South PTO Newsletter 02/10/2019

What's the Buzz?

Upcoming Week

Monday, 2/11 - Day 1B

Tuesday, 2/12 - Day 2B

Wednesday, 2/13 - Day 3B

Thursday, 2/14 - Day 4B

Friday, 2/15 - Day 5B

Emily Hale - Baroque violin music visits Kindergarten

Mark Your Calendar

February 18-22

No School February Break

Monday, 2/25 - Friday, 3/1

Reading Incentive Week "Read Across America"

Wednesday, February 27

Museum of Science StarLab visits grade 1

Friday, March 1

Jessie Chris, anti-bullying advocate/author visits

Saturday March 2

Dr. Seuss Breakfast for preschool and kindergarten students

Wednesday, March 6

(Noon release for Professional Development/ Lunch is not served)

Social/Emotional Program Toolbox Training for Interested Parents

6:30 PM Distance Learning Theater at the HMS

Thursday, March 7

Social/Emotional Program Toolbox Training for Interested Parents

10:00am Distance Learning Theater at the HMS

Friday,March 8
PTO Meeting, 9:15 in the Cafeteria

March 12

William Alberti Poetry Speaker visits grade 2

March 15

Bay Colony Educators visits grade 5

March 18

BU Irish Step (Step up Boston) performance

Wednesday, April 10
PTO Meeting, 7:00 in the Library/Guest Speaker Mr. Derek Smith from HMS

MCAS DATES:

Grade 3 ELA: 4/1; 4/2

Grade 5 ELA: 4/4; 4/5

Grade 4 ELA: 4/8; 4/9

Grade 5 Math: 5/6; 5/7

Grade 3 Math: 5/8; 5/9

Grade 4 Math: 5/13; 5/14

Grade 5 STE: 5/16; 5/17

PTO News

Newsletter Co-Editor Needed
We are looking for a co-editor for the weekly "What's the Buzz" e-newsletter. This is a great way to stay up to date with South school and PTO events and is ideal for someone who would like to volunteer from home. Training will be provided. If you have questions or would like to help out, please email Meghan Wadleigh or Jen Benham.

be ready. be active. join BOKS
BOKS is a super fun, before-school physical activity program designed to help kids be ready to learn during school. It is a free program to South School students sponsored by the PTO. This program will meet for 7 weeks on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The next session will begin on Wednesday February 27, 2019 and run until April vacation.

If you would like your child to participate, please email Danielle Deeb (danyeldeeb@yahoo.com) by Friday February 15, 2019. Families will be picked by lottery and informed by email.

Personal Hygiene Product Drive

The Community service committee is running a personal hygiene product drive all of February for the Wellspring Multi-Service Center. For more information please see flyer.

5th Grade Linden Ponds Sign up

As part of the 5th grade leadership opportunities, we now have visits to Linden Ponds. Our first visit on this past Thursday was a big success.

The dates available for sign up are on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30. If you would like to sign up your 5th grader sign up at: http://signup.com/go/KqGzhJQ There are 7 dates from which to choose. Please start with only one so that many kids will have an opportunity to attend. If the spots don't fill up then you may choose another date later. Additionally, we need help with driving and supervising the kids. If you are interested on driving the day your 5th grader is signed up please sign up at: http://signup.com/go/ATOMgRH Please email Rachel Shields at rachshields@comcast.net for questions.

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION RACE TO EXTRA RECESS!

Rules:

1. Bring in your box tops labeled with your name, teacher, and grade.

2. Put your box tops in the bins inside the front door of school.

3. We will collect, count, and graph the box tops.

4. The grade with the most box tops turned in earns an extra recess in the spring!

Contest dates: begins January 2, 2019 and runs until March 29, 2019

Each box top earns 10 cents for South Elementary! Our goal this year is to earn $1200.00.

Helpful LINKS

Volunteer ONLINE: Sign Up.

PTO Website : hinghamsouthpto.org

Amazon donates .5% back to South every time you purchase an eligible product. Amazon Smile.

Shop Stop & Shop every time you use your Stop & Shop card. Register card at Stop & Shop .

Office Bulletin

Dear South School Community,

Can you believe we are already on top of February Vacation (February 18-22)? We hope you enjoy the break from the usual routine and will be ready to hit the ground running when we return on February 25! That is also the day that Kindergarten Registration forms for 19-20 will be available online or in the main office.

Happy Valentine's Day! We love you all!

Quote of the week for next week: Always treat others with kindness and appreciation! (Week one of Please and Thank You Tool)

Special Notes:

Red Sign: Thank you for pulling up to the red sign in the front driveway if you are the lead car at morning drop off. This facilities drop off which is especially important as the weather has changed and more students are being dropped off not to mention the complications that snow banks can cause. It also helps alleviate the traffic on Main St.

Single Line: Thank you also for making sure there is a single line in the driveway at all times. This is especially important in case of emergencies and also passage when we have snow piles. You might need to pass the school and come back if there is no room when you arrive...We will take care of your children if they are waiting so no worries! PLEASE DO NOT PARK AND LEAVE YOUR CAR EMPTY IN THIS LINE AT DISMISSAL TIME...thank you!

News for you...Just a reminder that new and still relevant items are bold italics. Old news items will also be bulleted but will not be bolded italics, but left on for reference:

The early release Wednesday for March is Wednesday, March 6, 2019- Early Release for Professional Development. Dismissal is at noon, and lunch is not served.

