CANCELLED: Parent Forum on Teaching & Learning - December 18th

Due to a serious family illness, Mrs. Vaughn has to cancel the forum on Thursday, December 18th.

Parent Forum on Teaching & Learning - December 18th

As we focus on our vision of all that we would like our school to be, Mrs. Vaughn would like to extend the invitation for parental involvement in exploring current practices and participating in meaningful, two way communication and problem solving.

Vision Statement
Frenchtown School will be known as a school where:

• Students develop independence and cooperation through active participation in inquiry-based, hands-on activities.  Students are confident, successful learners who engage in diverse learning experiences.      
• The faculty uses varied, research based instructional strategies.  Through collaboration and shared responsibility, faculty and staff ensure that instruction is focused on the needs of each child and that equitable opportunities exist for all academic and enrichment programs.   
• Administration facilitates a collaborative, supportive environment that prioritizes learning through trust, mutual respect and open communication.  Administration provides for professional development and resources necessary for teaching and learning.
• Families and the community are partners who support and expand learning within and beyond the classroom.

To that end, Mrs. Vaughn will be holding regular Parent Forum on Teaching and Learning events. 

Please join her for a brief presentation and discussion on Thursday, December 18th at 6:00 p.m.  The agenda will be an overview of student learning at Frenchtown, and will review baseline student learning data.

We hope to see you there!

COA Presents Oliver Twist

Frenchtown students were treated today when The Cultural Organization of the Arts presented "Oliver Twist." It was a huge hit, and several kids even got a chance to part of the show.

Thanks to COA for bringing "Oliver Twist" to Frenchtown!

Save the Date: Boys Night Out

Save the Date!  It's Boys Night Out at Frenchtown on Friday, March 20th from 5:00-7:00 pm.  Male students and an adult guest are invited for an evening of fun with their friends.  More details to come soon!

Please check out our Events Calendar for more activities you won't want to miss.

Academic Newsletter for the Week of 12/8

From Mrs. Vaughn:

Happening This Week
COA presents Oliver Twist for our students 

Happy Birthday to Colin F, Ella M and Sara S!


Kindergarten
Math: 

• Counting to 20
• Representing numbers to 10

E/LA:

• Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

Theme:

• Elson- D dog (d) 
• Rakovic- H hat (h)

Instructional Focus:

• W.K.5 With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

Grade 1
Math:

• We are continuing our studies of subtraction, using 10 frames and other methods.
• Please continue to use flashcards at home for basic addition/subtraction facts.
• Parent Newsletter

E/LA:

• We are working on instruction of narrative writing.  We will be focusing on writing about small moments in their lives.  
• We are also beginning a unit on the folk tale “The Gingerbread Man”. Please send in any variations on this folk tale that your child may have at home.  We love to share!

Other:

• We are meeting with the room mothers this week to plan out our gingerbread house making activity.  It will be held on Monday Dec. 22 from 8:45-10:00. We would love to have you join us.  Please note that to attend you need to have a current BCI on file in the office. 

• Gingerbread House supplies and volunteers needed!  Sign up here

Interesting articles for parents:

• Top 100 Sites/Apps of 2014
• 6 Year Old Asks for Holiday Cards
• Free Stories and Books For Children
• YIKES!  My Kid Wants a Mobile Phone
• 7 Intelligent Gifts for Tech Savvy Kids  

10 Most Violent Video Games of 2014 and What To Play Instead

Mrs. Vaughn's December Newsletter

A message from Mrs. Vaughn:

Did you know that by the age of four, children have already created their own understanding around ‘success’ and what it means to be ‘smart’?  For some, success comes from being smart.  This is determined largely by genetics and our environment.  Some kids are smart and some just aren’t. This is referred to as a ‘fixed mindset’.

For others, success comes from effort.  With hard work, most kids can do most things.  Schools and teachers help to build individual capacity. This is a ‘growth mindset’.  Children with a fixed mindset tend to get angry or frustrated with constructive feedback, resist challenge, give up faster, reject hard work and often cheat more.  Their self-concept of being smart based on little effort also means they typically grow less academically.

Children with a growth mindset accept feedback more readily, embrace challenge, and persist longer with difficult tasks, thus growing more academically.

