• Professional Day: Thursday, May 16: NO SCHOOL
• Kindergarten Field Trip to Paper Bag Players at Rhode Island College: Wednesday, May 15
• Spring Family Dance: Under the Sea: Friday, May 17 (6:00-8:00 PM)
• Grade 4 Field Trip to Rhode Island State House: Monday, May 20
• Turn to 10 Meteorologist Mark Searles Visit: Friday, May 24
• Grade 4 Battle of the Books and Taste of Rhode Island: Wednesday, May 29
• Grade 4 Visit to Westerly Middle School: Friday, May 31
• Grade 4 Field Trip to Camp Watchaug: Monday, June 3; Rain Date: Wednesday, June 5
• Grade 4 Field Trip to New England Science and Sailing:
  • Mrs. Walker’s and Mrs. West’s classes: Thursday, June 6
  • Mrs. Cleary’s and Mrs. Paquin’s classes: Monday, June 10
• Grade 3 Field Trip to Pequot Museum: Wednesday, June 12
• Fun Day (Grades K-2): Monday, June 17; Rain Date Wednesday, June 19:

• Field Day (Grades 3-4): Tuesday, June 18; Rain Date: Thursday, June 20

• Grade 2 Field Trip to Casey Farm: Monday, June 24
• Grade Four Promotion Ceremony: Monday, June 24 (6:00 PM)
• Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 26 (Half Day; 12:00 Dismissal; We will serve lunch)
• Report Cards Sent Home: Wednesday, June 26
• New Student Orientation (Incoming Students in Grades 1-4): Tuesday, August 27 (5:00-5:30 PM)
• Back to School Ice Cream Social: Tuesday, August 27 (5:30 PM)
• First Day of School for 2013-14: Wednesday, August 28 for Students in Grades 1-4; Sept 2 for K

Flu is widespread in RI. We may face a severe flu season. Everyone 6 months and older should be vaccinated: see your doctor, go to a public clinic, or go to a pharmacy. For more info, contact the RI Dept. of Health 401-222-5960 or www.health.ri.gov

Click here to download the flyer being sent home this week.

Dear Families:

Thank you for coming to our Open House last week. This event was very well-attended. It was a real pleasure to greet you and to show off the work your children are doing in their classrooms. I also appreciate your attendance at the Principal’s Address. If you missed that address you can view the presentation slides by clicking below:

Open House 2012
 

It sure feels like the fall season out there. It’s amazing how the smells of the season bring you right back to childhood. I realized this on Monday evening enjoying the brisk coolness and smell of leaves. It took me right back to being eight years-old and playing with my childhood friends. There are so many triggers to childhood memories. In school we hope that, when children look back on their childhoods, they think fondly of their elementary school years.

To that end, our teachers try to keeping learning joyful. They know that students learn better when it’s fun and relevant. That’s why you’ll see students talking about what they’re learning, writing in response journals, setting goals based on pre-test performance, and celebrating their work with their classmates and teachers. There is almost nothing that is as much fun as finding success with something difficult.

Speaking of hard work, students in grades three and four are taking the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) over the next few weeks (Reading: Oct. 9, 10, 11 and Mathematics: Oct. 16, 17, 18). Please be sure that your children get plenty of rest and eat a healthy breakfast so that they’re prepared to do their best. Students will not be admitted to class later than 9:00 and cannot be dismissed before 10:45.

We received the results from NECAP Science 2012. Dunn’s Corners School performed among the top 18 schools in Rhode Island on NECAP Science 2012. Our school has shown considerable growth in this performance over the past few years: 45% Proficient in 2010; 65% Proficient in 2011; 75% Proficient in 2012. That’s a gain of 30% students scoring proficiently in two years. It’s the result of years of hard work on behalf of students, and expert instruction and skill on behalf of their teachers. We plan to see this success rate continue.

I received some positive feedback on the Family Matrix related to our 5 Bs. Many families have found this to be helpful in improving at-home behaviors. I’ve included it in this newsletter for you. Feel free to use it any way you wish.

On behalf of the school’s faculty and staff I wish for you a wonderful October!

Sincerely,                                            Mr. Haskins

Upcoming Events:

·         PTO Meeting: Thursday, October 18 (7:00 PM) in library. Babysitting services provided but you must call the school ahead of time (348-2322)

·         NECAP Reading Grades 3-4: October 9, 10, 11

·         NECAP Mathematics Grades 3-4: October 16, 17, 18

·         Book Fair: October 24, 25, 26

·         Fall Festival: Friday, October 26 (6:00-8:00 PM)

·         Mix It Up Day: Tuesday, October 30 (Students are encouraged to sit with a schoolmate they don’t know well).

