Who's Wise Words

Important Dates

Tuesday, October 8 - Coffee Talk - MCS Multi, 8:15 am
Wednesday, October 9 - Walk/Bike to School Day ***Please note the NEW date- this was previously 10/2**
Friday, October 11 - PTO Fall Grant Request closes
Friday, October 11 - PTO Tea Towels - Last day to order
Friday, October 11 - Teacher In-Service - No School for Students
Monday, October 14 - Holiday, School Closed
Friday, October 25 - Conferences - No School for Students
Monday, November 11 - Holiday, School Closed
Sunday, October 13 - PTO Spirit Wear ordering closes
Thursday, November 14 - 5:30 - 6:30 - Math Night
Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29 - Holiday, School Closed
Wednesday, December 11- 5:00 - 6:00 - K-2 Holiday Concert
Thursday, December 12 - 6:00 - 7:00 - Grade 3-6 Holiday Concert

Message from the Principal

If you are a parent of a student in grades K-3 this message is especially relevant to you…please keep reading!

Last legislative session Vermont passed a law that requires all schools to administer an approved literacy screener to all students in grades K-3 and share results with families who have children significantly below the grade level expectations.  MCS has been using a screening tool for a few years now.  We use the DIBELS assessment with our students in grades K-3 three times a year.  This assessment measures foundational literacy skills. 

All students in grades K-3 have participated in screening this school year.  Parents of students in these grade levels will receive an envelope today that contains the results of the screening.  Unless you are fluent in teacher talk, the results might be tricky to interpret.  To help you better understand, we have sent a letter that will tell you a bit more and has the next steps for your child based upon their results.  Basically, your child is either on target and will continue with our universal literacy program OR the screener identified some areas of need that will be addressed through additional classroom instruction OR the screener identified areas of need that will be addressed through more focused instruction given by one of our interventionists.

Next Tuesday, October 8th at 8:15AM you are invited to attend the MCS Coffee Talk to learn more about the screening tool, ask any question you have about the results, and listen to our Literacy Interventionist, Lucy Hampton, share more about the process.  This event will take place in the MCS Multi-Purpose room and I invite you to attend if able.

On Friday, October 25th we will have our first parent/teacher conferences.  That would be a perfect time to connect with your child’s teacher to see how they are progressing with literacy development.  We will give the DIBELS screener two more times this school year and report the progress to you.  I love the spirit of this law and appreciate that it gives us the opportunity to share results with you and to put in place plans to make certain that all MCS students are getting what is needed to be literate citizens. 

Have a lovely weekend,
Shawn

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Student Services Update

As I thought about what to write for Who’s Wise Words, I decided to share what I am most proud of that we try to do at Marion Cross.

For the past two years part of our school-wide professional development has been to understand and incorporate Restorative Practices into our systems at MCS.

For me, Restorative Practices are things we do to help each individual at school feel that they belong and are valued in our community.  We do this by:

• Intentionally creating space and time to develop trust and support relationships
• Intentionally developing activities to develop respect and trust.
• Having a meaningful role in a decision making community.
• Requiring an understanding of the harms and needs, deciding how to address them, and following through with an agreement.  

Some examples that happen at school include:

• Making sure each class has a morning meeting, circle, and/or a reflection activity.
• Creating school agreements as an entire school for the common areas of the building.
• Having training in and a system for conducting restorative conversations.
• Creating specific classroom agreements that align with Who’s Wise Words.

In essence one of our guiding principles is to figure out how to do “with” others, not “to” or “for” others.  While this is not always possible, there are lots of opportunities once you start looking.

Have a great weekend,
Greg

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Counselor's Corner

Hello MCS Community,

Highlights from the week

• Kindergarten: We kicked off the Incredible Flexible You series and explored the concepts of Thinking Thoughts and Feeling Feelings. This book helps young learners explore how thoughts and feelings are connected.
• First Grade: Our focus was on recognizing bullying. How do you recognize if you are being bullied?; Is it repeated? Is your body, belongings, and/or feelings being hurt? Is it mean on purpose? Is it one sided?
• Second & Third Grades: We discussed the importance of reporting bullying to a caring, trusting adult. The kids are learning to speak up and stand up for themselves and others.
• Fourth & Fifth Grades: We delved into the role of bystanders and how they can either help stop or inadvertently make bullying worse. The discussions were insightful and empowering!
• Sixth Grade: We began our journey into goal setting, emphasizing the importance of making goals specific. The students are excited to set and achieve their personal milestones!

Looking Ahead

• Kindergarten: We will be learning about the Group Plan, which will help our young learners understand the importance of working together.
• First Grade: We’ll be reviewing Recognize and Report to reinforce these crucial skills.
• Second & Third Grades: We’ll practice reporting and dive into a bullying prevention book, making our learning both practical and engaging.
• Fourth & Fifth Grades: Our focus will shift to recognizing and stopping cyberbullying, an essential skill in today’s digital age.
• Sixth Grade: We’ll continue honing our goal-setting skills, ensuring our goals are specific and achievable.

Things to Remember

• Kindergarten Parents: Encourage your child to share their thoughts and feelings with you. It’s a great way to reinforce what they’re learning in class.
• First Grade Parents: Discuss the importance of recognizing and reporting bullying with your child. Role-playing different scenarios can be very helpful.
• Second & Third Grade Parents: Ask your child about the bullying prevention book they’re reading. It’s a wonderful opportunity for a meaningful conversation.
• Fourth & Fifth Grade Parents: Talk to your child about cyberbullying and the importance of being a responsible digital citizen.
• Sixth Grade Parents: Help your child set specific goals at home. It’s a great way to support their learning and personal growth.

Community Support

Hartford-Norwich Holiday Basket Helpers are starting to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. If you feel your family could benefit from extra support this coming holiday season (toys, clothes, gift cards) please reach out to me for a referral link.

Warm regards,
Ms. Keel

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School News and Information

From the bus drivers:

Please remember to not park or walk along Girard Way.  That road should be avoided during morning drop off and afternoon pick up so that the buses are able to safely load and unload.  You are welcome to use the parking lot at the St. Barnabas church for parking during these times. We’ve noticed lots of students darting across the driveway without looking!

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More books?  Yes, please:

Did you know that your child can access 40,000+ ebooks, narrated ebooks, and audiobooks from anywhere with an internet connection? MCS is piloting a subscription to epic! books that provides all of our students 24/7 access to this simultaneous use collection of books. Epic! offers a robust collection of books at a wide variety of reading levels. With everything from National Geographic ebooks to Wings of Fire and I Survived audiobooks, there are many great options for a wide range of interests and reading levels. Titles can also be downloaded for off-line access. To access epic! from home follow these simple steps:

1. Download the free epic! app from the Google or Apple store or go to the epic! website to launch your next reading adventure.
2. Select students and enter a class code. If your child does not have a class code through their homeroom teacher, simply use the library code, rzs4040, and select guest.
3. Read!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance with setting up your device for epic! access.

Happy reading,
Jillian Van Ells
MCS Librarian

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PTO Bulletin Board

From the PTO:

• Our Membership drive is wrapping up, but we are still a few families short of our goal.
  • The print directory will be headed your way soon!
  • The online directory is up!
  • If you signed up or updated your information to be included in the directory but haven’t sent in your membership dues yet- please do so ASAP to ensure you keep directory access! It is $40 for both online and print, $30 for just online or just print. You can drop it off any time at the main office.
  • It is not too late to join: you can join any time during the year for online access to the directory.
  • And finally- the directory is the ONLY way the PTO can email you, so if you would like to hear about all of the great things we have planned for the year- you must sign up. You can sign up for emails without paying dues. Thank you!

• The PTO is hosting a Coffee Talk on Tuesday 10/8 at 8:15 am in the Multi with Shawn Gonyaw.  Lucy Hampton, Reading Specialist, will be conducting a parent information session to help parents learn more about the DIBELS assessments, how to interpret their child’s score report, and how to support their child’s reading development at home. Literacy screening is a step that helps ensure all students at our school become proficient readers, and we are grateful for your support and partnership. This is most relevant to families with a child in grades K-3.

• Fall Grants are open and due October 11! 

Any member of the MCS community can submit a grant request for an item or program that supports MCS students. The fall grant cycle closes Friday, Oct 11. We want to hear your great ideas! I am happy to chat more if you have questions.

• National Walk and Bike to School Day- Wednesday 10/9.

 Join us for a morning bike ride to school!  MCS has been participating in this fun event for many years, and it takes a troop of volunteers to pull it off! As the event approaches, volunteers will receive a separate email with specific information. PLEASE SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER HERE.

• All walkers and riders should be in their respective starting places by 7:30 am. Wheels roll at 7:40!

• Riders in grades 2-6 will line up at Huntley Meadow
• Riders in grades PreK, KG, and 1st grades will line up on Hazen Street by the library
• Walkers will assemble in the library parking lot
   Questions? Please contact Molly Riordan: marymriordan@gmail.com

• The MCS Spirit Wear store is OPEN now until October 13th! Choose from an array of MCS gear and show off your school spirit. Orders will arrive in time for Winter Holidays.

• It’s Tea Towel time!  Students have been working on their self-portraits in art. All 300+ portraits will be silk-screened onto a high quality 100% cotton washable tea towel with the year and the MCS logo in the middle. Order forms will be coming home next week and are due back by October 10.