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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Do not enter the bus lane during either drop-off or pick-up.
No student should be dropped-off before 8:25 am (unless attending band,
chorus, or a scheduled extra-help session). There is no supervision
available before 8:25 am.
If you arrive at school before 8:25 am, please have your child wait in the car with you until 8:25 am.
Students who enter the building early will have to wait in the lobby, but will not be supervised until 8:25 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. |
| 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: 24
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March 16, 2009
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Dear Spofford Pond Community,
The Spirit at Spofford is awesome. Our annual March Madness/Spirit Week ended on Friday with an All-School Assembly. Our student council officers delivered two fantastic speeches about the importance of community. Then, the Council led the whole school in a new Spofford Pond School Cheer. The contest was close, but it was the sixth grade who cheered with the most spirit.
While we were at the assembly, Kristin Galardi, General Music Teacher and Chorus Director, introduced the 2009 Chorus fundraiser: Spofford Pond School t-shirts. These shirts featuring our polar bear mascot, will be on sale soon.
I mentioned last week that you will receive a letter from me about placement for September 2009. That letter will be send home via backpack on Wednesday and it is reproduced below.
Report cards will be sent home on Monday, March 16. Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. We will have an early release on March 17 and 19 at noon both days. Lunch will not be served.
Finally, our lost and found shelves are filling up. Please look for your child's items when you come in for conferences. We will donate the remaining items after Friday.
Thank you all and have a fantastic week.
Sincerely,
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Larry Fliegelman
Principal
[email protected] |
MCAS Schedule
Monday, March 30
Gr. 3 Reading I
Gr. 5 ELA I
Tuesday, March 31
Gr. 4 Long Composition I
Gr. 4 Long Composition II
Wednesday, April 1
Gr. 3 Reading II
Gr. 5 ELA II
Thursday, April 2
Gr. 3 Reading III
Gr. 5 ELA III
Monday, April 6
Gr. 4 ELA I
Gr. 6 ELA I
Tuesday, April 7
Gr. 4 Long Composition Make-up
Wednesday, April 8
Gr. 4 ELA II
Gr. 6 ELA II
Thursday, April 9
Gr. 4 ELA III
Gr. 6 ELA III
Please do not schedule any appointments or travel
during this testing window. Also, please make extra efforts to help
your child get to school on time (if that is an issue in your house).
Finally, there is some research and lots of common sense that says a
well-fed child has higher test scores.
Deliveries to School
For items that are delivered to school for students, we have set up a table next to the main
office. We will get a message to the teacher (who can then let
the child know about the delivery). We will only interrupt classes at
the end of the day for items left unclaimed.
Publication Notes
The
Spofford Times will be published most Mondays throughout the school
year. If you would like
your school related messages included, please email me by 5pm on Thursdays. Plain text in the body of
an email is preferred. 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 Classroom
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The World of Owls
Thanks to the PTO Cultural Enrichment Fund, the fifth grade students recently enjoyed a presentation by WingMasters - The World of Owls.
Jim Parks, a federally and state licensed raptor rehabilitator, shared with the students five North American birds of prey they have rescued and were unable to release back into the wild. With rapt attention, the students sat silently as Mr. Parks unveiled each bird, including the peregrine falcon, elf owl, barn owl, screech owl and saw-whet owl.
Each of these birds of prey (raptors) share 4 characteristics that when combined differentiate them from all other birds: (1) a hooked beak (2) strong grasping talons (3) superb eyesight (4) excellent powers of flight.
In the spring, as part of the science unit on the systems of the human body, the students will dissect owl pellets. (Owl pellets are the indigestible remains of the creatures eaten for dinner.) With the skill of a surgeon, the pellet is pulled apart so the bones of the consumed rodent can be identified and then reconstructed. It is amazing to see how the dissection is first approached with hesitance and perhaps a bit of disgust, soon becomes a favorite fifth grade activity.
Math Olympiad
The students participating in Math Olympiad have completed their final contest. Math Olympiad provides students with an opportunity to problem solve and communicate mathematically.
The Olympiad goals for children are for them to:
1. develop enthusiasm for problem solving and mathematics,
2. deepen understanding of mathematical concepts and strengthen ability to use these concepts,
3. consider concepts that they might not otherwise encounter, and
4. enrich experiences in intellectually stimulating and significant mental activities
Students in Math Olympiad take five contests throughout the school year and one point is given for each contest problem they correctly answer. Students can earn a total of twenty-five points.
The names of the top scorers for each grade level are:
Grade 4 Katelyn Murphy
Grade 5 Jack Mirabito
Grade 6 Joshua Desmond
Congratulations to all the Math Olympiads at Spofford Pond!
Online Math League
The Online Math League will have contest 3 this week. Students meet in the art room from 8:00 - 8:30 am. To check your child's individual score or team score go to www.onlinemathleague.com and click on results.
