News from the Nest
Issue #22: January 26th
Hello Elm Street School Families and Friends,
We had a great full week of school here at the Nest! Our Eagles have been engaging in book clubs, working to understand fractions, completing ST math journeys, planning Kindness Week, developing their craft in Writer's Workshop, crushing recorder basics, and so much more!
In this week's News from the Nest you will find additional information about:
- Upcoming Dates/Events: February
- Cold Weather Gear Reminder
- February Assembly Preview
- K-5 Report Card Release
- Attendance
- Elm PAC Valentine's Day Fundraiser
- Counseling Connection: February Newsletter
- Essentialist Weekly Newsletter: Music
- Kindness Week Information
- MCAS Dates
- ELE Tiered Focus Monitoring Press Release
- Private Lessons Through WPS Music Department
- Extended Day February Break Camp Registration
- Elm 180 Fundraiser
Have a restful weekend and we will see you all back in school on Monday!
Jen
Upcoming Dates/Events: February
2/2 Groundhog Day
2/2 8:45a/2:00p February Assemblies
2/5 100th Day of School
2/5 - 9 National School Counselor Week
2/7 3:15p School Council Meeting
2/8 6:45p School Committee Meeting
2/9 Early Release Day, Elementary Report Cards Viewable to Families
2/10 Lunar New Year
2/12 - 16 Kindness Week
2/14 Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday
2/15 Parinirvana Day
2/19 Presidents’ Day
2/19 - 23 February Break
2/29 Leap Day , 6:45p School Committee Meeting
Cold Weather Gear Reminder
A quick reminder to please help your child(ren) remember their cold weather gear each day for school. Even if it feels warm enough to run out to the bus/car in the morning without a jacket please remember that we go out for recess for 30 minutes each day as long as the real feel temperature is above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. That means even if it just below freezing we are heading outside for some fresh air and outdoor play.
Cold weather gear that will help your child(ren) stay warm during recess includes a warm winter jacket, gloves/mittens, winter hat. As the winter season wears on, if we get some snow accumulation, dressing in layers including snow pants and boots will keep your child(ren) safe and dry for snow play.
If you are in need of warm winter gear for your child(ren), please reach out to myself, Jessica Simpson, and/or Sarah Iandoli. (jbuller@walpole.k12.ma.us, jsimpson@walpole.k12.ma.us, siandoli@walpole.k12.ma.us)
February Assembly Preview
On Friday February 2nd, we will gather again for our monthly Elm Assembly. Our February assembly will follow the same format as our previous November, December, and January assemblies and you can find our plan below.
- Review Group Plan
- Greeting
- Share (Reflecting on the month of January)
- Announcements and Celebrations
- Preview February themes of Friendship and Teamwork and Black History Month
As a reminder our Elm Assembly is for students and Elm staff only.
K-5 Report Card Release
A standards based report card communicates student progress toward meeting end of the year learning standards. Teachers assess student performance against these learning standards, which are specific and observable grade level skills articulated in the Walpole Public Schools elementary curriculum. Teachers do this by measuring individual student performance against the identified concrete learning standards, rather than in relation to the performance of other students.
Our report cards reflect the learning standards as outlined in the current Massachusetts State Frameworks. From the very beginning of the school year, the standards based report card keeps teachers, parents, and student focused on the desired outcomes for year-end learning goals.
The Walpole Public Schools place a strong value on home-school partnerships, and we view the updated report card as an important tool in furthering our shared understanding about student growth in both the academic areas and student responsibility skills, including each child’s unique approach to learning.
Report cards for K-5 will be available to families on the portal starting Friday, February 9th. When the report cards have been published you will receive an email notifying you of their publication and directions on how to access the report. If you have questions about accessing the Family Portal please visit this website.
Family Portal FAQs:
Note to families/caregivers: Access to report cards is only available on the Full Website under the Published Reports widget. Published reports are not visible on the mobile site.
- Student details, Parent/Guardian emergency contact information, attendance records.
- Report Cards will appear under ‘Published Reports’ on the Home Page
- Note: Gradebook and Assignment features are not enabled for elementary students at this time.
How do I access my account?
- Click the Aspen icon below to access the Aspen log in page. This link is specific to our district and should always be used to access the portal. You can use the Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer browser, but pop-up blockers must be turned off.
- Enter your unique Login ID and Password exactly as it appears at the bottom of your school issued portal letter or email message. The first time you log in, you will be prompted to choose and answer a security question for future password recovery.
- Pay close attention to the Primary Email Address listed in this window. This is the email address communication will be sent to you, including password recovery and/or direct communication from teachers or school/district Administrators. We highly recommend using a Gmail account, as this is compatible with our systems. Some email programs (Yahoo, Outlook, Verizon, msn, aol) have filters in place that restrict or block messages from systems such as this.
What if I forgot my password?
Click on "I forgot my password" on the Aspen log in screen and a new one will be sent to you. If you did not answer the security question when you activated your account, you will not be able to use this feature and you will have to call the main office of your child's school for assistance.