How does understanding mindset impact parenting?  Consider the recent New York Magazine article, The Power and Peril of Praising Your Kids. As adults, while we want to build up a child’s self esteem, we need to be careful to send the right message.  Take time to model your own learning.  Communicate learning challenges and the reward in substantial effort, “Wow!  Learning that new computer program at work was hard.  I’m so glad I kept trying.  Now I’ve got it!  It feels so good to learn something new!”

We need to be aware of how children interpret praise. Young children know when praise is over the top or disingenuous.  As children get older, they often see praise as a signal that adults feel they are inadequate and need encouragement.  Do we stop praising children?  Heavens no!  We need to be sure that praise is genuine and specific and part of an ongoing conversation with our children about their learning. 

In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, Frenchtown will once again be accepting donations of gift cards to support our families in need.  With recent economic conditions, there are several families at Frenchtown that could use our support to provide some very basic needs this holiday season.  If you are able to contribute, please send a gift card in an envelope to our office, marked “Holiday Donation”.  Thank you for your support!

Morning Announcements for the month of December will include an emphasis on taking responsibility for one’s actions and choosing the right thing to do.

Taking responsibility for one's choices and actions - Taking responsibility builds trust, which can create more freedom in our lives.

Here are some books you might enjoy at home to emphasize these concepts:

• Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon!, P. Cummings 
• Horton Hatches the Egg, Dr. Seuss 
• Horton Hears a Who, Dr. Seuss 
• Miss Rumphius, B. Cooney 
• Right Choices, K. Taylor 
• Self-Discipline, L. Raatma 
• Words Are Not for Hurting, E. Verdick 
• One Smile, C. McKinley Stone Soup, J. Muth 
• The Giving Tree, S. Silverstein 
• The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Life of Giving, E. Sabin 
• Make Someone Smile: And 40 More

Town Meetings with Mrs. Vaughn and Mr. Dwyer are taking place weekly.  Grade level groups of students meet weekly to discuss school wide issues and expectations for our learning community.

Mr. Dwyer is meeting with Grade 1 students and discussing topics on social and academic success included in the Second Step program.

Mrs. Vaughn is presenting lessons in character development using Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs for Kindergarten and Popcorn Park for Grade 2.

Interesting articles for parents:

• YIKES!  My Kid Wants a Mobile Phone  
• 7 Intelligent Gifts for Tech Savvy Kids  
• 10 Most Violent Video Games of 2014 and What To Play Instead

Join the Frenchtown PTG Facebook Page

Are you on Facebook?  Then request to be added to the Frenchtown PTG Facebook group where you'll get more information on PTG activities, ask questions and interact with the board and other parents.  The group is closed so the posts are only seen by members and everyone who asks to join must be verified as a current Frenchtown parent.

Hope to see you there!

Reminder: December Fundraiser Orders Are Due Tomorrow

Don't forget that orders for the Frnechtown School Handprint Calendars and SaveAround Coupon Books are due tomorrow, Friday, December 5th!  They make great holiday gifts and help raise money toward activities and events put on by the PTG.  Click here to download order forms and get pricing information.

Join Us at the Book Fair

It's that time again…BOOK FAIR is here!!!

We will be having our SCHOLASTIC Book Fair Preview tomorrow, December 2nd during school hours.  All students will be making their wish lists which they will be bringing home at the end of the school day. You can then send in cash, check (payable to Frenchtown PTG), or allow your child to bring in a credit card for their purchases on both Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Wednesday, December 3rd from 7:35am until 8:20 we will be having our “Bagels n Books” whereby you can accompany your child to the Book Fair and participate in our school fundraiser before school. All Day Wednesday, December 3rd and Thursday, December 4th we will be selling books to classes and BCI registered volunteers/visitors from 8:45am until 2:30 both days. We will also have last minute purchases on Friday morning from 8:30-9:30am.

We hope to see you and your family as we celebrate this holiday season and make our Frenchtown Scholastic Book Fair a successful one!

If you'd like to volunteer to help out at the book fair, here's the info.

