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| April |
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Principal’s Corner
Dear Parents or Guardians,
Research shows that parents can help students achieve more by:
 | Making education the #1 priority in your home. |
| Setting high standards for work quality and behavior. |
| Making sure your child is punctual and attends school regularly. |
| Monitoring homework. |
| Read aloud at home. |
| Being active at school; joining school organizations and volunteering. |
| Restricting television and video games. |
| Monitoring bedtime and meals. |
"Studies of individual families show that what the family does is more
important to students success than family income or education."
Mrs. Ratcliff
Personal Items
Students should not bring toys, trading cards, athletic items, electronic
equipment, or nonessential items to school unless authorized by a teacher.
We cannot be responsible for lost or misplaced articles. Pets may only be
brought to school with the written consent of both the principal and
classroom teacher, and must be brought by an adult. No pets are allowed on
the school bus.
Wanted
Day Care Providers: There
is a need for after school day care for kindergarten- Grade 5 students. If
you are interested, please contact Clayville School, 647-4115.
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Volunteer Appreciation
Clayville School volunteers are a very special group of people. We are
fortunate to have a caring and energetic group of parents that lend us
their helping hands in many ways. Some people help students learn, assist
in writer’s workshop, or organize classroom projects. Parents plan
celebrations, make scenery or coordinate special events. Still others help
in the library, run Reading Week activities, publish student work and send
out informational flyers.
Our very active PTO volunteers engage in fundraising activities
throughout the year. They support Field Day, Young Author’s, Book Fairs,
and may other activities that enrich learning in our school.
Our dedicated volunteers are always there when we need them. They add
immeasurably to the life of our school and the quality of the programs we
can provide. The staff and students at Clayville thank each one of our
precious helpers for their generous gift of time, talent and enthusiasm
they provide.
Parent-Teacher Organization
Parents are encouraged to attend our PTO meetings and become an active
member of this worthwhile group. Education is a team effort, and we are
proud to work with parents through the PTO. The next PTO meeting will be
held on Tuesday, April 12th at 6:30 PM in the school library.
Guidelines for Dress
The basic responsibility for appropriate dress must rest with the student
and his/her parents. The following guidelines for dress should be observed:
| Clothing is to be worn in the manner and for the purpose for which it
is intended. |
| Shoes or sandals must be worn and must have a back strap and closed
toes. |
| Hats should not be worn in the building. |
| Shorts should be mid-thigh in length. |
| Shirts should have sleeves and midriff or the navel should not
be exposed. |
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| March |
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Principal’s Corner
Dear Parents or Guardians,
One of the best things you can do to assist your children with reading is
to engage them in talking about the books they read. Talking stimulates
language development and helps children improve their comprehension. You can
invite your children into conversation during the reading by stopping now
and then to ask, "What do you think might happen next?" As you know,
children love to share their opinions. After reading, you might get your
child started with questions such as:
| What did you notice? |
| What did you like about this story? |
| How did it make you feel? |
| Did this story remind you of…? |
| What parts of the story were your favorites? |
Just choose one or two of these questions so that it feels like a
conversation instead of a quiz!
Happy Reading,
Mrs. Ratcliff
District Testing Dates
The dates for the District Assessments are:
March 29-30- Grades 1-5-Writing
April 5- Grades 2-5-SAT-9-Reading
April 6- Grades 2- 5-SAT-9-Math
The District Writing Assessment is a performance assessment, taken over a
two-day period and measures student progress against the standard.
The SAT-9 testing is a standardized, norm-referenced test that gives a
‘snapshot’ of the student’s performance as it compares to similar students
throughout the country.
Please mark these dates on your calendar and be sure that your child
attends school on these assessment dates. It is important that your
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Parent-Teacher Organization
Clayville School is fortunate to have a very dedicated, capable and
involved group of parents and teachers who together make up our PTO. The PTO
sponsors special programs, after school programs, and events for the
children throughout the year. The next PTO meeting will be held on Tuesday,
March 8th at 6:30 PM in the school library. This month we will be
featuring information about the new Scituate Middle School. Please try to
attend.
Parent Pledge
Thank you, for pledging to assist our school in ensuring a productive
school experience for your child (ren) by
| Believing that your child can learn; |
| Helping your child get to school on time and attending school
regularly; |
| Assisting with homework and reading with your child every day; |
| Staying aware of what your child is learning and communicating
regularly with the school staff and your child; |
| Attending school functions and volunteering at school. |
Homework
Homework is an important part of your child’s education at Clayville
School. We believe that homework is truly an extension of the classroom,
providing every student with the opportunity for enhanced learning. Homework
assignments are related to the curriculum and consideration is given to the
developmental needs of young children.
