The Spofford Times
 
Excellence Starts with You |
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MIDWEEK MAILING
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Wednesday is backpack mail day!
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| Student Drop-off Notes
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It is very important that you do not enter the bus lane during either drop-off or pick-up.
No
student should be dropped-off before 8:30 am (unless attending band,
chorus, or a scheduled extra-help session). There is no supervision
available before 8:30 am.
If you arrive at school before 8:30 am, please have your child wait in the car with you until 8:30 am.
Students who enter the building early will have to wait in the lobby, but will not be supervised until 8:30 am.
From Handbook, page 20:
Telephone calls to the school during the day regarding a dismissal change should be reserved for emergencies only and cannot be accommodated after 2:15 p.m.
each day due to difficulty reaching students in a timely manner. |
Boxford Elementary Schools
2008-2009 Calendar (Updated)
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Please download an updated calendar for the 2008-2009 school year. |
| NCLB Report Cards
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Please check out our 2007-2008 NCLB Report Cards:
Boxford
Cole School
Spofford Pond
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| Volume II, Issue: 3
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September 15, 2008
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Dear Spofford Pond Community,
The second week proved to be even better than the first. Our picture day went smoothly with our new photography company. I think you will find the quality of the photography to be far better than recent years. Coffee Pond is dedicated to making sure that every family is happy with the photos.
Our first fire drill was smooth and fast. The Boxford Fire Department was pleased with our exit time and our increased accountability procedures. We will drill throughout the year.
I was thrilled to see a large turn-out at last Thursday's 3-4 Open House. This Thursday will be the Grades 5 & 6 Open House at 6:00 pm. I hope to see a large turn-out again.
State Primary Election - Tuesday, September 16
The election this Tuesday will require a number of adjustments in order to provide for the smooth and safe operation of the school.
First,
parent drop-off and pick-up will be re-routed around the front parking
lot and into the playground. Drop-off and pick-up will be at the fourth
grade door nearest the play structure. Please proceed carefully and
follow all signs. I ask that we reserve the front entrance of the
school for voters. The Boxford Police will assign an officer to assist
with traffic.
Second, lunch will be eaten in the classrooms.
Please send your child with lunch and a beverage to reduce the number
of students who need to walk to the cafeteria and return to the
classroom with a tray of food. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LUNCH MENU HAS BEEN CHANGED TO A BAGGED LUNCH FOR TUESDAY.
Third, voters will enter the cafeteria immediately after entering the building while parents coming
into the building for school business will be asked to stay to the left
in the main lobby.
Some other changes that will affect your children will be indoor recess to allow the parking lot to be used for staff parking and the closure of the library and computer lab for the day.
Finally, we will all need extra doses of patience and cooperation on Tuesday, and I thank you in advance.
Have a great week.
Sincerely,
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Larry Fliegelman
Principal
lfliegelman@boxfordschools.org |
Some reminders...
Dress Code
From Handbook, page 12
It
is not appropriate to wear clothing to school that is designed for
beachwear (i.e., halter and tube tops, bare midriffs, short shorts
& skirts, and flip-flops).
Apparel with "double meanings" is
inappropriate for school wear, such as concert T-shirts depicting
illegal or anti-social behavior and buttons or pins with profane or
vulgar words.
Parents will be notified by the principal if a student's clothing does not meet school expectations.
Students
will be asked to change their clothing or put something over if needed.
Also, I keep a clean t-shirt in my office if parents cannot come to
deliver more appropriate clothing. Thank you for your cooperation.
Spofford Pond Calendar Online.
Just click here (also in the Quick Links box on the left).
Boxford Elementary Schools Calendar Changed!
In
June, the Boxford School Committee voted to cancel school on Tuesday,
November 4, so that the National Election will not interfere with the
safe operation of the school day. We will instead hold a full day on
October 31. There is an updated calendar available at the link in the
sidebar.
Publication Notes
The
Spofford Times will be published each Monday for the entire school
year. There may be special editions as warranted. If you would like
your school related messages included in future issues of the Spofford
Times, please email me by 5pm on Thursdays. Plain text in the body of
an email is the simplest. I reserved the right to edit or deny
publication of any submissions.
As always, if you need to
unsubscribe from the Spofford Times, please click on the
SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this email.
