Library News

Welcome back to the library to all returning students, and a special welcome to our new 3rd Graders! The library is a unique place where our students learn to use its resources, whether in the quest for information for particular classroom assignments, or in search of recreational interests and reading. We love supporting these many varied searches and share a child's delight when finding just the right book at the right time. To foster this sense of fantasy and imagination, I am presenting a shadow puppet show this week based on a traditional Chinese folktale called, "Chang-E Flies To The Moon." It parallels Boxford's own Apple Festival this Weekend in that it is a time to delight in the beauties of the Harvest Moon and it is a celebation of the end of a hopefully abundant agricultural season. I discuss the fact that to prepare for the program, I had to research three sections of the library: celebrations around the world (Dewey 394); folktales around the world (398); and the moon/ the universe(523). In addition, vocabulary included waxing, waning, elixir, mortality, immortality, and the phases of the moon. We also got to see a mooncake with a moon set in a night sky. Ask your child about it. Let me know if your child thought it was as much fun to see as it was for me to present it! To bring this program up to date, on Friday, September 8, 2011, NASA launched a mission called the GRAIL project (Gravity Recovery and Interior Lab.). The purpose is to find what the interior of the moon is made of!! Might it be green cheese,

or mooncakes?

 We are off to a great start!  The first few weeks of school are focused on helping the children make a smooth transition to Spofford Pond School.  So far, so good!  Students are busy learning about the many routines and procedures here, as well as about their new classmates and teachers. While new concepts will be introduced and explored, the main focus at the start is on establishing positive classroom communities, productive work habits, and setting academic goals.  We begin slowly and pick up the pace gradually as comfort levels increase. 

It was great to see so many parents at orientation.  Contact your child's teacher if you were not able to attend or did not get the information distributed. And do not hesitate to contact her with any questions or concerns.  Please remember to check and initial your student's agenda daily to help them establish and maintain good homework habits.  Thank you for sharing your children with us.  We look forward to a great year!

Registration forms and the participation fee for the Spofford Pond Band were due on September 13th. If you have not already done so, please submit yours to the school office now. It is still possible for newcomers to join the Band program. Please contact Mrs. Monty if you would like to enroll your 4th, 5th or 6th Grade child. More information and all forms can be downloaded from the Band website,  http://teacherweb.com/MA/SpoffordPondSchool/SpoffordPondBand/h0.aspx

Morning rehearsals for our Concert Bands began on September 12th & 13th. The 6th Grade Concert Band rehearses every MONDAY and THURSDAY. 5th Grade Concert Band rehearsals are held every TUESDAY and FRIDAY. Band members should arrive no later than 7:25am and playing begins promptly at 7:30am. Please email or phone Mrs. Monty if your child will be absent from a rehearsal. The Band program maintains an open door policy; parents are welcome to attend any rehearsal.

Instrumental lessons begin this week, September 19 - 23. You can facilitate your child's success by  regularly scheduling home practice time and promoting good organizational skills for Band days, ensuring that he/she arrives on time for all lessons and rehearsals.

Mrs. Lianne Langill has graciously volunteered to be this year's coordinator of the "Spofford Pond Band Parents". This booster organization provides much needed logistical support and is integral to the success of our program.There are both small and large ways for parents of any Band member to become involved. Opportunities include chaperoning at concerts and special rehearsals, transporting Band equipment to performance venues, formatting and copying Concert programs, organizing and assisting with our Poinsettia and Raffle fundraisers, setting up spreadsheets, photographing Band events, submitting short articles to local newpapers. The day and time of Band Parents' October  informational meeting will be announced soon. In the meantime, please contact Mrs. Monty or Mrs. Langill with your suggestions or to add your name to our list of volunteers. We hope every band parent will find a way to offer support the program.

Do you know that reading aloud, to a child of any age will help improve reading skills?  Your family can establish a predictable read aloud time or spontaneously choose times to read when children or adults are in the mood for a story.  For families with multiple children, older siblings can read to younger ones.  Grandparents or babysitters can become involved as well.          

         Start simply by reading aloud for short periods and gradually increase the amount of minutes reading. Use different voices with characters in the book to fit the plot of the story.  Find a series of books by the same author and "hook" your child into reading by exposing them to the first story of that series.

Several websites provide parents with ideas for age appropriate books. James Patterson, the author of the Alex Cross novels for adults and Maximum Ride young adult series has developed www.readkiddoread.com.  This website provides a wide selection of high interest books for children and young adults spanning different age categories.  Another website http://kidsreads.com reviews kids' books, has a section for books in series and gives information on soon to be released books. Jon Scieszka, the author of  The Stinky Cheese Man and The Timewarp Trio, developed a website to encourage kids to read more.  The Guys Read www.guysread.com/  website lists books in categories like Sports, Animals, At Least One Explosion, Funny, Outer Space but without Aliens, and more.

Check out one of these websites to find a book and start a new family tradition of reading aloud.

Donna Morton

From the ELA Instructional Support Specialist

It is an exciting new school year as we welcome our new principal, Kathryn Nikas, to the Spofford Pond School community.  As the ELA Support Specialist for Boxford I worked very closely with Ms. Nikas last year in her role as principal of the Cole School and I look forward to continuing our professional collaboration in supporting teachers and children in the area of English Language Arts.

