BLACKHAWKS BULLETIN
Week of January 7, 2024
Good Afternoon,
We had a great first week back. It was especially nice to see our attendance increase from a low of 83% in attendance before the break to 97%. Everyone seemed excited to jump right back into learning activities. Grade 3/4 is starting a winter story writing unit. They do the writing during ELA and work with Mrs. Wolfinger on their illustrations during art class. It's a wonderful collaboration.
As the primary season heats up and counts down to our "first in the nation" primary on January 23rd, our upper grades classes will participate in a national "Civics and Civility" program offered in collaboration with the NH Department of Education. (Click HERE for more information.) Given the far too frequent examples of lack of civility in our local and national news, I feel so fortunate to be part of a school and community where kindness and respect matter.
Speaking of middle school and civics, the Middle School Committee will present its summary findings to the Board at Tuesday's meetings. The Capital Facilities Committee also plans to submit their findings. Your participation in the survey back in late November provided important information to both committees. You can read their reports/recommendations here:
Middle School Study Committee Report
Capital Facilities Committee Report
Please also feel free to review my monthly report to the Board.
WEEKLY REMINDERS
The Boys & Girls Club Afterschool Program is now fully staffed and set to begin this week. 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)
With a fresh coating of snow (YAY!) please be sure your child is dressed appropriately with snowpants and boots so they can fully participate in recess fun!
Speaking of snow, please be reminded we have one more week until the start of the Whaleback After School Ski Program. The program starts on Friday, January 19th.
The Upper Grades Spelling Bee is scheduled to take place on Friday, January 12 at 10 am. A link to attend virtually will be provided that morning.
There is an Early Release this Friday, January 12. Dismissal takes place at 12:50, exactly two hours earlier than usual. Please plan accordingly for pick-up and/or meeting the bus. Staff will be collaborating on instructional design and planning. We so appreciate this time to work together.
No School on Monday, January 15th in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last but certainly not least, Morning Sing (Grades K to 4) resumes this Tuesday, January 9th. We look forward to seeing parents/family members who are able to join in the fun.
Enjoy the snow!
Audra
Audra Bucklin, Principal
603.469.3250, ext 223
WHALEBACK UPDATE/CLARIFICATION
Important Clarification - NEW DATES
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.
WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Upcoming Events
9 - K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby
9 - PES School Board Meeting, 5:30 pm – Music Room
9 - Drama practice 3-4pm
10 - PTA Meeting - 6 to 7:30 pm Parents/Guardians Welcome
11 - Math Team Practice- 2:50-4:015
12 - Early Dismissal 12:50
LOOKING AHEAD:
15 - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Day
16 - K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby – Parents/Guardians Welcome
16 - MLK Recognition during Advisory/Morning Meeting
18 - Math Team Practice - 2:50-4:00pm
19 - Passport to fun Winter Kick off
19 - Whaleback- FAST
23 - K to 4 School Sing – 8 am Lobby – Parents/Guardians Welcome
23 - PES School Board Meeting, 5:30 pm – Music Room
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.
LUNCH MENU
HOT LUNCHES (All are served with a veggie and milk)
HOT LUNCHES (All are served with a veggie and milk)
MONDAY- Chicken Patty Sandwich with lettuce and tomato and roasted sweet potato wedges.
TUESDAY- Chicken and Cheese fajita, garden salsa, rice pilaf, cabot sour cream and Mexicali corn.
WEDNESDAY- Fluffy pancakes with real maple syrup, sausage links and roasted root vegetables
THURSDAY- Spaghetti with meat sauce, vampire garlic breadsticks, and maple glazed carrots.
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.
OFFICE NOTES
Important Reminders from the Plainfield School Office
The Boys and Girls Club afterschool program will be up and running starting tomorrow, Monday January 8th. If you have signed your child up for the program, please be sure to email the office to let us know what days your child will be attending so we can update their after school plan. The afterschool program will be located in Mrs. Harrington’s room (room 39) before you go down the middle school wing.
It’s that time of year when students are wearing snow gear to school. Please remember to send sneakers with your child, or have them leave a pair at school. Also, please remind all students to bring sneakers for P.E. days. Crocs and boots are not allowed in the gym.
Reminder: Students in grades K-4 are required to wear winter boots, hats, and mittens when the weather turns cold. Students in K-4 are required to wear snow pants to play in the snow.
Substitute Teachers Needed for 2023-2024 school year
The Plainfield School is seeking individuals who would be comfortable working with K-8th grade students in our building during the 2023-2024 school year. Applicants must be able to follow teacher substitute plans, be dependable, and enjoy working with children. If you are interested in applying, please contact Katie Lowery in the office at (603) 469-3250.
LOST & FOUND
IT’S GETTING FULL!
Are you missing a sweatshirt, water bottle, hat? Please check the lost and found site for any items that may belong to your student(s). We are gathering more and more items!
