BLACKHAWKS BULLETIN

Happy New Year!

I hope you were all healthy and able to enjoy some time with your loved ones over the holiday break. I thoroughly enjoyed having both of my children home. While the weather kept us mostly indoors, we made the best of it and played games, did puzzles and even painted a multi-piece mural for my living room. The painting project was an exercise in letting go of perfectionism (for all three of us 😬). In the end, we persevered and gave into the abstractness of the task. Most importantly, we had some fun with it!

Since the weather is still not producing any of the white stuff we enjoy here in Northern New England, we will be postponing the start of the Friday Afterschool Ski Time. The program is now scheduled to begin on Friday, January 19th to give Whaleback plenty of time to make more snow. I have also incorporated a snow theme in the newsletter in an effort to persuade the snow gods to do their thing...THINK SNOW!

A couple of exciting things happened over the break...

• The 7/8 Boys went all the way in the Lyme Basketball tournament over the break. They emerged as the tournament champions!
• The Boys & Girls Club Afterschool Program is now fully staffed and set to begin the week of January 8, 2024. The program is available to students in grades K to 5. You may CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. If you have questions, you may contact the following:
• Tracee Barden, Upper Valley Area Manager, (603) 715-9366 Ext. 1186 (tbarden@nhyouth.org)
• Maura Linnehan, Plainfield School Site Director (mlinnehan@nhyouth.org)

As we return to school this week, our focus will be on resuming/relearning classroom routines and reconnecting with one another. Thanks for your help reestablishing healthy routines from your end as well! Please be sure to read through the rest of the newsletter for important reminders about meetings, the rescheduled Upper Grades Spelling Bee, and other upcoming events.

Cheers!

Audra

P.S.

Audra Bucklin, Principal

603.469.3250, ext 223

abucklin@plainfieldschool.org

We are up to 75 registered skiers and 13 registered chaperones. Whaleback is set to open 12/26 and has invested substantially in their snowmaking capacity. They have twice as many instructors available and the lift has passed inspection so things are looking up! We have changed the dates slightly as follows:

Friday, 1/19

Friday, 1/26

Friday, 2/2

Friday, 2/9

Friday, 2/16

Friday, 3/1 (NEW)

IMPORTANT: All PES skiers who plan to be at the mountain on Friday afternoons MUST register with Whaleback. Season passholders who don't need lessons do not have to pay anything but do have to register. The afterschool programs at Whaleback are subsidized via grants and enrollment numbers matter. If you have not already done so, please register on the Whaleback website ASAP.

https://whaleback.theonlysky.com/ecomm3/products/view/?flow=Plainfield%20Elementary

And don't forget, you can also pay ahead for snacks.

Likewise, if you need transportation OR if you do not plan to have an adult present to supervise your student at the mountain, they must register via the PES form below so that we have them on our checklist. If you do not register through PES, you are responsible for insuring there is adult supervision per Whaleback rules. Also, all PES students will still be there representing PES since it is "our day" at the mountain. As such, all PES skiers are responsible for conducting themsleves in accordance with school rules.

Chaperones had a great training on Friday night. If you are interested to chaperone, we can still get you onboard and would greatly appreciate the help. Please reach out to klowery@plainfieldschool.org for more info. You may also check out the detailed info from Whaleback at the bottom of this newsletter.

2 - 1st Day back from Holiday break (NO MORNING SING)

3 - Middle School Study Committee - 6:30 to 8:00 pm - PES Music Room

4 - Capital Facilities Committee - 6:30 to 8:00 pm - PES Music Room

4 - Math Team Practice - 2:50-4:00pm

LOOKING AHEAD:

9 - K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby

9 - PES School Board Meeting, 5:30 pm – Music Room

10 - PTA Meeting - 6 to 7:30 pm Parents/Guardians Welcome

11 - Math Team Practice- 2:50-4:015

12 - RESCHEDULED - Upper Grades Spelling Bee - 10 am to 12 pm

12 - Early Dismissal 12:50

15 - No School - Martin Luther King Day

16 - K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby – Parents/Guardians Welcome

For the most up-to-date information, please be sure to see the Events Section of the website which includes athletic/co-curricular practices and games. If you download the website app on your phone (bottom right corner of the website for instructions), you can update the settings to it will alert you when events or news items are added.

HOT LUNCHES (All are served with a veggie and milk)

HOT LUNCHES (All are served with a veggie and milk)

MONDAY- NO SCHOOL

TUESDAY- Bean Taco Bar w/ The Works Garden Salsa Southwest Rice Pilaf Roasted Sweet Potatoes

WEDNESDAY- Chicken & Cheese Calzone Marinara Sauce Caesar Salad

THURSDAY- Creamy Macaroni & Cheese Maple Muffins Roasted Parsnip Chips

FRIDAY- Cheese Pizza Pepperoni Pizza Veggie Pizza Fresh Broccoli Salad

"COLD" Options: (offered daily)

Assorted Pre-made Deli Sandwiches

Yogurt Parfait with Fruit and Granola

Fresh Fruit and Veggie Bar with Dinner Roll

See Abbey Group Website for full details and to upload funds.

Amanda & Katie

603.469.3250

office@plainfieldschool.org

Please review this brief summary of the most up-to-date CDC Covid protocols. PES follows the NH DHHS guidance which is currently one and the same as the CDC guidance. There are a lot of viruses going around right now. While Covid numbers have been low here at PES so far, please be reminded you must still test when symptoms are present A positive Covid test requires 5 days quarantine and 5 days of additional masking. Let’s work together to keep our numbers low and our attendance (for both staff and students) strong by preventing the spread of Covid to the extent possible. We have covid tests available in the main office and nurse’s office. Please remember sick absences/notices need to be sent to schoolnurse@plainfieldschool.org as well as office@plainfieldschool.org. Nurse Beth will contact you if further information is needed.

