West Kingston Elementary School

Weekly Newsletter for October 24, 2007
IMPORTANT DATES… Oct 26 – Hawk-A-Thon Oct 31 – Kdg to Farmer’s Daughter, 12:30-2:30 Oct 31 – Picture Re-Takes Nov 2 – Student Recognition Assembly (changed from Oct. 26th) Nov 7 – End 1st Quarter Nov 7 – Dental Screening Nov 12 – Holiday, NO SCHOOL EMERGENCY DRILLS… The Rhode Island state law has always required a specific number of fire drills be conducted each year; however, this year the law was amended to replace 4 fire drills with 2 evacuation and 2 lockdown drills to be conducted during the school year. West Kingston School will have their first lockdown drill on Monday, October 29th at 9:15. Lockdown procedures are used to protect the building’s occupants from potential dangers in the building, such as an unidentified intruder. The first evacuation drill this year will be held on Friday, November 2 (weather permitting). Evacuations are used when conditions outside the school are safer than those inside. We are still required to have 11 fire drills during the school year and will continue to have these periodically throughout the year. Drills are conducted in a calm manner to practice the expected procedures. The police and fire departments are notified of lockdown and evacuation drills and will often assist with the drills. THANK YOU TO PTO… A giant thank you to the PTO for giving a bright new look to the blacktop games. PICTURE RE-TAKES… If your child had a picture package taken in September and you were not happy with it, we will be having picture re-takes next Wednesday, October 31st. Just send the original packet with your child to turn in and have another picture taken. If you missed the first opportunity to purchase a package, we have forms in the office for you to fill out and have your child turn in on picture day. MATH NEWS… The math coaches have been writing weekly articles to be published on the online version of the Westerly Sun. The articles have to do with current math issues in South Kingstown. The site is http://www.thewesterlysun.com/ Click on the Math Connection icon for the articles (this icon is at the bottom of the page in a big blue box.) At the bottom of each article is an archive of all of the articles. If you know of a topic that you would like to have included, please let us know. We are going to finish a series of articles about the different strands of math, then do some articles with samples of problems and representations from each grade level, then articles about the different algorithms for adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying. We would love your suggestions as to other topics of parent interest. Mariann Hayward, Math Coach mhayward@skschools.net BEES, BEES, BEES… I’m sure you have heard from your children about the bees at school. Please be assured that we are constantly searching for nests and dealing with them. We are either having indoor recess or using different areas of the grounds for recess activities determined day to day based on bee activity. Any student who is nervous about the bees or has an allergy, is allowed to stay in the office area during recess. At this time of year, bees are often more aggressive. Once there is a hard frost, this problem will be gone. As always, we are making decisions in the best interest and for the safety of everyone. PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY… 4-6 p.m. this Saturday, October 27th at the Courthouse Center for the Arts 3481 Kingstown Road for West Kingston children ages 6-18 jack-o-lantern lighting! Pumpkins and carving tools will be provided Free cider and donuts Admission: free Families welcome (This event is sponsored by Courthouse Center for the Arts) PBIS… The following students were recognized for our Positive Behavior Intervention Support program. Congratulations to Matt K., Kevin W., Kyron W., Joshua P., Olivia Z., Kaitlyn D., Payton C., Aria J., Seamus M., Luke M., Yejin K., Callie J., Megan M., Chris D., Tristan R., Noah C., Rachel L., Shakisouix W., Aaron L., and Fallon W. Great job! PTO NEWS… Get Ready! HAWK-A-THON THIS FRIDAY Our Hawk-A-Thon walk-a-thon will take place this Friday, October 26th. Come and cheer on your children. Please remind your children to wear sneakers and be dressed appropriately to spend one hour walking/running outside. Water will be provided. Congratulations to the 193 children who earned the 1st Responsibility Award of a piggy key chain from Citizen’s Bank. A second Responsibility Award can be earned if pledge envelopes are returned by Tuesday, Nov. 6th. COMING UP SOON… November: Hawk Gear Sales Gift Card Sales December: Vendor Day There will be more information for these events as the dates approach. Autumnfest Thank you West Kingston families for making Friday night’s Autumnfest and Book Fair a great success. So many of you volunteered to help with these events creating smiles on the faces of those in attendance, children and adults alike, were wide spread. We would also like to thank Kelly Jarbeau for organizing this fantastic event as well as Patty Reardon and Dena Gonsalves for putting together the book fair. Event Photos If anyone has any pictures from any school events that they would like to be considered for the yearbook, please send a hard copy to the school in an envelope addressed to the PTO via backpack, or e-mail pictures to mcromack1@cox.net. Babysitting Needed We are in need of babysitters for the afternoon PTO meetings every other month. If you have someone or know someone in need of volunteer hours or community service, please contact Tricia Angeli at 783-7889. Coats for Kids It’s time to dig out your children’s old coats, mittens, boots, etc. We are collecting these items as well as new hats to donate to the Jonnycake Center in Peace Dale. If you would like to donate any items, there will be a box in the main office area starting this Friday, October 26th. If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse Debi Vannoy. Thanks for your support! Box Tops Don’t forget to send in those Box Tops. Even though they may seem small, they can make a difference! STUDENT DIRECTORIES… Student Directories have been handed out to each family today. It is going home with the youngest sibling. THANK YOU FOR HELPING… from Kelly Jarbeau This past Friday’s Autumnfest was a lot of fun; I have many people to thank for their help. Sherry Sroka, Sue Alexander, Lisa Clancy, Lew Hassell, Linda Forrester, Jayne Cobb, Alexis Cobb, AnnMarie Mahoney, Sean Mahoney, Lisa Waldheger, Nancy Santucci, Christina Philippi, Jeanne Curzake, Heather Roach, Noemi Ramos- Desimone, Harmony Jordan, Maria Rivas, Natalie Cooper, Stephanie Foster, Kevin and Chris Pelton, Tricia Angeli, all of the bakers for their cakes, and carvers for the pumpkins. We also had mums and pumpkins donated by the Farmer’s Daughter, Shan-bri Farms in Exeter, and Clark Farms. Thank you for helping!!!
· West Kingston Elementary School · 3119 Ministerial Rd · West Kingston RI 02892 · (401) 360-1130 ·

