October  30,  2016

Dear Lincoln Eliot Families,

I hope you stayed dry this weekend.  Read on to read a  Halloween Dance thank you message from the PTO, Garden Clean Up, Election Day and Principal Coffee

Thank You From the PTO

Thank you for helping to make this year’s Halloween Dance such an enormous success!  A big debt of gratitude is owed to Siobhan Wheeler and Andrea Hemment, who co-chaired this event.  They worked tirelessly and organized an amazing dance!  Special thanks are also owed to the faculty and staff of L-E, and in particular, our principal, Jody Klein, our administrative assistant, Jena Rossi, our wonderful custodian, Geary Chalmus and all of the faculty that participated in the Teacher Treat Raffle.  Last, but not least, a huge thank you to the parents and guardians who volunteered their time to staff the dance, as well as donate baked goods.  As Siobhan says, the success of this dance proves once again that “Lincoln-Eliot families are the best!”

Lincoln Eliot Garden

On Saturday, the garden volunteers had a successful work party preparing the beds for winter. Six adults and two children dug up old plants, started a new batch of compost, spread seasoned compost, drained the irrigation system, put away hoses, and planted a cover crop of winter rye.  Many hands made light work as they were finished in an hour.  Thank you!

Election Day

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th.  All voters will enter through the Jackson Road entrance and will only be allowed in the gym.    I encourage you to walk your child to school that day as there will be many additional people trying to park around the school.  There will be two police officers on hand to help.   The PTO is looking for volunteers to bake and work the bake sale table.

Sign Up Genius for Election Day Bake Sale

Principal Coffee

I would like to invite you to a principal coffee on Monday, November 7 after drop off from 8:35-9:35.  This is an opportunity to meet and get school questions answered and/or share what is on your mind.

October 16, 2016

Dear Lincoln Eliot Families,

I hope you enjoyed the beautiful fall weekend.  We are all looking forward to a full week of school!    Some brief updates on safety drills and Halloween costumes.

You should be extremely proud of the way Lincoln Eliot students handled the evacuation drill.  350 students and 60 or so adults evacuated the school and walked to Our Lady’s church in 16 minutes.  Bravo to the Lincoln Eliot staff and students!

We’ve held a fire drill, evacuation drill and in two weeks we will conduct a lockdown drill.  It is important to practice these procedures on an annual basis so we are prepared in the event of an emergency.  

On to Halloween!  I am looking forward to the Halloween Dance on October 28th.  Parent volunteers are busy getting organized for this community celebration.  Please help your child choose/create an appropriate costume.  Given the buzz in the news on clowns, it is probably not an appropriate costume choice.   Play weapons should be left at home along with scary masks.  

Sincerely,

Jody Klein, Interim Principal

Upcoming dates:

10/17  Dr. Fleishman visits classrooms at Lincoln Eliot

10/19 Third Grade visits Arnold Arboretum

10/25 Flu Shots

10/25 and 11/1 Parent Conferences

10/28  Halloween Dance

11/1  PTO Meeting at 6:30 PM

11/3  Early Release

Dear Lincoln Eliot Families,

I hope you had a restful weekend.  It’s hard to believe that we have been back to school for a month.  I’ve been watching the sunflowers in the back garden unfold.  They make a beautiful frame to the Lincoln Eliot Grows sign.   Read on to learn about PARCC results, groundwater, high school start time and upcoming dates.  Please go to the Community News link at the end of the updates.

PARCC results for current Lincoln Eliot 4th and 5th graders will be mailed home some time in the next week.  Teachers will be analyzing results at the October staff meeting.

Groundwater Contamination: As many of you know, the state is conducting an ongoing investigation into groundwater contamination in the Nonantum area. An update on the investigation, in which the state identified a potential liable party, appeared recently in the Newton Tab.

http://newton.wickedlocal.com/news/20160927/state-identifies-likely-source-of-tce-contamination-in-nonantum

The state has provided information to the district demonstrating that the Lincoln-Eliot school is outside of the area found to have contaminated groundwater. Without contaminated groundwater, there is no vapor intrusion into the school.

The health and safety of our students and teachers is paramount and we will continue to monitor the state investigation as it progresses. Should you have any questions, please contact the City of Newton Department of Health and Human Services at 617-796-1420.

High School Start Time: Recently, you received an email from the superintendent detailing Newton’s work on high school start times. This fall, the district is asking for your thoughts on the benefits and costs of moving the high school start time later, as well as feedback on several potential scenarios. Some scenarios change only the high school hours, while others impact our school and others in the district.

Research, reports, and scenarios can be found on the district website: http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/laterstarttime. I encourage you to attend the community forum at Angier on October 19th at 7:00 p.m. You can also provide feedback via laterstart@newton.k12.ma.us.

Upcoming dates:

10/4  at 8:30 in the morning PTO meeting.  The PTO will assess attendance and may choose to make all meetings in the evening

10/10  No school

10/11  Kindergarten classes are going apple picking

10/12  No school

10/14 Evacuation Drill – more information to follow

10/25 Flu Shots

10/25 and 11/1 Conferences

10/28  Halloween Dance

11/1  PTO Meeting at 6:30 PM

Communications Oct 1.docx

Hello Lincoln Eliot Community.