Here's a schedule of times each class will be visiting the book fair:

Academic Newsletter for the Week of 12/1

From Mrs. Vaughn:

Happening This Week
December 1st: Chess and Book Fair begin
December 3: Breakfast with Books 7:30-8:10 a.m.

Celebrating birthdays this week:
Nathan D., Zachary D., Skylar F., Jordan R., and Mrs. Kasparian!

Grade 1:

	Instructional Focus
Math	We are working on collecting data, measuring and telling time to the hour.
E/LA	We will begin working on instruction of narrative writing.  We will be focusing on writing about small moments in their lives.  We will also begin a unit on the folk tale “The Gingerbread Man”.
Science/Social Studies	The children enjoyed their visit from Smith’s Castle to reinforce our colonial studies.
Other:	We are meeting with the room mothers this week to plan out our gingerbread house making activity.  It will be held on Monday Dec. 22 from 8:45-10:00.  We would love to have you join us.  Please note that to attend you need to have a current BCI on file in the office.  Look for an e-mail to sign up to donate goodies to help us to build the houses.

Grade 2:

	Instructional Focus
Math	Students will continue to add and subtract two and three digit numbers. Please remind your children to practice basic math facts nightly.
E/LA	Students will continue to explore writing narratives by incorporating writing techniques of various mentor authors.
Social Studies	We will be discussing various holiday traditions and celebrations amongst different cultures around the world.  We welcome your children to share their family traditions with their classes.

Other News:

1. In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, Frenchtown will once again be accepting donations of gift cards to support our families in need.  With recent economic conditions, there are several families at Frenchtown that could use our support to provide some very basic needs this holiday season.  If you are able to contribute, please send a gift card in an envelope to our office, marked “Holiday Donation”.   In addition, we will once again be accepting gifts for families in need.  We will be collecting new toys and other gifts as well as wrapping paper and bows.  We will be inviting parents in to select items from the collection to wrap and present to their children.  Would you please consider "adopting" a family in need this season?  Please feel free to send your gift in with your child or drop it off at the office. Thank you for your support!


2. As we focus on our vision of all that we would like our school to be, I would like to extend the invitation for parental involvement in exploring current practices and participating in meaningful, two way communication and problem solving. 

          Vision Statement:
          Frenchtown School will be known as a school where:

• Students develop independence and cooperation through active participation in inquiry-based, hands-on activities.  Students are confident, successful learners who engage in diverse learning experiences. 
• The faculty uses varied, research based instructional strategies.  Through collaboration and shared responsibility, faculty and staff ensure that instruction is focused on the needs of each child and that equitable opportunities exist for all academic and enrichment programs.
• Administration facilitates a collaborative, supportive environment that prioritizes learning through trust, mutual respect and open communication.  Administration provides for professional development and resources necessary for teaching and learning. 
• Families and the community are partners who support and expand learning within and beyond the classroom. 

          To that end, I will be creating regular Parent Forum on Teaching and Learning events. Please join me for a brief presentation and discussion on Thursday, December 18th at 6:00 p.m. Our agenda will be an overview of student learning at Frenchtown.  We will review baseline student learning data.  I hope to see you there!

December Lunch Volunteers Needed

It’s a new month, so we're looking for December volunteers to help with 1st & 2nd grade lunch in the cafeteria. Lunches run from 11:30-12:30. This is great opportunity to be part of the Frenchtown experience and help to enhance the kids' lunchtime :) 

If you’d like to help out, please select a shift via Sign Up Genius.

December PTG Meeting Canceled

The PTG Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 3rd at 9:30 am is canceled.  Our next meeting will be Tuesday, January 13th at 7:00 pm in the Frenchtown cafeteria (please note the new date). Hope to see you there!

If you have any issues you'd like to address before then, feel free to reach out to us at frenchtownPTG@yahoo.com.

Volunteers Needed for the Book Fair

The Book Fair runs December 1st-5th and volunteers are needed to help us make this event as successful as possible. It's a great fundraiser for Frenchtown and kids love seeing their parents and their friends parents at the school.

You can sign up to volunteer here. If you'd like to choose a shift where your child will be at the book fair, here's a peek at the schedule.

