

The Pulse of the Pride

April 19, 2024
Lyme School Friends,
It has been a fast week!
We have had a fantastic week since returning from April Break. Our students have quickly reengaged in their routines and our classrooms have gotten right back down to work.
Please remember that the weather is not quite shorts and t-shirts ready yet. It can be quite chilly in the morning. Please ensure students still have some layers so they are prepared for whatever comes our way each day. This includes rain too as sometimes we get unexpected rain and we like for students to be prepared to go outside in whatever weather.
Students have been active in different ways. We have students already building towers in the design lab elementary classes, several rehearsals for various upcoming performances, and students at all grade levels engaged in a poetry contest designed by the sustainability committee.
If you haven't completed our surveys yet: In the teaching and learning section below, we are asking families to complete a communications survey. We have had limited participation so far. We thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to provide this feedback. Links and directions are in Ms. Foxall's section below. THANK YOU!
We hope to see you at the upcoming concert and middle school drama production!
The next newsletter will hit your inbox on May 3rd!
Regards,
John P. D'Entremont, Principal
News, Dates, Information, & Announcements
Important Dates
Dates:
May 1st - K-5 Spring Concert 5PM
May 3rd - Drama Production of Madagascar - A Musical Adventure - 6PM
May 4th - Drama Production of Madagascar - A Musical Adventure - 1PM & 6PM
May 8th - National Bike/Walk to School Day (see PTO section)
May 17th - MS Dance Grades 5-8
May 18th - Student Art Show (see PTO section)
May 31st - 8th graders invited to HHS Dance
ALMA - Latest Updates
If you are having trouble, please reach out to Amanda Perry or John D'Entremont.
So far, you should have:
- Gotten yourself logged in.
- Received an emergency alert.
- Double checked your contact information.
- Completed ALMA Start Registration for this year.
- Been given instructions to opt in to the Directory. [To opt in to the directory, you can click on the link for βmy infoβ or get there through your profile icon in the top-right corner. You can toggle your visibility in the directory.]
- Received preliminary information about the standards based report cards.
- Received a first trimester report card via email on December 4th.
- Received a second trimester report card via email on March 20th.
Still Have Solar Eclipse Glasses??? Or have extras???
Incoming Kindergarteners?
If you have an incoming Kindergartner for next school year, please reach out to Amanda Perry in the office. Your child must turn 5 by September 30, 2024 to be eligible.
Lyme School Apparel Store
The Lyme School Apparel Store has a variety of apparel and accessories all customizable with a variety of school logos. The Lyme School PTO earns 12% of all sales. Thank you for supporting our school and go Lions! #LYMESCHOOLROCKS
Title I Summer Programming (July 7th- Aug 2nd)
A letter has been sent home to any students who have qualified for Title I Summer Programming (either in reading, math or both). If you have any questions as to the criteria for acceptance or overall structure of the program, please feel free to reach out to me at your convenience (Geoffrey A. Tomlinson, 603-795-2125 ext. 106 gtomlinson@lymeschool.org).
For students who qualify for special education extended school year services, case managers will contact parents/guardians directly to discuss how these services will be delivered.
News from the Health Office
Kati Miller RN BSN: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri
Matthew Greenway RN BSN: alternating Weds and coverage as needed
Celeste McCool RN BSN: alternating Weds and coverage as needed
As of March, 1 2024 The Center for Disease Control and Prevention updated guidance to provide "practical recommendations and information to help people lower risk from a range of common respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, flu and RSV."
These recommendations are Core Prevention Strategies that we can all take to protect one another and help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. These strategies focus on the following:
1. Staying home and away from others if you have respiratory virus symptoms including fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose and headache.
2. Normal activities can be resumed if your symptoms are getting better for at least 24 hours AND you have not had a fever (or using fever-reducing medication) for at least 24 hours.
3. When symptoms have improved, taking added precautions (good hand hygiene, masking and testing if you will be around other people indoors) over the next 5 days can help reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others.
