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Important Dates
at a Glance
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10/2
Material Pick Up
**Required for all Upper Elementary Students
10/5
Start of State Required Interim Assessments
See this newsletter for details.
10/5-18
Virtual Fall Book Fair
Please see the flier enclosed in this newsletter for more details.
10/9-11
Material Pick Up
For Fully Remote Students
Begins at 8am and runs through the weekend. Your child's teacher will let you know if there are items to pick up!
Mobile Food Pantry
1-3pm @ the Comcast parking lot, 676 Island Pond Rd.
10/24
Picture Day!
11:30am - 2:30pm
10/30
Mobile Food Pantry
1-3pm @ the Comcast parking lot, 676 Island Pond Rd.
11/1
Daylight Savings Time
Turn the clocks back one hour.
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CORPORATE SPONSORS
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We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing contributions from the following corporate partners:
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Rolling into Fall
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 As we welcome in October, we are feeling the change in temperature, seeing earlier endings to the light of day, and enjoying the bright fall colors. NH has looked extra beautiful this week, especially with the late-day setting sun highlighting those spectacular colors, and even this week's full Harvest Moon (did you know there will be two full moons in October this year?)!
Hoping everyone gets some time outside this weekend to kick back and enjoy the nature that surrounds us and brings peace and harmony.
There are some important updates in this week's newsletter. I draw your attention to the Required Assessment Material Pickup for our Upper Elementary Families, the Free & Reduced Data Collection (if you have not completed that form, please do; deadline was Oct. 1) and look forward to our upcoming Virtual Book Fair beginning on Oct. 5 and our upcoming COVID-safe Picture Day, among other items. Thanks for taking a few moments to catch up on all the news and resources shared below.
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Attention Upper Elementary Families!
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 This week's Material Pick Up is REQUIRED!
While Material pick up is essential for those working remotely, this week Material Pick Up is REQUIRED for all of our Upper Elementary Families!
Earlier this week our Upper Elementary Families received a letter from Laura W. (sent by the Front Office via email) regarding the state required Interim Assessments. In that letter, Laura shared, "Given that students did not take this assessment in April as expected, the state is now requiring schools to have students take a shorter version of SAS assessments called the Interim SAS Assessment. As a reminder, SAS Assessments are designed to measure real-world skills like critical thinking and problem-solving. These results will give you, as parents a brief snapshot of your child's academic skills and these results will support instruction for us at MFCS." You can view the full text
It is absolutely essential that all Upper Elementary Families retrieve your child's Interim SAS Assessment ID card by the end of the day Sunday, 10/4/20, in order to be prepared to start on Monday.
Please note, students will not be able to take the assessment without their card, and it is a state requirement.
Thank you!
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION REQUIRED FROM ALL FAMILIES!
Earlier this week, Ms. Grace sent out an email to all families regarding current physicals as well as Free & Reduced reporting. Here is a recap of what she shared. Thank you in advance for helping her to complete the state reporting requirements:
 Current Physical Report Now Required: Mill Falls now requires that each family send in a copy of your child's current annual physical. Your doctor's office may be able to send the report directly to us via e-mail or fax (603) 518-7489. You can also choose to mail a copy: Mill Falls Charter School, 100 William Loeb Dr., Suite 1, Manchester 03109. We understand that the COVID emergency has created physical appointment scheduling difficulties for some doctor's office. Once your child has his/her next physical, please be sure to share your next health report with us. ***New MFCS Families: you would have already sent me a copy for Registration, but if you have not, please do so now.
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 **PAST DUE** Free & Reduced Reporting:
Like all NH public schools, Mill Falls collects data regarding the number of students who qualify for Free or Reduced meals. This information will not only help us to receive funding from federal and private sources but will also be helpful in determining available options for those who do qualify.
We aim to report 100% of our families and thank you for helping us reach that 100% mark by filling out the form and responding promptly!! Please click here for the form - a PDF which you can fill out on line by downloading the attachment and open the attachment in Preview.
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Fall Book Fair...Virtual of course!