A Thanksgiving Message From Mrs. Vaughn

This Thanksgiving, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of the people who work tirelessly to make Frenchtown a safe and joyful place for children.

To Mrs. Kehoe and our office assistants, thank you for greeting students with a reassuring smile when they're confused about their schedule or they need a snack.

To Mrs. Simmons, thank you for being the consoler and healer of "ouchies".

To our teachers, paraprofessionals, specialists and itinerants, thank you for leading children on the path to viewing themselves as successful, lifelong learners.

To Miss Trish, thank you for the tempting scents emanating from the kitchen and your unending patience as our little ones make their choices.

To our custodians, thank you for understanding that a clean school is a healthy school!

To our many School Improvement Team Subcommittee family partners, thank you for joining us in each of our school improvement efforts. You help us to continuously move forward in creating the best academic, social and emotional early learning environment we can be!

To our PTG, thank you for enhancing the school experience for each of our students. To our many parent volunteers, words cannot begin to express gratitude for all you do!

To our bus drivers and aides, thank you for watching over each of our "Frenchtown Friends".

To my fellow colleagues at Central office as well as throughout the district, thank you for your leadership, collaboration and inspiration. Your influence has an impact beyond what is recognized and makes a difference in the lives of many!

Wishing you each a safe and happy Thanksgiving. I hope that you are surrounded by the love and warmth of your family.

Academic Newsletter for Week of 11/24

From Mrs. Vaughn:

Wishing you and yours a very safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

• Have you had a chance to use Razz Kids and IXL Math with your student?  This is a paid subscription for each of our students.  As we begin to prepare our budget for the next school year (Yes, it is that time again!), I'd love to know your thoughts on whether or not to renew these products.
• Indoor recess will be taking place very soon.  What is indoor recess?  In inclement weather, naturally students need to have recess inside.  This takes place in the individual classrooms or pods.  Students play board games or participate in educational games provided by the classroom teacher.  While we can all agree on the impact of physical activity on our health, I have been working with our SIT Wellness Liaison to explore other forms of physical activity which might soon be incorporated into this recess time.  If you have any thoughts or suggestions to share, please let me know.
• What does Morning Supervision look like in inclement weather?  When the weather prohibits students from participating in morning supervision outside, Kindergarten students are supervised in the cafeteria by Mrs. Kasparian.  Mrs. Marasco and Mrs. Hoffman supervise students in the gym.
• Would you like quick, up to the minute updates on teaching and learning at Frenchtown?  Please follow me on Twitter @CherylBVaughn

This Week In the Classrooms:

Kindergarten:

	Instructional Focus
Math	Counting to 20 Representing numbers to 10
E/LA	Goal: L.K.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. A. Print many upper- and lowercase letters
Theme	Giving Thanks Native Americans Pilgrims Thanksgiving
Instructional Focus	RI.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding

Grade 1:

	Instructional Focus
Math	We are working on collecting data, measuring and telling time to the hour. Unit 2 newsletter:
E/LA	We will begin working on instruction of narrative writing.  We will be focusing on writing about small moments in their lives.
Science/Social Studies	The children are being treated to a visit from Smith’s Castle to reinforce our colonial studies.

Grade 2:

	Instructional Focus
Math	Second graders are learning to add two and three- digit numbers with carrying. They will also begin to subtract two and three-digit numbers. Students will be exposed to a variety of addition and subtraction strategies, including using number lines and place value models.
E/LA	Students will begin to write personal narratives based on “small moments” in their own lives. In may be beneficial to discuss some of your child’s experiences outside of school to “jog” his or her memory.
S.S.	We will be discussing the history of Thanksgiving and sharing different types of family celebrations.
Other:	We are looking forward to our classroom celebrations. Thanks to all of your generous donations. We wish you and your families a Happy Holiday.

Frenchtown Winter Fundraisers

Your child will be bringing home a packet today with two great ways to get some holiday shopping done early and help the PTG while you're at it!

  

The 2015 Handprint Calendar is comprised of artwork created by Frenchtown students using their handprints and fingerprints. Each class represents a month of the year and every child's handprint is featured in the class painting. Every calendar sold gives the PTG a "hand" with funding events like field trips and assemblies planned for this year. One calendar is $12.00 or you can get two for $20.00 and they're 18 inches high by 12 inches wide. Here are some examples of the great work the kids have done!

