Highlights of another week at the Marion Cross School
There is a lot of useful info for you to review
Good morning Norwich,
This weeks Who’s Wise Words is loaded with news you can use from the MCS principal and staff. Lots of good stuff here
Important Dates
●Friday, October 7 - Teacher In-Service Day; No School
●Monday, October 10 - Holiday; No School
●Wednesday, October 12 - Coffee Talk, 9:15am Multipurpose Room
●Thursday, October 13 - PTO Meeting, 7:00pm at Norwich Inn
●Wednesday, October 19 - Parent Teacher Conferences
Message From The Principal
Specials Rotation for the week of October 3
Monday C
Tuesday D
Wednesday E
Thursday F
Friday - no school
Dear MCS Families,
Another fantastic week has come and gone at the Marion Cross School. The highlight of the week for me was spending time at the Hulbert Nature Center with the sixth graders. Traditionally, MCS brings fifth grade students to have a team building experience at Hulbert Nature Center. Because our current sixth graders did not attend due to COVID, we decided to adjust that tradition and make this a sixth grade experience. Students spent half the day working together to navigate the high ropes course and the other half participating in team building activities. I particularly enjoyed watching students give one another positive encouragement and support. The high ropes course looks much easier from the ground! Without exception, students who were just about to step off the platform and zip down the line, were given cheers and words of encouragement. It was just one more example of MCS students being amazing! A huge shoutout goes to the sixth grade team, Ania Safford (White), Kelley Grace, and Leslie Dustin, for working together to make this experience possible for our students.
Last week I neglected to thank the Friends of Hanover and Norwich Schools for their contribution to the Jason Chin school read event. The Friends of Hanover and Norwich Schools were instrumental in bringing this experience to us by funding all of the books that were distributed to families. For those of you who do not know about this amazing organization, they fundraise and support many initiatives in all the SAU 70 schools. Just last year for MCS, they supported the purchase of leveled books for many classrooms, a Japanese guest presentation for 4th grade, manipulatives for developing mathematicians, and much more. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
Finally, this week we had our first lunchtime volunteer come and help serve lunch. It was amazing to have the additional support and kids loved interacting with a parent who they know. We are at a point where we have our lunch routines well enough established to accept volunteers. For this volunteer opportunity, we are looking for people who can make a weekly commitment. There is too much to learn for this to be a one time contribution. Friday’s are covered, but we could use people who wanted to spend from 11:00AM - 1PM supporting our lunch program on M-Th. I know that some people had expressed interest early on before we were ready. If you were one of those people, please let me know if you are still interested.
We are predicted to have a beautiful fall weekend. I hope that each of you is able to enjoy the fall weather.
Stay well,
Shawn
Message From Student Services
On September 25th there was a front page article in the Valley News titled ‘Like somebody’s being arrested’: The practice of physically restraining students has drawn scrutiny.’ After reading that article, I hypothesized that if I was a parent at Marion Cross School, I would want to know more about this practice at MCS.
First of all, we have a policy called Use of Restraints by School Personnel that is available on our website. We believe in being proactive with positive interventions and focusing on de-escalation. Also, while all staff went through an hour-long de-escalation training in August, only a couple of us are certified to use restraints because we want to manage that practice very closely. We do not believe restraint is effective in any case unless the physical action of a student creates a substantial risk of harm to self or others.
It is exceptionally rare that we would ever restrain a student at MCS. However, if we did, we are obligated to inform the superintendent and tell that student’s family the day it happened.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Greg Bagnato
School News and Information
After school art and coping skills:
Do you love art and want to practice some fun and useful coping skills? Join Ms. Eastman (MCS art teacher and Ms. Katie (MCS school counselor) for an after school open art and coping skills class. Open to MCS students in grades 1-3. We will hold six sessions running on Mondays from 3:30-4:30 in the art room: October 17, 24, 31, November 4, 14, 21. Please sign up by emailing katiecormier@marioncross.org
Instrumental Music Next Week
Thank you for continuing to support your child(ren) as we all learn how our 7-day specials rotation works! Next week will have Days C, D, E, and F, and these are the early-morning lessons on those days:
Monday - Day C (no lessons before school)
Tuesday - Day D (6th clarinets at 7:45, 5th clarinets, saxophones at 8:05)
Wednesday - Day E (6th flutes at 7:45, 5th flute at 8:05)
Thursday - Day F (6th saxophones at 7:45, fiddlers at 8:05)
Please let me know if you have any questions,
Travis Ramsey
Calling All Fiddlers!
