From the Principal's Desk
Spring is in the air! And with that brings some trending student behavior to make you aware of.
First, students are using their school account to create Google Slide Shows during class time for the purpose of socializing with their peers within and beyond their classroom. Teachers will be reminding students of the Technology Usage Agreement they signed at the beginning of the year and the expectation that all work on their device/account should be school-related and teacher-approved. Staff will be monitoring device usage even more closely, and those who continue will lose technology privileges.
Second, staff are hearing more often recently that students are engaging in “burn battles”. These are essentially insulting comments passed back and forth between individuals with the intent of winning the battle with the best (worst) one. What is becoming abundantly clear is that students who are willingly engaging are also getting their feelings hurt or feeling uncomfortable by unkind or inappropriate comments. It’s quite a learning curve for students to understand that something they intend to be fun or funny can quickly dissolve into causing harm to others. We are following up as we hear about specific situations, and reinforcing kindness and empathy along the way.
Anything you can do at home to support our efforts would be greatly appreciated!
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Students will participate in the Maine Through Year Assessment when we return from vacation. Students will take the math assessment on Thursday, May 1st and the reading assessment on Tuesday, May 6th. There is no special preparation for this assessment; however, we do encourage students to be well-rested and arrive on time to school having eaten a good breakfast. While we believe attendance matters at all times of year, we thank you in advance for your attention to this testing window.
REMINDERS:
4th Grade Families who wish to provide placement input should submit this form prior to April vacation.
5th Grade Families are invited to attend the Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night Wednesday, April 16th at 6:00pm.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Tuesday, 4/15 - Jackie Robinson Day
Wednesday, 4/16 - FULL DAY
Friday, 4/18 - NO SCHOOL
Sincerely, Carol MacArthur
Principal, Grade 4-5
Office Reminders
- Student arrival begins at 8:20 AM.
- School begins at 8:50 AM. If your child arrives after that time, they are tardy and need to check-in at the office before going to the classroom.
- You can report absences, communicate transportation plans or make general inquiries by calling the main office at 829-4815 or emailing [email protected]. You can also you can also report daily absences in PowerSchool using these instructions: For Families - Report an Absence using the PowerSchool portal.
We greatly appreciate your attention to these procedures, as they help to ensure that our routines run smoothly and efficiently.
Community Corner
Relationship Repair
Why do repairs matter in relationships? Gore River Therapy in Alexandria Virginia states it this way, "Children who struggle with emotional or behavioral issues can sometimes feel like their mistakes are proof that they're "bad" or that they'll never improve. This can lead to a cycle of shame and poor choices, making things worse for everyone involved. But when we focus on relationship repair, we show kids that mistakes are just bumps in the road—ones they can smooth out themselves (Frohock, Kirby, & Lyons, n.d.)."
The fact is that we all make mistakes and we all want our relationships to withstand those mistakes. Repairing mistakes or hurt relationships can be very challenging for adults and children.
Here is a link to a quick guide from Gore River Therapy: Teaching Kids the Art of Repairing Relationships. And here is a link to a TED talk titled The Single Most Important Parenting Strategy which also addresses relationship repair.
Katie Campbell, School Social Worker
Ali Waterhouse, School Counselor
Amy Vincent-Cross, School Social Worker
A Look Into Literacy
As we enter April, our literacy classrooms have been buzzing with activity! Our 4th and 5th graders have successfully wrapped up their informational units and are now diving into their next unit-genre studies. Last week, our 5th graders showcased their hard work through their Unit 2 projects during a gallery walk. Students had the opportunity to explore their peers' ecosystem projects and provide compliments via feedback forms, highlighting the creativity and effort evident in each project.
Both 4th and 5th grades have kicked off their final ARC Core unit for the year. The 4th grade is exploring historical fiction, while the 5th grade is embarking on an adventure/survival genre study. The enthusiasm and engagement from students as they begin this unit is truly inspiring! This unit emphasizes the development of literary analysis skills, with students engaging in story element analysis and gathering information to create their own narratives within their chosen genres. They are discovering the significance of setting and how themes are intricately woven throughout stories.
I encourage you to ask your child about the book they are reading in class and independently for their genre study. Also, feel free to engage them in a conversation about setting in relation to the book(s) they are reading.
Check out this cool event at PML:
Janet Giguere, Literacy Specialist
Math Matters!
Our Mathematicians have been busy extending their understanding of the four operations from whole numbers to fractions and decimals. Fourth graders are exploring adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators. Fifth graders are extending their understanding of multiplication and division to include numbers with decimals. Students are developing their knowledge of how to multiply and divide decimals as they analyze related problems and look for patterns in the decimal point placement. They then use these patterns to answer questions and solve problems.
Students are encouraged to create and use mathematical models as they work to make sense of and solve problems involving fractions and decimals. Using visual models helps build a conceptual foundation that allows students to understand and use more efficient strategies later. Experience with different types of models and the connections between them can help students think flexibly about problems in the future.
Try some of these activities to work with your child on fraction and decimal concepts:
- Have your child help measure when you are cooking or baking, using fractional measurements like 2 1/2 cups of flour or ¼ teaspoon of salt. Ask your child how you would double the measurements to make two patches instead of one. See if they can show you one or two ways to do this.
- Help your child find decimals in the everyday world. Point out instances where you might multiply or divide decimals, and prompt your child to estimate products and quotients. For example, if a package of 4 paper towel rolls costs $3.68, about how much does each roll cost? How much would 10 packages, or 100 packages, cost?
Shannon Peterson, Math Specialist
Check This Out!
Join us on April 11th, at 6 pm in the GCA.
GGT 2025 -- Reserve your seats today! (Full performer list HERE)
The Late Bus
In addition to regular, daily dismissal, a late bus is also available on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for students who stay for co-curricular activities or after-school academic support. Buses pick up students from GMS at 4:15pm and transport them home. Please be aware that depending on the number of students riding the late bus on a given day, your child's arrival time at home may vary. If you have specific questions about the late bus, please feel free to call the Transportation Garage at 829-4820.
Co-Curricular Activities
Monday:
5th grade Band Mr. Barry Saunders [email protected]
Tuesday:
Chorus - Mrs. Jennifer Caton [email protected]
Thursday:
Newspaper Club - Ms. Melissa Fiess [email protected]
5th grade Ukulele Club - Mr. Barry Saunders [email protected]
5th grade Math Team - Mrs. Laurie Poissonnier [email protected]
During the School Day:
Green Team - Mrs. Monica Moore [email protected]
Civil Rights Team - Mrs. Katie Cassessee [email protected], Mrs. Jane Kilbride-Dupuis [email protected], Ms. Molly Russell [email protected]
Stay Connected
