From the Principal's Desk
WINTER WEATHER: We believe it is important for students to have a break from the classroom to enjoy fresh air and play time with friends. Unless the temperature drops to 10˚or colder, with the wind chill taken into consideration, students will be outside for recess. Please help your child plan accordingly for appropriate cold weather clothing.
When the playground is covered in snow, we strongly encourage students to have boots and snow pants. If your child is reluctant to wear their winter gear at school, then perhaps have them store an extra pair of pants, socks and sneakers in their backpack or locker.
One important safety note: Students may not play on the plowed snow mounds in the parking lot. While we understand the attraction, this creates a very unsafe situation for students and drivers. If your child is a walker or parent pick-up/drop-off, please help us explicitly address this concern.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Friday, 12/19 - Last Day before Winter Vacation
Monday, 1/5 - First Day back from Winter Vacation
Wednesday, 1/7 - FULL DAY, no Early Release (even though it's a full week)
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]
We greatly appreciate your attention to these procedures, as they help to ensure that our routines run smoothly and efficiently.
Community Corner
Let's Focus on Kindness
Katie Campbell, School Social Worker
Ali Waterhouse, School Counselor
Amy Vincent-Cross, School Social Worker
Attendance Matters
A Look Into Literacy
This month, our 4th and 5th graders are diving into their new Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) units, which focus on the art and structure of poetry while building essential reading and writing skills.
Our fourth graders will explore the world of verse, rhythm, and imagery. They will study many poems representing a wide variety of periods and learn how poetry can describe the world in unique and imaginative ways. Specific skills covered include identifying the structure of a poem (stanzas, lines, meter, and rhyme scheme) and recognizing and interpreting poetic devices like alliteration, simile, and personification. In writing, students will craft their own original poems, applying the structural and figurative elements they are learning to identify. There will be a continued language focus on prepositions, prepositional phrases, and figurative language (simile and metaphor).
Our fifth graders will develop as poets and literary analysts by conducting a more in-depth study of the genre. Their unit is dedicated to an advanced study of poetry. Students will read poems from diverse poets and time periods, focusing on meaning and metaphor. Specific skills covered in 5th grade include identifying and interpreting complex poetic devices, focusing on extended metaphors, and analyzing how the poet creates tone and mood. For writing, they will compose their own complex poems and write analytical paragraphs about the poems they read, providing evidence to support their interpretations. There will be continued language work in morphology (word parts) and a focus on enriching academic and literary vocabulary.
Here are some ways you can support your child’s learning at home:
Read Poetry Together: Find poetry collections at the library or online (you can search for poets like Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, or Langston Hughes). Ask your child to read a poem aloud and discuss what they think the poet is trying to say (the theme or message).
Play with Language: When reading anything—a book, an ad, or a newspaper—point out examples of strong, descriptive language. Ask your child to try describing a common object (like a shoe or a clock) using only similes or metaphors, for example, "The clock is a watchful, round eye."
Encourage Creative Writing: Challenge your child to write a poem about a favorite memory, a pet, or even something ordinary like a pencil or a cloud, encouraging them to use the new descriptive and figurative language techniques they're learning.
Check out what is going on at Prince Memorial Library:
Janet Giguere, Literacy Specialist
Check This Out!
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