·         Spirit Day: Wednesday, October 31 (Dress in your favorite sports jersey and consider optional $1.00 donation to the PTO)

·         Parent Academy Course: “Understanding and Nurturing a Child’s Mind”: Nov 5 (4:00-6:00 PM) at Dunn’s Corners School. Visit http://www.westerlyparentacademy.org to register

·         Election Day: NO SCHOOL: Tuesday, November 6

·         PTO Meeting: Thursday, November 8 (7:00 PM) in library. Babysitting services provided but you must call the school ahead of time (348-2322)

·         Veterans Day (Observed): NO SCHOOL: Monday, November 12

·         Thanksgiving Holiday: NO SCHOOL: Tuesday, November 22 and Friday, November 23

Information about the Federal Lunch Program

Your child may be eligible for free or reduced breakfast and lunch. This federal program requires that you complete and submit the application form, attached to this newsletter.

Why apply? Well, first, the program can help save you money. Also, our school needs accurate accounting of families eligible for free/reduced meals. These numbers are used by the Westerly Public Schools to determine service allocation. For example, Dunn’s Corners School receives less reading specialist and mathematics interventionist support than other similarly populated elementary schools in Westerly because we have just a few less families who are identified as free or reduced lunch eligible. While other schools have a parent liaison on staff, we do not. So, your completed application is very important. This application remains confidential. Please call Mr. Haskins if you have any questions about this program.

Click below to access the Federal Lunch Application
http://chartwells-dining--services.westerly.k12.ri.us/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?fid=17437246&gid=1177483

Or Click Here:
Federal Lunch Application

Introducing Ms. Manfredi, Kindergarten Teacher Assistant: Hello Dunn’s Corners Family! My name is Liz Manfredi and I am the Kindergarten teacher assistant in Mrs. Perkins’s room. I am so thrilled to be a part of the Dunn’s Corners staff. I live in Dunn’s Corners with my husband Jamie and my two beautiful children Brooklyn, seven, and James, five. I enjoy reading, gardening and spending time with my family. I look forward to an amazing year in Kindergarten!

Remember: Fantastic Attendance Matters!

Dunn’s Corners School has a new initiative to encourage and reward attendance at our school. The team has already met this year and we will soon be welcoming a new parent member.  The committee continues to work with Steve Iacoi, Westerly Truancy Officer, to promote a positive approach to encouraging optimal attendance in our school.  We will be presenting student awards again this year for excellent attendance.

The committee hopes to encourage more families to become involved in encouraging students to be present at school in order to make the most of the educational experience.  We will continue to recognize many levels of good attendance.  “Fantastic Attendance” will be those students who either miss no school days, or those who miss only days with a doctor’s note.  Honorable Mention will go to students with one verified absence (parent calls in).  Students with two verified absences will be recognized as well.

We hope our families will come to understand that unexcused and unverified absences are unlawful absences.  Unexcused and unverified early dismissals and tardiness also are unlawful. We want our students and their families to take pride in the responsible behavior of excellent school attendance

Homework Helper: Help your child take control of his homework load

http://www.greatschools.org/back-to-school/651-homework-helper.gs

Your child may not realize it memorizing the periodic table at 2 a.m., but homework is a good thing. It helps your child: Practice what was learned during the day. Establish study habits that will be critical in college. Prepare for classes. Get a sense of progress.

Homework tips: How can you help your child get the most out of homework? Here are 10 ideas to get you started.

1.      Set the mood: Help your child create a good study area with all the resources she needs (for example, a dictionary). If you don't have a quiet place at home, she should try the school or local library.

2.      Know where to begin: Your child should make a prioritized list of everything she needs to do, so she can't use "I don't know where to start" as an excuse. It's important not to over-schedule. Without some flexibility, your child will set herself up to fail.

3.      Study at the same time every day: Even if your child doesn't have homework, she can use the time to review notes. If homework is something your child accepts as part of her day, she'll approach it with less dread. Plus, she will become a pro at using time productively.

4.      Keep things in perspective: Your child should know how much weight each assignment or test carries, and use her time accordingly.

5.      Get more involved: Does your child ever feel like she can't stay awake to read something, let alone process it? To keep her mind from wandering, your child may want to take notes, underline sections, discuss topics with others, or relate her homework to what she is studying in another class.

