Sunday, October 28, 2018

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - Sun., Oct. 28, 2018

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

(Time change is NEXT weekend.)

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

All the parents who bought pumpkin raffle tickets and congrats to the winners!
The Reading Fire Dept. for visiting and educating us about fire safety!
All of you who read this blog!

Other Items of Interest:

Highlight on the Handbook - The WCUD Family/Student Handbook is full of important information and all principals will be highlighting information in our communications to families. The family district handbook can be found on our website and hard copies can be obtained from RES. The topics covered are being discussed in schools district-wide.

CLOSINGS OR DELAYS

In the event that school is closed or there is a delayed opening (due to inclement weather or any emergency), a message will be sent to all families through our emergency notification service. Announcements will be on local TV and radio stations. If the school has a website, it will be posted there as well. Please be sure to provide us with current phone contacts so we may contact you at the correct number. The full snow day protocol can be found here.

No Costumes Please - Wednesday is Halloween, but we want to keep the focus on learning so we ask that no costumes be worn. We also ask that Halloween candy not come to school the next day. We will be having a "costume" day as part of our PBIS positive reinforcement system in the next few weeks.

Snacks Needed - Snacks are not provided this year, so please send in snacks for your student every day. Some students are eating their lunch for a snack, and they don't have enough lunch so it may be helpful to "label" the snack. Last year we always had extra fruit, but this year we do not qualify for the Fresh Fruit Grant that we had last year, so please send in fresh fruit for your child in their packed home lunch. If you have questions about your the lunch program, please contact Gretchen Czaka, at gczaja@wcsu.net.

Afterschool Program - Session 2 of the afterschool program starts next Mon., Nov. 5. The sign-up sheet is attached HERE. Due to the distance many of our staff drive and the early darkness, we are adjusting our hours to end at 5 PM daily. If school is closed due to inclement weather, we will not have afterschool. Also, if the district closes school early due to bad weather, we will not have afterschool. We are looking for an after-school director to take over the position that Cathy Knight and Pam Boyer Sheldon currently hold. If you know of anyone interested, please contact Cathy Knight.

WCUD Board Meeting - There is a meeting NEXT Mon., Nov. 5. Here is the agenda.

Flu Shots Available - Our school nurse, Mrs. Clark, has arranged for Rite Aid to come and provide flu shots and will bill your insurance. They are scheduled to be at RES from 2:30 - 3:30 PM on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Please bring your insurance card. More information and the forms to be signed can be found HERE.

Message from Mrs. Morton -

Dear Band Parents,

I am so pleased that your children decided to join the instrumental program. It is such a worthwhile opportunity. I have registered each student onto the Essential Elements website (https://www.essentialelementsinteractive.com). You will find their username and password on the inside cover page of their book. On this site, you will find outstanding learning tools like pedagogy videos that will help them with assembling and holding their instrument, mouth placement, and embouchure. The music studio allows them to access all the songs in the book and practice tools like recording their performance. They also can play along with many different style accompaniment tracks which make practicing more fun. Essential Elements is a web base and can be used anywhere there is an internet signal. There are apps for both iPads and smartphones. Please encourage them to use this site to help them become better musicians. Also, please contact me with any questions.

Thank you for your help and support,

Christine

Strategic Plan Committee - A voice for Reading is important - please consider joining!

Profile of a Graduate Survey - Your voice is important. Please take a moment and complete the survey with regards to your thoughts of the "Profile of a Graduate."

Upcoming Events - It's that time of year - pie sale AND the Thanksgiving Community Feast. We will need supplies for the pies and the PTO will be sending out lists of supplies needed. So more time can be spent on academics, pies will be made in the afterschool program on Fri., Nov. 16. The Community Thanksgiving celebration is Tues., Nov. 20 from 12 - 12:45 PM. A list of supplies will also be coming out next week.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL

Turn in Box Tops for school! Each label is worth 10 cents!
Sign up your Price Chopper account so RES gets points!
Offer to teach a course in the After School program - share your skills!

