Rooted in Friendship, Growing in Knowledge
“Caring is seeking the good of the whole group by not putting yourself first and by using you own abilities for the good of others.” “Compassion is the ability to feel empathy or concern for others; and to understand their difficulties and demonstrate compassion for their hurts.” S M T W Th F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Early Release Kevin Skarupa Dismiss at 1:25PM Grade 3 Kindergarten dismisses at 12:50PM.
Winter Concert 6:30PM 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Holiday Recess Holiday Recess Holiday Recess Holiday Recess Holiday Recess No School No School No School No School No School
RETURN January 6th! RETURN January 6th!
29 30 31 EARLY RELEASE DATES THIS YEAR: Holiday Recess Holiday Recess The Early Release dates for this year are ALL No School No School Wednesdays as follows: December 11, 2019, and RETURN January 6th! January 15, March 18, April 15, and May 13, 2020.
PARENTAL DISCRETION - Students who are kept at PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL home by their parents on inclement days, or who are ASKING ABOUT INCLEMENT WEATHER. OUR tardy due to severe weather conditions beyond their control, will not be reprimanded or suffer any academic PHONE LINES NEED TO STAY OPEN FOR penalty which cannot be made up, but please call the EMERGENCIES. school and notify the office of your intentions for your child. REMINDERS ELL NEWS ARRIVAL ON SCHOOL GROUNDS - As always, even on This year I am using the Remind App to let parents know delayed openings, walkers or students dropped off by private if there is an important notice from Birch Hill School. I can vehicle should not arrive at school until 15 minutes prior to the remind you when there is Homework Club, a school closing start of the instructional school day: Delayed openings - no or delayed opening, or a special event. If you would like to earlier than 10:45 am for grades 1-5. and regular school day - join the APP, please visit: no earlier than 8:45 am. Kindergarten will start at 10:30 on delayed openings. THERE WILL BE NO SUPERVISION OF remind.com/join/mrskhedb or text @mrskhedb to 81010 or STUDENTS PRIOR TO THE TIMES STATED ABOVE. 937-462-4299. PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ADHERE TO THIS Este año estoy usando la aplicación Remind para TIME FRAME. Delayed openings are now 2 hours. informar a los padres si hay un aviso importante de la Please limit early dismissals. All early dismissals should escuela Birch Hill. Puedo recordarte cuándo hay un take place before 3:00 pm. Homework Club, un cierre de escuela o una apertura 5 minute parking in our loop and parking is never retrasada, o un evento especial. Si desea unirse a la allowed during drop off or dismissal times in the front aplicación, visite: remind.com/join/mrskhedb o envíe un loop. mensaje de texto a @mrskhedb al 81010 (o…937-462- Students must ride their own bus unless there is an 4299). emergency for day care purposes. Students may not switch busses for play dates. KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE REGISTRATION Walkers are never allowed to ride busses. 2020-2021 Please do not call the office between 8:55 – 9:05. PICK UP REGISTRATION PACKETS OR DOWNLOAD PACKETS WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY Monday, January 6, 2020: Kindergarten and First Grade With the winter weather upon us, we wanted to remind Registration packets will be available for parents to pick up everyone of a few things: or download. Registration packets can be picked up at the Please do not call Birch Hill to find out if there is neighborhood school office that is zoned to your current school. We need to keep our phone lines open for residence or parents may choose to download a registration emergencies. School cancellation announcements can packet to complete from home using the Nashua School be found at: District website. o Via our automated phone call system KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE REGISTRATION o Listen to the local radio stations: WGAM-900AM, BEGINS WSMN-1590AM, WGIR-101.1FM, WZID 95.7, Thursday, January 23, 2020: Parents may register their WCAP 980AM. child for the 2020-2021 Kindergarten and First Grade at 4:00 o Listen to the local television station: WMUR TV9 – 6:00 p.m. at your assigned zoned neighborhood school o Nashua school district web site: www.nashua.edu. office according to your current residence. Snow Date: o Call District office at 966-1000. Monday, January 27, 2020. If we have a delayed opening school will start at 11:00. Students cannot be dropped off before 10:45. Busses Friday, January 24, 2020: Parents may register their child will pick up approximately 2 hours after their regular for the 2020-2021 school year at the neighborhood school scheduled pick up time. office from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. beginning on Monday, Emergency Plans: January 27, 2020 this registration will be an ongoing Emergency plans need to be in place that will registration for the duration of the school year. provide alternative arrangements for your children in IMPORTANT: the event that we are unable to contact you. It is rare Kindergarten children MUST be five years of age th but we have had to release students early because by September 30 and First grade children MUST be six th of deteriorating unexpected weather. years of age by September 30 Often, parents who work out of town will make Children who are currently attending Nashua Public arrangements with friends or neighbors to care for Kindergarten are automatically registered in first grade at their child. their neighborhood school. Please make sure you know your child’s bus number Please be sure to have the following documentation with before calling the office to check on the status of the you to complete your child’s registration: bus. Birth certificate with seal Students who want to play in the snow during recess Immunization record must have boots, snow pants, winter coat, hat and Copy of your child’s kindergarten physical. (Children gloves or mittens. They may bring these to school in must have a physical examination prior to entering school.) their backpacks or wear them. Proof of residency. Please bring copies of two (2) utility bills or you can bring a copy of a lease or mortgage agreement. Please feel free to contact the school office at Birch Hill, if you have any further questions.