6.      Organize the information: People process information in different ways. Some people like to draw pictures or charts to digest information, other people like to read out loud or make detailed outlines. Your child should try to find the best methods that work for her. She should ask her teacher for recommendations if she's experiencing any difficulty.

7.      Take advantage of any free time: If your child has a study hall, or a long bus ride, she can use the time to review notes, prepare for an upcoming class, or start homework.

8.      Studying with a friend: Unless it's too distracting, your child may want to get together with friends and classmates to quiz herself, compare notes, and predict test questions. To you, this may seem like mostly a social time, but it can be very beneficial to your child to prepare for an assignment as part of a group.

9.      Celebrate your child's achievements: Reward your child for hitting milestones, or doing something well. You can provide treats or small rewards for your child while she is working on a big assignment. Your appreciation of your child's accomplishments in school is still very important to her, even though she may not always show it.

10.  Communication is key: Keeping the lines of communication open will help to broaden your understanding of what teachers and counselors expect of your child and may help you to think of new ways to be supportive while still giving your child the independence that she's craving. It will also help you to understand how much time your child needs to allot for her homework, time that might take away from her participation in family activities or helping out around the house.

If your child has concerns about the amount or type of homework she has, she may want to talk to her teacher, adviser, or counselor. Encourage your child to ask for help if she needs it.


Click here to access NECAP Science 2012 Report

Click here to access the RIPIN October calendar

• Communication is a two-way street. As important as it is for your child’s teacher to communicate to you the level of progress your child makes, please be sure to speak with your child’s teacher about your goals, wishes and concerns for your child.
• Email has its limitations. While many teachers prefer to use email for communication, it is unrealistic to expect a response immediately or even within a day’s time. As a principal, I attempt to respond to email within the week. It is the authorized practice of our school to respond to parent phone calls within 24 hours, when possible. If your concern is of an urgent nature, we prefer that you call the school (348-2322).
• Concerns must be brought first to the teacher’s attention. If, after consulting with a teacher, you continue to have concerns then please contact Mrs. Giddings, school secretary, to make an appointment with the principal.
• Changes to after-school transportation must be put in writing. This allows the teacher and office staff to document the communication and, therefore, to better attend to the parent request. We understand that changes to schedules can occur after the school day has already started; however, this should be the exception and not the norm. In the case where a change must be made to afterschool transportation after the school day has already started then please call Mrs. Giddings as soon as possible so that she may accommodate the request.

• Please observe Plateau Rd as a one way street during arrival and dismissal hours (8:20-8:50 and 3:00-3:30)
• Please observe 10 miles per hour while on Plateau Rd during arrival and dismissal, and 25 mph on neighborhood streets unless otherwise indicated.
• Please drop off students no earlier than 8:25. We do not provide supervision until 8:25 each day. If you require before or after school care, please contact the Tower Street School Community Center at 348-2788.
• Please send students to school wearing safe footwear. Open-toed shoes, flip flops and sandals pose safety risks.
• Please write your child’s first and last name on the inside tag of all outerwear. Our lost and found box looks is beginning to resemble a department store. We can only imagine the cost of replacing these items. Our ability to return lost items will reduce your out-of-pocket expense.
• Please refrain from sending candy and soda to school. We realize this can be difficult, especially after Halloween. Still, please keep candy and soda at home.
• Please avoid sending in food to celebrate birthdays. Dunn’s Corners School does not celebrate student birthdays with food.
• Please update your contact information as soon as possible whenever any changes occur. This includes any changes to your phone numbers, address, and those of your emergency contacts.
• Please use the parent pickup line when picking up students at the end of the day. Please avoid coming into the office area for parent pickup (unless you are walking to the school). Dismissal time can be hectic if parents deviate from the established dismissal procedures.

• Ms. Tina Bailey, Lunch/Recess Aide
• Ms. Kerry Berthelot, Grade Four
• Mr. Ben Boisclare, Music Teacher
• Ms. Elaine Connelly, Speech Language Pathologist (temporarily assigned to Bradford School)
• Ms. Peggy DelVecchio, Grade One Teacher (long-term substitute)
• Ms. Pauline Dunkel, Grade Two Teacher
• Ms. Donna Fallon, Speech Language Pathologist (long-term substitute)
• Ms. Melissa Paquin, Grade Four Teacher
• Ms. Jennifer Parker, Special Education Teacher
• Ms. Meghan Raiche, Art Teacher
• Ms. Marianne Scorpio, School psychologist