Monday, March 16th Grade 5
Tuesday, March 17th Grade 4
Wednesday, March 18th Grade 3
Friday, March 20th Grade 6
Beth Yando
Math Instructional Support Specialist
Boxford Schools |
Parent Pointers
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From the Library
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Spofford Pond Book Fair
Hooray for Reading! Hooray for Books! The annual Spofford Pond Book Fair will be held in the library from Monday, March 23rd until Friday, March 27th from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Students will visit the fair during their scheduled library period and will have the chance to browse and to purchase books during that time. Parents are invited to visit and purchase books at any time during that week. |
Masconomet Middle School
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6th Grade Parents' Orientation, April 29, 6:30 pm, Masconomet Auditorium (Parents Only)
Learning Center Open House, May 7, 7:00 pm, Masconomet Auditorium (Parents and students are invited) |
Placement Letter
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March 18, 2009
Dear Parents,
With spring only days away, we are starting the class placement process for the upcoming school year. I will be seeking input from your child's teacher and the specialists, the school counselors, and/or special education teacher who may work with your child. Learning, social-emotional and behavioral needs will be the focus of the team conversation during the placement process. We also try to place each child with at least one child that s/he knows. Please know that every effort will be made to ensure that the classes are balanced and meet the needs of the children.
We are committed to the concept of balanced and equivalent classes, with each class representing a microcosm of our total school community. During the placement process we will look to build classes that contain an equal balance of boys and girls, a range of academic achievement levels and intellectual interests, and a range of social maturity. We will consider which children should be placed together because they positively reinforce each other and which children should be separated because they may impede one another's learning. Ultimately, we strive to build classes in which all children can flourish both academically and socially.
In order to make the placement process run smoothly, parent input is welcomed. If you have information about any specific need or your child's learning style that you would like to share, please write a letter to me with the single most important factor you would like us to consider. If there are two or more factors, please prioritize them. You should submit this letter to the office no later than Friday, April 17. Your cooperation with this deadline is essential. Any letter received after this date cannot be considered, as our process will begin right after our deadline. When letters arrive in May, or even June, they compromise the hours of work already invested and can compromise other documented priorities.
Please note that your commentaries will be shared with teachers after I have read them.
Also note that requests regarding a specific teacher cannot be honored.
In conclusion, I advise any parent to use the letter writing process as a way to convey pertinent information about your child. Please understand that I cannot take calls or schedule conferences regarding specific placement requests. To do so would compromise the hard work of all involved. As always, I can assure you that we are taking these matters seriously and that our work will be deliberate.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Larry Fliegelman
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Upcoming Events
Check out the complete Spofford Calendar, online:
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http://tinyurl.com/294h36
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News from Parent-led Organizations |
| PTO |
Spring Fundraiser RSVP Deadline This Week!
EVites and flyers have been sent home for our Annual Spring Fundraiser on Saturday, March 28 from 7-11 pm at the beautiful, historic Hamilton-Wenham Community House. Our fundraiser committee has put together a great party, with the theme of March Madness, and compiled an impressive list of auction items which you must have! There are tickets to the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins, and hot new Boston Blazers; there are mini-vacations and major vacations and even a spa day-cation; plus the always hotly anticipated Principal for a Day, School Parking Spaces, Police Car Ride and Fire Truck Birthday Party, not to mention many more fun and affordable auction items! So put on your team colors and help raise the roof for our favorite schools: Cole and Spofford! The ticket deadline is Wednesday March 18; we must give the caterer a number that day. So RSVP now! If you haven't received an invitation, please contact us at [email protected] or [email protected].
Raffle Tickets Out Now!
This year's PTO Raffle is more exciting than ever, thanks to the generosity and kindness of Mr. Fliegelman and Ms. Nikas. Both principals have offered Principal for a Day as a raffle item, so your child can have a chance to shadow our principals, declare an extra recess, and make announcements, all for only $5 a ticket or 5 for $20! Raffle prizes also include a membership at Crane's Beach, worth $150; a membership at Stiles Pond along with a priceless reserved parking space; and a basketful of restaurant gift certificates worth $160! All you have to do is circle the prize you want and return the tickets via backpack mail with check made out to Boxford PTO. Extra tickets will be available in the school offices, and you may be able to download them from our website, www.boxfordpto.org.
Raffle winners will be announced at the March Madness Spring Fundraiser before the Live Auction, so if you don't win the raffle, you can still bid for a second Principal for a Day at each school. (Please note that you don't have to be present to win the raffle; but you do have to be present to bid!) Questions? Contact [email protected].
Parent Seminar Coming Soon
One of the toughest challenges facing our kids as they grow up is how to build constructive friendships and deflect destructive peer pressure. We are fortunate to have Stephanie Meegan speak on the subject on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 pm at the Proctor School in Topsfield. This seminar is sponsored by Tri-Town Council, as well as the Boxford, Topsfield and Middleton PTO's, in our continuing effort to help parents deal with the challenges facing our children today.
Curriculum Enrichment
Want to know what the PTO's doing in your child's classroom this month?