Amanda & Katie
603.469.3250
FROM THE NURSE
Important Reminders from the Plainfield School Nurse
With a major uptick in respiratory viruses, to include COVID, it was a long and difficult three and a half weeks in the nurse’s office between Thanksgiving and Christmas. At the end of it all we had 34 confirmed cases of COVID in our population (students and staff) and 62 cases of other illnesses. Of note, some of these other cases may have been COVID that was not reported to the school. This resulted in lost educational and work hours, delayed holiday travel, and delayed family plans.
Plainfield School will continue to follow the CDC COVID Protocols as advised by the NH Department of Health and Human Services guidance. When symptoms are present you must test and a positive COVID test requires 5 days of isolation and an additional 5 days of masking in public. These 10 days are counted with Day 0 being the first day of symptoms, not the day of testing. If a student is exposed to a family member with COVID they must be masked in public for 10 days starting from the first day of symptoms in the positive family member. If a masking student develops symptoms, then their 10 days of masking begins again starting with 5 days of isolation.
Over the holiday break our school population has recovered from COVID. By working together, we can keep our numbers low, our absences (both students and staff) minimal, and we can prevent bringing COVID home to our elderly and/or immunocompromised family members who may not have the ability to fight off this infection.
Lastly, please remember that sick notices/absences need to be sent to schoolnurse@plainfielschool.org as well as to office@plainfieldschool.org.
Thanks,
Nurse Beth
CO-CURRICULAR UPDATES
Audition Sign-Ups are now open!
Auditions will be held Tues 1/16 and Wed 1/17 after school in the music room. Drama Club participants in grades 6-8 are invited to audition for the Plainfield Players spring musical comedy, TWELFTH NIGHT, to be performed at the Plainfield Town Hall March 29-30! All students who want to be on stage will have the opportunity. For more information and link to the sign-ups, visit the Plainfield Players website. Audition "sides" (script samples), musical options, and what to expect will be reviewed at Drama Club on Tuesday 1/9 from 3-4pm. Contact: Samantha at dramaclubadvisor@plainfieldschool.org or Ms. Chien at bchien@plainfieldschool.org with questions. Please also be sure to let the office know if your child is participating so we can get them a note!
ATHLETICS
Don’t forget to check the website under Athletics for the most up-to-date practice and game schedules!
Parents -
Help Needed! We are looking for helpers at our basketball games this season to run the scoreboard! If you are willing to help out, please email Katie Lowery to get on the list. We will have a training opportunity for the scoreboard itself but volunteers should have a basic understanding of the game of basketball.
Thank you for considering helping out our teams!
pesathletics@plainfieldschool.org
XC Skiing at PES
Wednesday 3:15- 4:15. January thru March for students K-8. See flier below for details.
Here is the link for sign ups: https://forms.gle/8DhQSgkzA8bNb1Ux6
ART HAPPENINGS
CHARACTER STRONG
PERSEVERANCE
This month we’re talking about the trait of Perseverance. The dictionary defines it as: “Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” The definition we are using in class is:
Perseverance: the ability to work through situations even when there are obstacles or challenges in the way.
A lot of research today is telling us that the highest indicators of success in our kids isn’t just about their grades or their IQ. The number one skill that helps people of all walks of life be successful is GRIT! The ability to persevere in the face of adversity or even failure. Over the course of the month, we will talk about inspiring people who faced many failures before they found success. We will talk about what it means to navigate tough stuff, even when it feels overwhelming or really hard. We will talk about having a Growth Mindset - to see challenges and failure as an opportunity to grow instead of a brick wall. Take a moment to review the newsletter below for a few ways you can bring these lessons home!
SPECIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PRESENTATION
Cornish and Plainfield Elementary Schools are excited to welcome Mr. Kevin Pajaro-Marinez for a special middle school presentation on Tuesday, January 9th from 1 to 2 pm.
During this hour-long workshop, students will consider what it means to belong, why kindness matters, and the power of our words. Mr. Pajaro-Marinez will engage CES and PES students through activities and reflection. Teachers in both schools will continue the conversation via class and advisory discussions in the coming weeks. We are thrilled to provide this joint opportunity to Cornish and Plainfield middle schoolers.
COMMUNITY NEWS
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
4-H Youth Babysitting Class
This 2-day class helps middle school and teenage youth learn what it takes to be a responsible, caring, trustworthy, competent, capable, and safe babysitter. Youth will learn about child development stages, safety, nutrition, emergencies, first-aid, and the business of babysitting through discussion, role-play, and hands-on activities.
- Open to 4-H members and non-4-H members. Ages 11-18
- More information and registration at: https://go.uvm.edu/babysitting
- All applications are accepted on a first-come/first-served basis until a quota of 15 participants has been filled.
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.
WHALEBACK AFTER SCHOOL SKI PROGRAM
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.
