January 2, 2020
Dear Rowe families,
Happy 2020 to all! We hope everyone enjoyed the holiday break and found some extra time to relax and have fun. The fresh snow will be greatly enjoyed by the children at recess this week. We are excited to welcome everyone back.
There were some special events in December before the break. We came together at our Community Meeting to celebrate holidays of light as well as the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year, and Ramadan. We sang some traditional winter songs and the Rowe School song. Kindergarten children also decorated gingerbread houses in their classrooms. We are grateful for the family members and friends who were able to be here for that special tradition. We were able to get helpers for students whose families were unable to attend.
Kindergarten and first-grade students had the opportunity to visit other classrooms at their grade levels to participate in some learning and hands-on projects. In kindergarten, they learned about holiday traditions around the world including St. Lucia Day, Kwanzaa, Oshugatsu, Three Kings’ Day, and Hanukkah. In first grade, the focus of their projects was on the winter solstice, animal prints, setting a goal for something new to try in 2020, stone henges, snowflakes, and sun ornaments.
Rowe Show performance for first grade!
We are pleased to announce the date for our annual first-grade music performance, The Rowe Show, on Tuesday, March 24th at 6:30 pm. Students need to arrive no later than at 6:15 pm backstage. This event will be held at the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center (YPAC) at Yarmouth High School. Please plan to leave ample time for parking due to the construction at the high school. Feel free to reach out to our music teacher, Miss Mullane with any questions. Her email address is michelle_mullane@yarmouthschools.org
Toys at school
We ask that all toys and other collectibles be left at home. The only exception is for special times such as pajama days when children are invited to bring in a small stuffed animal that will fit in their backpacks. Items like Pokemon cards are sometimes lost, causing upset feelings. Thanks in advance for the help!
Attendance Matters
Did you know?
Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
Missing 10 percent of the year (or about 18 days for the entire school year) can make it harder for children to learn to read.
Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two every few weeks, and frequent absences can add up to 18 days very quickly.
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves. Start building this habit so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important.
Missing important instruction delivered by the teacher can not be made up even if your child is on or above grade level.
What You Can Do
Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
Don’t let your child stay home unless he or she is truly sick.
Sometimes stomachaches can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home. If your child seems anxious about coming to school, talk to your child’s teacher or the school counselor for ways we can collaborate with you to help your child. Try to avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session. Instruction is happening right up until 3:15 each day.
Good attendance will help your child do well in school, and eventually in college and at work. **This was adapted with permission from Attendance Works at attendanceworks.org.
News from the nurse’s office
With winter in full swing here in Maine, there are a couple of things that you can do to help your child stay healthy and comfortable during this season.
Winter brings extremely dry air that causes many children to suffer from severely chapped lips and very dry skin. Aside from drinking lots of water and hydrating bodies from the inside, sending in a labeled lip balm or chapstick in your child's backpack can help relieve red and cracking lips. Please consider doing this if your child tends to be prone to chapped lips.
Make sure that your children come to school dressed for winter! That means they should have boots, snow pants, a warm coat, hat, and gloves or mittens. These are required each day for the students to be able to play in the snow on the playground.
Please start performing weekly head checks for lice. We have already seen several cases in the schools and more will come. The best way to manage lice is to do regular surveillance checks of your child's head, at least once a week. If you receive notice that lice are present in your child's classroom, it is recommended that you increase the head checks to nightly for about two weeks.
If you have any questions or other health concerns, please feel free to check in with me. For more information about lice management, please see my blog: https://sites.google.com/s/1Vg9b_CdfYLp8S_430z-bM-Jyr1LajecI/p/1Dx9Cs51vQyYeGZGPMXtTBl3Siopmn_qH/edit
Thanks for your help!
Jill Webber, Rowe School Nurse jill_webber@yarmouthschools.org
PTO message
Rowe Parent Coffee: Rowe parents are invited to stop by the Nook at Handy’s for coffee and conversation on Tuesday, January 7, 8:40-10am. Come any time! After you order, meet in the Otto’s seating area. Younger siblings welcome. Please contact Becca Maltais with questions, rebeccamaltais@yahoo.com. Individuals are responsible for their own purchases. See you there!
Hannaford – Next load is Wednesday, January 8, 12pm. To reload an existing card, please write the card’s last 6 digits on your check’s memo line; no need to send in the card or form.
PTO Meeting – January 16, 7pm in YES library. Please join us!
New York Times Bestselling Author, Dr. Ross Greene - Parents and teachers are invited to a presentation by Dr. Ross Greene, a child psychologist and bestselling author. Dr. Greene will discuss his collaborative and proactive solutions model of responding to children, as well as his latest book, “Raising Human Beings.” This book is geared toward all children, with a particular focus on teaching the skills that define the better side of human nature. This free talk is Tuesday, January 28, 6:30 pm at Merrill Memorial Library, 3rd floor. If you have questions, please contact Christina Copsey, tina.copsey@gmail.com.
Rowe Family Ice Skating: Rowe families are invited to an afternoon of ice skating on Saturday, February 1, 1:00-2:30pm at Blake Skating Pond, behind Key Bank. (Storm date-Feb 8, same time/place). Not a skater? Stop by for cocoa and conversation in the warming hut! Children must be accompanied by an adult; siblings welcome. Please bring your own skates, as rentals aren’t available. Parking available behind Key Bank, Town Hall, YCS, or Rowe. Please contact Becca Maltais with questions, rebeccamaltais@yahoo.com. Hope to see you there!
Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: On Wednesday, February 5, we’ll have a luncheon to help our teachers and staff get through the winter slump! If you’d like to provide something, please click on the link: https://signup.com/go/TYxsrCi. Thank you so much - teachers love this time of year!
Info on Area Camps: Coming to you soon – a K-8 Yarmouth Area Camp Google Document to help parents plan their children’s camp experiences.
PTO Enrichments: You can take a look at the list of enrichments we’ve been able to provide through your donations of time and funding so far this year. Thank you, parents and guardians, for supporting our schools. Please contact Jessica Raimy and Christy Hayashida for any reason at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com.
Soccer cleats needed
I am helping to collect soccer cleats, size 9 and smaller. A Yarmouth athlete is headed to South Africa with his mom. Their family has been involved with a non-profit, https://memel.global/shewins/ that, among other things, teaches sports to young girls. Many become accomplished athletes but lack proper footwear to move into more serious competition. Some even qualified for the Junior Olympics.
If you have any to pass along or have other contacts to share this request with, please just forward it or I am happy to reach out. I can collect cleats or you can drop them off at my house - 55 West Elm Street. Zak Henninger and his mom Heidi will personally deliver them. They have been working in the communities in South Africa for a number of years, building houses, sustainable business, and supporting this group.
Happy New Year and thanks for reading this.
Rebecca Rundquist
207-712-6430
55 West Elm Street
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Dates to note:
Thursday, January 16th- PTO meeting in the YES library, 7-8 pm
Monday, January 20th – Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday – No School
Tuesday, January 28th- Presentation with bestselling author Dr. Ross Greene, 6:30 pm on the 3rd floor of Merrill Memorial Library. Please read about the details of this important event in the PTO section of this newsletter.
Monday, February 17th- Friday, February 21st- Winter break, No School
Tuesday, March 24th- first grade Rowe Show music performance at the YPAC, Yarmouth High School
Sincerely,
Susan Lobel
Rowe School Principal