ePack #22

Dear Families:

Welcome back from February vacation!  I hope you had a relaxing break.  We have a busy stretch of school ahead us during the month of March. 

Skype Author Visit:  Thank you to Ms. Bolton, School Librarian/Media Specialist, for arranging a Skype session with our fifth graders and author Rob Buyea.  The children enjoyed listening to Mr. Buyea read aloud from his new upcoming book and they go to ask him some questions.  

Tuesday, March 1st:  Please remember that there is no school on Tuesday, March 1st due to Professional Development Day.  

Wednesday, March 2nd:  Our kindergarten students will be visited by the Museum of Science's Dig for Dinosaurs program.  Sounds like fun!  Thanks to Katie Ramm and our PTO for this program.  Also, our grade five students will be presenting their "wax museum". Grade five parents are invited to attend either the afternoon session (1:15 p.m.) or the night session (6:00 p.m.).

MCAS Schedule:  Parents can find the upcoming MCAS test schedule posted here.  

Survey:  The North Attleboro School District is in the process of updating our Strategic Plan and we need your input. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GMTT2BS so that we can continue this process. Your thoughts and ideas are extremely important to us and will help guide future focus areas for educating our children. We will be keeping the survey open through March 18, 2016.

Marshmallow Challenge:  We were very excited to find out that approximately 180 students participated in the Marshmallow Reading Challenge over February vacation!  Nice job! Thank you to Mrs. Boynton and Mrs. Houston for organizing this event!

Read Across America Week:  We have many fun activities lined up for next week's Read Across America Week!  We hope all children and staff will participate.  Thanks to Curriculum and Title I Director, Corinne Brems, and our reading teachers, Mrs. Boynton and Mrs. Houston, for organizing these ideas.  Please see below:  

Monday – Fox in Socks - Crazy Sock Day
Morning Announcements –  Read Across America Poem will be read.
10:30-10:45  Reading Train.  Each classroom will be called to the second floor to line the hallways and read for 15 minutes.  Adults also.

Tuesday – No School/PD Day

Wednesday – One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish – wear red and blue
Morning Announcements – Dr. Seuss quote,  fun facts, or poem.

Thursday – Favorite Dr. Seuss book necklace – Students can draw their favorite scene, character, or book by Dr. Seuss. Teachers will need to provide time during the days leading up to this. 
Morning Announcements – Dr. Seuss quote, fun facts, or poem.

Friday – Cat in the Hat Day – Grab your Hat and Read with the Cat! - wear a crazy or fun hat
Each third floor classroom partners with a second/first floor classroom to read aloud together.
Morning Announcements – Dr. Seuss quote, fun facts, or poem.

Congrats:  Congratulations to Mrs. Valeri for being approved for a grant through New Teachers Community at Lesley University for almost $400 in STEM kits for her classroom! 

That's all for now!  There are just three postings in this week's ePack.  Have a nice weekend.

Mr. Gaudette

ePack #21

Dear Families,

Although it was a short week, it sure was a busy one!  We celebrated our 100th day of school yesterday.  Many classes recognized the day in different ways - special hats, dressing as 100 year olds, and many other activities involving the number 100.  Mark your calendars!  Due to the snow days, our final day of school is now Tuesday, June 21st.  As you know, February Vacation is February 15 - 19th.  Enjoy the break!  

Marshmallow Challenge: A hard copy of this reading activity was sent home to you.  The Marshmallow Challenge is an easy and fun way to keep the children reading over vacation. These sheets are due back on Monday, February 22nd.  Please encourage your children to participate as there will be a prize for those who do. 

MCAS:  Please note that a draft of the upcoming MCAS testing schedule is in today's ePack.  This is subject to change.  

MassCue Grant:  Mrs. Brems, Title I/Curriculum Director, and I were awarded a $3,000.00 grant to create  MakerSpace for Community School.  I'll update you as we go forward.  Here are some links that may be helpful: 

What is MassCue?  
What is a MakerSpace?

Shoes:  Please remember to donate used shoes to our bin in the main hallway.  Thanks for the donations that came in!

Box Tops:  Please note that a new Box Top collection sheet has been posted in tonight's ePack.  A hard copy will come home tomorrow with your child.  Please return these collection sheets upon your return from February vacation.  

That's all for now.  Have a great weekend and a better vacation!  

Mr. Gaudette 

Thanks to our kindergarten and grade one classrooms for collecting 100 (or more!) items for Lenore's Pantry!  

ePack #20

Dear Families:

The mild temperatures have certainly been nice lately, but it looks like a change is coming tomorrow! Please keep your eye on the news tomorrow morning for a possible delay or school cancellation due to snow.  I will also utilize Twitter and a Remind text message to alert families.  

2016-2017 School Year:  Please click here for next year's school calendar.  

Safety and Security Protocols:  We are reviewing our safety and security protocols throughout the district, and would like to remind families that you play an important role in the safety of our schools.  As a reminder, please closely monitor items that your children are bringing to school.  Toys, kitchen utensils, and any sharp objects should not be brought on the bus or into school.  In addition, if you see something suspicious or out of place, we encourage you to continue to report these things to the building principal – “If you see something, say something.”  By working together, you are helping to ensure the safety of all of our students.  Thank you! 

100th Day of School:  The kindergarten and first grade teams have been counting up to the 100th day of school since the beginning of September.  One way we would like to celebrate is to collect 100 canned goods to give to Lenore's pantry.  We will begin collecting on Friday February 5th, and will collect until Friday February 12th.  Students can bring in canned goods on any day that week.

April 7th:  Mark your calendars - we will have spring pictures on April 7th.  More information to come.  

Kindergarten Families:  Please don't forget to send in your child's yellow report card envelope with your signature.  

Special thanks to School Council parent representatives (L to R) Heather Chick and Katie Ramm for constructing our new welcome bulletin board.  Also, big thanks to (L to R) Shannon, Haley and Lily for helping!