We consider reading daily to be an essential component of homework, as
the single most important activity essential for reading success cited by
the International Reading Association (1998) appears to be reading to
children, with children and by children. Parents are encouraged to support
their children’s literacy success by reading to their children and
encouraging them to read on a daily basis. Therefore, even when there is no
homework assigned, it is our expectation that children will spend time each
day reading.
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| February |
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Principal’s Corner
We have become an affiliate school with the Reading Project at Columbia
Teachers College this year. Through this affiliation, we received
professional development for two days last month. Staff developers provided
two full days of training for teachers in the "Reading Workshop" and
it was followed up with model lessons in several classrooms.
Through this approach, children are taught how to think critically about
what they read and how to "grow ideas" from their reading through
conversations with others. "Smart" reading habits are emphasized that
promote a lifelong love of reading.
Research indicates, students read better when they read a lot of material
of their own choosing at their own instructional level.
Students are provided ample time in the classroom to read books of their
own choosing with a purpose and focus. It is also expected that students
follow up with additional reading at home.
Dismissal Reminder
If you want to pick up your child instead of having them take the bus,
please remember to send in a note. Your child’s teacher will send the note
to the office and Mrs. Reynolds will place your child on the dismissal list.
For security reasons, all notes must be signed by the parent/guardian.
When picking up your child for dismissal, please do not ask to have your
child dismissed before 3:00 PM, as it is very disruptive to the classroom
routine. Unless it is absolutely necessary, we will not dismiss students
before our regular dismissal time of 3:00 PM.
Thank you, for facilitating a smooth and safe dismissal for our children
by following these guidelines.
Parent-Teacher Organization
Our PTO meets monthly to discuss the organization of activities and
programs. Our next PTO meeting will be Tuesday, February 8th
@6:30 PM. Please try to attend to learn more about our school.
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Kindergarten
Registration If your child
will turn five on or before September 1, 2005, then he/she will be eligible
for entrance into kindergarten next year.
We are in the process of compiling our preliminary list of prospective
kindergarten students for the 2005-2006 School Year. If your child is
eligible, please contact our school (647-4115) as soon as possible. This
will ensure that your child is on our list and you will receive all the
information for Kindergarten Registration, which will be held at Clayville
on March 10th. There will be two sessions: Families whose last name begins
with A-L will attend the morning session and M-Z will attend the afternoon
session.
Due to Kindergarten Registration, there will be No School on Thursday, March
10th for the current kindergarten students.
Lock Down Drill Practice
During the month of February we will practice one of the Emergency
Procedures called a School Lock Down Drill. As with a Fire Drill, we hope we
never have to officially implement these procedures but for the safety of
everyone we must know what to do if such an emergency is required. Students
will be prepared for the drill by their classroom teacher. If you have any
questions, please give Mrs. Ratcliff a call.
Visitors
Just a reminder to all our visitors, you must sign-in and get a visitors
badge before going to the classroom. If you have something to drop off to
your child, please leave it at the office and we will your call your child
down at recess time. For those who have forgotten to return their badges
when leaving the school, please do so as soon as possible.
Preschool Story Hour
This month our Story Hour will be held on Thursday, February 17th @1PM, in
the Library/Media Center. If you are interested in participating, please
contact Annette Cook, coordinator. We are in need of a new coordinator for
the next school year. If you are interested, please contact Annette Cook @
647-3232.
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| January |
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Principal’s Corner
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Happy 2005! It is difficult to believe that almost half of the school year
has passed. The students have been working hard to meet the standards
academically, behaviorally, and socially. I’ve seen a great deal of growth,
maturity, and an eagerness to learn.
I would like to ask you to consider making a very achievable resolution this
New Year. Resolve to create a climate for reading in your home. Really
encourage reading, as it is the foundation for all learning. If you have
young children, read to and with your child every day. If your children are
older, turn off the television and set aside a time for reading for the
whole family.
Many thanks for all your support and participation in our home/school
activities. It is evident that you have encouraged your child to try their
best. This support helps to reinforce the skills your child has learned at
school. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or
concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ratcliff
SALT Survey
The annual SALT (School Accountability for Learning and Teaching Survey),
required by the No Child Left Behind Act will be sent home the week of
January17-21. Please complete the survey and return it to school by
Wednesday, January 26th. Your input helps to make Clayville the best school
possible. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
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Kindergarten
Registration
If your child will turn five on or before September 1, 2005, then he/she
will be eligible for entrance into kindergarten next year. We are in the
process of compiling our preliminary list of prospective kindergarten
students for the 2005-2006 School Year. If your child is eligible, please
contact our school (647-4115) as soon as possible. This will ensure that
your child is on our list and you will receive all the information for
Kindergarten Registration, which will be held at Clayville in March. If you
have friends or neighbors who have eligible kindergarteners, please pass
this information along. We appreciate your assistance.
