Steward School
News
Weekly Newsletter
March 11, 2010 - Vol 1, Issue
25 | |
|
| Handbook
Highlights |
 We believe these
guidelines will ensure the safest and most productive
school year. Thank you for your
support!Children should not arrive before 8:30 or leave
before 3:10.
Please pick up your child in the pick up line only,
not in the office or on the curb.
Please allow people to "buzz" in and do not open the
door for anyone.
| |
|
| Report
Cards/Conferences
Next
week you will receive the report card for the
second term. The conference following this
report card is a wonderful opportunity to discuss
your child's growth over time. The goals set
at the last conference can now
be discussed in more detail as we look at
what our students can now accomplish before the
end of the school year. We
recognize that we have passed the 100th day
of school and are much closer to the end of
the year than we are to our starting
point last September.
Please
use this opportunity at conferences to discuss
your child's progress, both socially and
academically. In addition, this is a time to
problem solve with your child's teacher any areas
in need of growth or practice. Also
recognize that even though this is the last
conference, the school year is not over.
There is still another term of work to be done and
goals to be met.
It
is often tempting to discuss placement during
this conference, but please note that teachers can
not discuss other teachers and a letter has
been requested if you have any feelings about your
child's needs for next year. The
teachers will describe your child's social
and learning profile during the conference, which
should provide you with information
that can help you to decide whether a letter
should be written or not. We also ask that
you not mention other children's names at
conferences because that violates
our confidentiality
guidelines. Thank you for your
continued support and
assistance.
Third
Grade
Lunches |
Thus
far I have met with all but two groups of third
grade students during lunch. We have talked about
a wide range of issues and concerns as well as
celebrated their triumphs over the past six
months. We have discussed the upcoming MCAS test
and have calmed many fears. One reason that
this small group discussion around topics such as
the MCAS has been effective is because many
third graders have older siblings who have gone
through these experiences
already. Since one of our rules is to stay
positive or turn the negative into the positive, the
children are able to share their
siblings' positive experiences with friendships,
MCAS, transitioning between two schools and other topics
we have discussed. We have also synthesized the
work we have done around respect and bullying. I
have had the opportunity to "dipstick" for understanding
and be certain that children are implementing the
positive lessons we have learned this year. These
lunches are so enjoyable for me and I am hoping the
students feel the same
way. |
|
Important
Dates |
|
-
March
12: Kindergarten T/W/F Report Cards
Distributed
-
March
12: TESPTO Curriculum Enrichment- Grade
Three- David Coffin
-
March
15: Report Cards Distributed
-
March 16 & 17: Early Release- 1:15PM Dismissal-
Parent Conferences
-
March 18: Delayed opening- 10:45AM Opening-
Parent Conferences
-
March
18: School Committee Meeting- 7:30PM- Proctor
School
- March 22-26: MCAS Testing-
Grade Three- English Language Arts
-
April 2: No
School
-
April 16:
Last Day for Placement
Letters | | |
|
Third Grade MCAS
Testing-IMPORTANT! |
Monday through Wednesday of the week of
March 22, third grade students will take
the English-Language Arts (ELA) MCAS.
It is imperative that students
are present for the above dates unless they are
ill. Much goes into the scheduling
and organization of these tests and we need your support
and cooperation. Thank
you! __________________________________
|
|
TESPTO News: |
BOXTOPS-
Thank you to all that contributed to our 2nd
collection. We gathered 4574 BOXTOPS raising
$457.00 for Steward-YEA! Keep bringing in those
BOXTOPS we will have our final collection in MAY. The
following classes earned extra recess for having the most
BOXTOPS for their
grade:
Pre-K-Hancock-57
Kindergarten-Ragan
T/W/F-427
1st-Gosule-459
2nd-McCarthy-421
3rd-Klipfel-494
We are now taking orders.
Cookbooks
will be available for Mothers Day, May 9th!
Buy
one book for $20 or two or more for $17
each.
Please send a check in your child's backpack
made out to TESPTO & mark
envelope cookbook. Thank you for your
support! ____________________________________
|
Community Giving Tree Giving
Opportunity |
When coming in for your conferences, please
consider bringing a bottle of shampoo, conditioner or lotion,
or a bar of soap, and dropping them in the collection bin in
the school lobby. Community Giving Tree will bundle
these items into "Mother's Day Baskets" to give to struggling
young mothers in our
county.
New this
year: create your own Mother's Day Basket to honor
the mother or special woman in your life. Put your
favorite soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste and
toothbrush, and maybe an extra cosmetic, into a bag and drop
it in the bin. Make sure you include your name, and the
name and address of your honoree, and we'll send them a
special Mother's Day card telling them about your
donation! Drop them off in the bins at school, or at
Community Giving Tree's temporary headquarters in the back of
the West Boxford library any Tuesday or Thursday morning 9am -
noon. For more info, visit our website at
www.communitygivingtree.org.
___________________________________ |
4-Part Series with
Stephanie Meegan
Expanding
Children's Social Competence and
Confidence |
Join
author/educator Stephanie Meegan in a 4-part
series designed for adults interested in expanding
children's social competence and confidence.
Each workshop focuses on specific strategies that will
help children improve and strengthen their friendship
skills.
All
workshops will take place in the Conference Room at the
Topsfield Public Library.
