Message from the Principal
Message from the Principal
And he seems to have a lot of info for the parents of MCS children and the community.
Cross Words
05/30/2020
Message From the Principal
Dear MCS Families,
When we began the school year in August none of us would have ever imagined that it would end in this fashion. This coming Friday, June 5th will be the final day for remote learning. After this date, children can transition to summer vacation while MCS staff spend some quality time planning for how to mitigate the effects of remote learning. We hope to leave with a solid plan for whatever comes our way in August...knowing full well that we will need to adjust and flex our plan.
This week, much more than in other weeks, I have been fielding questions that are on all of our minds. It is frustrating to not have the answers to your questions. My lens with this situation is to focus on what MCS can do to help. Some of your questions include inquiring about when school will be back in session, if a summer program can be organized, can we bring a smaller population of student back to school, how will we keep kids safe in the fall, will children have to wear masks, what will the school do about the missed learning opportunities, and much more. These are all outstanding wonders which are also on my mind. One thing I have learned about this pandemic is that the rules change on a moment's notice. When we get closer to fall, you will receive communication from the MCS and the SAU about plans for the start of the school year.
I would like to send out a huge thank you to the many, many parents who shared information about their children, making class placements for next school year much easier. As a staff, we enjoyed building class lists as it offered a glimpse into the future and perhaps one where COVID-19 is behind us. This year we will be sending out class placement information in report card envelopes. Not knowing placement information until fall seemed to cause some level of anxiety. The hope is that knowing class placement will allow your child and family to become excited now about the new year. Please know that because of confidentiality reasons we cannot send out class lists.
Finally, I have had a few requests from children to share some more photos of the animals on my hobby farm. Please be introduced to our newest calf born on Friday afternoon as the storm was rolling in. Her name is Daisy.
You might also enjoy this photo of guinea hen keets that I hatched for a friend. The final photo is our drake Lucky who was hatched in my wife’s kindergarten classroom a couple years ago.
Parent Nights
Nurse Pam, Katie, Mr. Bagnato, and I have greatly enjoyed our weekly chats with parents. On June 4th we will host our last parent check in via Zoom. Please consider joining to share your thoughts, ask any questions, or just say hello! Since this is our last meeting this school year, we will invite parents from any grade level to join the conversation.
Topic: K- 6th Grade Parent Check-in
Time: June 4, 2020 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sau70.zoom.us/j/99250394755?pwd=SVluRG55bm83MnM3Rm80Y3pFOTM1QT09
Meeting ID: 992 5039 4755
Password: 394550
Wishing you well,
Shawn
Important Dates
June 5 - Last day of student instruction
School News and Information
Greetings Families!
I am excited to announce that we will be having a socially distanced “Summer Send Off” next Friday, June 5th from 12:30-1:30. MCS teachers will be lined up around the Carpenter St. and Hazen St. loop (appropriately socially distanced with masks of course!) to send you off for summer. Families are welcome to drive through the loop any time between 12:30-1:30 and wave to your teachers depending on what works for your schedule; it will likely only take 10-15 minutes to drive through. It’s not a formal parade, as there will still be normal traffic around Norwich, but Chief Frank will be there to help. I will be sending out a map and more detailed information on Monday. It should be fun!
On another note, if you haven’t listened to Lynn Lyons’ podcast “A Mom’s Retreat”, I recommend trying to. The topics she explores are pertinent to what we are all going through now as parents, and she keeps her thoughts and suggestions realistic.
Stella and I are also looking forward to the last week of lunch groups next week; I still can’t believe this is the last week of school for students!
Be well,
Ms. Katie and Stella
Virtual Battle of the Books
Congratulations to the winners and to all the participants in the Book Battle held on May 27th! The winning team was Gigi, Oliver and Zinnia. Close in second place were Grayson, Ben G. and Will G.