I hope you enjoyed the weekend.  I was camping with 27 boy scouts in Brewster.  Lots of fun!

Back to School Night
is Thursday, September 29th from 6-7:15.  It is also a 12:30 release date.  All students are dismissed at 12:30.

Students are invited to join parents at Back to School Night.  Please Please Please try to walk to school because as you know, parking is tricky.  If you do need to drive then try parking away from the school on Jackson Road.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Remember that back to school night is a time to meet your child’s teacher/s and learn about grade-level curriculum and expectations.  It is not a time for individual conferences.  Please be sure to check in with special subject and program teachers. This flyer will go home in folders.

School Picnic
What a spectacular evening of happy children and families!  It was great to see so many families and teachers attend the picnic.  Unfortunately, one student broke his arm after falling off a piece of playground equipment.  He is in good shape and is sporting a colorful cast.  A huge shout out to the PTO volunteers for organizing and selling pizza and Spirit Wear. .  Thank you for all of the parents who donated baked goods.  The PTO is off to a rocking start to the year.  Check out the PTO website at https://lepto.org for information about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

Newton Community Education
Robotics and Chess are full!  These two classes start on Monday and Wednesday this week.  Robotics will be help in room 208, Ms. McDonald’s room  starting tomorrow, Monday, September 26.  Chess begins on Wednesday.  If you are picking up your child then please wait at the Pearl Street entrance at 4:15.

Newton Community Education is offering a course for students in grades 1-3 called Clay Creatures.  It will begin on Wednesday, October 17th from 3:15-4:15 and will run for 10 weeks.  The cost is $255 and scholarships are available using this form. Scholarship Form.   My line this year is to encourage people to ask for what they need.  It may not always be possible to honor all requests but it is important to make it known.   Go to Newton Community Education for more information.

Understanding Our Differences
Understanding Our Differences is a non-profit organization working in partnership with the Newton Public Schools to provide a unique and creative disability awareness program for all elementary school children.  To learn more about the program and volunteer opportunities go to this letter.  Understanding Our Differences.

Understanding Our Difference Volunteer Video

Family Directory
Wednesday, September 28, is the last day to submit your paper student directory entry form.  Please return it via your child’s purple folder. You can also enter your information online at:

On line directory

Dear Lincoln Eliot Families,

Thank you for being so welcoming!  I’ve enjoyed getting to meet you and your children.   Please introduce yourself if you see me.  I hope to see you on Thursday. 

Picnic

Back to School Picnic is this Thursday, September 22 from 5:30-7:00.  Please bring a picnic dinner for your family.  There will be pizza and drinks to purchase if you do not want to pack a dinner.  The PTO will be selling baked goods donated by parents.  If you are making something to sell then please bring it to the office in the morning or you can bring it to the picnic and drop it off at the PTO table. Picnic Information in Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese

Water

Please pack a water bottle for your child.  We are down two fountains while repairs are being done.

Blue Zone

The blue zone is live parking only.  Parents and staff are reporting that cars are parked in the blue zone.  This makes it very difficult for busses and other families who are following the rules.  We need your cooperation for the safe drop off and pick up of our children.  Blue zone in Chinese,  Blue zone in Spanish, Blue Zone in Portuguese, Blue Zone in Russian

MYSCHOOL ANYWHERE

The PTO is putting together an online and paper directory.  You can submit your information by going to this link  Directory Sign Up     Participation in the Directory is purely voluntary.  Please contact Andrea Hemment with any questions you might have (ahemment@gmail.com).   If you are interested in volunteering then please go to this volunteer sign up link to learn more about volunteer opportunities. Volunteer Information

Language Buddy

If you are bilingual then please consider helping a family understand more about school events in their first language.  Complete this very short survey if you are interested.  

Language Buddy

Picture Day is September 28

Curriculum Night is September 29.  It is also 12:30 release day.

Check out the PTO website for more events and dates

Have a great week!

September 11, 2016

Dear Lincoln Eliot Families,

We are four days into the new school year and students are doing a great job settling into school and classroom routines.  I am working hard to learn names of all of our Lincoln Eliot students.  I saw a few of them at the Newton North football game on Saturday.  My oldest is a senior and plays on the team.  Go Tigers!

School Nurse

Nurse Heather Engholm will be leaving Lincoln Eliot in order to pursue full time graduate studies.  Her last day will be Friday, September 16th. There will be a substitute nurse to cover the health office until a full-time nurse is hired.  Nurse Heather will make sure that the incoming nurse is aware of all of the healthcare needs of the Lincoln Eliot students.  We are grateful for Nurse Heather’s time at Lincoln Eliot and wish her well in her studies.

Blue Zone

We know parking is very challenging around the school but please do not park in the blue zone.  This area is for drop off only.  

