HM School Values - Over the past several weeks I’ve been trying to capture some of our students doing things that reinforce our values. Below is a sampling of photos of our students doing just that.
Weekly Recycling and Picking up Trash (Respect for our School)
Engagement (Lifelong Learning)
Blue Zone - This past week we nearly had a tragic incident take place during drop-off time. A child exited the left side of a vehicle parked in the blue zone and almost got hit by a passing car. I know we are all busy, but by taking a moment to slow down and following a few simple precautions, we can prevent potentially devastating outcomes.
A few tips to follow:
- Please don’t double park in the blue zone area
- Never let your child enter or exit a vehicle in a passing traffic lane.
- Please stay off the grassy side of Albemarle Rd. It is very dangerous to have children crossing the street during arrival and dismissal time.
International Night Reminder - On Friday, October 12th we will be hosting our annual event in the gym. Its a great chance to share something about your family and your traditions. If you’d like to sign up to host a table, click the registration link here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IQwEiIhj3onXrjLCGVBk4LVOb287dFycSzzyLe1D8F0/edit#gid=1670388080
If not, please consider attending with your family. There’s lots of great food from around the world, as well as a chance to meet new people. There will be a place to read stories, and even share a song. We’d love to see you there.
Parents and Technology - For those of you who have iPhones/iPads in your home, there’s good news for parents who are struggling with managing screen time. If you upgrade to the newest operating system (OS12), there is a new feature in SETTINGS titled SCREEN TIME. This feature enables parents to set schedules for device use, set restrictions on content, limit specific APPS, etc. Here’s a link to an article with more details: https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/17/17870126/ios-12-screen-time-app-limits-downtime-features-how-to-use
Literacy Update - Now that assessments are complete, students in grades 1-3 will be provided with targeted small group learning opportunities depending on the level of need. Here is an overview:
- All students will be in a small guided reading group (2x/week, 3x/week, or 4x/week).
- Students requiring more support will be enrolled in LLI (Leveled Literacy Intervention). Students are grouped by level into groups of three students, which will meet 5 times per week for 30 minutes.
- In addition to the above two groups, some students will also receive additional phonics instruction (roughly 15 minutes per day 5x/week)
- Finally, for those students with more intensive learning needs, we have our Reading Recovery intervention, which involves 5x30 minutes per week in a 1-1 setting.
Responsive Home Workshop for parents of Kindergartners
Parent Info Session - Massachusetts Anti-bullying Law: IEP and School-wide Strategies to Prevent Bullying of Students with Disabilities
Thursday, October 18
Location :Education Center
100 Walnut Street; Room 210
7:15-9:00pm (networking at 7:15, presentation starts at 7:30)
Please RSVP to lisadepalma@mac.com
This workshop will address the significant changes in special education practice that are a result of the state’s anti-bullying prevention law, focusing on both school-wide efforts to create safe and supportive school environments for students with disabilities and statutory provisions that require IEP Teams to address bullying of students with disabilities.
About the speaker:
Johanne Pino is a full time project coordinator at Mass Advocates for Children (MAC) where she engages in outreach and provides information and technical assistance to parents and professionals. As a peer leader, she has worked for many years as an advocate for her children with disabilities.