2 KINDERGARTEN NEWS THIRD GRADE NEWS In the month of December we’ll continue to focus on letters, It was wonderful to see so many families for sounds, and the writing process. We’ll have some gingerbread Parent/Teacher Conferences. Thank you for your time! fun too! In Social Studies, we will learn about wants and needs, December brings many exciting activities for third graders and we’ll also share the holiday traditions of our families. this year. Having recently finished the Life Science Unit on Please dress your child for colder days on the playground animal adaptations and their habitat, the children have begun with coverings for heads, hands, feet, and body. Thank you another Science Unit, exploring Earth Science. This unit again for your continuous support at home. Happy Holidays! We focuses on the Science of weather and climate. Students wish you lots of cheer! should continue to study their multiplication facts and review addition and subtraction facts at home to help with fluency FIRST GRADE NEWS within place value. It is important students know these facts Welcome to the wonderful month of December. automatically without having to use their fingers to count. This The arrival of cold weather reminds us that Winter is on its will allow them to progress through the math curriculum with way requiring warm clothes. It is time to bundle up our little ease. In class we are working on patterned spelling words. If ones. Please make sure that all children are dressed your child is in a class that takes weekly spelling tests, please appropriately for the winter weather. If there is snow on the be sure they are studying at home daily. Just before our ground the children will be permitted to play in the snow during December break we will be having a book swap and drinking their lunch recess if they have snow pants, winter coats, hot chocolate while we read our newly acquired books. Thank gloves/mittens, and a hat. All students will go out each day, you to all of our volunteers and we wish you a happy holiday twice a day, so please make sure that they are dressed warmly season. enough to be outside. We would like to remind you to read to your children as FOURTH GRADE NEWS often as possible. December is a busy and exciting month in fourth grade! The girls and boys continue to strive in all academic areas. Students are beginning their first rotation for science. In Math, Please note the rewards of their hard work adorning the the unit of focus is Multiplication and Division. Students need to hallways for all to see and enjoy! practice their multiplication facts every day in order to attain Once again, the First Grade teachers would like to thank automaticity. Please continue math fact drills at home. Practice you for everything you do to help your children to be so makes progress! successful. Your efforts help to maintain the high quality of our It was wonderful meeting with so many of you at conference program. time. Even though it is a busy and exciting time of year, we As the cold weather chills us may our homes remain safe would appreciate if you could continue to check your child’s and warm! assignment notebook and communication folder each night, as Happy Holidays! well as monitor homework. Your support is appreciated! As we’re quickly approaching the winter season, our supply SECOND GRADE NEWS of Clorox wipes and tissues are diminishing. We kindly ask for We have almost completed the first trimester of the school any donations to restock our classroom supply! year! Happy Holidays from the fourth grade teachers! In November we completed a unit of study on weathering and erosion where students learned how the earth's surface FIFTH GRADE NEWS changes over time. In writing we finished up our Narrative Fifth Grade was honored to continue a proud Birch Hill Writing unit. Students worked on writing “seed stories” from tradition by leading the Veteran’s Day assembly again this year. their own lives and practiced zooming in on these small A special thanks to Mr. Milner for leading the musical efforts and moments by adding interesting details. The snowy weather will to our visiting veterans. surely be here soon, so please help your child remember Fifth grade will join forces with third grade to spearhead the appropriate clothing for recess. Best wishes to and your family Santa Fund project again this year. We are collecting new toys, as we enter the holiday season! books, and gifts until December 12th. On Thursday, December 12th we will be having a school wide Ugly Holiday Sweater Day. We will be collecting cash donations that day from anyone wearing an ugly holiday sweater and all money will be donated to the Santa Fund. We appreciate any support you are able to give. We sincerely thank you for your spirit of sharing during the holiday season.
