All Around Mark’s Meadow:

The Principal’s View
The photo above shows an enthusiastic all-school wave to kick-off the new school year after our annual First Day parade. During the month of September we have established the tradition of having two assemblies that express fundamental values of our school. Our Welcome Assembly focused on the importance of welcoming and inviting everyone into our community. During the assembly we asked our students and staff to remember that we were all new once. Then the children shared what helped them feel comfortable at Mark’s Meadow during their own first weeks.
Our second assembly of September was devoted to the school’s Code of Conduct. Our Code of Conduct provides a framework that outlines the rights and responsibilities of being a student at Mark’s Meadow. During the assembly we emphasized the first principle in the Code of Conduct: 1) Everyone has the right to be treated with respect. The students shared their ideas about the meaning of treating others with respect. Giving children the opportunity to discuss their own viewpoints is an essential aspect of moral development and character education. We invited the children to join us in the goal of creating a school where every person can be him/herself and have his/her own interests at school without any fear of being teased. Throughout the year we will use ‘real-life’ situations in school as opportunities to learn and grow. As parents/guardians you can help us establish this respectful environment at school by discussing with your children the importance of appreciating differences and seeing the similarities that we all have in common. You can also join us in encouraging your children to speak up whenever they feel uncomfortable about the words or actions of others. Nick

Important Events in October
October 2 - Diversity Committee, 4 p.m.
October 3 – Curriculum Night, 6:15 – 8 p.m.
October 4 –School Governance Council, 3:30 pm
October 5 – Photo Day
October 8 – No School, Columbus Day
October 9 – Parent-Guardian Group, 6:30 pm,
all invited, childcare provided
October 16- School Committee, High School, 7pm

Wednesday, October 3rd, from 6:15-8:00 pm We invite all families to our annual Curriculum Night। It is a night for you to meet your child’s teachers, visit the school, and hear about the scope and sequence of the curriculum. You will also have the opportunity to set a date for your fall parent-teacher conference. During the conferences you will be able to talk to your child’s classroom teacher in more depth and set goals together for the upcoming year. A detailed schedule will be sent home soon.

Parking Alert for School Events!
Please use the meters (they are free after 5p.m.) or UMass parking lots (66 or 44) on the side or behind the school for parking. Do not park alongside the driveways leading up to the school or next to the curb in front of the school.

Setting goals with your children
The start of school is an opportune time for parents/guardians, children and teachers to talk about their hopes and dreams for the upcoming year together। Many classrooms have set aside time for the children to reflect on their goals for themselves at school. When asked, what do your children say to you about this topic? You might also want to discuss a few goals that you have for them. Try to be as specific as you can. Then you could share the content of these conversations with your child’s teacher during your Fall Conference.

Thank-yous!
- Thank-you to all of our families for making the effort to ensure that your children arrive to school on time. We have had a record low number of late arrivals for the month of September!

- Thank-you to Ilene Lacey, our Intervention Paraprofessional, for taking all of the library ‘backjacks’ home over the summer for mending. She sewed the ripped seams by hand so expertly that they should last another five years.

- Thank-you to the River Shark Café for providing a generous discount to the Mark’s Meadow staff on their catered Welcome Back lunch on the day before the first day of school.

- Thank-you to Lynne Weintraub, Crystal Ives and all of the people who helped with our Welcome Back Potluck. Thank-you to our PGG for providing the drinks, desserts, plates and utensils.

A Few Reminders:
Absent Line
Please call the special school number, 362-1301, before 8:30 AM if your child will be absent.

Electronic Toys, any kind of collecting cards, IPODS, CD players, and cell phones
Game boys, CD players, IPODS, other electronic devices and collecting cards are not allowed in school (or in the after school program). They have the power to distract children even if they are in backpacks. They also can get lost during the course of the school day. If they come to an adult’s attention he/she will confiscate the item and it will remain in the office until picked up by the parent. Cell phones represent the same risk and distraction. However, if you feel that your child needs to have a cell phone to contact you after school hours please send a note giving him/her permission.

‘Heelies’
Shoes with wheels represent a safety risk at school. If children own these shoes they must take the wheels out when they worn in school.

Saving Makes Cents!
The Saving Makes Cents program at Mark's Meadow will resume in October. Information and enrollment materials will be sent home with children in grades 1-6 in the next couple of weeks. Children who have previously participated in the program will not need to enroll again.
If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Churchill at 549-1786 or via email at ajchurch1@verizon।net.


Dear Mark’s Meadow Families,

Here at Mark’s Meadow, there are numerous staff that suffer from fragrant/chemical induced odors. These reactions can cause a multitude of symptoms including severe migraines, respiratory difficulty, asthma episodes, vomiting, red itchy eye, etc. These reactions are serious to the sufferer. Some reactions constitute very strong prescription drugs in order to control or stop the symptoms. It may take the sufferer hours or in some cases days to recover, only to be susceptible to another exposure in the building.

Often we are misled and believe the culprit must be an offensive odor. A reaction can be triggered from exposure to the softest scent or to a combination of multiple scents. Each individual responds differently. What we do know is that the reactive person can become very ill.

We don’t realize the multitude of perfumes, colognes, lotions and hair products that come into the building any given day from our staff and our visitors. Please join us in an effort to keep our school environment symptom free.

Thank you,
Nick



HEARING SCREENING

The UMass Audiology Department will be at Mark’s Meadow on Monday, October 29, 2007 to do the annual hearing screening for all students. If you have any questions, you may call Bonnie in the Health Room – 362-1314.



APPLE HARVEST CRAFTS FAIR & CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

The Apple Harvest Crafts Fair and Children’s Festival will be on Saturday, September 29th on the Town Common, 10:00am – 5:00pm. The Festival raises money for the Amherst Family Center. This year we will also have guest artisans from Katrina ravaged, Bay St Louis, Mississippi. The Children’s Festival will include our homemade games, crafts, a jumpy castle, pony rides, a petting zoo and hayrides (in the afternoon)!!!