MYSCHOOL ANYWHERE

The PTO is putting together an online and paper directory.  You can submit your information by going to this link  Directory Sign Up     Participation in the Directory is purely voluntary.  Please contact Andrea Hemment with any questions you might have (ahemment@gmail.com).   If you are interested in volunteering then please go to this volunteer sign up link to learn more about volunteer opportunities. Volunteer Information

PTO Meeting

There will be a PTO meeting on Tuesday, September 13 in the cafeteria.  Pizza and water will be for sale from 6-6:30 and the meeting will run from 6:30-7:30.   Childcare for school-age children will be provided during the meeting.  If you have a child at Lincoln Eliot then you are a member of the PTO.  Please come and learn more about the PTO!

Language Buddies

We are looking for bilingual adults in the LE School Community who are willing to be a language buddy for a parent/s who are learning English.  This means you might be called on to review a school notice for another parent or respond to questions.  If you are interested please complete this very brief  Language Buddy Form

I hope to see you Tuesday evening at the PTO meeting.

Sincerely,

Jody Klein

Upcoming Dates:

September 13  – PTO Meeting

September 22 – Back to School Picnic

September 29  Back to School Night

Dear L-E Community,

Please use this chart to see from which exit your child will be dismissed.

September 5, 2016

Hello Lincoln Eliot Students and Families,
We look forward to the start of a great school year.   You can expect a Sunday (Monday if there is a holiday) email blast from me communicating information about the upcoming week.  Weekly updates from the PTO will also be included.

First Day
Tuesday, September 6 is the first day of school for students in grades 1-5.  As a reminder, school ends at 12:30 on all Tuesdays.

Kindergarten
Tuesday, September 6 is the first day of school for Kindergarten Group A students.   Group B students stay home.

Wednesday, September 7 is the first day for Kindergarten Group B students.  Group A students stay home.

Thursday, September 8 Kindergarten Groups A and B come to school.  Kindergarten is until 12:30 everyday until the last week in September.  Students in Group A begin their full days September 26th.  Group B begins September 30th.

Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast begins on Tuesday at 7:50 in the morning.  The cost is $1.75.

Lunch begins on Wednesday, September 7.  Lunch costs $3.30 and milk is $0.75.  More information about the lunch program can be found here:  Food Service

Here is the link to the Free and Reduced Lunch Application

Please call the Lincoln Eliot Office if you need help completing this form.

Purple Folders
Look for the purple Lincoln Eliot folder in your child’s backpack.  This folder is used to send information to and from school.  In the folder this week, you will find an information sheet from the PTO and a copy of  School Information 16-17.

State Primary Day
Thursday, September 8, 2016 is a primary voting day.   Lincoln Eliot is a polling station so expect to see voters entering and exiting the Jackson Road entrance.

Sincerely,

Jody Klein, Interim Principal

From the PTO

Welcome L-E Families!  The Lincoln-Eliot PTO is in the process of creating an online and printed directory for parents to contact other parents, as well as teachers and other L-E staff during the school year. The software that we are using (“My School Everywhere”) is also used by many of the Newton schools.

Only the members of our school community will have access to this information.  Please use the link below to create an account for your child/children.    Please enter ONLY the information that you would like recorded in the online and printed versions of the School Directory.

You can create the account here: Create Account

Once your account has been approved, you will receive a link to gain access to the Directory.  At this point, you can verify and edit your entry if needed.

You will also be able to visit the “Sign Up” tab, and see what community building and fundraising events we have planned for the year.

The “Sign Up” can also be accessed here: Sign Up

You can use this tab to sign up for many of our volunteer opportunities!  Remember – these events can only happen if we have members to help organize them.  Please consider volunteering!

Participation in the Directory is purely voluntary.  Please contact Andrea Hemment with any questions you might have (ahemment@gmail.com).

On behalf of the 2016-17 Lincoln-Eliot PTO, we wish you and your family a fantastic year!

Dear Lincoln Eliot Community Members,

My name is Jody Klein and I am very excited to be in the position of interim principal for the 2016-2017 school year. I have worked at the district level in Newton for 19 years. For the past ten years I have been the Director of English Language Learning.

It’s been a busy summer at Lincoln Eliot. Geary Chalmus, one of the custodians here at the school, has cleaned the building top to bottom and it looks ready for students. Teachers are busy setting up their classrooms and we are getting organized in the office.

Here is a link to a document that has information about Lincoln Eliot School Procedures. This link will also be posted on the PTO web site. This is your school. Please let me know if anything needs to be clarified or added to this document.

Placement information will be sent out on Friday along with class supply lists. This information will also be posted on the PTO website. We may be able to get the supply lists out to you before Friday.

Upcoming dates:

Thursday, August 25 – PTO Planning Meeting – All are welcome to help plan PTO events for the year. Please come to give you input, learn how you can help and meet other parents. We will meet from 7:00-8:00 PM in the cafeteria. Enter at Jackson Road.
Friday, August 26 – class placement information will be emailed to you.
Thursday, September 1 – 11:30-12:00 K Visiting Day followed by a K welcome picnic
Tuesday, September 6: First day for students in grade 1-5
Tuesday, September 6: First day for Group A only; Group B stays home
Wednesday, September 7: First day for Group B only; Group A stays home
Thursday, September 8: All Group A & B students start together
Thursday, September 29: Early dismissal and curriculum night

I look forward to meeting you and the students at Lincoln Eliot.

Sincerely,

Jody Klein