THE MEMORIAL EAGLE GAZETTE
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Interim Principal, Ryan McCluskey
Assistant Principal, Donna B. Johnson
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Please use this link to keep up to date on all that is happening at Memorial School. This calendar, along with other important information can also be found on the Memorial School website (link is above).
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As we approach our Winter Break in a few weeks, here are a couple of logistical dates to keep track of:
February 14th - Valentine's Day party
2:00p.m. - Classroom Parents may go to classrooms after checking in
2:10p.m. - Parents who wish to attend may go to classrooms after checking in
* Reminder that you will need your license to check in at the front office
February 18th - President's Day (We DO have school on this date)
February 19th - C.A.R.E.S. assembly at 2:00p.m. (Please check your email for an invitation to join us.)
February 19th - District Chorus and Art Show for grades 3, 4, and 5 at 6:30p.m.
Memorial Elementary School Goes to the Polls
In an effort to educate our students on the importance of civic engagement, our Memorial Elementary School students will be invited to participate in the March 12th local elections. In preparation for the event, teachers will work with their students on a variety of age appropriate activities to help them understand this essential question: Why do people vote?
With the support of our Student Council, a topic of importance will be chosen with three possible outcomes for students to vote on. One example of a possible topic might be: Please let your voice be heard and help to choose our new school colors.
At the Newton Town Hall, an area (separate from official town voting) will be designated for our students to participate in the electoral process. We have even had a ballot box from the 1800's donated to us from Newton Town Hall to use at the event. Students, who must be accompanied by a parent, will then make their selection on "ballots" supplied by the school.
The results of the Memorial election will hold real outcomes for our students. Our hope is that all of our students can feel what it is like to go to the polls, participate in a version of the election process, and then see the real world outcome of their civic engagement. As always, we thank all of our parents for their continued support in helping us to develop the well-rounded students our communities and world tomorrow. (Please know that this is an enrichment opportunity that we hope all of our students can participate in, but is certainly not mandatory.)
Thank you,
Ryan McCluskey
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Underground Railroad Information
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For a number of years, many Memorial students have enjoyed the educational
experience associated with the Underground Railroad simulation. Thanks to the donation of time from many staff and parent volunteers, this has been a staple of the fifth grade experience.
As our teachers have reviewed the fifth grade Social Studies curriculum, it is clear that the fifth grade focus has shifted away from the Underground Railroad and the Civil War. Without the appropriate background knowledge in place, providing an Underground Railroad simulation would lose its educational benefits and impact. These topics are now a focus of the middle school Social Studies curriculum. The middle school Social Studies department has developed a variety of age appropriate activities and simulations to help bring this time period alive for students from both Memorial and Bakie.
While we appreciate the tradition that has been created, it is important that teachers adhere to the standards set forth by the state. We will continue to look for opportunities to provide enriching experiences for our students, but need to make sure that students have the background knowledge needed to make meaningful connections.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT - 5TH GRADE
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Middle School
The #1 worry of a fifth grader
Now that we are past the halfway point of the school year, Team 5 teachers start to turn their thoughts to making sure the students are prepared for the next grade. However, it goes quite a bit further than pure academics since we are preparing them for a different school with a different type of schedule.
Worries
It is very typical for the students in fifth grade to start to worry about the differences between grade 5 at Memorial School, and grade 6 at the Sanborn Regional Middle School. For starters, they will be sharing the school with students from the DJ Bakie School in Kingston. They do not know the kids, the campus, the teachers, or the schedule. They worry about the rules, the lockers, getting lost, and how the classes all have different teachers that do not know them. We here on Team 5 know about the worries the kids have, and we do everything we can think of to prepare the students for success.
Opportunities
We provide several opportunities for the students to make their transition as comfortable as possible. We introduce them to some of the Bakie School students when we travel to Camp Lincoln in the spring. We also take them over to the Middle School for a tour of the building where they meet Team 6 and visit classes in session so that they know what to expect. Some of the Middle School teachers have already been visiting the classrooms in order to provide a familiar face for the kids, and visits will continue to happen. The Middle School also holds an information night where the schedule is explained and parent information is given out. Open communication is always encouraged.
Things we do
In class we are beginning to make our annual changes to prepare the kids. Some of the changes are subtle, such as using the cubbies as lockers with limited access, making sure the kids have all of their materials for each set of classes, and having the students responsible to know their own schedules such as during Maker Space and their SET rotation. Other things such as learning how to open a combination lock may not sound like much, but it makes quite a difference in the first few weeks at the Middle School. If your child tells you that they lost their desk at school, don’t worry. They are not in trouble, they are in training. There are no desk cubbies at the Middle School, many of the teachers use tables and chairs.
