
• Box Tops for Education - Scan your Receipts using the app

More information about all of these opportunities can be found in the PDF below.

Thank you for supporting our school by supporting the PTO! 👏

Each month, our Occupational and Physical Therapists in Orchard Park create a fantastic collection of resources that can be used both in the classroom and at home. These activities and strategies support skill development that can benefit all children in many ways. Click the picture below to explore the resources and see if there’s anything you’d like to try with your child at home!

As students get back into the swing of the school year, it’s normal for some stress and big feelings to pop up along with all the excitement. Between new routines, friends, and expectations, kids may need a little extra support to feel calm and confident. Here are a few simple ways families can help at home:

💬 Keep conversations going
Ask open-ended questions about your child’s day, like “What was something that made you laugh today?” or “Was there a tricky moment?” Listening without jumping in to fix things helps kids feel heard and understood.

🕒 Stick to routines
Predictable schedules make a big difference. Consistent mornings, mealtimes, and bedtimes create a sense of security, even when school days are busy.

🌟 Encourage healthy habits
Rest, movement, and balanced meals all support emotional health. Try family walks, music and dance breaks, or simply some outdoor playtime to help release energy and reduce stress.

🧘‍♀️ Practice calm-down strategies together
Teach and model easy coping tools like deep breathing, stretching, or counting to ten. Having a few “go-to” strategies ready helps kids handle tough moments more smoothly.

🎉 Celebrate the small wins
Notice and praise effort, not just results. Whether your child tried something new, kept going after a challenge, or showed kindness to someone, celebrate it!

Supporting children’s emotional well-being at home builds confidence and resilience that carries over into school. With a little consistency, connection, and care, we can help our kids feel supported and strong!