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Virtual Fall Book Fair!
This Monday we kick off our annual Fall Book Fair and like so much else these days, this one is a little different than usual.
This virtual online fair features over 6000 products and all orders ship to your home. Free shipping is available on book-only orders over $25. All purchases benefit our school! Please click here to view the flyer.
Visit our Virtual Fall Book Fair here:
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Three-Day Weekend: No School Monday, October 12th
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Columbus Day /
Indigenous People's Day
In recognition, Mill Falls will be closed on Monday, October 12th. Enjoy the long weekend!
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Picture Day 2020...COVID-style
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 Picture Day
October 24, 11am-2:30pm
Amidst a chaotic world, Mill Falls would like to try and give you a piece of normalcy through hosting Picture Day! Like so many things during this time of COVID, we have had to creatively schedule this event. This year's Saturday snapshot day will once again be organized by Ms. Grace. Due to COVID safety protocol, we will only be doing individual portraits which will be taken outdoors; we will not be able to do classroom or sibling shots, or our panoramic this year.
You will be able to sign up for a time slot via Sign Up Genius. Ms. Grace will be sending a separate Picture Day Email on Monday. The link to sign up will be included in that email.
Things to Note:
The photography team asks that parents wait for their children in the background and that we work together to avoid any clustering. Ms. Grace will be there to help the photographers.
How Touch-less Picture Day Will Work:
A unique bar code will be generated for each student by the photography company in advance of the Saturday Picture Day. When a student arrives to be photographed, he/she will simply state his/her name to the photography team, and the rest will be handled electronically.
Payment:
We strongly encourage ordering on-line and paying by credit card. Families will use Coffee Pond's website.
However, if you do need to pay by cash or check, please let Grace know so that she can send home paper order forms for you to bring on Picture Day. The due date for order forms is October 24, 2020.
More Info to Come!
Stay tuned for the complete email from Grace on Monday! If you have any questions, please reach out to her at
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Family Tech Support
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As noted in earlier communication, Ms. Jody is serving as our Family Tech Support person this year.
She is available by email and Zoom on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (note, she is not available on Wednesdays).
She can be reached on Zoom (for live chats via the waiting room one at a time) from:
10am-12pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Meeting ID: 797 9462 3236 PW: 6nEvDQ
If Jody cannot answer your question, she will reach out to our team to get an answer for you.
Any academic questions should be sent to your child's classroom teacher(s).
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Material Pickup for Fully Remote Learners
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 Pickup Days
for Remote Learning
As we do each Friday, today at 8am we set out the crates full of materials for the coming week for our Fully Remote Learners. These plastic covered bins are organized by classroom and within that, by child. The crates will be out all weekend.
Please note, not every class will have materials to pick up each Friday; Teachers will be in touch with their classroom families so you should know by Wednesday afternoon whether you will need to come in to pick up materials on that Friday.
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Hybrid Student Morning Arrival & Wellness Check Updates
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MORNING WELLNESS CHECK: Families with Hybrid (in-person) Learners, please review the steps below:
- Families are asked to complete the Wellness Check Form QUESTIONS ONLY each morning BEFORE arriving at school about travel, new symptoms, contact with confirmed or suspected case of COVID.
- Mill Falls Staff will greet each car, review the form and take each student's temperature before the student exits the vehicle.
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Required Forms
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Have you turned in all required paperwork?
Here are links to the items we have asked for:
Family Handbook, including the COVID Insert
Please review the Handbook and Insert and then return the Acknowledgement Page to Office@millfalls.org.
Technology Usage Agreement Please click on the agreement that matches your child's Program Level.
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Important Attendance Information
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 Regular and consistent attendance is the bedrock of solid learning. Therefore, no matter the learning model, it will be expected that all students will be present and ready for learning each school day, just as in pre-COVID times. If your child is going to be absent or tardy or must end the day early, parents/guardians are required to alert the front office by phone or email.
