Cheetah Pride Press

Joey & Andrea

Families,

Happy Groundhog Day! Punxsutawney Phil, and Connecticut’s very own Chuckles, both agree that we’ll be experiencing an early spring! Spring is such a hopeful season. While I’ll admit it feels ridiculous to place trust, or rely, on the predictions of a groundhog (or two), I am hopeful that Phil and Chuckles got this one right! Here’s to an early spring!

Please review the “Save the Dates” section carefully. There are many exciting events happening in February!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Joey and Andrea

Thank you to the Grade 1 Team for collecting, organizing, and donating 400 food items to the East Hampton Food Bank. Way to TAKE CARE OF OTHERS, Grade 1!

Today the Cheetah Council worked on creating announcements and events in school that had to do with the Profile of a Graduate Principle of Caring.

Memorial Models are chosen weekly by their teacher. These students have excelled all week in taking care of themselves, others, and things. The recipients will dine at a VIP table during lunch every Friday!

A PAWsitive office referral is submitted when a staff member recognizes a student who is going above and beyond to exemplify one of our three school rules - taking care of others, taking care of self, & taking care of things.

This week we recognize Mrs. Ryczek, a Special Education Teacher in our building. Mrs. Ryczek is always willing to help her colleagues. Her positivity is contagious and her work ethic is commendable. Congratulations on being recognized by your staff as this week's Order Of The Cheetah!

Meet Alivia!

Her teacher is Mrs. Haydu.

She is special because she loves crafting and watching tv.

Her favorite things are art, tv, and dancing.

She wanted to be on student council to help other cheetahs.

She loves her vice principal best about the school.

February is an exciting month at the Memorial School Library!

See below for grade level classroom expectations.

• PreK students are enjoying a variety of read alouds and songs with the themes of Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, kindness, and friendship.

• Kindergarten and First grade have started their unit on the Caldecott Award. We will be reading a variety of past winners and be introduced to this year’s winner, Big by Vashti Harrison. During our book check out time, students are also designing using bloxels.

• Second grade is working on creating Valentines for seniors to donate to East Hampton Senior Center, after reading the book, Somebody Loves you Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli. Later in the month we will focus on using our online catalog and reviewing library skills.

• Third graders are finishing up their coding unit and will move into our library skills unit. We will be reviewing how to use our library catalog and practice being expert library patrons.

For more information or questions, please contact Mrs. Flannery at rflannery@easthampton.org or see our library website at https://sites.google.com/view/memorial-school-and-center-sch/home

Mrs. Flannery and Mrs. Hill

The 100th day of school is upon us and will be celebrated by Memorial Cheetahs on Tuesday Februrary 6th! This day is an exciting milestone that allows students to reflect on being 100 days smarter!

In grades K & 1, students have spent part of their Number Corner block counting the days in school. This is essential in building counting skills, number sense and exploring larger numbers using place value. Students have been able to use various manipulatives and models such as number lines, ten frames, chain links and hundred charts to aide in counting by 10’s and 1’s.

In grades 2 & 3, students have been deepening their understanding of numbers within 100 in order to build operational fluency for addition and subtraction. Students have also been rounding, composing and decomposing numbers and exploring skip counting strategies to build foundational skills for multiplication and division.

Memorial Mathematicians can’t wait to share with their families how they are 100 days smarter! Below are a few activities and ideas that may be used to celebrate this special day.

Month Of February is African/American History Month

2/6- 100th Day of School

2/7- Global Play Day: Kindergarten

2/7- World Read Aloud Day

2/7- School Counselor Appreication Day

2/14- Kindness Day (See Below)

2/14 Kindergarten Registration Begins

2/15- Brain Show( See Below)

2/16-Professional Learning Day = No School For Students

2/19-2/120- President's Break No School

Dear Families of Memorial Elementary Students,

This is an important update! We are asking for your assistance in helping keep our school healthy and safe. We have been experiencing a surge in stomach bug, coughing, strep throat, pink eye and fevers as well as several covid cases. If your child tests positive for covid or any illness, please inform the nurse office asap as we track all illnesses. Positive covid cases should stay home for 5 days and can return on day 6 as long as it has been 24 hour fever free without medication. It is also encouraged to wear a mask for days 6-10 while at school.