Sharing is caring
If you or your child is worried about something, please share the concerns with us. We do many things to get the kids ready, but it always helps us to know what your child is worrying about so we can support them and make their transition as worry free as possible.
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News from the Health Office
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TOO SICK FOR SCHOOL
This is the season for an increase in the number of cases of colds, flu, intestinal and GI viruses, conjunctivitis, and even strep throat and pneumonia. Parents are asked to consider the following suggestions from the school nurse in order to limit the exposure of healthy children to those who are ill, and to ensure that those who are ill will have as rapid a recovery as possible:
1)
If your child has vomited during the night, keep him/her home for at least another 24 hours
until you know that he/she is eating regular foods without difficulty and is no longer experiencing nausea or abdominal pain. If your child has had more than one episode of diarrhea, especially when accompanied by fever and/or nausea, please consider their comfort level and risk for dehydration, and keep then at home until fever and diarrhea are resolved.
2)
If your child has a persistent cough not controlled by over-the-counter medications, please contact your health care provider, as your child may have an underlying bronchial or lung infection or pneumonia. Severe cold symptoms, such as sneezing, congestion, and/or nasal drainage can interfere with a child’s ability to concentrate and learn and poses a contagion risk to others.
3)
If your child has a fever (100 degrees or above
), please keep your child at home for an additional 24 hours of fever-free time
(OFF fever-control medicines) to ensure adequate rest and the opportunity for the immune system to recover. Your child may still be contagious if he/she has a fever at night, but is fever-free in the early morning.
4)
If your child has one or both eyes with a red appearance to the sclera (white area), and/or drainage from the corners which is yellow, and/or yellow crusts on lashes and lids which are itchy and/or swollen, please keep them home and consult your health care provider.
Conjunctivitis is very contagious, and children with this infection must be on medications for a minimum of 24 hours and no longer draining from the eye to attend school.
5)
If your child has been diagnosed with strep throat, they must be taking an antibiotic for 24 hours before they may return to school as non-contagious to others.
6)
If your child is experiencing lethargy or irritability with their illness, they will not be feeling well enough to participate in all school activities and are not able to focus in the classroom.
Certain childhood diseases have required exclusion periods to prevent spreading of the disease to the general school population. If you have any questions regarding the advisability of sending your child to school, please call your health care provider or your school nurse.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Cindy Cole RN
Memorial School Nurse
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Hello from the kitchen at Memorial! The month of February is flying by!
Some of you may wonder what exactly is on your child's lunch tray, and hopefully this article will explain to you the choices our students have and what constitutes a healthy, balanced lunch. We use the term "Reimbursable Meal". A "Reimbursable Meal" contains three out of five food components: these include a grain, a meat or meat alternative, a vegetable, a fruit, and a milk. In order to be considered a "Reimbursable Meal", the student's tray must have at least three of those components, and one must be a fruit or vegetable. We have many choices here, and along with the fruit or vegetable offered with our entrée, we also offer an alternate fruit such as an apple or orange slices, and baby carrots or cucumbers are offered in our salad bar. Students can also choose a juice instead of a fruit. We encourage the students to eat a balanced lunch, and we are thrilled when a hungry student comes through our line with a full tray! However, some students don't want all of the components, and although they have many choices, their trays are not very full, and they have not fulfilled the requirements of the "Reimbursable Meal". In this case, students are charged individually for items. Sometimes, the cost of individual items exceeds the cost of a "Reimbursable Meal".
At Memorial, we are an "Offer vs. Serve" school. This means we give our students the opportunity to choose what is on their tray, rather than serve it to a student who doesn't want it, and throws it into the trash. Our goal is to serve our students healthy, nutritious food that they are excited to eat.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact JoAnne at Memorial 382-3326.
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Kindergarten Pre-Registration for 2019-2020
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Preschool Application Lottery for 2019-2020
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APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED
FOR SANBORN REGIONAL INTEGRATED PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
The Sanborn Regional
Integrated
Preschool Program is offered at both the
D.J. Bakie Elementary School in Kingston, NH and at the Memorial Elementary School in Newton, NH. We are currently accepting applications for the 2019- 2020 school year for the three year and four year old preschool programs.
The three year old program is held Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Eligible children must be three years old by September 30, 2019 and be residents of Kingston or Newton, New Hampshire.
The four year old program is held Mondays through Thursdays
from 12:00-3:00 PM at each school for residents of Kingston and Newton.
Eligible children must be four years old by September 30, 2019. There are limited openings in the four year old program at both schools.
Tuition for the three year program is $165 per month and the four year old program is $200 per month. A tuition agreement form must be completed and returned in order to participate in the program. Enrollment is limited, and
the deadline for submitting an application is Friday, March 2, 2019.
All applicants must participate in a developmental screening process. Please note that this is not a Child Find. You may call to schedule a Child Check Appointment if you are questioning a possible educational issue. For more information please call Robin Baker at 642-5272, ext. 119 or email at
rbaker@sau17.net.