NEWS FROM THE GUIDANCE COUNSELOR The holidays are a positive time for most of us but for some it is the hardest time of the year. Don't be afraid to ask for help. If your family is in need of assistance through the holidays you can contact Gabe Araneo, School Counselor at 966-1834. I have access to a number of resources that may help. I have recently finished up going into the 4th grade classes teaching about conflict resolution and then went into kindergarten to reinforce lessons regarding “Whole Body Listening”. I’m currently in 5th grade classes now teaching about the importance of setting goals and how to work toward them. Next I head back to 1st grade to discuss and practice good personal space.
3 NEWS FROM THE ART ROOM Artists have been busy in the art room capturing one of Absenteeism and our favorite topics…ourselves! All grade levels have taken a unique approach to portrait making and are excited to Extended Family Vacations present ”The Many Faces of Birch Hill.” We appreciate that The Nashua School District would like to remind parents we are one of billions, but that we are all unique. Our that attending school is imperative. For that reason, we portraits reflect our hopes, dreams and talents. Our portraits respectfully ask parents to schedule not only medical displayed together, enable us to see that we are all human appointments outside the school day but also vacations and part of a beautiful community. We are excited to see outside the school year schedule. There is a strong how art can transform our Birch Hill neighborhood next! connection between regular attendance and success in With the holidays around the corner, I would like to school. remind you that art supplies make a great gift! In reviewing school enrollment and absentee records, Students are always asking where I buy my supplies and we are alarmed to find that an increasing number of parents many can be purchased at our local craft stores or ordered are withdrawing students from classes for vacations during online. Worried about a mess? Try paint sticks (Kwick Stix). the regular school year. Some children are missing days, Just color and add water! Instant art! weeks, and even months of valuable classroom instruction. We are still in need of baby wipes in the art room if you Classroom teachers plan curriculum and lessons in a would like to donate. Thank you to those that contributed! deliberate and timely progression in order to engage each of Happy Holidays to all, Mrs. Grace their students fully and to be responsive to each student's depth of understanding of the lessons. Extended absences NEWS FROM PE are detrimental to the student, disruptive to the class, and Happy holidays everyone! As the days are shorter and put unnecessary demands on teachers. the weather turns colder, we naturally spend more time Therefore, in keeping with our commitment to provide a indoors. Please help your child(ren) find ways to get at least high quality education, we want you to be aware of the 60 minutes of exercise each day. Doing physical activities following procedures: after 15 consecutive days of together as a family can be very rewarding to children as unexcused absences, students may be removed from the parents model healthy behaviors. school’s enrollment roster. Upon return, parents are In physical education class, we will be focusing soccer welcome to re-enroll students in the school in which they had skills for all grade levels. All grade levels are challenged to previously attended but class assignments will be reviewed work with a partner or in small groups during soccer skills based on class sizes and other enrollment factors in order to where hand eye coordination will be reinforced. Respect, determine the most advantageous classroom placement. responsibility and being caring are character traits that are Consequently, school administrators will not be able to always reinforced during P.E. classes. guarantee that your child will be reassigned to the same Remember that secure sneakers and comfortable classroom teacher or team of teachers. clothes are required for physical education class. Very loose In addition, for families who insist on scheduling family clothing, slip on shoes and dresses are not appropriate. vacations of any length during school, teachers will not be Please make sure hair is pulled back with elastic or able to provide school lessons for their children in advance. headband during class. I would suggest extra elastics and / While returning students will have an opportunity to make or headbands be left in backpacks in case students forget up missed work, we urge parents to have their students them or they break. Please make sure your child has attend regularly and to avoid unnecessary disruptions to sneakers so they can participate. STAY HEALTHY this their student's education. Teachers work hard to provide a season by eating lots of fruits and veggies, sleeping enough, challenging curriculum for our students and we know that and exercising regularly. with your help and their regular attendance we can all help our students succeed in school. NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY Our students in K, 1, 2 and 3 vote this month for their NEWS FROM THE MUSIC ROOM favorite of the ten Lady Bug nominated picture books we Hello everyone! read this year. The winning book for New Hampshire will be It’s almost time for our Winter Concert! Our concert is on announced before vacation. Everyone seems excited to vote Wednesday, December 11 at 6:30 PM here at Birch Hill. and puts a lot of thought into their choices. These books are Our Second Year Band, SCORE, String Ensemble, and 4th selected for their exceptional illustrations, message and and 5th Grade Chorus will all be performing on the concert. currency. Grades 3, 4 and 5 are preparing for a trip through This month students will be learning about the the Dewey Decimal system! They have been making composer the great composer Tchaikovsky who is most well connections to topics they learn in their classrooms with the know for his ballet The Nutcracker! books they select in the library. I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful December! -Mr. Milner
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