Weekly Newsletter for October 24, 2007

IMPORTANT DATES…
Oct 26 – Hawk-A-Thon
Oct 31 – Kdg to Farmer’s Daughter,
         12:30-2:30
Oct 31 – Picture Re-Takes
Nov 2 – Student Recognition Assembly
              (changed from Oct. 26th)
Nov 7 – End 1st Quarter
Nov 7 – Dental Screening
Nov 12 – Holiday, NO SCHOOL

EMERGENCY DRILLS…
    The Rhode Island state law has always required a specific number of fire drills be conducted each year; however, this year the law was amended to replace 4 fire drills with 2 evacuation and 2 lockdown drills to be conducted during the school year.
    West Kingston School will have their first lockdown drill on Monday, October 29th at 9:15. Lockdown procedures are used to protect the building’s occupants from potential dangers in the building, such as an unidentified intruder.
     The first evacuation drill this year will be held on Friday, November 2 (weather permitting). Evacuations are used when conditions outside the school are safer than those inside.
    We are still required to have 11 fire drills during the school year and will continue to have these periodically throughout the year.
    Drills are conducted in a calm manner to practice the expected procedures. The police and fire departments are notified of lockdown and evacuation drills and will often assist with the drills.

THANK YOU TO PTO…
A giant thank you to the PTO for giving a bright new look to the blacktop games.

PICTURE RE-TAKES…
    If your child had a picture package taken in September and you were not happy with it, we will be having picture re-takes next Wednesday, October 31st. Just send the original packet with your child to turn in and have another picture taken.
    If you missed the first opportunity to purchase a package, we have forms in the office for you to fill out and have your child turn in on picture day.