The SaveAround Coupon Book is a joint fundraiser between Frenchtown and Eldridge schools and includes 115 local deals and 30 pages of national savings! Inside, you'll find BOGO deals to fun activities like Biomes, bowling, RockSpot, and LazerGate, restaurants like Piezonis and Orange Leaf, events like Disney on Ice, shopping at stores including Children's Place and Dick's Sporting Goods and much much more.  Each book is $20.00 and if you buy five, you get one free!

You can download the forms to place your orders below, and they're due by Friday, December 5th to ensure holiday delivery.  

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Quigg (for calendars) or Betsy Aulisio (for coupon books), and we'll be sharing pictures from the coupon book here soon.

Thank you in advance for your support!

If you have any problem downloading the embedded documents, you can also find the calendar form here and the coupon form here.

The Frenchtown Student Directory Is Out

The 2014-2015 student directories were sent home with every student this week.  They're a great resource for playdates, birthday parties, etc.

A HUGE thank you to Cindy Speranza for putting it together!  You're "Paw-some"!

Fun Fridays Are Starting

Fun Fridays are once-a-month activities for each grade, facilitated by parent volunteers.  The kids really enjoy them and we hope you will too.

Each grade has parent liaisons who plan and coordinate the events - for kindergarten, the liaisons are Jen Dronzek and Nikki Berte; for first grade, Howard Faunce and Linda Settipane; and for second grade, Judy Hart, Donnah Matthews Plante and Denise Lopez.

Our first Fun Friday will be holiday-themed and take place on December 19th.  For AM kindergarten, it will be from 10:30-11:05 am, and for PM kindergarten, first and second grades, from 1:00-2:00 pm.

If you'd like to volunteer to help, you can do so via Sign Up Genius here.

Please note that in order to remain compliant with School Committee policies and laws related to visitors to the building, we ask that each volunteer has a recent BCI check and Statement of Confidentiality in place.

Stay tuned for announcements on January's Fun Friday theme and volunteer opportunities in the next few weeks!

Look "Whooo" Came to Visit

Today, the second graders enjoyed a special PTG sponsored assembly featuring Miss Tina of the Audubon Society and her owl pal, Webster.  The kids learned lots about owls in the area.  It was a hoot!

Thanks to Denise Lopez for the photos!

  

Paw Shop Items Are Now Available

Do your kids want to show their Frenchtown pride? We've got some adorable new apparel items for sale, and if you order by November 14th, you'll receive them by December 10th - perfect for the holidays!

If you're having issues with the embedded document, you can also download the order form here.

Looking for Event Chairs

We are currently looking for people willing to act the the chairperson for some upcoming events:

• Math Night:  This an evening event for the family.  The chair(s) work with volunteers to create fun activities that incorporate age-appropriate math skills.

• Art Night:  This is an evening event for the family.  The chair(s) would work with Mrs. Melmed to obtain an completed art project from each Frenchtown Student that would be labeled and prepared for display.

• Green Week:  Two or three co-chairs would be ideal.  This is a week-long event dedicated to enriching the science curriculum, centered on an environmental theme.  In the past, this week has included components that take place during the school day (in the past we’ve had assemblies, students wearing a “color of the day,” and a used book swap) as well as some after school programs (such as Biomes and POW Science).  

Event Chairs are responsible for:

• Planning the activities for the event
• Meeting with the PTG board to review planned events
• Working with the Volunteer Coordinators to secure needed volunteers for the event 
• Ensuring all volunteers have a current BCI check on file
• Securing approval from Mrs. Vaughn for all planned activities
• Staying within the pre-approved spending budget and tracking all incoming payments to submit to the PTG treasurer

Those interested in acting as a chair for any of the above events, or if you have any questions, please contact Sarah Quigg at squigg99@gmail.com.

Big Thanks!

Many thanks to the hospitality team led by Donnah Plante, all the parents who donated and the Corner Bakery Cafe for providing the "grab and go" goodies for today's teacher conference lunch sponsored by the PTG. The teachers and staff were thrilled!