Techsploration will be presenting "Simple Machines" to the 4th grade class on March 24th, followed by "Gearing Up for Speed In-Class" workshops on March 24th and March 25th.
On March 11th the 5th grade classes experienced "World of Owls-Wingmasters".
For a full schedule of curriculum enrichment events, check page 5 of your PTO Directory.
Second Annual "Box Tops I Love my School Collection Contest"
For the second year in a row we are pleased to announce the Box Tops I love My School Collection Contest. We will be tracking individually, in both Cole and Spofford, which classes are collecting the most Box tops between March 1 and May 31st. The class that brings in the most Box tops will win a special Pizza Party for their classroom. Flyers have been sent out and there are drop off locations in each school. Make sure your name and teachers name is clearly marked on the submission slips. Good Luck! and Happy Collecting!
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D.A.S.H.
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Disability Awareness Starts Here (D.A.S.H.) is a hands-on activity based educational program that is designed to teach children sensitivity about different disabilities. The 2nd grade focuses on Visual Impairments/Blindness and the 3rd grade is about Hearing Impairments/Deafness. The programs will run at the end of March thru mid April. Please look for the letter that will be coming home with your specific classroom dates and times. IMPORTANT: You still will need to respond even if you signed up on Curriculum Night in September. Thank you for your support.
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Community Giving Tree
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Community Giving Tree will be holding their annual Toiletry Drive in both elementary schools during the month of March. Due to the downtown in the economy, there are many more needy families in Essex County this year. These families rely on assistance to provide for their children. However, food stamps do not cover expenses such as soap, toothpaste or shampoo -those very basic items that many of us take for granted. Please remember to pick up a few extra toiletries when shopping for your own families. There will be collection bins in the lobbies of both schools during the entire month of March.
Community Giving Tree provides clothing, toiletries, baby equipment and every day neccesities to children and families in need in Essex County. (Learn more at www.communitygivingtree.org). In 2008, we distributed 500 backpacks filled with school supplies, 300 Mother's Day baskets filled with toiletries, 450 winter coats....and much more. All of this would not be possible without your generous donations! To volunteer to be a captain for this drive (or future drives), please contact Sue Rubin at [email protected].
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B.E.S.T.
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Join B.E.S.T. in educating our children about the environment
B.E.S.T. is launching a "Think Green" campaign that will allow us to bring curriculum enriching programs into our elementary schools to help educate our children on ways to protect and care for the environment. One of the first steps towards our goal is to get our children and community thinking about ways that we can recycle and reuse items in our everyday life. With this in mind, we are producing reusable grocery totes that have been adorned with artwork from our very own elementary school children.
We hope you will help us take the first step by buying multiple totes to use when you grocery shop, send items into school with your children, or take a trip to the beach.
Visit our website www.bestforboxford.org to see a color rendition of the reusable grocery totes and to place your order via paypal. Order forms have also been sent home in the backpacks. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
2009 B.E.S.T. Home Tour Update
The 2009 Home Tour is scheduled for May 9, 2009. If you are interested in helping with the Tour (either prior to the Tour or on the day of) or have a suggestion for a home that should be on this year's Tour, please contact Katherine Bagshaw at [email protected].
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News from Around Town
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Tri-Town Council
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Upcoming Program:
"Deflecting Peer Pressure: Bully Proofing & Social Survival Skills"
Presented by Stephanie Meegan on March 26, 2009 7:30PM at the Proctor School in Topsfield.
In this program, Boxford resident & author of nationally acclaimed programs on peer assertiveness, self-esteem, peer pressure, and the prevention of abuse and abduction, Meegan will provide practical insights and simple, yet powerful recommendations that parents & educators can implement at home and in the classroom.
Children need good friends and they need the assertive social skills to build these important peer relationships. Come learn how parents and teachers can teach their children and students to "be friendly", solve peer problems creatively, defuse destructive teasing that is often a precursor to violence, and engage in the subtle art of "saying no" so dangerous peer pressure situations and high-risk behaviors can be avoided. With realistic, age-appropriate advice and opportunities to practice new skills, you will learn how every child can become more socially capable and resilient.
This program is jointly sponsored by the Tri-Town Council and the Boxford, Middleton & Topsfield PTO's. For more information, please contact Lisa Teichner, Program Director, 887-6512 or [email protected].
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Boxford Public Library
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On Wednesday, March 25, at 3:30 P.M., kids ages 7 and up are invited to a clay sculpting workshop at Boxford Village Library with teacher Ann McCrea. We will learn some sculpting techniques and make a clay animal to take home. Limit 20 kids; call 887-7323 to register for this event, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
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West Boxford Improvement Society
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The West Boxford Improvement Society will be hosting a ChowderFest Community Social on Saturday, March 21, from 5-8 p.m. at Lincoln Hall. Various soups will be served. The ChiefTones from Masconomet will be performing at 5:30. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children (age 2-10) and will be available for sale at West Boxford Provisions and at both of Boxford's town libraries. Tickets are limited.
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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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