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From the Special Education Office
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How to Teach Executive Function Skills at Home:
Fostering Independent Task Completion
This seminar series, presented by Sarah Ward, is recommended for parents whose child might have executive functioning issues. For more information, please visit the website.
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| Upcoming Events |
Mon. 9/15, 3:30 - Site Council
Thu. 9/18, 6:00pm - Open House for Grades 5 & 6
Wed. 9/24, 4:00pm - Fall Fundown
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Check out the complete Online Spofford Calendar - http://tinyurl.com/294h36
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News from Parent-led Organizations |
| PTO |
Join the PTO
PTO Membership materials went out last week, and we hope that you will return them as soon as possible. This year we would like 100% participation! Joining the PTO is easy; no volunteering is required, we simply ask that you return the membership form with a payment of $25, $50 or $75, and your money goes directly to purchasing important equipment or programs for our schools. You are also listed in the PTO Directory, and you get a copy of the Directory, plus a free bus pad. And this year, if you send your form in by Oct. 1, you are automatically entered in a drawing to win a digital camera! If you need a form, check with the school office or contact Christina Eckert. And join now - the PTO is not complete without you!
Fall Fundown
The Fall Fundown will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Spofford Parking Lot at 5:00 pm. (Raindate Sept. 25). This is a great chance to say goodbye to summer and kick off the school year with hundreds of your Boxford friends. Flyers have already gone out, and we ask that you return them asap so we can get an accurate count of the food that we need. Extra flyers are available in the school offices. Don't miss all of the fun!
Genevieve's
It's that time of year - the catalogues are here! The Genevieve's catalogues are a major source of the funds we use to sponsor Teachers' Wishes, Curriculum Enrichment, and other programs for our schools. This year the catalogue is much improved, and we ask that you look through it and stock up on high-quality gift wrap, as well as many other specialty items, including candles, calendars, magazines, and possibilities for teacher gifts. Please turn in your order forms by Friday, October 3; your items will be delivered to your children's classrooms on November 14.
Help Wanted
We are looking for a Community Outreach Co-Chairperson to help coordinate our family events. Current Co-Chair Deb Bargman has much of the calendar planned, and needs an enthusiastic individual to work with her on such events as the Harvest Dance, Spaghetti Supper, Skate Night, Science Night, and the brand-new Indoor Field Day. Most of the activities will be run by the same experienced volunteers as previous years, so you'll have plenty of backup. If you love the PTO's family-oriented events and want to help ensure they continue, please contact Deb at nbargman@comcast.net or Christina Eckert at eckertcovino@hotmail.com.
We're All in This Together
Boxford PTO has teamed up with North Shore Music Theatre to bring a wonderful entertainment opportunity to you, while raising funds for the PTO. High School Musical 2 is coming to the North Shore Music Theatre Dec. 18 - Jan. 11. Tickets are on sale now, and for every ticket you buy, your PTO can earn $10. All you have to do is use the Boxford PTO code, FBE1, when ordering. You can purchase tickets online at www.nsmt.org, or call 978-232-7200. Don't forget o use our code, FBE1.
As always, you can help the PTO by collecting BoxTops for Education. In addition, we are also collecting Hood's Sox Tops for Kids, Tyson's Project A+ Labels, and Campbell's Labels for Education (which are also on Pepperidge Farm, Swansons, Prego and V8 labels). You can drop any of these box tops or labels in the BoxTops bins at the entrances of both schools. Remember, every clipping means money for our school - last year we made over $1000 on BoxTops alone!
Photos Wanted
If you've taken photos at a PTO event in the past year, we want you! We are looking for photos of current Spofford students, especially 5th and 6th graders, to grace the PTO bulletin board in the Spofford lobby. If you have photos we can use, please send via backpack to Sherri Fuller, or e-mail Sherri at fulcow@verizon.net. Thank you! |
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Spofford Band Parents |
We would like to welcome our newest band members and our returning band members to the new school year! Returning families know what wonderful concerts and events lie ahead this year. New families will be amazed by the talent our band program nutures and produces. Some of our band program is financed by the fund raising efforts of our band families. This year, in addition to our poinsettia sale (coming in November), we will hold 3 raffles. We will have two baskets raffled at our Holiday concert at MASCO and one basket raffled at our Spring concert. We have chosen the following themes for our baskets: Spa Treatment, Sports Fan and Summer Fun. Who wouldn't enjoy a $150 gift card for Giuliano Spa for Beauty and Wellness after the stress of the holidays! How about a pair of Red Sox tickets for the 2009 season...Section 29, Row 6? We will raffle the Summer Fun basket at our Spring concert. Keep posted for raffle ticket sales dates and additional basket items!