We follow these guidelines. Please review the following links from the CDC for more information and reach out to me with any questions/concerns.
Thank you for your efforts in keeping our Lyme School students, staff, and families healthy.
Counselor Stanton's Corner and Student Success
Hello Lyme Families - Hope everyone had a wonderful April Break!
I wanted to highlight some awesome work that our First (introduce) and Second Graders (review and expand) have been doing during Stanton Time. We have been learning about what it means to be βflexibleβ but using a super fun curriculum known as SUPERFLEX! SUPERFLEX is a social superhero who lives inside each of us! He shows up when UNTHINKABLES (that also live inside our brain) try to take over our thinking and body and keep us from being flexible thinkers! One of those Unthinkables is ROCK BRAIN. This Unthinkable makes us feel STUCK in what WE want to do and what WE think the plan should be. Sometimes ROCK BRAIN makes it hard for us to think about others, be ok with plans changing, and have big upset reactions when things donβt go our way. This can give people around us red (uncomfortable) thoughts. Superflex teaches us strategies so that we can be more flexible in our thinking when situations arise where ROCK BRAIN gets us STUCK. Being flexible in the moment can give people around us green thoughts about us. We have been reading stories about SUPERFLEX and the UNTHINKABLES that invade brains and what SUPERFLEX strategies we can use to defeat them. The most important first step to defeating an UNTHINKABLE is NOTICING when they show up for us, so we do a lot of work around identifying what it might look or feel like when that might be happening for each of us. In second grade, students get to come up with their very own UNTHINKABLE as well as a THINKABLE who will help us use strategies to defeat the brain invader. Below are some examples of UNTHINKABLES - ask your kids about them - I bet they can teach you a lot! Take some time to talk about when an UNTHINKABLE invaded your brain and how you handled it or how you wish you handled it! We can always have a DO-OVER - modeling that repair and reset is also super important and helpful for our childβs development and emotional regulation. If you want to know more about SuperFlex, please reach out! Way to go, my flexible friends!
ANDβ¦I wanted to put in another plug for Pearl Dimick Camp Grants. Camp grants are available to families to offset the cost of summer camp programs. Grants are $200 per student and cap at $600 per family. If you feel these grants would be helpful to your family, please be in touch with me rstanton@lymeschool.org to start the referral process. Here is a document with some Upper Valley Camps for your reference. Weβre grateful we have Pearl Dimick Fund in Lyme to support our families! Stay tuned for any Lyme School Camps - camp coordinators will be reaching out to inform you about their camp programs this summer if they have not already.
With gusto!
Rachel
Neuroth's Library and Media News
We are back in the swing of things after an extended break. Grades 2-4 visited Converse Free Library this week since we were snowed out before break. We have been highlighting some of the books from the April monthly themed collection, including poetry, earth/sustainability, and Arab American Heritage.
The first graders are learning about birds during ELA. During library and integrated time in the classroom, this study is supported through a pathfinder, taking them to PebbleGo, Gale, Discovery Education, and Epic! All these resources provide age appropriate research material.
Before break, I shared that the fourth grade finished their βWildlife Warriorsβ podcast show. We had some tech glitches, which have now been resolved. You can listen to the episodes here.
All students in grades 4-6 have the opportunity to vote for their favorite title among the twenty books nominated for the Great Stone Face Book Award.
Voting is LIVE until April 30.
All 7th and 8th grade students have the opportunity to vote for their favorite among the 10 nominated titles for the 2024 Isinglass Award.
Voting is LIVE until April 30!
Family related Converse Free Library Programing, from Ms. Judyβs newsletter:
TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 3-5 p.m. After School Movie: Migrations (PG, 2023; 1h, 35m)
Teaching and Learning by Mrs. Foxall
Seeking Parent/Guardian Feedback on Our Communication
At Lyme School, we are committed to fostering strong partnerships between home and school to ensure the success of our students. One vital aspect of this partnership is effective communication. Our goal is to keep you well informed through principal and teacher newsletters, emails, conferences, and report cards. We would like to hear your thoughts on our communication methods and look forward to your suggestions for improvement.
