Roland Hayes School

Our North Star

“When children and teachers feel engaged, safe, and supported we have room to grow and learn through collaboration and risk-taking with our peers.”

Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718

"The Community Notes" is sent every other week. Thanks for reading!

Tomorrow we leave for winter break, many taking time to celebrate Christmas, some observing Kwanza, and most entering a micro-period of hibernation as we gear up for the new year. We send our sincere hopes for a joyous holiday season.

Thank you all for helping to make the first four months of this school year so meaningful. We wish you a very merry holiday season ahead.

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Thanks for the sweet treats!!!

The staff was grateful for the offering of sweet treats last week. Katie and Robin, our parent coordinators for this event, heard staff say, “Wow, what a boost!” and “I’m SO happy right now” among other grateful comments The Roland Hayes families really rallied for us! We thank you!

Join us TODAY!

Thursday, December 21, 2:50 - 3:30 PM

Roland Hayes’s Sledding Hill (near the Kindergarten Playground).

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kNdOFR83pbLp8pQsgmM7Bku_QgUk7eSEegS2zCt0DpU/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you so much for supporting the 2nd Grade Food Drive and Sale to benefit the Brookline Food Pantry!

We’re excited to let you know that we collected 3 large shopping carts filled with 485 food items during our Food Drive and we also raised $435.50 from our Craft Sale!

We are so proud of our second graders for all their efforts. They learned so much about our community and the role of the Food Pantry. They also learned how they can make a difference through their time, talents, and efforts!

If you'd like to learn more about the Brookline Food Pantry, please go to this link. The folks at this vital community-driven/community-focused organization would be grateful for your support any time of year.

Thank you again for your kind support!

-The Second Grade Team

Perhaps your child received an Apple watch for the holidays? Maybe they already have one?

Help your child avoid distractions by turning on School Time mode. If your child has an Apple Watch, please turn off notifications and limit app access during school hours. Instructions are here.

It's really hard for kids to keep themselves from checking their watches or using apps during school. Students are not allowed to use their personal phones or other devices to communicate during school hours. If we see them using their watches, we will hold them safely in the office until the end of the day.

If you need to communicate with your child, please call the Main Office and we can delever any necessary message.

Thanks for supporting the Book Fair so warmly earlier this month!

The book fair was very successful! If you're a data person, here are some fun facts:

• Total number of cash register transactions: 747
• Amount donated by the community to support students in need: ~$700
• Students whose entire purchase was paid for with these donations: 28
• Students and staff whose purchase was partially funded by these donations: dozens, no idea how many! Scores of people who needed an extra buck or two.
• Number of Books purchased directly from the fair for the library using remaining donated amount and Scholastic Points: 20
• Most popular item: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer
• Profit: After a donation to our PTO, around $2,500 will go back to buying books and supplies for the library.

Thanks again for a great event!

--

Lindsay Anderson

Librarian

@lindsayteaches

A new school name requires a celebration! If you are interested. in joining the School Renaming Party Planning committee, will you let us know by filling out this one question survey?

Link to survey: https://forms.gle/LYq8DY2QT8rkntNC6

If you can do one thing this weekend, please make time to label your child's winter coat. Our Lost and Found is already full of coats with no names. If we find items with names on them, we return these items to their owners. No label? Then it sits in a pile of stuff in our Lost and Found.

Since you are getting that sharpie out, will you go ahead and write your child's name on their lunch box, water bottle, and backpack?

We thank you very sincerely.

In the last Community Notes, we spotlit work from Mr. Goldner's Grade 7 classroom. This time, we are showcasing our Grade 8 scientists. From Mr. Goldner:

In October 2023, Hayes School 8th graders went to Hillside Pond in Milton to collect data related to environmental changes. We used sediment cores and tree cores as sources of proxy data to interpret past environmental change. These are the same techniques that climate scientists use to gain an understanding of how our climate is changing. Using proxy data helps scientists build better climate models, make better predictions for the future, and, hopefully, lead to a society that is more sustainable.

Check out this website where you can watch presentations in which students explain what they did during this project, what observations they made, what claims they came up with and why those claims make sense.

This project is related to research that science teacher Mr. Goldner participated in during his expeditions to Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic with professor Dr. Julie Brigham-Grette (UMASS Amherst). This short film describes their research and efforts to teach about climate change to the public. Featured in the film are some clips from Mr. Goldner's classroom - including student cameos!

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Mark Goldner (he/him/his)

7th & 8th Grade Science Teacher

Our PTO's Website is here: https://www.heathpto.org/ We hope you will check it out for upcoming events, ways to support out school, and much more!

