November 2017
With Appreciation:
Congratulations to the cast and crew of Monster Madness! Warm thanks to Mr. Lemaire and Mrs. Swain and for all they put into preparing for our 5th grade students for such a wonderful performance. Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered their time behind the scenes. Bravo!
Middle School Sponsored Coats for Kids:
Concord Middle School’s Coats for Kids needs the elementary schools’ help in collecting coats for Anton’s Cleaners Annual Coats for Kids Drive. We are accepting all winter coats – kids, adults, and babies – that are in good wearable condition. We cannot accept vests, hats, gloves, or snow pants. Please donate coats that you would give a friend to wear. Coats are being collected now through January 8, 2018. Thank you for your generosity. Your donations are greatly appreciated!
Concord Integrated Preschool Open House:
The Concord Integrated Preschool located at the Ripley Building is holding an Open House on Friday December 1st from 9-11am and from 1-3pm. Come tour the facility, meet our staff and learn more about our program. We will be holding a lottery in February to fill spots for our 2018/2019 half and full day programs. More information and an application is available on our website at https://www.concordps.org. If you cannot make the open house and have further questions or would like to schedule a tour please call Janet O’Shea at (978) 202-1147.
Turkey Trot: Wednesday November 22nd:
One of our most beloved school traditions is only a few weeks away! We are thrilled to be hosting our 28th Annual Turkey Trot on Wednesday November 22nd from 11:10 AM to 12:00 PM. The Turkey Trot is a non-competitive fun run, which begins with a pep rally in the gym and ends with students chasing “Tom the Turkey” through the Thoreau School Neighborhood. Please contact Nurse Jensen if your student requires accommodations for this event.
Parents are invited to show their support for the students buy cheering them on along the route. Because this event ends so close to our dismissal time on the 23rd (12:30 PM), in the past, many parents have opted to dismiss their students between 12:00 and 12:30. In an effort to ensure a safe and less chaotic dismissal, this year, all students will be dismissed from their classrooms and not from the field. If you choose to pick up your student before our scheduled dismissal time, please let the teacher know in advance and go directly to the classroom to sign them out.
Please join the conversation: “School Calendars, Religious and Cultural Awareness, and Accommodations” Wednesday, November 15, 7:00pm, in the CCHS Learning Commons.
The Community is invited to a Public Forum on issues and concerns surrounding the school calendar, religious and cultural awareness and accommodations for students whose religious and/or cultural practices may affect school work and/or school attendance. The evening will be facilitated by Karen Thomsen from the EDCO Collaborative IDEAS Initiative (Initiatives for Developing Equity and Achievement for Students). Hosted by the School Committee’s Calendar Working Group, this Forum is an opportunity to hear the voices of the community and for citizens, families, parents and students to express their thoughts and concerns on academic calendars and the diversity of religious and cultural practices that exist within our community.
Winter Weather: Please have your child dress for the weather. The warmest part of the day is during school hours and I will be sending your child outside for recess. I am a firm believer in dressing for the weather and getting outside to enjoy it. Please send your child with a hat, gloves, snow pants, etc. so that they are prepared to enjoy this season! It is helpful to have your child’s name in each article of clothing to increase the likelihood of it being returned to your child. Thank you!
Upcoming Events:
November 11th Veteran’s Day
November 20th PTG Meeting 9:00 AM
November 22nd Turkey Trot 11:10 AM, Early Release 12:30 PM
November 23rd and 24th Thanksgiving Recess: NO SCHOOL
November 20th
Forgotten Lunches, Instruments, Homework, Books, Sneakers, Etc.:
In an effort to keep interruptions to learning to a minimum, we seek your support in reducing the number of students who need to leave class to call home to request that items be brought to school. Please help students learn to be responsible (especially in our upper grades) by reminding them to check to be sure they leave home with any necessary items. If it is absolutely necessary to drop something off, please leave it in the main office.
Changes to Dismissal Plans:
Please send in a note to your child’s teacher if you need to change his/her dismissal plans for that day. If possible, all play dates should be arranged prior to your child’s arrival at school. If you need to change your child’s dismissal plan unexpectedly, please notify the office by 2:30 PM. Thank you for your assistance with this matter.
Dismissal/Arrival Parking:
During arrival, please reserve the van accessible spaces for vehicles with handicapped placards. During dismissal, please be sure not to block the crosswalk or fire lanes. Because the back parking lot is reserved for faculty, parents are encouraged to park along both sides of West Street and on the right side of Pleasant Street or Chase Road. If it’s not raining or snowing, parents picking up their students should meet them behind the building near the basketball court. In the case of inclement weather, pick up is in the cafeteria. Thank you!