If you have a K-5 and a middle school student, please complete both the lower school and middle school survey as there are some differences between these surveys.
Please complete the Lower School Survey if you have a student in Grades K-5. If you have multiple students in grades K-5, please just complete the survey once.
Here is the Middle School Survey if you have a student in Grades 6-8. If you have multiple students in the middle school, please just complete the survey once.
Thank you for providing feedback to us!
The Specials Spotlight
Madagascar - A Musical Adventure
Show dates: Friday May 3rd and Saturday May 4th
We can't wait to perform for you.
Students Gearing up for Summer Olympics in Design Lab
As we enter the final stretch of the school year, lower school students are gearing up for an adventure as they dive into a design/build unit inspired by the upcoming games in Paris 2024: The Design Lab Summer Olympics.
Creative Exploration: From crafting miniature Eiffel Towers, to "competing" in various events like swimming, soccer, basketball and more, our young designers will explore the intersection of art, engineering, and athleticism.
Design Challenges: As they immerse themselves in the spirit of the Olympics, students will tackle a series of design challenges inspired by the various sports featured in the Games. Every challenge promises to ignite their imaginations and bring some fun to the engineering process.
Celebrating Innovation: As our students bring their little wooden athletes to life, we'll celebrate their creativity and innovation. From showcasing their prototypes in a mini Olympic expo to sharing their design processes with the school community.
Stay tuned for more updates and get ready to cheer on our young innovators!
Pictured are some of the kindergarten and 1st grade "Eiffel Towers", and some pasta bridges from a recent bridge building competition in 4th and 5th grade.
April Art News
The Set & Stage Crew are wrapping up the set in anticipation of stage rehearsals and Tech Week. I am grateful, as always, for hours and hours of hard work and the willingness to dive into oddball "problems" (Make it snow! Briefly. And silently.). This has been a Design Lab/Art team elective this trimester as we collaborate to work through the Set and Props for Madagascar, Jr. In the Lower School, we are celebrating different themes: color, home, nature, the eclipse, animals, geometry.... We try to look at how artists work and think. This week, I found myself telling the kids that I wasn't sure how they were going to solve a particular problem, because that was their work to do...it was a moment to make their work truly theirs: an "artist decision".
I have TWO things to pass along to families this week:
1. An ART COMPETITION:
Christa McAuliffe State House Memorial Art Commission Arts Competition
and
2. An event at the Hood, coming up on April 27th:
Happy Spring!
Ms.G
PE News
As we returned from April break and some nice spring weather, thoughts of β the greensβ fell upon us and students in the primary continued their work with eye-hand coordination and motor planning, this time through the practice of attempting to use a golf putter and knocking over a pin with a ball, sometimes with an added obstacle, such as a sneaker.
The skill cues of β step, tick, tickβ were introduced to help students remember the form and concentration needed to get the ball to a pin and knock it down. With focus and their β eyes on the prizeβ students were able to meet with success and create their level of The Masters.
Fitness Action in Grade 5
Well, the fifth grade certainly lost no time with their fitness levels after vacation!
This week, students were placed in various groups with a task manager who led them through a series of various activities related to the complements of fitness. Their efforts were not lacking nor was their energy and positive attitudes. Fantastic work, 5th grade!
Grade 7 Health
WISE returned to Lyme School this week. Emily and Fiona, from this wonderful organization, spent time with our 7th graders discussing consent - what active consent is and how important it is for consent to be given when dealing with others in various types of relationships.
Students spent time listening to different scenarios and deciding whether certain behaviors are harmful or not harmful and if active consent was given .
We are always grateful for WISE and the services they provide our community.
WISE Returns to 8th Grade
This week, Emily, from WISE returned to our 8th grade health class to discuss the nature of relationships and how to keep them healthy. Clear communication, knowing oneβs comfort level, and consent are key elements to relationships.