Are you a student who plays violin, viola, or cello? Would you like to play with a group of us who meet in the mornings to play fiddle music? This group is open to students in grades 2-6. We meet every Day F from 8:05-8:30 in the music room. You do not need to know how to read music to play!
COVID protocols for parents/students
What to do if Students/Staff test positive for COVID-19
● Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset (regardless of when they tested positive)
● Day 1 is the first full day after symptoms start. Students or Staff must stay home and isolate for 5 full days and separate themselves from others.
Close household contacts, especially siblings, should mask for 10 days while indoors.
Students/Staff may* end isolation after DAY 5 (but not necessarily on DAY 6) when:
1) They are fever free for 24 hours without using fever reducing medications and;
2) Their symptoms have improved to the degree that they feel much better and can attend school wearing a mask and without an alarming coughing, sniffles, runny nose, etc.
*Day 6 is the earliest possible day of return; not the guaranteed day of return.
Many students return too soon, only to be sent home again because they still feel sick or do not have their symptoms well-managed.
Students/staff with Covid must wear a mask through Day 10 (including throughout extra curricular activities) and may unmask on Day 11.
SAU #70 School Nurses,
Jane Glick, RN
Laura Perras, RN
Abigale Pelletier, RN
Candace Nattie, RN
Lynn McRae, RN
Kim Robertson, RN
On another note I am excited to be back at MCS. I had a wonderful time with my family! Bavarian weddings are fun and full of wonderful traditions that we should consider adopting here in the US. I now have my first grandson and a step-granddaughter added to our family in the last month! Lots of reasons for celebrating with my family. Thank you for your understanding and patience as I was away for the first month of school.
PTO Bulletin Board
Bike to School Day is Thursday, October 6!
This year we are switching up our route. It will be a hybrid of past years. Here is the plan:
Pre-K through 1st grade—meet at Norwich Public library
Grades 2-6 meet at Huntley Meadow
Wheels roll at 7:40am sharp! We will ride in the street; roads we travel will be closed
6th grade will lead, with the other grades falling in behind. As we pass NPL, we will merge onto the sidewalk; pre-k through 1st grade will join in after 2nd graders pass. Bike train will travel via sidewalk to Carpenter, turn onto Carpenter and continue on to Church street and finish at MCS. Please keep in mind the following: know your child’s ability and plan accordingly. If you must ride with your child, please position yourself in the back. We will have volunteers riding with students. Roads will be closed, but only along our route. For example, Main Street will only be closed from turnpike to NPL. Church street will only be closed from Carpenter to MCS. Please review the route with your child(ren) We need volunteers to be at road closures to make sure no cars pass. Please see sign up sheet to help out:
Fall PTO Grants-The PTO is now accepting applications for Fall Grants. Please refer to the following document for information about grants and how to apply.
Halloween Candy Drive- It's that time of year again! The Marion Cross PTO will be collecting bags of candy until October 30thfor in-town homes that host over 500 trick-or-treaters on Halloween night! Collection boxes are in the following locations: Dan and Whits, Norwich Nursery School, Norwich Town Clerk's Office, Norwich Public Library, Marion Cross School Office. Thank you in advance for your kind donations! **NEW THIS YEAR: In-town homes on the trick-or-treating route: Please stop by the bin at Dan and Whit's and pick up candy at your convenience anytime in October. We will have a sign-out sheet with approximate amounts to take (based on past years' collections) and where you can check off that you picked up candy. Streets that traditionally receive candy are: Main St., Hazen, Cliff, Trumbull, Church, Carpenter, Elm/Jones, and Lary Lane. If you are unable to stop by Dan and Whit's, just let us know and we will deliver it for you. Please spread the word to neighbors that pickup is at Dan and Whit's this year. Thank you and Happy October
Gift-Making Festival: Join the gift-making festival committee! The PTO is assembling a committee to help revive this sweet and creative event where kids make handmade holiday gifts. If you would like to help, or are curious to hear more, we’d love to hear from you!
MCS PTO Business Partners: Each year, the PTO partners with local businesses who offer financial support to the PTO. In return we do a monthly Spotlight highlighting one of these generous businesses. We are looking for help with Business Partners this year. If you would like to volunteer please contact the PTO: marioncrosspto@gmail.com
Next PTO Meeting: Thursday, October 13, 7pm@ Norwich Inn
October Coffee talk: Wednesday, October 12, 9:15am @ MCS Multipurpose Room
Questions? Please contact us at marioncrosspto@gmail.com