News about Spanish Class: We have been busy building skills in Spanish through songs, games, stories, and fun. If you want to know more about what we do in class, or support your child in practicing Spanish at home, we have a new resource available for families - an elementary Spanish website providing videos, activities, and games your child can use to practice Spanish at home. This website provides a variety of optional resources and activities for families who wish to support their child in learning Spanish at home. It is not meant to replace regular Spanish classes, but to supplement and reinforce what your child is learning in school. You can access the website at https://hpselementaryspanish.weebly.com/. For additional information about curriculum and resources, please contact your school's Spanish teacher or the department director (contact information is available on the "about" page of the website).

We are so grateful to the PTO Cultural Committee for sponsoring the visit of the author David Biedrzycki who gave four inspiring presentations to grades 3-5 on Tuesday 2/5. We thought you'd like to know that he sent a thank you note that said: "They are some of the kindest most respectful students I've ever presented to. They were easy to engage and eager to learn. They made my job easy." A huge thank you to our families who are working hard to raise respectful, kind children! You make our jobs easier also!

We greatly appreciate technology and work to integrate it with our curriculum as we have many devices students can use, As you know, due to the distraction they can cause, cell phones are not permitted in elementary classrooms. Our handbook states that students who do have them need to have them off and in their backpacks as we understand parents wanting to contact their children after hours. During the school day, we ask that you go through the office to do this, and that students do the same as needed. So that brings us to a new problem we are having...the watches that have texting capabilities are beginning to cause issues. Students should either leave those at home and/or put them in their backpacks during the school day as they have similar capabilities to cell phones. We will follow the same policy as with cell phones and also store these in the office until a parent can retrieve them if they are out of backpacks. Please understand that all of these devices are the responsibility of the owner. Thank you!

Calling all inventors... CAMP INVENTION Returns!!! We are bringing Camp Invention back to Foster School this summer, the week of July 8th through the 12th. From 9:00 AM until 2:30 PM students entering grades two through five will have the opportunity to participate in this national program. Inquiry-based, hands-on activities focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This will be our 7th summer hosting camp at Foster School, and every year it gets better! This summer we will be offering the SUPERCHARGED™ Program - click here for a sneak peek at this year's program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoEMaz1g9ZE&disable_polymer=true Registration is open! The price for the week is $285. More information & registration can be found on Foster's Camp Invention Website: http://fosterinvents.weebly.com/

Preschool (@East) Openings for 19-20: If you are interested in the HPS preschool lottery, contact Liz Costanza, our Preschool Coordinator, at ecostanza@hinghamschools.com

Interested parents/guardians who want to learn about our wonderful new Social/Emotional Program called Toolbox have been set for Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 PM and Thursday, March 7 at 10 AM. They will both be at the DLT at the Hingham Middle School.

Thank you in advance to those of you who have volunteered to come in for Valentine's Parties. Please be aware that due to overlap of grade level times, parking might be an issue... plan ahead and carpool/walk/park at the Lutheran Church. We will also have some staff park out back if there are no snow banks etc...Please remember that Loring Hill Rd. is only for live parking during dismissal. Thank you!

Please Help US!!!! Please let all of your friends and neighbors know that the kindergarten registration period for 2019-2020 is coming soon (details to follow). This is also the period during which children who are in kindergarten elsewhere should be registered for first grade. We would accept registration for new students in all other grades as well. Thank you for helping us to spread the word as knowing our numbers by early May really helps planning class sections for September. Registration forms will be made available at our office and on the website on February 25, 2019. They can be printed and filled out before the visit to the office during which children need a birth certificate and proof of residence to make the registration official. Registration will extend through March and all kindergarten orientation activities will take place between May 6 and 17, 2019 (more information to come). Please be aware that there is a late registration fee applied after March 29, 2019. Thank you for getting forms back to us before then!

Thank you for the wonderful send- off you gave Mrs. Thompson. There were so many special moments with staff, families and especially the children! We will miss her and are ever grateful for her 35 years of service to the Hingham Public Schools.

Thank you for welcoming our new Administrative Assistant, Pam Graham, a wonderful SES welcome. Pam will be starting soon so that she can work with Ann for a while before Ann leaves. Thank you for understanding that all is new to her and that since she doesn't know all of you, she may ask for identification when a child is signed out etc...until she gets to know you.

Outerwear Recommendations: When the weather is cold, thank you for sending your children to school dressed properly and ready to go out to recess. We go out on any day that is above 25 degrees. Please also note that children will need snow pants and waterproof boots to play on the snow when it arrives this winter. This prevents them from having to sit in class in wet clothes and socks when they come back in. It might also be a good idea to send in a set of dry clothes/socks for the lockers just in case.

See bottom of complete Office News to see Dates for Calendar

Have a great week!!! ME and LJ (:

For the entire Office Bulletin, please click here.

Around Town

SOUTH SHORE SPECIAL NEEDS ATHLETIC PARTNERSHIP (SNAP) WINTER PROGRAMS

SN AP is pleased to announce its Winter 2018-2019 lineup of recreational and athletic programs for students ages 4 - 22 who receive special education services. Our Winter programs will include: basketball, bowling, fitness & boxing, hip-hop dance, swimming, and yoga/Zumba. Registration information will be available on our website: www.southshoresnap.com . Please direct any questions to southshoresnap@gmail.com.

Hingham Education Foundation

Mark your calendars and save the date! A fun night out at Paragon Boardwalk in Hull to benefit HEF is in the works for Friday, March 29th! Stay tuned for more information. www.hinghameducation.org