We wanted to take a moment to highlight the attendance expectations on days when students are learning from home (Remote Learning). Each day, our Students Learning at Home are expected to attend: 1. 8:45am Morning Meeting followed by their Planning Session 2: All Scheduled Live Lessons (specific schedule shared by teachers) 3: At least ONE Daily Check in (specific schedule shared by teachers) 4: Additionally, ALL work must be turned in by 3:15pm To be marked PRESENT for the day: a Remote Student must attend items 1-3 above and turn in all work by 3:15pm. A student will be marked unexcused TARDY for the day, if he/she misses 1 or 2 of the items above, and still turns in all work by 3:15pm. A student will be marked unexcused ABSENT if he/she misses 3 or more of the items in the list above, even if they turn in work by 3:15pm. Please note, repeated unexcused absences and tardies will trigger our Attendance Protocol as noted in our Family Handbook.
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COVID & Community Resources
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 Family Support Hot Line: Waypoint Family support can help with anything from where to get covid testing or child care.
Call: 800-640-6486 M-F 8:30-4:30
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 Free COVID Tests
Families who live in the Greater Manchester area may call the Manchester COVID-19 Hotline at to arrange for a free testing appointment. East and West Side locations available. This is NOT an antibody test. The hotline is available Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Call: 603-668-1547. Testing appointments are required.
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 Mobile Food Pantries
The NH Food Bank will be holding 12 Mobile Food Pantries around the state in the month of October. Please see the dates and locations of some of the sites below.
ALL Mobile Food Pantries take place from 1-3pm. - Manchester: Friday, Oct 9th @ Comcast, 676 Island Pond Road.
- Concord: Friday, Oct 16th location to be determined
- Manchester: Friday, Oct 30th @ Comcast. 676 Island Pond Road.
* * * To assist in everyone's understanding of the protocol we've designed, we ask that you review the COVID Handbook Insert (esp. pages 6-8) as well as the chart below. Thank you so very much for your ongoing partnership in keeping our school community well!
A reminder that anyone experiencing symptoms related to COVID, or concerned that they may have been exposed to the virus, is strongly urged to seek Antigen Testing.
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Montessori Moments From Near and Far...
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 We would once again like to ask our Mill Falls Families to share images and stories from their Remote Learning experience - daily work as well as Big Work Wednesday Projects, which we can share in our newsletter.
Please send your photographs, brief stories (remember sharing humorous moments will help keep us all healthy!), and quotes to Ms. Meryl at: stories.pictures@millfalls.org.
Please be sure to send the photos at small to medium resolution, and send along a description / story about what is going on in the photos. Thank you!
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Laura's Corner
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Student & Family Support
Below is some information from Ms. Laura W. about supporting students who are learning from home.
The Importance of the Prepared Environment:
Fostering Student Independence During Remote Learning
A Deeper Dive into the Importance of Independence
The Power of Accomplishment
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And here are some books that staff have suggested for families with young children in these COVID times.
A reminder, we do try to talk about the need for keeping space between people these days using the term Physical Distancing, rather than 'social distancing':
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Montessori Moments From Near & Far...
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Please enjoy some photographs from this week here at school and some sent in from families working remotely:
Below: Ms. Laura B. & Ms. Meghan teaching a writing lesson focused on using strong and descriptive details. They used this awesome book as their mentor text.
Below: Ms. Laura W teaching a lesson on language in the Denali Room.
Below: Ms. Kristin reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar while her students illustrate it using felt pieces created long ago by Kristin's mom!
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Below: Fitness Class with Ms. Christine.
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  Below: Ms. Colleen leading a Math Talk.* * *
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Big Work Wednesday
Over the years you may have heard the term, Big Work. But what is this exactly? Well, for starters, it's a work that is driven by student interest. Something that sparks excitement and motivation in learning. And here's the key, once the student has found his/her interest and, with a bit of guidance initially, it's independent! Students choose the topic, decide on a project and begin. Here are some examples from this week:
Below: Kaylee making caramel apple cinnamon roll lasagna; Lillian making candy apples. Yum!
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Below: Please enjoy a moment of pure wonder as Ben's homemade volcano comes to life!
Have a wonderful weekend!
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