Health Tips
During Cold and Flu Season Remind Your Child to:
| Eat a well-balanced diet, especially a good breakfast |
| Get plenty of rest. |
| Wash hands often. |
| Cover coughs and sneezes using a tissue. |
| Dispose of tissues immediately after use. |
| Do not share drinking glasses, straws, water bottles or food. |
Students with complaints of minor sore throats, cough, or upset stomach
(without fever) often get immediate relief when they blow their nose and
drink plenty of fluids. Consult your doctor for more severe or prolonged
symptoms.
Medication to treat cold and flu symptoms should be given at home, if
possible. If your child requires any medication during the school day,
please note the district medication policy:
1. No student is allowed to transport medication to and from school with the
exception of emergency medications. All other medication must be transported
to and from school by the parent or another adult.
2. Prescription and non-prescription medication will be dispensed by the
school nurse-teacher only when:
a) received by the school nurse-teacher in the original
labeled container from the pharmacy
b) is requested in writing by the attending physician
c) Is authorized in writing by the parent or legal guardian
of the student.
School Resource Officer
The Scituate Schools have a new School Resource Officer. Officer Kevin
Pendergast has been assigned to this position, which became vacant when Sgt.
Steve Bremges was promoted to Lieutenant. We look forward to working with
Sgt. Pendergast.
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| December |
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Principal’s Corner
SUCCESS IS THE KEY TO LEARNING
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| Support: Parents are partners in the educational process.
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| Uniqueness: Each student’s maximum progress is important.
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| Competencies: Goals for each basic skill are clearly stated.
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| Climate: A staff that is conscientious, fair, and friendly
works to create a positive attitude toward school. |
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| Expectations: Achievement takes place when teachers and
parents expect and encourage excellence. |
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| Self-discipline: Responsibility for one’s actions is as
important to teach as the other R’s. |
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| Satisfaction: Progress..is carefully measured, clearly
reported, and joyfully rewarded- leads to feelings of self-worth for
students and teachers. |
Parent-Teacher Organization
Clayville’s PTO mission is to create a positive environment for the
children in the school and community. They seek to enhance the quality of
our students learning experiences and to support the school’s educational
programs. We encourage all parents and staff to support the children and our
school by getting involved in the many activities sponsored by the PTO. Our
PTO meets monthly to discuss the organization of activities and programs.
Our next PTO meeting will be Tuesday, December 14th at 6:30 PM.
Help Needed
Substitute Custodians -All Shifts.
$11.49/hour
Bus Monitors- Immediate need. Variable schedules.
Part-time Teacher Assistants- Special Education
Middle School Level. Varying Schedules.
Please call the Scituate School Department, 647-4100 for information or
an application packet.
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Visitors To The School
Building security is a prime concern in today’s world. In order to
maximize child safety, it is necessary for all volunteers, parents and
visitors to sign in at the office immediately upon entering the building a nd
receive a designated badge. If you are dropping off items such as forgotten
lunch money, music instruments, etc., please bring them to the office. We
will see that they get to the proper classroom. Your cooperation will help
us limit the number of interruptions during teaching time. If you come to
pick up a student early for an appointment etc., your child will be sent to
the office. Do not go directly to the classrooms. Teachers
will not release children unless this procedure is followed. We appreciate
your assistance.
Parent Partnership
Parents can help to encourage safe schools. Here are some ideas that
parents in other communities have tried:
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| Discuss the school’s discipline policy with your child. Show your
support for the rules and help your child understand the reasons for them. |
| Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at home. |
| Teach your child how to solve problems. Praise your child when he or
she follows through. |
| Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally
or physically hurting others. |
| Note any disturbing behaviors in your child. Talk to a trusted
professional in your child’s school, such as the school psychologist,
principal, or teacher. |
| Encourage your child to always let you know where and with whom he or
she will be. Get to know your child’s friends. |
| Be involved in your child’s school life by supporting and reviewing
homework, talking with his or her teachers(s), and attending school
functions such as parent conferences, class programs, open houses, and PTO
meetings. |
Preschool Story Hour
We are offering a Preschool Story Hour for children ages 3-5. Each month
children will be exposed to a different type of literature, do an activity,
and have a snack. This month our Story Hour will be held on Thursday,
December 16th @1PM, in the Library/Media Center. Annette Cook, is
the coordinator.
