News from the Nest

Hello Elm Street School Families and Friends,

We had another busy short week here at the Nest! In STEM our 5th graders presented their Lego Floats they designed to honor various staff members at Elm. They designed the floats and then coded them to travel a model of the streets of Walpole in a parade. Students were beaming with pride about their work! We are all so proud of all their hard work and effort and grateful to Ms. Flanagan for facilitating this incredible design challenge project.

In other spaces around the building classes celebrated with publishing parties highlighting their hard work in non-fiction writing, worked hard in the gym on using their emerging and developing basketball skills, completed and presented a collaborative design thinking project in science classes, recorded another episode for our Soaring Speakers podcast, and persevered through iReady and other reading assessments as we draw close to the end of the first term this coming Monday. We certainly know how to pack a lot of learning and engagement into a short week!

In this week's News from the Nest you will find additional information about:

• Upcoming Dates/Events: January
• Cold Weather Gear Reminder
• Math Update
• Elm PAC Valentine's Day Fundraiser
• After School Enrichment: Classes Still Available
• January Counseling Newsletter
• Essentialist Weekly Newsletter: Physical Education
• ELE Tiered Focus Monitoring Press Release
• Private Lessons Through WPS Music Department
• Extended Day February Break Camp Registration
• Elm 180 Fundraiser

Have a wonderful weekend and we will see you all back in school on Monday for our first full week in a while!

Jen

• 1/1 New Year’s Day
  
• 1/2 School Reopens from Winter Break
  
• 1/5 8:45a/2:00p January Assembly
• 1/11 6:45p School Committee Meeting
  
• 1/12 EdCamp (School Closed)
  
• 1/15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (School Closed)
• 1/16 5:00p Budget Public Hearing
• 1/18 7:00p Elm PAC Meeting
• 1/25 6:00p School Committee Meeting
  
• 1/27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day

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)

With cold weather upon us, it might mean a little more time for indoor activities and of course one great indoor activity is reading. But wait, this is the math section, not the reading section! Well, there are so many wonderful children’s books that highlight math concepts and promote critical mathematical thinking, that we wanted to share some book lists that highlight math and how to make the most of your reading time together. DREME (Development & Research in Early Mathematics Education) has identified a list of 40 books that promote a love of math. It is important when looking for books that include math to use the same indicators you would for any good story. Vivid illustrations, an interesting story line and fun characters will keep your child engaged and excited to read. A few tips when reading with your child:

• Keep it a bonding moment, don’t make it a lesson!

• Point out math words or concepts through repeating what is happening or asking questions.

• Engage your child in conversation about the book with questions like:

• How did you know that?

• What clues helped you figure that out?

• Bring out your inner actor/actress when reading-have fun with it!

• If your child loves the book, read and reread.

Another list of great books with math connections can be found at We Are Teachers, and our Family Math Website has other resources, games and activities that will engage your children when they come in from playing out in the cold!

We still have spaces in many of our After School Enrichment classes including:

Mondays

Mindful Movement for Kindergarten - Grade 3

Tuesdays

Publishing Using Canva for Grades 4 and 5

Cupcake Decorating for Grades 1-5 (availability Tuesday 1/30 and Tuesday 2/13)

Wednesdays

Cupcake Decorating for Grades 1-5 (availability Wednesday 3/6)

Cribbage/Chess Club for Grades 4 and 5

Book Club for Grades 4 and 5

Thursdays

Creativity Club for Grades 2-5

Read Aloud and Crafts for Kindergarten and Grade 1

Class Descriptions Link

Registration Link

If you are in need of financial assistance please reach out to Jen Buller (jbuller@walpole.k12.ma.us)

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/.

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 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

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