MATH NEWS…
    The math coaches have been writing weekly articles to be published on the online version of the Westerly Sun. The articles have to do with current math issues in South Kingstown. The site is http://www.thewesterlysun.com/
Click on the Math Connection icon for the articles (this icon is at the bottom of the page in a big blue box.) At the bottom of each article is an archive of all of the articles.
    If you know of a topic that you would like to have included, please let us know.
    We are going to finish a series of articles about the different strands of math, then do some articles with samples of problems and representations from each grade level, then articles about the different algorithms for adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying. We would love your suggestions as to other topics of parent interest.
Mariann Hayward, Math Coach
mhayward@skschools.net

BEES, BEES, BEES…
    I’m sure you have heard from your children about the bees at school. Please be assured that we are constantly searching for nests and dealing with them. We are either having indoor recess or using different areas of the grounds for recess activities determined day to day based on bee activity.
   Any student who is nervous about the bees or has an allergy, is allowed to stay in the office area during recess. At this time of year, bees are often more aggressive. Once there is a hard frost, this problem will be gone. As always, we are making decisions in the best interest and for the safety of everyone.

PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY…
4-6 p.m. this Saturday, October 27th
at the Courthouse Center for the Arts
3481 Kingstown Road
for West Kingston children ages 6-18
jack-o-lantern lighting!
Pumpkins and carving tools will be provided
Free cider and donuts
Admission: free
Families welcome
(This event is sponsored by Courthouse Center for the Arts)

PBIS…
The following students were recognized for our Positive Behavior Intervention Support program. Congratulations to Matt K., Kevin W., Kyron W., Joshua P., Olivia Z., Kaitlyn D., Payton C., Aria J., Seamus M., Luke M., Yejin K., Callie J., Megan M., Chris D., Tristan R., Noah C., Rachel L., Shakisouix W., Aaron L., and Fallon W. Great job!

PTO NEWS…
Get Ready!
HAWK-A-THON THIS FRIDAY
Our Hawk-A-Thon walk-a-thon will take place this Friday, October 26th. Come and cheer on your children. Please remind your children to wear sneakers and be dressed appropriately to spend one hour walking/running outside. Water will be provided.
    Congratulations to the 193 children who earned the 1st Responsibility Award of a piggy key chain from Citizen’s Bank. A second Responsibility Award can be earned if pledge envelopes are returned by Tuesday, Nov. 6th.

COMING UP SOON…
November: Hawk Gear Sales
                 Gift Card Sales
December: Vendor Day
There will be more information for these events as the dates approach.

Autumnfest
Thank you West Kingston families for making Friday night’s Autumnfest and Book Fair a great success. So many of you volunteered to help with these events creating smiles on the faces of those in attendance, children and adults alike, were wide spread. We would also like to thank Kelly Jarbeau for organizing this fantastic event as well as Patty Reardon and Dena Gonsalves for putting together the book fair.

Event Photos
If anyone has any pictures from any school events that they would like to be considered for the yearbook, please send a hard copy to the school in an envelope addressed to the PTO via backpack, or e-mail pictures to mcromack1@cox.net.

Babysitting Needed
We are in need of babysitters for the afternoon PTO meetings every other month. If you have someone or know someone in need of volunteer hours or community service, please contact Tricia Angeli at 783-7889.

Coats for Kids
    It’s time to dig out your children’s old coats, mittens, boots, etc. We are collecting these items as well as new hats to donate to the Jonnycake Center in Peace Dale.
    If you would like to donate any items, there will be a box in the main office area starting this Friday, October 26th. If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse Debi Vannoy. Thanks for your support!

Box Tops
Don’t forget to send in those Box Tops. Even though they may seem small, they can make a difference!

STUDENT DIRECTORIES…
Student Directories have been handed out to each family today. It is going home with the youngest sibling.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING…
from Kelly Jarbeau
This past Friday’s Autumnfest was a lot of fun; I have many people to thank for their help. Sherry Sroka, Sue Alexander, Lisa Clancy, Lew Hassell, Linda Forrester, Jayne Cobb, Alexis Cobb, AnnMarie Mahoney, Sean Mahoney, Lisa Waldheger, Nancy Santucci, Christina Philippi, Jeanne Curzake, Heather Roach, Noemi Ramos- Desimone, Harmony Jordan, Maria Rivas, Natalie Cooper, Stephanie Foster, Kevin and Chris Pelton, Tricia Angeli, all of the bakers for their cakes, and carvers for the pumpkins. We also had mums and pumpkins donated by the Farmer’s Daughter, Shan-bri Farms in Exeter, and Clark Farms. Thank you for helping!!!

· West Kingston Elementary School · 3119 Ministerial Rd · West Kingston RI 02892 · (401) 360-1130 ·