Thanks,

Nurse Beth

schoolnurse@plainfieldschool.org

4 Winds

4 Winds is a K-4th grade program; if you are interested or know of a family or community member who would like to volunteer, please contact Michelle Whitaker. mo.whitaker@yahoo.com or 585-690-3472

Attention Grades 6-8 - NOTE TIME CHANGE

The Cornish Elementary School is inviting Plainfield students who are in grades 6-8 to their school dance.

• December 1st from 7-9pm in the gym
• Cost: $7.00
• Snacks and drinks will be available for sale.

Town of Plainfield Community Services

Any Plainfield or Meriden resident requiring assistance for housing, heating fuel assistance, electricity assistance, medication assistance and or nutritional support from the Town should contact the Community Resource Director, Stephanie Schell. Contact information: 603-469-3201 or email sschell@plainfieldschool.org. All information is confidential.

Food Pantry

Residents of the Town of Plainfield can access the following local services.
Note: The food pantry and clothing swap rooms are located in the Christ Community Church on Route 12A (across from the Plainfield Fire Department). The Food Pantry is open the 1st Thursday and the 3rd Friday and Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and warmly welcomes all Town residents.

Free Clothing Rooms

The Christ Community Church has (2) very well-organized rooms that contain FREE clothing for adults and children. All clothing is donated and in great condition. In addition to clothing there are also Free household items, toys & books as well. These rooms are open to the Public each Tuesday morning from 9-11 a.m.

Free Fresh Veggies & Fruit

Free fresh produce provided by Willing Hands: please check the Town calendar for dates and times.

We are thrilled to invite you back to Whaleback for an exciting winter season! Please take a moment to review the following information before registering your student, as we've made some important changes to the program this year.

Plainfield Elementary Mountain Days: 1/19, 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 3/1

Registration Options

You can sign up your student for one or more of the following options:

• Lessons

• Free-Ride (no lessons)

• Snack

• Rental Gear

Lessons

Our lessons run for 60 minutes, starting at 4:15 PM and ending at 5:15 PM. We create lesson groups based on ability levels to ensure success on the mountain. We understand that some young snowsport enthusiasts may find it challenging to work on fundamentals on shorter trails, especially when there's a lot of mountain to explore. However, this step-by-step approach is crucial for building confident and skilled skiers or snowboarders.

The number one cause of injuries and disinterest in snowsports is when riders progress too quickly without the skills to navigate safely. So, we ask both you and your child to be patient with our program's gradual progression. Our goal is to create lifelong snowsport enthusiasts rather than overnight Olympians.

Freeride

If your student is in fifth grade or older, can confidently handle intermediate (blue) trails, stop when needed, and safely use chairlifts, they can participate in the freeride option. Please note that freeride doesn't include formal lessons, and students won't be supervised by Whaleback staff on the slopes. The freeride block begins and ends in congruence with the lesson block.

Snack

We offer a snack option for purchase. Please be aware that it's not a full meal but a mix of items that vary from week to week.

Rentals

Gear rentals are available for all students in the program, including skis/snowboard, boots, and poles (if needed). Helmets are also available at no extra charge, though we can't guarantee every student will receive one due to limited stock. While we understand snowsports can be costly, we highly recommend purchasing a mountain-sports helmet, the most important safety gear.

Rental equipment won't go home with students. They'll pick up their gear at the beginning of the mountain visit and return it by the end. This helps us maintain our rental fleet and saves you from hauling gear around.

If you want rental gear you can use on non-program days, visit our friends over at Golf and Ski who can provide a full kit for the entire winter season.

Equipment Fit Days

If you plan to rent gear from Whaleback, please attend one of our equipment fit days in December. Our rental equipment technicians will properly fit your child for skis/snowboard and boots. This ensures a smooth transition during program days and maximizes your student's time on the slopes.

Chaperones

While Whaleback Mountain supervises students during lessons, Plainfield volunteers takes over outside of lesson times. However, we believe students benefit from adult supervision. If you're a skier or snowboarder, you can volunteer your time and receive a day pass to chaperone free-ride students or provide behavioral support in our lesson groups, allowing our instructors to focus on teaching. If you don’t ski or snowboard, we would still welcome you as a chaperone to help out with transitions and lodge logistics! Please complete the Whaleback Transportation & Volunteer Form below to indicate your interest in becoming a chaperone.

Financial Aid

Our mission is to keep snowsports affordable and accessible for everyone. We understand it can be expensive, which is why we offer a financial aid program to help ease the financial burden. Please use the provided link to access our financial aid application.

Link: https://www.whaleback.com/financial-aid

Transportation to and from Whaleback Mountain

Plainfield Elementary manages transportation to Whaleback Mountain as we do not provide this service. Parents MUST sign their children out to a designated adult by 5:30 pm. Please sign up through the Whaleback Transportation & Volunteer Form below arrange transportation for your student/child. If you choose to drop off or pick up your student, please sign them in and out with the Plainfield representative. This ensures everyone's safety and accountability. Last year, we had an incident where a student was picked up without checking out, causing unnecessary concern. We appreciate your cooperation with our check-in/check-out procedures.

Contact info

Whaleback Mountain

Phone: (603) 448-5500

Email: learning@whaleback.com

Address: 160 Whaleback Mountain Rd., Enfield, NH 03748

Director of Learning Programs: Max Harrison

Plainfield Elementary

Phone: (603) 469-3250

Principal: Audra Bucklin

Email: abucklin@plainfieldschool.org

Disclaimers

• No make-ups for missed program days due to weather or illness.

• Program fees are non-refundable.

• We reserve the right to revoke any pass due to reckless behavior, foul language, participating without a pass, skiing with someone else's pass, or any form of substance abuse.