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| November |
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Elementary
Language Arts
In an effort to better understand Language Arts Standards, the basic
foundation for literacy instruction is the Reading and Writing Workshop.
Within the workshop structure, teachers integrate fourteen specific
instructional formats (in bold below), creating a complete and balanced
literacy program.
Children learn to read by listening to and discussing a read aloud book each
day, by spending time reading independently across a wide variety of genres
within the Reading Workshop, and by establishing a lifetime reading habit.
As writers, children will engage in journal writing and a daily Writing
Workshop. Speaking and listening, are critical components of the language
arts program, are developed through student-centered discussions and by
having students practice formal presentations.
Reading and writing skills extend beyond the classroom in the real world, so
children are given opportunities to read materials in the content areas as
well as use their writing to learn across the curriculum.
To equip children for understanding the characteristics of the English
language, students create vocabulary notebooks, learn to investigate
language, and are instructed in the spelling, grammar, mechanics and usage
of language.
Finally, in an effort to help our students view learning as a lifetime
passion, our children engage in learning major research skills and using
technology to enhance their learning.
The primary goal of the literacy curriculum is to not only encourage
children to be proficient readers and writers of varied texts for various
purposes, but to become people who will love to read and write for pleasure,
information and learning for a lifetime.
From the School Nurse-Mrs. DeFranco
School Snacks That Make the Grade
All snacks are not equal! Many are high in salt, fat or empty calories.
Nutritious snacks can be planned to provide children with the correct number
of dairy, vegetable, grain, protein or fruit groups. Include children in
snack planning. This is a good time to help your child learn about food
labels and evaluate the nutrition of the snack they have chosen. |
Dismissal
Procedures
When picking up your child, please follow this procedure: Parents must come
into the cafeteria and sign out their child in the sign-out book with the
aide. Parents are then to wait in the cafeteria until the students are
called by the office. At no time will a teacher dismiss a student to a
parent who appears at the classroom door. Parents are asked not to go to
their child’s room at dismissal time. If you would like to speak with the
teacher please write a note to arrange a conference or telephone.
Parent Partnership
Parents play a vital role in educating children by helping to shape a
child’s attitude toward learning. Here are some ways parents can help
children to succeed in school:
| Show children that you support their education by talking to
them about school, setting high expectations and checking their class work
and homework.
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| Reward effort and good work with positive reinforcement.
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| Model and encourage outside reading.
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| Set limits on TV viewing.
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| Review our school’s Code of Conduct with your child.
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| Encourage after-school activities for enrichment.
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| Get to know your child’s teacher(s). If you have questions or
concerns, phone the teacher or request a conference.
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| Attend open house, parent-teacher conferences, workshops,
monthly PTO meetings and school report night.
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| Support quality education. Attend monthly school committee meetings
(usually held on the first Tuesday of the month.) and budget meetings.
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| Volunteer in the school. Young children love to have parents in the
classroom, and there are still openings to serve on some committees and to
volunteer. |
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent conferences will be held on Tuesday, November 16th (6:30-8:30 PM) and
Thursday, November 18th (3:30-6:00 PM). Notices have been sent home to
schedule your conferences, please indicate your preferences and return your
forms immediately. Conferences will be scheduled on a first come, first
served basis. Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to discuss
your child’s progress.
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| October |
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Dear Parents/ Guardians,
It is true that children who read regularly become better readers. Books
that children read at home should be books at their independent level. That
means, books should be easy enough for children to read without adult
assistance. If you are not sure if the level of the book your child is
reading is appropriate, please be sure to contact the teacher. If the book
that your child is reading is too hard then it is best to offer and easier
book, rather than frustrate your child.
Making reading fun and appealing to your child is important.
Happy Reading!
Mrs. Ratcliff
On October 26-28, students in grades 3-5 will be
participating in piloting the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP)
to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The NECAP
is the result of collaboration among New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont
to build a set of assessments to improve education. Students in every school
in all three states will participate in the Pilot Test. Each student will
complete one content area test (reading, mathematics, or writing). The Pilot
Testing will provide all schools in each state with an opportunity to
experience the assessment prior to the first operational testing to be
administered in October 2005, which will replace the new Standards Reference
Exam.
The school day begins promptly at 8:45. If your
child should be tardy, please send a note stating the reason. He/she should
be sure to check in the school office upon arriving at school. Medical
appointments are considered excused tardies. All other tardies are
unexcused. More than five unapproved tardies in a quarter will result in
notification to parents.