T
o register your child for the lottery please
click this link
.
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The Memorial School Student Council will be holding our annual Penny Drive fundraiser starting in March and running through mid April. The Penny Drive is a contest between all classrooms to see who can bring in the most change, dollars are also accepted. There will be a collection can in each classroom and the student council will empty the cans as needed and keep running records of the totals. Each year the members of the student council come up with ideas for organizations and charities to which we can donate the money, This year the student council voted for CHaD, Children's Hospital at Dartmouth to be the recipient of our donation. Please help our school to raise as much money as we can for such a wonderful cause, by bringing in any loose change or dollars from your couch cushions, cars, etc. The class who raises the most money will win a pizza party. Thank you all for your continued support of the Memorial School Student Council.
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Popcorn Friday Dates (Student Council collects money on Wednesdays):
February 22
March 29
April 12
May 10
May 24
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Please join Superintendent Ambrose on
February 13
th
at 3:30
in the Memorial Library. He will be there to explain the warrant articles and what they mean. Let’s be informed voters!
Our next meeting will be held on
February 14
th
at 7:00 p.m
. We hope to see you there!
Our art teacher is gearing up with our students to start creating items for
Square 1 Art
! Watch for information in the Spring!
We are getting ready for our next big event the
Spaghetti Dinner and Raffle Baskets
. We are hosting the event on
March 14
th
. Dinner will be 5:30-6:30; Raffles will be pulled from 6:30-7:00. Please see below for your classroom basket! Please send items in by
February 15
th
!
2018-2019 Memorial School PTO
Theme Baskets
—————————————————————
Giconda (all Pre K) Coffee & Chocolate Celebration
Carroll (K) Family Movie Night
Manning (K) We All Scream for Ice Cream
Rich (K) Creative Crayola Kids
Charest (1st) Summer Vacation Survival
MacDougall (1st) A Day at the Spa
Kirste (1st) Gift Cards Galore
DesRosiers (2nd) Camping & Grilling
Black (2nd) LEGO-tastic
Sotis (2nd) Rainy Day Fun
Banyas (3rd) New England Sports Nation
Doucett (3rd) Technology&SteamStuff
Daigle (4th) “As Seen on T.V.”
Tozier (4th) NERF-tastic
McLaughlin, LaPorte,
& Patkin (all 5th) Pot of Gold Lottery Tickets
Teachers Date Night
Launch Fundraiser
will be held on
March 15
th
. More information coming soon!
Father/Daughter Dance i
s tentatively scheduled for April 12
th
. More information to follow after break!
Don’t forget every time you shop on amazon, enter the site at smile.amazon.com with Newton Memorial School PTO selected as your charity 0.5% of every purchase is automatically donated! Amazon will keep track of your support. Every little bit helps!
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Box Tops for Education News
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Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a fun vacation.
Lots of Box Top News to catch up on.
The school received the check from the Nov submission. The next submission date is March 1st.
The results are in for November and December 2018. Collectively, you clipped and turned in 934 Box Tops in November and 673 in December. All together this school year you have turned in 5896 Box Tops. You all Rock!
Mrs. Doucett's class won First Place for turning in 164 Box Tops in November, and Mrs. McLaughlin won in Dec with 189.
The Second Quarter contest, which started November, is in full swing. So far with November and December in the books, Mrs. McLaughlin's 5
th
grade is in the lead with 256 Box Tops turned in. Mrs. Doucett's 3
rd
grade is neck and neck with 246 Box Tops and Mrs. Black’s 2
nd
grade has 195.
I will be picking up the class Box Top envelopes at the end of the month so there is still
time to help your class.
The standings for the year ending Ice Cream Sundae party haven't changed too much YET. So far it is still Mr. LaPorte's 5
th
grade in the lead with 811, Mrs. Doucett's 3
rd
grade with 716, Mrs. McLaughlin's 5
th
grade with 516 and Mrs. Patkin's 5
th
grade with 457. Wow, all the fifth grade classes have good numbers, way to go Fifth Grade!
No matter who wins or doesn't win, this is ultimately a collective project to help Memorial School provide things for our kids (or grand kids) that enrich their school experience and in that we all win.
Keep looking for the pink BOXTOPS FOR EDUCATION labels as you shop. Hefty, Annie's, Old El Paso, Papermate, Scott, and, of course General Mills products are the best places to find them. Remember each one is worth 10¢ to our school.
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Winter Reading at the Gale Library
Celebrate
National Puzzle Day
on Saturday, Jan 27. with puzzles for all ages available to build in the library and also puzzles that you can swap to do at home, bring one-take one. Enter free raffles to win a new Ravensberger puzzle prize.