Workshop
#1: Helping Children Initiate
Friendships & Read Social Situations
Friday,
March 5th at 10:30AM
Workshop
#2: Helping Children Defuse
Destructive Teasing & Bullying
Friday, March 12th at
10:30AM
Workshop
#3: Helping Children Move
Constructively Through &
Beyond
Conflicts
Friday,
March 19th at 10:30AM
Workshop
#4: Helping Children Deflect Peer
Pressure
Friday, March 26th at
10:30AM
For
maximum flexibility and to accommodate family schedules, you
may sign-up for any or all of the workshops.
Please RSVP to the Tri-Town Council office via e-mail
programs@tritowncouncil.org
or call 978-887-6512. There is no
charge for the workshops but please sign-up early in order to
secure your place in the program.
_______________________________ |
|
OOMPAH! OOOMPAPA!
New England Brass Band to Perform at Masco on
March 13 |
Thanks to a generous sponsor this concert is
now free!
The New England Brass Band (NEBB) a 30-piece brand
and percussion ensemble, will perform a free
concert in the Masconomet Regional High School
auditorium on Saturday, March 13 at 7
PM.
NEBB, adhering to the instrumentation of the "British
Brand Band" tradition, will feature several local
musicians including Masconomet Assistant Band Director Bill
Gray on Tuba. NEBB was founded in 1988 and is now
under the direction of Conductor Stephen Bulla.
Mr. Bulla is in his third decade as Arranger to The
President's Own US Marine Band and White House Orchestra, He
was commissioned by the Library of Congress to orchestrate the
last known manuscript march of John Philip Sousa and he
remains active as a guest conductor of All-State bands
throughout the U.S. The event is hosted by the
Masconomet Music Parents Association (MMPA), a non-profit
organization that promotes music in our local schools and
provides music scholarships for aspiring young
musicians.
For more information, email David Conti, MMPA President
at davidconti@msn.com or visit the NEBB
website: www.newenglandbrassband.org .
___________________________________
|
Topsfield Playground Committee Online auction April
1-11, 2010
|
TPC has several fabulous one of a kind items
for you to bid on in our upcoming April 2010
online auction. To add to our items, we welcome
more donations of services (a great opportunity to promote
your business!), miles, gift certificates, baskets, sports
memorabilia, time-shares and vacation homes.
Let's
team up and make this on-line auction a big
success! Together we
can raise the funds to transform the "Tot Lot" into a
Community Park for ALL ages!
Please visit
www.topsfieldplaygroundcommittee.org
or contact
topsfieldplayground@gmail.com for more information or to
volunteer.
___________________________________ |
|
|
Wanna make plans??? It is not too late to jump on
the bandwagon and enter the "Strike Up the Band Raffle" to win
great prizes. Our winter, spring and summer
prizes revolve around having fun and getting away. Send
the kids to "Celebrate Summer" camp at Proctor School or spend
a sunny day at Hood's Pond. How about taking in a
Celtics or a Sox game? All of these great prizes are up
for grabs in the coming months. Don't miss out!
To download a form go to
www.topsfieldschools.org. All proceeds benefit the
Proctor School Instrumental Music Program. For
more information, contact Paula Burke at 887-6319 or
pt4095@hotmail.com. Congratulations to Ann
Stickney on her win of the overnight stay at Salem's beautiful
Hawthorne Hotel! We are so grateful for
your involvement and support.
___________________________________ |
Friends of the Topsfield Library
Events- |
Children's Activities in
March
When: March 16th - Early Release
Day
Time: 1:30 PM
Come watch
Disney's Princess and the Frog movie on the big screen in the
Library Meeting Room. Popcorn and drinks will be
served.
When: March
17th - Early Release
Time: 1:30 PM
Where: Library Meeting Room
St. Patrick's Day Arts and Crafts: Join us to
decorate potted clovers. The craft is limited, so first
come, first serve!
SAVE THE
DATE: The Friends Annual
Spring Egg Hunt is scheduled for April 3rd at Steward
School at 9 AM.
More information will be shared in the school
newsletters. Join us to make a craft, take a photo with
the Bunny and hunt for eggs on the playground.
St.Patrick's Day Fundraiser -- Silent
Auction and Raffle
When: March 19th -
7 PM
Where: Gould Barn,
Topsfield
Please join us for a fun evening with
dancing, good food and drinks, and an opportunity to
participate in raffles and a silent auction.
The
event will feature music by local band "House of
Jack".
Tickets are $10 per person and available at the
library (checks made out to The Friends of the Topsfield
Library), or by contacting Beth Aylmer eaylmer@verizon.net or
Natasha Low nlow@comcast.net.
Silent Auction items
include: Red Sox tickets (EMC Club level with
parking), Celtics tickets, gift certificate for Lisa
Franklin Personal Training, Fashion Sense gift
certificate for a closet re-organization, gift certificate to
Spud's Restaurant, CrossFit membership, Frills custom
belt buckle with belt, framed photograph on canvas of the
Crane Estate and much more! The drawing will also take
place for the Raffle Baskets that have been on display since
February.
___________________________________ | |
_____________________________________
Mrs.
Michelle Costa, Principal
Steward School
All programs, activities and employment
opportunities engaged in by the Topsfield Public Schools are
offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion,
national origin, sexual orientation and
disability. | |
| |
