Leverett

OCTOBER 30, 2015

Friday, October 30
            PTO Halloween Party – 6-8 pm
Monday, November 2
            School Committee Meeting – 7:00pm
Tuesday & Wednesday, November 3 & 4
            Parent/Teacher Conferences – 1:05 Dismissal
Wednesday, November 11
            Veterans Day- NO SCHOOL

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IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE

Lost and Found

 Last week our Lost and Found moved to its new spot in the Parent/Community Room. There are several cubbies and shelves in the entrance to that space that make it an ideal location, especially since parents can easily check it when they drop off or pick up their children. We quickly ran into a problem, however. The volume of jackets and shirts exceeded the available space. There were more than fifty sweatshirts, jackets, and shirts, along with boots, gloves, and other assorted items, and winter hasn’t even started! In an effort to clean out the Lost and Found, we have put everything out on a table so that parents can check for familiar clothing when they come for parent conferences. You can help us avoid an overflowing Lost and Found by putting your child’s name or initials in their sweatshirts, jackets, fleece shirts, or other clothing that they may take off during the day. Labeled items are never lost, just temporarily misplaced! Current Lost and Found items that have not been claimed by Thanksgiving will be donated to Goodwill.

 ‘Staying found’ has many different connotations. As an outdoorsperson, I spend a fair amount of time researching where I am going and keeping track of landmarks so that I know that I’m headed in the right direction. It usually works, but every once in a while, an obscure trail or a turning on a bike route is missed, and it’s necessary to backtrack or to come up with a different plan.

 The same is true in education. Teachers create carefully designed plans that serve as their maps of intended routes for learning. But, as is true in climbing a mountain, the path may be too steep, too long, or ‘boring’ for different children, or other factors (snow days, illness, etc.) may impact how quickly the ‘summit’ is attained. Just as a group of hikers gathers to reconsider a response, the teachers here constantly assess and reassess the progress of students as they continue on the path of  learning. How does this work? It all starts with a conversation among classroom, special education, and Essential Skills teachers about how we help can help children to ‘stay found’ in their learning.

 Stay tuned for the next Friday Post, when the ‘Roles in Schools’ will focus on the work of our Essential Skills teachers, who have the task of smoothing the bumps in the pathway of learning!

                                                -Margot Lacey

 The Book Fair was a success!

 Yesterday, we wrapped up our 2-day Book Fair.  It was the first time that LES invited World Eye Bookshop (on Main St. in Greenfield) to host it.  We had so many great books to choose from!  And we raised $400 to buy new books for the library.

If you wanted to do more book shopping -- or the hours didn't work for you -- you can stop by World Eye Bookshop in Greenfield over the next week.  Tell them you are shopping as part of the Leverett Elementary School Book Fair.

I have received lots of really useful feedback from families about the schedule, about the book selection, and about student and family participation.  I am open to more feedback, so please contact me with what you liked and with what we can do better.  Stop by the LES library, give me a call, send me an email, or leave me a note in the office.

Did You Outguess the First Graders?

The first grade cranberry jar held 1,393 berries. The closest guess was that of Chris Carlisle, who guessed 1,688 cranberries, and has won a $20 gift certificate to the Leverett Coop. Congratulations, Chris! And kudos to all the first graders for their expert counting!

 TRICK-or-TREAT for UNICEF

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes were sent home last Friday (one per family).  If you wish to participate, take them along as you go trick-or-treating and return them to the school office on Monday.  More information about this nationwide fundraising effort can be found at trickortreatforunicef.org.  Small donations add up… this campaign has raised over $172 million since 1950!

 COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

(Items listed here are not school sponsored)

 Mary Lou Ferro Conca, Union #28 substitute teacher, will have her poetry/photography show on display at the Leverett Village Coop for the month of October.  Please stop by and take a look.

 Free Guinea Pig + supplies (cage, house, water bottle, food dispenser, etc....).  He's about 3 years old, healthy. Needs a new family who can offer him more time and attention.  His current family is distracted by a new, crazy dog. If interested call Sarah (413) 540-3839