September Newsletter 2024
“The first day of school is the first step in a great adventure” – Unknown
Welcome to MMNS. The first day of school is almost here, and the excitement is in the air! Our amazing teachers are ready to welcome each and every student with open arms.
Classrooms are all set, just waiting for our little adventurers to dive in!
Get ready for a fantastic journey filled with learning, laughter, and new friendships.
MEET AND GREET
Get ready to meet the stars of the MMNS—your child’s teachers! Join us on September 10th between 9-10AM for the Two Day and Five-Day Programs. If you’re part of the MWF Programs, mark your calendars for September 11th between 9-10 AM! It's a fantastic chance to connect, ask questions, and get to know the wonderful folks who will be guiding your child this year.
Classroom 2: Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Bashaw’s MWF PreK Class
Classroom 3: Mrs. Mirra and Mrs. Adam’s MWF and T/TH Classes
Classroom 4: Mrs. Gray and Miss Ashley’s Five Day PreK Class
Classroom 5: Mrs. Forrest and Mrs. Ritter’s MWF Class
Mrs. Forrest and Mrs. Smith’s T/H Class
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Two Day and Five-Day Programs: September 12th (8:45 – 12:30)
MWF Programs: September 13th (8:45 – 12:30)
Drop off will be at the classroom door. If you prefer to begin the year dropping off at our entrance, I will be there to greet you and assist your child to their classroom.
The first day of school is a rollercoaster of emotions for both you and your little one! To help ease those first day jitters, we recommend a quick exit strategy.
Bring your child to their classroom, give the teacher a friendly wave, and let your child know they’re in for a day full of fun! Remind them that you can’t wait to hear all about their adventures at pick-up. A big hug and kiss before saying goodbye works wonders!
If your child is feeling a bit reluctant, just take a deep breath and let the teacher work their magic! We totally understand how tough it can be, but trust us—prolonging the goodbye only makes it harder for them to settle in. And guess what? I’ll be right in the entryway, ready to share a hug if you need one too! We’ll keep you in the loop about how your child is doing, whether it’s a quick call or a cute picture via Class Dojo!
Pick up: At this time, pick up will be at our entrance door for Classroom Three and Five and the doors on the right for Classroom Two and Classroom Four.
As we work together to make pick-up time smooth and efficient, I’d appreciate your help during the first few weeks of school. It would be great if you could hold a sign with your child’s name on it when you arrive. This way, it will be easier for the teachers to recognize you and ensure your child is safely handed over.
I wanted to share an update regarding our sibling dismissal process that will help ease congestion in the entryway. This year, we will be dismissing siblings with their class instead of having the older siblings stand with the younger ones.
TUITION
Payment plan installments are due on the first of the month. Invoices will be emailed approximately 5 days prior to the first, you may pay online, by mail or in person. If you would like to switch your method of payment, please let me know. There is a $15 late charge for payments made after the 15th.
COMMUNICATION
I wanted to remind you how important it is to stay updated by checking our Monthly School Newsletters and Class Dojo. These resources are designed to keep you informed about important announcements, events, and your child’s progress. Schoolwide Emails are sent to all parents using BCC to ensure everyone’s privacy. If you’re not receiving these emails, please check your spam folder. Staying informed is key to supporting your child’s learning journey.
Our School Calendar is posted in our Parent’s Lounge: PW: MM2018
Monthly School Newsletter: you will receive an email or a message on class dojo when the newsletter is posted to our Parent Lounge. Emails are sent BCC, please make sure you add us to your contact list.
Class Dojo: On the app, you will receive daily/weekly updates from your child’s teacher, school wide announcements and you are able to message your child’s teacher.
I am always available if you need an answer asap through class dojo, email, text or by phone. My cell phone is 978-660-0544.
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
We’re committed to ensuring that our school remains a healthy environment for all our students. I encourage you to look at our Health Care Policy, which you can find in the Parent’s Handbook. The link is available in the Parent’s Lounge.
I also want to share that we have an air purifier running in each classroom. Additionally, we use a product called Force of Nature to sanitize and disinfect surfaces and toys, ensuring a clean space for everyone.
Two new hallway doors have been installed that will help enhance safety within our school.
On September 9th, our teachers will be participating in CPR and First Aid training! This is not just about learning life-saving skills; it’s about empowering our educators to be ready for anything!