In total, there were 20 students, comprising seven teams, that participated in the 10th annual Book Battle but the first virtual version. Teams were formed at the start of the school year. The readers were heavily invested in this when the school closed in March. Because of their dedication and enthusiasm for wanting to finish with the Book Battle, a way to do it was figured out. Zoom was the platform for the meeting. Breakout Rooms allowed each team to discuss the questions and answers and then post them. There was a teacher with each team, helping out and resolving a few technical issues. Many thanks to each of them. Additionally, John Minelli deserves a huge Thank You for the many hours he spent with me getting this set up so it would work.
It truly was a lot of fun!
Joy Blongewicz - Librarian
LEEEP Resources for Families - Please use this link to find resources related to outdoor learning opportunities for your children. The latest update is a short video about wildflowers, with some fun facts. Did you know that “little blue staggers” is the name of a flower? It refers to cows that appear to be drunk!
New Arbor Entrance for the Giving Garden - and other updates
The Giving Garden is being planted with help from a few MCS family volunteers. (There is still time to help, if families would like to do so!) We anticipate being able to have a good supply of vegetables to donate to Willing Hands this season, as well as to very hopefully use for an MCS community meal celebration in the fall. I am also in the process of planting the raised beds along the bus driveway. The harvest from those, too, will be divided between MCS and Willing Hands. This season, even though I am missing the student work force and camaraderie, did not seem to be the time to cut back on our help for Willing Hands and our neighbors who do not have access to their own fresh vegetables. So I am going ahead as usual.
I am delighted to show you this photo of the new arbor entrance to the Giving Garden. Brian Kunz (my husband) donated his time to build the two red gates and the arbor. It will hopefully be covered in morning glories before the students come back in the fall.
Please contact Lindsay Putnam if you have any questions about the garden.
The weather has been amazing and it has been wonderful to see people enjoying the outdoors. During this time, it is important to remember social distancing, hand hygiene, cough and sneeze hygiene, and wearing masks. I have included some helpful references below.
Be safe and healthy,
Nurse Pam
Information about social distancing
What you should know about coronavirus to protect yourself and others
Preventing the spread of COVID 19 when you are sick
How to protect yourself and others
How to safely wear and take of cloth face coverings
A guide to helping your young child wear a mask
Great website called Dirty Hands Can Be Scary
Helpful videos for parents:
COVID-19: Parents Supporting Children
Meet the Helpers: Protecting against COVID-19 (videos for kids including masks and social distancing)
The Wiggles: Social Distancing/ Washing hands
A guide to helping your young child wear a mask
How to Return MCS Library Books
There’s a cart in the vestibule on the right side as you enter where you can place your library books.
This cart is only for library books. There is a different location for class books.
Please practice appropriate social distancing and wait outside to return your books if someone else is in the vestibule.
The vestibule is open from 7:00am until 6:00 pm
Please return all library books by June 8th.
Contact Joy Blongewicz if you have questions.
Thank you very much!
The Procedure for Returning Class Books
In the vestibule on the left side, there is a bin for each grade level.
Place your books in the appropriate bin.
Please practice appropriate social distancing and wait outside to return your books if someone else is in the vestibule.
NOTE: The vestibule is open from 7:00am until 6:00 pm
Spring is here! The Vegetable and Flower gardens need volunteers!
ISO Individuals and family volunteers to water, plan and weeding on weekly shifts.
Parent leadership is wanted to take on flower/ perennial garden organizing/ work.
Please sign up via this google doc or contact traceyhayeswarren@gmail.com.
Lindsay Putnam and Molly Riodan will provide support for the Vegetable garden.
MaryAnn Hollbrook (from the Norwich Women's Club, Triangle Garden) will provide support in flower identification and care.
Important Links
BoardDocs: Remember to select "Norwich School Board" in upper right hand corner after you click "Public Access"
Community Interest
Please see the Community Interest page on our website for more information. Please be advised, that these events are not school sanctioned, but may be of interest to our community members.
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