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Preschool Story Hour
On Thursday afternoon, October 28th at 1 o’clock Clayville will be
hosting its Preschool Story Hour Program, in the School Library. This
program is open to preschool-aged children and will be held the last
Thursday of each month. In addition to enjoying carefully selected stories,
the children take part in crafts and a snack, while interacting with their
peers in a real school setting. Please feel free to contact Annette Cook,
Program Coordinator, with any questions, at 647-3232. You are welcome to
bring a friend. We hope to see you on the 28th!
Clayville Website
Have you visited our Clayville Elementary School website? Our website
address is: http://www.scituateri.net /clayville
Our website offers Library Links with reading lists, student links and
teacher links. Come visit the many Class Web Sites, PTO Home Page and many
more informative sites. Heidi Allen is our Webmaster and has volunteered her
time and talents to develop our website. Many thanks to Heidi for her
efforts!
School Improvement Team
Our first School Improvement Team (SIT) meeting will be held on Tuesday,
October 19th at 2:00 PM. The purpose of this meeting is to review our School
Improvement Plan and Tactic Areas. Our School Improvement Plan drives our
professional development efforts and all major school improvement
initiatives. Please plan to attend and share your ideas.
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| September 2004 |
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Welcome Back!
We would like to welcome back all our students and their families to the
2004-2005 school year at Clayville School. We wish to extend a warm welcome
to our new students and their families. May your experience be exciting and
challenging here at Clayville. We look forward to a strong home-school
relationship with all of our families.
Many thanks to our hard-working and dedicated custodians: Jeff Spicer, Steve
Petrangelo, and John Bosco, for making our school look like new over the
summer months. They have done an outstanding job!
Faculty & Staff
The follow is a listing of all our faculty and staff:
Principal: Mrs. Brenda Ratcliff
Secretary: Mrs. Elfie Reynolds
Kindergarten: Mrs. Michelle Lancellotta
Grade One: Mrs. Nancy Fraser
Mrs. Lisa LaRose
Grade Two: Mrs. Sue Andrews
Mrs. Janet Farrar
Grade Three: Ms. Bethanne Colvin
Mrs. Stephanie Mikkelsen
Grade Four: Mrs. Cindy Gould
Mrs. Patti Bettez
Grade Five: Mrs. Lori Boutiette
PreSchool: Mrs. Terry Gallagher
P.S.C.: Mrs. Jennifer Bromage
Resource: Ms. Abbie Groves
Reading: Mrs. Tara Bergeron
Math: Mrs. Joyce Menna
Art: Mrs. MaryLou Harrison
Ms. LeeAnn Rutherford
Music: Mrs. Charlotte Ethier
Mr. Jason Rivard
P.E.: Mrs. Mary Reed
Library/Media: Mrs. Janet Kabai
Nurse/Teacher: Mrs. Bonnie DeFranco
Speech: Mrs. Maura Babbitt
Mrs. Michele Hamill
Psychologist: Mrs. Sheri Schiappa
O.T.: Mrs. Pat Soltys
Mrs. Debra DeLuca
P.T.: Mrs. Joanne Harwood
Head Custodian: Mr. Jeffrey Spicer
Custodians: Mr. Steve Petrangelo
Mr. John Bosco
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Teacher Assistants: Ms. Jill Banno
Mrs. Lisa Kells
Mrs. Celeste Leveillee
Mrs. Karen Maggiacomo
Mrs. Elaine Marcure
Mrs. Karen Mattera
Mrs. Stephanie Pezzullo
Mrs. Karen Pride
Mrs. Debra Ray
Mrs. Jodi Rich
Mrs. Karen Shields
Mrs. Sue Vandall
Student Information
Student/Parent Informational Handbook Please review the information
with your child. The handbook provides general rules and policies. Sign the
receipt and return it to your child’s teacher.
Student Information Form Provides us with the information we need
to contact you or other authorized adults, in case of an emergency. A form
will need to be completed and returned to your child’s teacher.
Permanent Pickup Form Complete and return only if you will be
picking up your child every day in the cafeteria. This form places your
child on the Permanent Pickup List. Your child will be called and released
by the teacher at 2:55 PM to the cafeteria for pickup.
Breakfast and Lunch Forms Your child will be bringing home
applications for Free and Reduced Breakfast/Lunch. Morning kindergarten
students may be eligible for the breakfast program.. If you think you might
be eligible, please complete and return the form to school. All application
information will be held in the strictest of confidence.
Open House
Our annual Open House will be held on Tuesday, September 288h @7:00PM. This
will be a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and to learn
about the classroom expectations for the coming year. Please plan to join us
for this important event. We look forward to meeting you!
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