If your family would like to donate any items that would fall under one of our basket themes please contact Sandy Drohosky (978) 887-7030 or Jenny Noonan (978) 352-4961.
We are looking forward to a great year of wonderful music!
Sandy Drohosky and Jenny Noonan |
6th Grade Activities Committee
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The 6th grade students need your support! Cotton candy and popcorn will be available for purchase throughout the Fall Fundown. Also raffle tickets will be for sale for some great prizes! Proceeds from this event help fund the special activities being planned for the 6th grade class, as they prepare to move on from Spofford. Please bring cash and we thank you in advance for your support!
Project Adventure
Last Wednesday all 6th grade students should have received a packet of information in their backpacks regarding our upcoming trip to Project Adventure. Even if you paid the $100 in the spring, you still need to fill out ALL of the attached forms. There is a green RSVP sheet, a permission slip, medical information and release forms. Please return all of the forms in an envelope marked "Project Adventure" by October 6th to your childs teacher. Please go to www.pa.org if you would like to learn more about this exciting event! Any questions?? call Lisa Glass 978-887-0043 or Beth Clay 978-352-7137. |
Community Giving Tree
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Tri-Town Schools Fall School Supply Drive
This September we'll be doing a School Supply Drive for the Community Giving Tree.
Supplies needed include:
3-ring binders
Spiral bound Notebooks
Pencils
Pens
Scissors
Backpacks
Rulers
Glue Sticks
Crayons
Pencil Cases
Dividers
Calculators
Report covers Folders
Erasers
The Community Giving Tree services children and families in need in Essex County. Learn more at www.communitygivingtree.org. These children need the same school supplies that you are buying for your children - Let's help them get off to a good start. Remember to pick up a few extra supplies when you do your own children's back-to-school shopping! It's easy for us to do and means the world to a child who can't!
There will be collection boxes waiting for your generous donations in both schools the first two weeks of school.
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News from Around Town
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Boxford Town Library
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Global Warming: The Latest Research with Ted McIntyre, Ph.D
Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:00am
Boxford Town Hall, 7A Spofford Road
Sponsored by the Boxford Town Library and the Friends of the Boxford Town Libraries. Ted McIntyre has had a long term interest in the physics of climate change and the technology of renewable energy. This lecture will further your knowledge of the important energy choices our society faces. Listen to Dr. McIntyre and then head to the Apple Festival for baked goodies, artisans and the Library's annual book sale--gently used books at great prices!
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Boxford Cultural Council |
2008 Boxford Music Festival
The Boxford Cultural Council announces the 2008 Boxford Music Festival to be held in conjunction with the Apple Festival on Saturday September 20, 2008 at 10am in the Boxford East Village.
The North Shore Youth Symphony Orchestra will open the day's musical festivities and will be followed by these local bands and performers:
o Goodhues
o The Charlie Keating Band
o Don't Call Me Shirley
o Unspoken Youth
o Clock Strikes 9
o Craig Sonnenfeld
o Stone Town
Mark Balding, spokesman for the Boxford Cultural Council says, "This year's Music Festival offers more music than ever before. We have bands playing everything from classical to country to blues to rock. And, for the first time we are utilizing two stages at each end of the East Village. We think there is something for every family to enjoy."
The rain date for this year's Music Festival is Sunday September 21, 2008.
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Masco Youth Basketball
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Masco Youth Basketball Registration
Registration for Masco Youth Basketball is now open. This program is offered to Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield girls and boys in grades 1 through 8. Registration is only available online and by credit card at www.baasports.com (click on Basketball). Additional information can be found on the website.
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| Notice of Non-Discrimination
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| All programs, activities, and employment opportunities engaged in by
the Boxford Public Schools are offered without regard to race, color,
sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation and disability. |
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