On Monday. January 29. 6 PM bring a friend and join us for
Lego Build.
Use one of our kits or free build your own ideas. There are other building kits available to use also-like K’Nex, Lincoln Logs.
Register for the
Winter Reading Programs
and win prizes for reading or being read to. Children mark or list each book they read on a reading log. When they reach their goal, they choose prizes and new books from the treasure box. All readers are entered into the program’s raffles for weekly prizes and a Grand Prize.
We will celebrate the finale with a
Bingo for Books Party
on Mon. March 4, 6:30 PM during Read Across America Week.
Teens and Adults
also have their own Winter Read Programs! Just register at the circulation desk or on the Teen Bulletin Board, read, and take a chance in our weekly prize drawings.
Drop in for the next
Baby Play Date
on Friday, Feb. 1 at 10 AM. This is for children up to 2 years old but older siblings are welcome. Play with Books, Balls, Blocks, Parachute, Toys, while you meet other playmates and caregivers.
Sign up to create a
special Valentine
project for that someone special on Mon. Feb. 11.
Carol and her Crew
of lovable puppets will entertain on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 10 AM during school vacation week. Be watching for more information to come.
Come in and see the
Cub Scouts Book
Display and learn about what exciting event we’ll have during vacation week.
Story Hour
continues each Tuesday at 10 AM with stories, songs, and crafts and Valentine Party.
Check out our Facebook page at The Gale Library, Newton, NH for pictures and more info. or call 382-4691.
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Main Street Art is a non-profit business that offers a variety of workshops and art classes.
Click here for a complete list of winter classes.
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Kid’s night out –
Take your Valentine out for an early dinner!!
Saturday February 9 from 4-7
pm
-
Rec
Center 24 Main Street
Staffing will be members of the recreation committee, several with many years of teaching experience
We will have games, movies, pool, ping pong, arts and crafts, etc.
Pizza and treats included
Cost is $5 per child - $10 max for families
ages 5-15 years old
Limited enrollment
We will also have a talented SRHS student show children how to make a painting that will make a great Valentine’s gift
Cost for this optional art activity is $5 per painting and includes the canvas, paint, brushes, etc.
or call 531 – 3337 to register
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Kingston Recreation Summer Camp registration is OPEN for EVERYONE!! Summer will be here soon!!!
please use this link to register for camp
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February Vacation Activity
Tuesday February 26
At Kingston Rec – 24 Main Street
8:30 – 3pm
We will go the SRHS Gym for 90 minutes of play time – basketball, scooters, etc.
We will have pizza back at the Rec Center
After lunch we will take 60 minute turns at the Mobile Video Games Trailer Studios2go
A luxurious state of art mobile video game company housed in a 30 foot long enclosed trailer with 50” screens, featuring the latest Gaming consoles such as Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Nintendo Switch
Cost is $30 per person and includes all of the above and activities at the Rec Center such as movies, games, arts and crafts, etc.
Contact Paul Butler to register 531-3337
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It has come to my attention that US Lacrosse, in an effort to expand its diversity and inclusion goals, has developed guidelines for adaptive lacrosse programs. According to US Lacrosse the adaptive lacrosse program is an opportunity for people with physical and/or intellectual disabilities to become involved with the game. Our goal is to become a state “where diversity and inclusion are a fundamental part of the values and culture” of lacrosse in New Hampshire.
My vision for the state, at this early developmental stage, is to field 3 unified coed lacrosse teams. One team to be located in the Seacoast of New Hampshire, one team to be located in south central New Hampshire, and a third team to be located in the North Central New Hampshire area. Ideally, team size would be 15 to 20 players along with an equal or greater number of youth volunteers from area high schools. Games would take place on Sundays along with the regularly scheduled NHYLA games.
Cost to participating families would be minimal. Each family would have to register their player with US Lacrosse. The current cost for this registration is $35. Equipment would be provided by each team (it would be available at each game/practice). We would be using soft lacrosse balls so helmets and other protective gear would be optional. Cost for uniforms and game officials would be absorbed by the various programs and NHYLA.
Player ages would vary between 10 and 21 years old. The lacrosse season in New Hampshire begins in early April and ends the 2
nd
weekend in June with the NHYLA Festival. The Festival hosts over 300 New Hampshire youth lacrosse teams, a little over 7000 lacrosse players, and this would also be the final weekend for the unified teams to play.
To register a player parents can go to NHYLA.org, click on Home, Scroll down to Register Online, and choose the area of play that would be most convenient for the family (i.e. Seacoast, South Central, or North Central). It is my hope that we can recruit enough players to fill three teams in New Hampshire.
Anyone who has questions can contact me at
wdemers@comcast.net
. The goal is to begin the season with the other NHYLA teams in early April.
Wayne Demers
wdemers@comcast.net
603-778-8411
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