We always look forward to having WISE visit our classes as they will be part of our 8th graders high school experience throughout the next four years. All of our local resources prove to be invaluable and we are thankful for the educational experiences they reinforce from our program.
Photos from Around the Lyme School Community
Hi Lyme Families,
We hope everyone had a fun break!
The PTO has a number of exciting events planned for the remaining weeks of school. We welcome volunteers any time of the year. Please contact us at pto@lymeschool.org.
Join our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on PTO happenings: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ptolymeschool
Our next meeting is planned for May 1st at 7:30pm after the K-5 Spring Concert. We will send out an email reminder and post info on the FB page.
Mark your calendars for Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-10. We will celebrate again this year with Spirit Week. Stay tuned for daily themes and an opportunity for students and parents to express their appreciation for our wonderful teachers.
May 8th is National Walk and Bike to School Day. The PTO will be offering morning refreshments for participants in front of the school starting at 7:30 a.m. If you'd like to volunteer to help with this event, please contact us.
Calling all student artists! Set aside your child's favorite pieces as the PTO is putting together the Lyme School's first Student Art Show fundraiser benefiting our amazing Artist-In-Residence Program. Save the date: May 18th. Stay tuned for more details!
Lastly, the Lyme School Garden will be waking up soon. Please reach out if you are interested in helping out with spring gardening!
Many thanks to all of our parent, faculty and community volunteers!
Brigette Cameron, on behalf of the Lyme School PTO
Community News
Free Event
After School Violin Update
FEBRUARY 13, MARCH 14. . .and MAY 15
On Tuesday morning, February 13, all the violin students, from first-year through sixth-year players, assembled in the cafeteria for an 8:00 a m. recital. For first-year players, this was a special early debut, since it is often the spring concert when they first play for an occasion.
But they were showing signs of being ready, and agreed to try it. It was very successful!
A short presentation by necessity, this mini-event nevertheless gave all the older players a chance to be heard, and with the able backup of willing dads, we finished with a set of good olβ fiddle tunes.
MARCH 14, Thursday: Isla, Ewan, Henry, Piper, and Billy traveled to White River to play for a St. Patrick's Day dinner at Bugbee Senior Center. Although the Suite Notes, my adult recorder ensemble, also played, we were familiar from many similar recitals, and the students quite stole the show.
MAY 15, Wednesday: At 6:00 p. m.
in the cafeteria again, the spring concert with all violin students AND piano students will take place.
You will hear from everyone! True to the spring βharvest" form, this is the time of year when all the months of study bear fruit. . . . please come and enjoy the music with these young musicians!
It's probably forty-five minutes in all, and we will have light refreshments afterwards to celebrate. π πͺ π₯
Damaris Tyler
Bonus appearance! Several students in the Second-year class will play for the annual Maypole celebration! (May 1).
Upper Valley High School Trails Corps
The Upper Valley High School Trails Corps is happening this Summer for high school age students (14-18)! Participants will join the UVTA staff on local trails to learn about trail building, conservation and trail stewardship by working with professional trail builders.
If you're looking for an awesome, educational-outdoor opportunity for the Summer (that also looks great on a college application) this is the program for them!
Click HERE to learn more about the program and apply!
Visit uvtrails.org to learn more about the Upper Valley Trails Alliance.
New England School of the Arts
Registration for New England School of the Arts summer camp is open! They will be running 6 unique, 1 week performance focused camps for grades K-4 and 5-8 at their homebase in Lebanon, NH. Camp starts July 1st and runs through August 9th. Learn more here: https://www.nesarts.org/about-summer-camp
OUR VALUES
β Fairness β Acceptance of Others β Integrity β Responsibility
β Perseverance β Individuality β Compassion β Courage
John P. D'Entremont, Principal
Elise Foxall, Academic Director
Geoff Tomlinson, Student Services Director