INDIVIDUAL HEALTH CARE PLAN
If your child requires an EPIPEN, inhaler, or antihistamine, we need a current Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP) form. This form located in the Parent’s Lounge should be filled out and signed by both their pediatrician and a parent.
Additionally, please ensure that the medication is brought to school with the prescription attached, that the lot numbers match the medication provided, and that none of the medications are expired.
It would be great if you could bring everything in during the Meet and Greet. Thanks so much for your help with this!
CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
I wanted to share a couple of important requests to help our daily routine run smoothly.
First, please ensure that your child has a complete change of clothes (including socks and underwear) packed in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. It’s important that the clothes are seasonally appropriate and clearly labeled with their name.
Additionally, it would be really helpful if you could label their coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, and hats. This makes it easier for us to keep track of everything at the end of the day.
When dropping off your child, please assist them in hanging their coat. If they are using a backpack, please take their lunch box out and place it in their cubby. The backpack should be placed on the bench or floor near their cubby. Also, please ensure that their lunch box and backpack are labeled with their names.
Thanks so much for your help with this! It really makes a difference in keeping everything organized
SNACK TIME
Please pack a lunch box that your child can easily open. This will help foster independence during snack time. For snacks, we encourage healthy options like fruits, veggies, or whole-grain items. A juice box or a water bottle is great for hydration, too! Don’t forget to include a napkin.
We are a TREE NUT and PEANUT SENSITIVE school. Please make sure your child’s snacks DO NOT contain any PEANUTS OR TREE NUTS.
Note: if there are children with other food allergies in the classroom, in addition to tree nuts and peanuts, we may ask that you do not send in a snack with that allergen.
This helps us create a safe environment for everyone.
CHILDREN’S RECORDS
Please notify the office if there are any changes to your address, email, phone numbers, emergency contacts, or custody agreements. Keeping this information up to date is really important for your child’s safety and communication.
Also, just a heads-up: I'll make sure to notify you a month in advance if your child needs an updated physical form during the school year.
FIRE DRILLS/LOCK DOWN DRILLS
We will conduct fire drills once a month and lock down drills twice a year. On the first day of school, we'll practice our first fire drill. Teachers will explain what a fire drill is and guide students through a walk-through.
In the following months, I’ll use the sound of the smoke detector outside the classroom doors to signal a fire drill. Additionally, the Newburyport Fire Department will join us during the first month to conduct a fire drill as well.
PARENT PARTICIPATION
We value parents’ participation in our school. Your involvement can make a big difference! There are so many fun ways to get involved, whether it’s reading a book, doing a craft, or bringing treats for our holiday party.
You can spend just 10 or 15 minutes, or even an hour with us—every little bit counts! Your child would be thrilled to have you join in, no matter how much time you can spare.
A form will be sent home shortly for you to express your interest in participating.
FIELD TRIP
We will be going to Ingaldsby Farm in Boxford, MA, this year. It’s a wonderful place, and we’re thrilled to be returning! This trip will be a great opportunity for the students to learn and have fun.
A Parent will need to provide transportation to and from the farm and is welcome to attend.
Five Day and T/TH Programs: Thursday, September 26th
MWF Programs: Friday, September 27th.
There will be no school for Mrs. Gray’s class on September 27th.
Note: If for any reason the trip gets canceled, please note that there will be no school on either day. The building will be rented out for a Quilters Bazaar from Thursday through Saturday. Thanks for your understanding!
I’ll keep you updated with more details as we get closer to the date.
SCHOLASTIC BOOKS:
Our school is reading with Scholastic Book Clubs! You’ll have access to expertly curated, affordable books that help boost your child’s reading skills, build your home library, and maybe even create moments of quality time you can share together.
Plus place an order of $25 or more and you can pick a FREE $5 book (use code READS at checkout).
September is the month we receive the most points for your orders. Teachers use the points to order books for their classrooms. September Orders will be placed on September 29th. Books take about two weeks to come in. Remember to place orders for Holiday books in advance. If you would like to order, flyers are available online.
Shop Our Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/DK2M4
Shop Flyers: https://clubs.scholastic.com/all-flyers
UPCOMING HAPPENINGS
· School Pictures
· No School: Columbus Day
· Halloween Parties and Parade
Read More