BREAKFAST & LUNCH & MENU FOR NEXT WEEK:

Lunch & Milk Questions - If a child is free and reduced, milk is FREE with either breakfast or lunch. If a child wants milk by itself, there is a 50 cent charge. This is a federal government/state rule. Please let us know if you have questions.

Happening this Week:

Mon., Oct. 29 -

PE - students should wear tennis shoes and be prepared to go outside for PE.

Tues., Oct. 30 -

Library/Tech - please bring back library books!
Flu Shots available at RES - 3 - 3:30 PM

Wed., Oct. 31 - NO costumes please

Art - Students carving pumpkins at Reading Town Library during Art! (Students will be walking over during their Art class time.)

Thurs., Nov. 1-

Music & Band

Fri., Nov. 2-

Spanish

Mark Your Calendar/Upcoming Events:

Mon., Nov. 5 - WCUD Board Meeting - 6 PM - WCSU Conference Room
Tues., Nov. 6 - PTO Meeting 5:30 PM - RES Library
Thurs., Nov. 8 - Make-Up Picture Day
Mon., Nov. 12 - NO SCHOOL
Wed., Nov. 14 - Report cards come home
Fri., Nov. 16 - Pie Making AFTERSCHOOL
Sat., Nov. 17 - Pie Sale & Chili Cook-off
Tues., Nov. 20 - RES Community Thanksgiving Dinner 12 - 12:45 PM
Wed., Nov. 21 - 23 - SCHOOL CLOSED

Thoughts to Ponder:

LIFE AT READING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

Sunday, October 21, 2018

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - SUN., OCT. 21, 2018

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

All who attended the Board Meeting.
The parents and community members who helped me clean up after the Board meeting.
PTO members and parents who helped out with the Leaf Peeper Breakfast.

Other Items of Interest:

FIELD TRIPS

From time to time, children will have the opportunity to go on field trips in connection with their instructional program. Field Trip Permission & Acknowledgement Forms will be sent home prior to each planned field trip. Field trip reminders will be made periodically through notices and newsletters. In addition, a general “walking permission slip” will be provided at the beginning of the year to allow teachers to take students to areas within walking distance of the school, such as the library, post office, etc., without the requirement of an additional field trip permission form.

Driver Field Trip Form

If private cars are used for a field trip, the teacher and the driver will fill out a Driver Field Trip Form and provide proof of current insurance and driver’s license. Parents are responsible to have adequate liability insurance ($100,000/$300,000 liability and $50,000 property/damage) and realize that their primary insurance comes into effect in the event of an accident. The school’s liability insurance is secondary in the event of an accident.

Seatbelt/Airbag Policy

The Vermont Child Restraint law states that all infants under one year old and less than 20 pounds must ride rear-facing in a properly used child restraint that must not be installed in front of an active airbag. All children up to the age of eight must ride in a properly used child restraint in passenger vehicles. All children eight and up to sixteen years of age must ride in a properly used child restraint or safety belt system. This law went into effect January 1, 2004. All drivers of private cars and each student passenger within that car must be provided with and use the appropriate child restraint or safety belt system when traveling to and from a field trip destination. Students must not be placed in the front passenger seat with an airbag.

Warmer Clothes - Please send your students with a warm coat, gloves, and hat for recess. Fall has definitely arrived!

Afterschool Program - Bills have been sent out, please send in your balance so we can keep our program running. New programs will be offered in the next session. We are looking for an after school director to take over the position that Cathy Knight and Pam Boyer Sheldon currently hold. If you know of anyone interested, please contact Cathy Knight.

Pumpkin Raffle - Pumpkin season is upon us. The K/1 class students picked the pumpkins on Friday. Each class will be decorating a pumpkin for their class and it will be raffled off. Raffle tickets have been sent home with each student. Please return all raffle tickets and money by Thurs., Oct. 26. The raffle will be drawn Fri., Oct. 27 in the morning meeting. Thank you for your support!

Strategic Plan Committee - A voice for Reading is important - please consider joining!

Profile of a Graduate Survey - Your voice is important. Please take a moment and complete the survey with regards to your thoughts of the "Profile of a Graduate."

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL