Spring Street Link

September 5, 2017

 

As I made my way around our school last week and this morning visiting classrooms and other learning spaces, as usual I was impressed by the instruction/learning taking place, but also by the thoughtfulness of its delivery and the creativeness teachers use to make learning fun and interesting for our students.  In classrooms, students have been engaged in a variety of team building explorations and problem solving requiring collaborative planning and teamwork, participating in ‘getting to know you’ activities, collaboratively developing rules, and setting learning goals for the year which will all significantly contribute to the development of strong social skills, knowledge, and foster relationships that will contribute to high levels of learning.  We’re all looking forward to a highly productive and rewarding year.

 

Our Professional Development Day on Friday was productive and very informative.  Our school team spent a majority of the day learning more about Shrewsbury Public Schools’ Portrait of a Graduate and SPS’ 5-Year Strategic Priorities and Goals  and how we can collaboratively and efficiently integrate some of this work while at the same time making effective and valuable progress towards our own and team goals in the coming year.  We’re very excited about our work this year and are very grateful to have had the opportunity on Friday to have an uninterrupted time to focus on this very valuable work.

 

 

From previous links:

 

PTO Meeting on September 11, 2018

The first PTO meeting of the year will held on Tuesday, September 12th from 10:30-11:30am in Room 202 (our meetings are usually 6:30-7:30pm but we have a conflict with Sherwood Middle School’s Curriculum Night on September 11th).   Learn more about our events and activities for this year, our goals for fundraising, and what you can do to support the PTO.  All parents are invited and encouraged to attend.

 

Curriculum Nights-Next Week
Save the date…  Teachers will be presenting information about your child’s learning goals this year as well as information about your child’s classroom community.  Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 will be on Wednesday, September 12th, Grades 3 and 4 will be on Thursday, September 13th.  Both evenings will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and are for parents/caregivers only, childcare will not be available.

Arriving at Spring Street School – The First Day (Kindergarten Only Tomorrow)
A few important things to keep in mind:

• School starts promptly at 9:00. Students can begin arriving at 8:30.  Students may arrive at school no earlier than 8:30 am.  Our preference is to have students in school between 8:30 and 8:45am so that they can get settled prior to the beginning of the school day at 9:00am.
• Parents are welcome to walk their children into classrooms on the first day (we do ask from the second day on that students develop an independent routine and habit and make their way to their classroom on their own).  Please park in the parking lot adjacent to our gym and playground.  Our front circle driveway is restricted to buses only from 8:30-9:00am and 3:00-3:30pm each day.
• The hallways of Spring Street School are filled with teachers and staff and are eager to welcome and direct children where they need to go. Please assure your child that they cannot and will not get lost when they come to Spring Street School.

Arriving at Spring Street School – General

• If you are driving to Spring Street School and will be coming into our school, please park in the parking area adjacent to the playground and gym.  Our front circle driveway is restricted to buses only from 8:30-9:00am and 3:00-3:30pm each day.
• If you will be dropping your child off in a car this year, our parent drop-off and pick-up line is adjacent to the gym, goes through the parking lot, and usually winds down the driveway.  Please wait until you arrive at the drop-off point (bright green “Drop Off” sign) to drop off you child.  The parent drop-off area will have staff members available to see that students get to their destination.
• If you are walking to school, please walk your child to our front door.  A staff member will be available to be sure students get to their destination.
• Students arriving by bus will be dropped off at the front door where staff members will be available to assist with finding classrooms if needed.
• For the safety of our students and staff, cars are not permitted in the front circle driveway between 8:30-9:00am and 3:00-3:30pm.  This is a buses only area.  Thank you for your cooperation.
• As a reminder, many of our students and families walk to school from our surrounding neighborhood.  Please be observant of our crosswalks and “No Parking” (including ‘live parking) signs in and around this area

Dismissal
Please make sure your child knows exactly how they are getting home or if they will be attending Extended School Care.

• Bus-Students will line up in school by bus number and be escorted to their bus.  Students in the lower grades are loaded onto the bus and are seated towards the front followed by upper grades sitting in the middle/back of the bus
• Parent Pick Up by Car- Students being picked up by car at dismissal are dismissed from our gym.  Students will be dismissed from the gym door to waiting cars, 3 cars at a time at the orange cones adjacent to our gym. A staff member will be at the gym door and parking lot to assist students.
• Front-Door Walkers-Students (‘front door walkers’) will be escorted by a staff member outside to the front door area and will be individually released to waiting parent or caregiver (recommended for younger students and those unsure of routines).  ‘Front Door Walkers’ meet in the office area to be escorted to the door for dismissal
• Back Path Walkers (Lantern Lane and Vista Drive Walkers)-Students (‘backdoor walkers’) will be dismissed from the Lantern Lane or Vista Drive doors to proceed to the path to walk home independently and unescorted (not recommended for younger students or those unsure of routines).  Staff members will be at our rear doors to dismiss and allow students to walk down one of the rear paths independently.
• Extended School Care-Students will be dismissed to the cafeteria at the end of the school day.

 

Back To School Supply Drive for Some of our Neighbors in Worcester

The school year is finally upon us! As we gather our school supplies for the upcoming year, please consider putting a little something extra into your cart for those less fortunate. Shrewsbury High School’s Service Learning Advisory Board, in partnership with the Educational Equity Student Union, is hosting a Back to School Supply Drive from Tuesday, August 28th through Thursday, September 13th. All donations will be given to the students at the Belmont Street Community School in Worcester. We’re asking for general classroom supplies including, but not limited to, expo markers, composition notebooks, single subject notebooks, binders, glue sticks, pencils, photo copy paper, loose leaf paper, disinfectant wipes, tissues, manilla folders and Avery labels.  Donation bins will be located at all SPS Schools.   In the spirit of community service and giving, let’s make this school year amazing!

Important Dates

Tuesday, September 11, PTO Meeting, 10:30-11:30am

Wednesday, September 12, Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2 Curriculum Night, 6:30-7:30pm

Thursday, September 13, Grades 3 and 4 Curriculum Night, 6:30-7:30pm

Thursday, September 27, School Pictures Taken

Friday, September 28, Spirit of Spring Street Dinner Dance, 6-8:00pm

Friday, October 5, No School, Professional Development Day

Monday, October 8, No School, Columbus Day

Tuesday, November 6, No School, Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, November 9, Bingo Night, 6:00pm

Monday, November 12, No School, Veterans Day observed

Tuesday, November 13, PTO Meeting, 6:30-7:30pm

November 21-23, Thanksgiving Vacation

Friday, November 30, Winter Craft Night, 6-8:00pm

Tuesday, December 4, Early-Release Day, 12:15 Dismissal, Professional Development

December 2-January 1, December Vacation/New Year’s Day

 

Looking forward to a great year!
Bryan Mabie