We have also recently had several food items brought in to share in classrooms. Please be aware that non food treats are encouraged. If food items are brought into school for sharing, it needs to be store bought, prepackaged and made in a nut free facility and the school nurse must be notified at least 24 hours in advance.

Please consider the following guidelines, provided by the school nurse, for sending students to school:

• Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:

• Very stuffy or runny nose and/or cough
• Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
• Mild headache and/or stomachache
• Fatigue

Definitely keep your child at home for treatment and observation if he or she has any of these symptoms and remember the 24 hour rule:

• Fever (greater than 100 degrees. May return to school after 24 hours of no fever WITHOUT fever reducing medications)
• Vomiting (Even once. Must wait 24 hours after last vomit episode to return to school)
• Diarrhea (Must wait 24 hours after last episode to return to school)
• Chills
• General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness, and/or muscle aches
• Frequent congested, wet, or croupy cough
• Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose
• redness and discharge from one or both eyes

To help prevent the flu and other colds, please remind your child(ren) about good hygiene habits:

• Wash hands frequently
• Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth
• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing/coughing and then wash hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

Often when a child awakens with vague complaints (the way colds and flu begin) it is wise to observe your child at home for an hour or two before deciding whether or not to bring them to school. Your child should be physically able to participate in all school activities on returning to school. Keeping a sick child at home will minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom. We use our nursing assessment and judgment when students come into the nurse office and make calls home as we deem necessary. Thank you in advance for helping to make this year at school as healthy as possible.

*Please also update emergency contact information! In case of an emergency or in instances where your child needs to be dismissed from school, it is extremely important that we be able to reach someone on the contact list. We have also been having trouble with parent voicemail boxes that are full and we are unable to leave a message.

Please also make sure to have a spare change of seasonally appropriate clothing for your child to keep in their cubbies!!

Remember to notify the nurse's office if your child has been diagnosed with any illness (or injury). The nurse tracks illnesses and will send a note home to the class if there are 2 or more cases in the classroom. If your child has an injury that has activity restrictions, please share with the nurse's office so we are aware and can notify appropriate staff members. We want to keep our students healthy and safe and your cooperation is needed to do so. We appreciate your assistance.

Kindly,

The Health Office Team,

Nurse Katie and Miss Michelle

Please contact your child’s pediatrician first. If unable to be seen, here is a list of

local walk in/urgent care locations if unable to be seen by pediatrician:

CVS Minute Clinic, East Hampton 866-389-2727

ProHealth Extended Hours, Glastonbury 657-5940

Middlesex Health Urgent Care, Middletown 860-358-4170

Colchester Urgent Care 860-531-9749

The East Hampton Board of Education and the school community as a whole promote a secure and productive school climate, conducive to teaching and learning that is free from threat, harassment, and any type of bullying behavior. Therefore it shall be the policy of the Board that bullying and/or teen dating violence committed against a student by another student is prohibited. The Board believes that a school environment in which students feel safe, supported, engaged and helpfully challenged is optimal for learning and healthy development. The Board seeks an environment in which students and adults feel socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically safe; an environment that is free of harassment, intimidation, teen dating violence and bullying. Our website provides links to various policies and reporting forms including our Safe School Climate Plan. Hard copies are also available in our main office. If at any point you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to building administration for further assistance.

When considering the number of absences your student has accrued, keep in mind that a student must be present for 195 minutes in order for the day to count! When bringing your student in late, or signing them out early if they have not been in school for a 195 minutes the day will be recorded as an absence.

Memorial School Attendance email:

memorial_attendance@easthamptonct.org * there is an _ between memorial and attendance!

Students, parents, and community members have access to an anonymous tip line on the front page of the school district website to report self-concerns, mental health concerns of a friend, or concerns of violence. Simply click here or view on the website: https://www.easthamptonps.org/.

Email: jbauer@easthamptonct.org
Website: https://www.easthamptonps.org/o/memorial-school
Location: 20 Smith Street, East Hampton, CT, USA
Phone: 860-365-4020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ehmemorialschool