Attendance
There is much research about chronic absenteeism, engagement, and the importance of regular on time school attendance. What we know is that students who have regular on time attendance are more likely to achieve at higher rates than students who are chronically tardy or absent from school. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year which equates to 18 days across the year.
Recently I sent out letters (via post mail) to families whose child(ren) have missed 10% or more of the school year so far (9 or more days). In addition to the importance of regular attendance as it relates to student performance and engagement, as a school we have an obligation to report to the state and partner with them to mitigate chronically absent students.
We ask that you work with us to prioritize school and minimize absences when possible. If for some reason you are planning an extended absence, please reach out me to discuss your plan. Also, if you are struggling at home with morning routines or other barriers that are impacting your child(ren)'s regular on time attendance, please reach out to myself, Jessica Simpson, and/or Sarah Iandoli so we can work collaboratively to get your child(ren) back on track with their attendance.
Elm PAC Valentine's Day Fundraiser
Looking for something sweet for Valentine's Day? Here are some perfect treat options to give as a gift or keep for yourself and a part of the proceeds go to the Elm Street PAC. Melt in your Mouth is a locally owned small business that offers all natural cakes with no artificial colors, flavors, ingredients or preservatives and is owned/operated by an Elm Street School mom. Here is the link for the ordering form to place your orders.
Kindness Week Information
February 12 - 16 is Kindness Week and our Student Council leaders have designed an excellent plan to help us share as much kindness as possible that week. Below is our outline for the week including 2 spirit days on Wednesday and Friday.
Monday: Open Your Door To Kindness
Students and staff will work collaboratively to decorate our doors to classrooms and spaces in ways that share about kindness.
Tuesday: Together Tuesday
We will have an all school assembly where we will share ways and ideas we can connect as a community.
Wednesday: Walpole Wednesday
We encourage everyone to dress in Walpole colors (orange and blue) and/or Walpole/Elm gear. We will also be working on ways we can lift up our Walpole community including sharing a video with the Council on Aging from our Kindergarteners and Grade 5 Student Council leaders where our students tell us what kindness means to them.
Thursday: Thoughtful Thursday
Students will work on making cards and friendship bracelets for each other and our staff.
Friday: Brighten the Community with Kindness
We encourage everyone to dress in bright colors as we focus on small sparks of kindness that help brighten our community.
MCAS Testing Dates
Please note these dates for our upcoming Spring MCAS
March 26 and 27: Grade 5 ELA Sessions 1 and 2
March 28 and April 2: Grade 4 ELA Sessions 1 and 2
April 3 and 4: Grade 3 ELA Sessions 1 and 2
April 30 and May 1: Grade 5 Math Sessions 1 and 2
May 2 and 3: Grade 4 Math Sessions 1 and 2
May 7 and 8: Grade 3 Math Sessions 1 and 2
May 9 and 10: Grade 5 STE Sessions 1 and 2
ELE Tiered Focus Monitoring Press Release
During the week of January 29th, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE’s) Office of Language Acquisition (OLA) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Walpole Public Schools. The Office of Language Acquisition reviews each district’s and charter school’s ELE program every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state English learner education laws and regulations. Areas of review will include English learners’ student assessments, identification of English learners, what programs English learners are placed in, parent and community involvement, curriculum and instruction, student support services, licensure requirements for faculty, staff and administration, program plans, and evaluation and recordkeeping.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The district will send a survey to the parents of students whose records the review team examines. The survey focuses on key areas of their child’s English language education program. Survey results will be reviewed by OLA and they will contribute to the monitoring report.
Parents and other individuals may call Andy McDonie, Office of Language Acquisition Review Chairperson, at (781) 338- 3541 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, DESE will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days of the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the Walpole Public Schools with a report with information about areas in which the Walpole Public Schools meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the Walpole Public Schools requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The report will be available to the public at https://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/cpr/.
Private Lessons Through WPS Music Department
The Walpole Public Schools Music Department is pleased to announce the spring session for our Private Lesson Program for students in grades 4 - 12. If your child is interested in taking private instrument or voice lessons, here is your chance. Lessons are offered in flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, guitar and voice. All lessons are taught by accomplished performers on their respective instruments. Some lessons are currently being taught virtually.
Session 2 will run February 5 to June 14. Registration is open Friday, January 12th through Monday, January 29th.
For more information, visit:
https://sites.google.com/walpole.k12.ma.us/wpsmusic/private-lesson-program/overview
To register, visit:
https://students.arbitersports.com/walpole-public-schools/private-music-lessons-2023-2024-session-ii
For questions, email:
Tim Fleming (K-12 Music Coordinator) at tfleming@walpole.k12.ma.us
Extended Day February Break Camp Registration
Extended Day February Break Camp Information
Where: Boyden Elementary School
When: February 20-22, 2024 (Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday)
Cost: $80/day (10% discount for educators or siblings)
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/TujRsqvz3vsMHzw39
Nest Connections
Email: jbuller@walpole.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/ess
Location: 415 Elm Street, Walpole, MA, USA
Phone: 508.660.7374