The Literacy Specialist, Betsy Gadbois, and Writing Coach, Donna McArdle, are already into classrooms and working collaboratively with classroom teachers.  The administration of reading assessments for all students has already begun and a whole school writing prompt will be administered by the end of the month.  These assessments are very useful tools in giving classroom teachers a picture of where each of their students are performing in the areas of reading and writing and where areas of strength and weakness may be.  This information is critical in planning for focus lessons and developing guided reading groups that will help support children exactly where they are and where they need to go to be successful learners.

Though most of my duties involve working with school staff and not directly with students, I am very happy to meet with any parents who may have questions about our ELA curriculum here in Boxford, and more specifically, at the Spofford Pond School.

I may be reached by email at dmorton@boxfordschools.org or by phone at the Spofford Pond School number, 978-352-8616 ext: 116

Thank you and I wish you and your children a very wonderful school year!

Donna Morton

Spofford Pond School Recess/Cafeteria Monitor: We are looking for one more person to work with students during lunch and recess. The position is five days per week. This would be Monday through Friday from 11:15 until 1:15pm. Inquiries for this position can be made via email to Kathryn Nikas at knikas@boxfordschools.org  Thanks!  

The Proctor School Food Service Department has 2 openings. These positions are 5 days a week.  They are paid positions.  Responsibilities will include preparing and serving lunch to students and clean up at the end of lunch. Substitute positions are also available. Food service experience is helpful.  Please contact

Susan Bodwell at Proctor School at sbodwell@tritownschoolunion.com

BACKPACK DRIVE SUCCESSFUL THANKS TO YOU

Community Giving Tree is deeply grateful to all who donated backpacks and school supplies to their annual drive.  Despite losing a major supplier, Giving Tree was able to distribute over 600 backpacks loaded with school supplies to local children in need.  Social workers were in awe over the high quality of this year's backpacks, and shared stories of the children who would receive them: a boy starting kindergarten received a Toy Story backpack full of crayons and markers; a teen mom attending community college got a large, sturdy backpack with notebooks, pens and pencils.  None of this would have been possible without you, the individual donors who more than doubled your contributions from last year.  Thank you for giving 600 children and teenagers the tools they need to succeed.

Tri-Town Council Now Accepting Registrations for

Horizons K-6 After-School Enrichment Classes!

The fall Horizons course schedule and registration information is available on-line at www.tritowncouncil.org, click on the Horizons tab then select your child's elementary school.  All registrations this year are being processed on-line - payment may be made electronically or by check.  Registrations are on a first-come, first-served basis and all classes have both minimum and maximum student limits.  Registrations will remain open until 9/23 or until the course reaches capacity.  Please review the flyer as soon as possible as many of the classes fill up quickly!

If you have any questions or cannot access the information on-line, please contact the Tri-Town Council office at (978) 887-6512 or horizons@tritowncouncil.org.

PTO

Settling into school again, the PTO is revving up for a fantastic year.  As mentioned in our membership letter last week, the PTO plays an integral part in your child's education and the school community, providing supplementary financial support not covered by the current school budget. 

Thanks to the generous donations of 70% of parents last year, the PTO contributed $52,000 (more than $50 per student) primarily allocated towards curriculum enrichment programs and the teachers' wishes grant program designed to augment classroom materials and teaching tools as well as many other areas that support teachers, students and a quality education.

If you haven't become a PTO member yet please register online at https://boxfordmapto.wufoo.com/forms/boxford-pto-membership-form-20112012/. With your continued financial support of the PTO we hope to increase the level of participation and add new programs to ensure the quality of our schools' resources and educational experience for our children in Boxford.  Members will also receive the priceless PTO phone directory of families in the school system and stay connected through PTO online communication. 

In addition to membership, the PTO has many fundraising efforts including a Fall Fundraiser, Boxtops programs and an assortment of special events for the whole family.  September 19th kicks off a brand new Fall Fundraiser with Meadow Farms filled with a wide variety of new and exciting items including Boston sports team products for your favorite fan, Swarovski crystal jewelry, and restaurant.com gift certificates to name a few. A catalog will be coming in your child's backpack next week or visit online at http://www.meadowfarms.com and start your holiday gift shopping early!

The PTO also provides a wonderful opportunity for building a strong community.  Our first school-wide event of the season, the Fall Fun-down BBQ is just around the corner on Wednesday, September 21st.  The grills will be firing up at 5:00. Come join us in the Spofford parking lot for an evening of all-you-can-eat food, great music and outdoor fun for the whole family.  Remember to sign-up for this event ahead of time or pay more at the door ($7 pre-registered). 

This year's PTO annual meeting will be held October 12th at the Cole Cafeteria. Special guest, Brian Middleton-Cox will be joining us.  All parents are invited to get to know our new principal and learn more about this year's initiatives for enhancing the educational experience at our schools.  You can also visit us online at www.boxfordpto.org.  If you have any questions please contact new PTO president, Joni Stone, joni.stone@comcast.net . 

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.