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Thank you to everyone that participated in the Sweet Treats for Teachers and Staff, the Holiday Toy Drive, and the Scholastic Book Fair. And thank you to those who are contributing to teacher gifts through your room parents. In addition to those teacher gifts, the PTO gives gift cards to all staff members at the school to communicate that we value every educator in the building. And none of that would be possible without your continued generosity. We know there are a lot of asks of you at this time of year, and so we are grateful for your continued support. You help make our school community a special one. Enjoy the break and time with your family, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

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Save the Dates for PTO Community Events in the New Year
A whole bunch of parent volunteers are working behind the scenes to plan some great community events for our school in the new year. Make sure to save the date for:

- K-3 Winter Variety Show (Wed 1/24)

- Science Fair (Sat 3/2)

- International Night (Fri 4/5)

- Mayfair (Sat 5/11)

Will send more details about these events and more over the coming months.

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Specialist Teachers Wishlist

Each year, the Heath PTO shares a wishlist of supplies that the specialists need for their classrooms. Please visit the wishlist and contribute where you can. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

https://heathpto.org/wishlist

SAVE THE DATE! Roland Hayes School International Night is Friday, April 5th, 2024.

There will be many forthcoming opportunities to volunteer for our beloved community event.

If you are planning to apply to private schools, please be aware of three things:

• The PSB uses our own forms for the recommendation process. Please send the requests to the appropriate staff via the independent school's portal (ie, Ravenna). That will alert us to your request. We will then use our forms to communicate with the private schools to which you are applying.
• Please provide addressed, stamped envelopes to the front office for every school to which you are applying. We will send the completed forms directly to the schools.
• The firm deadline for staff to complete recommendation forms is January 10th, 2024. After this date, staff will not be able to complete letters of recommendation.

The 5th annual Science Fair date will take place on Saturday, MARCH 2, 2024! And you don’t want to miss participating. Last year was amazing: If you are looking for a fun activity over the holiday break, how about some early prep for the Science Fair!?

Start brainstorming and drafting in time for our 2nd Zoom workshop on Thur Jan. 4, 2024 @ 6p. The 2nd workshop topic will be "Plan: Research and Design" where you can:

• Hear about process, resources, and support - especially helpful for first-time scientists
• Speak to parent volunteers 1x1 about your early project ideas or how to choose a project - we welcome both scientists and their supporters
• Join a middle-school breakout room - a dedicated session for 6-8th graders looking to get their projects "to the next level"
• Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81832488989?pwd=euqBpBCu8tvkZec4wfUM3EnDBFG5as.1 (passcode 543444)

Register for the Fair here to help us plan and get updates from the Planning Committee

Check out these resources for ideas: the Hayes Science Fair dedicated site with various available sources like ScienceBuddies.com, Mr. Picard's Engineering at Home, and more

Let science begin! 5th annual Hayes Science Fair date: March 4, 2024

• Monday, December 25th - Monday, January 1st: School Closed for Winter Break: Return on January 2, 2024

• Wednesday, January 3rd: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, January 3rd: Model UN, 11:20-12:05pm

• Thursday, January 4th: Young Scholars, 2:30-3:30pm

• Friday, January 5th: Yearbook Club, 8:00-8:30am

• Monday, January 8th: Rainbow Club! Grade 5, 11:20-11:50am

• Tuesday, January 9th: AAPI Affinity Group, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, January 10th: Deadline for Private School Recommendations

• Wednesday, January 10th: METCO Connections Breakfast/Game, 7:30-8:00am

• Wednesday, January 10th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, January 10th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Thursday, January 11th: Young Scholars, 2:30-3:30pm

• Friday, January 12th: PEP - Theme: Respect, 8:05-8:30am

• Monday, January 15th: School Closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• Wednesday, January 17th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, January 17th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Thursday, January 18th: School Council Meeting, 8:15-9:45am

• Thursday, January 18th: Young Scholars, 2:30-3:30pm

• Friday, January 19th: Yearbook Club, 8:00-8:30am

Field Trips:

• Friday, January 5th: Ski and Snowboard Club, 1:50-10:00pm

• Friday, January 12th: Ski and Snowboard Club, 1:50-10:00pm

• Friday, January 19th: Ski and Snowboard Club, 1:50-10:00pm

We leave now for the cherished winter break. We hope that this time provides all the good things you need and deserve. To close, a poem by one of my favorites – the great Wendell Berry:

"The Cold"
by Wendell Berry

How exactly good it is
to know myself
in the solitude of winter,
my body containing its own
warmth, divided from all
by the cold; and to go
separate and sure
among the trees cleanly
divided, thinking of you
perfect too in your solitude,
your life withdrawn into
your own keeping
—to be clear, poised
in perfect self-suspension
toward you, as though frozen.
And having known fully the
goodness of that, it will be
good also to melt.

Be well, now and in the new year ahead.

~ Asa

Dr. Asa Sevelius, Ed.D. | Principal

Email: asa_sevelius@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

Mr. Kirtan Patel | Vice Principal

Email: kirtan_patel@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718

The "School Name: History & Resources" website page is here:

https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/renameheath

Website: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/Page/17
Location: 100 Eliot Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467
Phone: 617-879-4570

Roland Hayes School

The Public Schools Of Brookline | A METCO Partnership School

Dr. Asa Sevelius, Principal & Mr. Kirtan Patel, Vice Principal