BUILDING A CLASSROOM COMMUNITY
Outside of Ms. Kelly’s grade 5 classroom, students traced their hands to build a class flower sharing, “We are each unique and beautiful, but together we are a masterpiece!”
The first weeks of school are about establishing routines and building a classroom community. This year, across Newton Public Schools all elementary classrooms will be using techniques from Responsive Classroom, a district-wide social/emotional development curriculum. Throughout Lincoln-Eliot, students begin by sharing their hopes and dreams and setting personal goals for the new school year. You will get a chance to read your child’s hopes and goals at Open House on Thursday.
OPEN HOUSE/CURRICULUM NIGHT
Thursday, Sept. 24th from 6:00- 7:15 is Open House/Curriculum Night. In the past students and families moved around the school to different locations to find staff. This year we will have a new format in which teachers will present information in their classrooms to help families learn about expectations for the new grade level and ways you can support your children at home and set them up for success.
All our specialist teachers (art, music, PE, and library) and our support staff will also be available to meet with this evening. Please see the attached flyer for more details. Children are invited to attend Open House with their parents.
UNDERSTANDING OUR DIFFERENCES PROGRAM
Encouraging parent participation in the classroom.
Understanding our Differences, a disabilities awareness curriculum, is delivered to all Newton students in grades 3-5 by parent volunteers. In the Fall, 2015 we will be delivering the Chronic Medical Conditions unit. All Lincoln-Eliot parents, regardless of your child’s grade, are invited to participate in this dynamic program.
There is a 2 hour time commitment on the day of the unit (dates to be determined) and 30-60 minutes to train for the unit at your convenience with on-line materials. (You do not have to commit to all 3 grades, one session would be great)
This is a wonderful opportunity to engage with our students in the classroom.
If you are interested in participating, please contact the L-E parent coordinator, Cathleen Morrison at ccanhc@gmail.com.
Note
We are looking for a co-coordinator as well. If you are interested, please contact Cathleen for more information. It is not a huge time commitment, it involves some parent outreach and participation in delivering the Units. Please consider becoming involved in this fulfilling and wonderful program as we educate the students on how to include peers with disabilities.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
We have tripled our music program in the last two years. Our goal is for every fourth grader to learn an instrument. Please read the attached flyers to learn about 4th Grade Instrumental Lessons and Fifth Grade Band and Orchestra. Registration date is by September 18th and it is done online. All students are able to have access to an instrument. Please let us know if you need help to apply for a loaner instrument.
PARENT CONNECT: UPDATE EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Parent Connect is the portal for families to share contact information and to access progress reports.
In the next couple weeks NPS will send out an e-mail to all families. It will let you know your user name and password to set up your new Parent Connect account. If you are already enrolled, it will remind you how to log in.
You can access a video on the NPS website under “Families” to learn more about Parent Connect.
It is important to keep your contact information updated throughout the year should any information change. Jena Rossi and Sharon Fugazzotto in the office will be glad to help you.
LUNCH/RECESS
We are looking to hire 2 Lunch/Recess Aides. The hours are from 11:45-2:05 on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. If you are interested or have a friend or relative who is interested in picking up 3 hours+ 10 min. per week please contact Marcia Uretsky at Marcia_uretsky@newton.k12.ma.us
FUNDRAISING…
DONOR’S CHOOSE:
Support our new teacher!
Ms. Bratslavskaya, Grade 5
My Project: A Space for Every Student
Total Cost: $611
TO GO: $378
My Project
I hope to empower my students to take risks and share their ideas in a comfortable and safe environment. A classroom carpet for our meeting/library area is a necessity for establishing a sense of community within our classroom. We will often begin our school day on our carpet to engage in a morning meeting. Students will gather on the carpet many times throughout the day for whole class mini lessons, partner work, group work, and independent work.
A comfortable meeting area is essential, as it would provide a space to develop trust and respect among my students.
Here, we will establish our classroom community by developing a “class contract” and allowing all students to feel that their voices have been heard. We will frequently use the carpet as a space to begin lessons, and engage in read alouds. This space will also serve as a cozy independent reading place, so my students will be able to engage in, visualize and fall in love with books
Check out my classroom project!
http://www.donorschoose.org/MsBratslavskaya
L-E PIZZA TUESDAYS!
From 12:15-1:00 pm at the Jackson Road Entrance
$2 per slice
Pizza is popular and disappears quickly! Avoid disappointment and pre-order your Whole Pizzas by Mondays at Noon –$10.00 each.
Email Jenn- jrogan78@verizon.net to order!
Proceeds benefit the 5th Grade 2015 Graduating Class… We appreciate your support!
PIZZA SALES START TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH!!!
Gift Wrap and Gift Catalog Fundraiser!
September 18th to October 2nd
Meadow Farms is a local MA based, family owned and operated company that offers a variety of: wrapping paper, seasonal items, and gifts for the home.
PRIZES! Meadow Farms offers tons of FABULOUS PRIZES based on the number of items that you sell! From cool bracelets and sunglasses to amazing electronics like Chromebooks and iPads – Even selling one item gets you a prize!!
Brochures go home on September 16th!
New This Year: ALL orders will be shipped to your home!!!!
WATERTOWN SAVINGS BANK: CUSTOMER CHOICE AWARDS
VOTE FOR LINCOLN-ELIOT SCHOOL AS YOUR FAVORITE NON-PROFIT!
EVERY VOTE COUNTS!
Vote online at www.watertownsavings.com or cast a paper ballot. Ballots will be available at Open House on Thursday night.
Every year over the past twenty years Watertown Savings Bank customers have voted for their favorite non-profits in our Customer Choice event. As a result 75 local organizations have benefited and $915,500 has been distributed. This year the total will reach $990,500!
We are very proud of this program and the benefits it has brought to so many wonderful local non-profit organizations. To celebrate this important milestone we will be entering every customer who votes this year into a drawing to receive a $500 Amazon gift card.
Every qualified non-profit that receives at least 1% of the total votes cast within a calendar year will receive funds. The organization with the most votes will receive $5,000. Otherwise the dollars awarded are determined by the voting results, with a cap of $3,500. Anyone with an account at Watertown Savings Bank may vote and each person has one vote. (Beneficiaries are not considered account owners.)
Let us know your favorite local non-profit by using the ballot below or by voting online at www.watertownsavings.com. Deadline to vote is midnight, December 31, 2015.
60 Main Street Watertown MA 02472 617-928-9000 Member FDIC Member DIF
Your vote is worth money. It will support the important work being done throughout our communities!
Please print the name of your favorite local non-profit:
STOP & SHOP:
Don’t forget to register you Stop & Shop card for the Stop & Shop A+ Rewards! Great News! If you registered your card last year, it will re-register automatically! If you are new to the program, just log on to www.Stopandshop.com/aplus to register online. Our school ID is 05887. Or, dial 1-877-275-2758 to register your card over the telephone.
AMAZON SHOPPERS
With the upcoming holiday season, don’t forget to access amazon.com through the PTO website. Our school receives up to 10% of all purchases simply purchased through this link.
COMMUNITY NEWS…
FALL NEWTON COMMUNITY ED CLASSES (NEC)
Newton Community Education will be offering 3 classes at L-E this fall: LEGO Jr. and Actor’s Studio on Wednesdays and Spanish Class on Fridays. Sign Up is now.