Dear Families,

Well, it certainly feels like winter out there. With the dip in temperatures, many of you may wonder how we make decisions about whether to have indoor or outdoor recess. Consistent with other NPS elementary schools, we use the Child Care Weather Watch resource to determine when it is safe to go outside. Each day, we check the “feels like” temperature (temperature after accounting for wind chill) to determine whether we will have inside or outside recess. We use the 20 degrees minimum temperature for outside recess. This is within the threshold of the yellow/caution zone.

We know our children benefit from fresh air and exercise and we wish for them to get outside as much as possible. Staff and families have also observed that there have been a number of days in the past when the temperature was just below 20, but it was lovely outside! We want kids to go out AND we need to keep them safe! Depending on “yellow zone” conditions, we may also elect to shorten the amount of time children are outside. We will make those judgments on a case-by-case basis. You can help us by making sure that your child comes to school with warm clothing: coats, mittens/gloves, hats, and snow pants.

Winter Walk and Roll to School Day

Remember that this Thursday, February 7, is Lincoln-Eliot’s Winter Walk and Roll to School Day. Students are encouraged to arrive to school by foot (or bike or scooter – weather permitting).

As we recently experienced, winter weather can create extra challenges in commuting to school. The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program, which sponsors the Winter Walk to School Day, offers the following tips to keep our kids safe getting to and from school in the winter.

• Wear layers that hold in the heat and are easy to remove once inside the building. Bright and reflective clothing or backpacks help so drivers can see you.
• Keep heads and hands covered with hats and mittens. Use a scarf to cover your face and a warm coat that deflects the wind.
• Stay dry by wearing waterproof boots with a sturdy sole. Keep an extra pair of socks in your backpack in case feet get damp.
• Plan extra travel time, walk slowly and be cautious of ice or areas the appear wet or dark on the pavement.  Avoid shortcuts where snow might not be removed.
• Walk like a penguin — Point toes out, walk with wide, slow steps and keep your hands free to help with balance. Hold on to stair railings where available.
• If you can’t see drivers, they can’t see you! Look all around when crossing the streets. Sneak a peek around snowbanks before you proceed to safely cross the road. Listen for oncoming cars, plows or other hazards.

FORJ

Newton FORJ (Families Organizing for Racial Justice) will meet on Tuesday, February 12th from 7pm-9pm at Angier Elementary.

Join us for an interactive evening with Madeline McNeely, founder of Conditioning Leaders (and parent of a recent L-E graduate!). She is a facilitator, trainer, coach and consultant who will share with us practices gleaned from her most popular trainings on good group leadership practices to ensure your FORJ team is operating at its best. This is a special opportunity for your FORJ team to reflect on your experiences and learn helpful tools for sustainability and success!

Please Register Here for the February 12th Meeting

Link to ALL FORJ Monthly Meeting Dates for 2018-2019

For more information or if you’d like to meet, your Lincoln-Eliot FORJ group contact is Lanni Isenberg, lanni_harris@yahoo.com.

Please mark your calendars:

* Wednesday, February 6th:  Early Release Day, 12:30pm
* Thursday, February 7th:  Winter Walk and Roll to School Day
* Friday, February 8th:  Lincoln-Eliot Movie Night, 6pm
* February 18th-22nd:  No School — February Vacation Week
* Tuesday, March 12th:  PTO Meeting, 6:30pm

Stay warm, and have a great week!

Principal Morrissey