We hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving holiday! We have a little over three weeks together before our longer December holiday break. The time between Thanksgiving and the holiday break passes by quickly. As we begin December here are several informational updates for you to be aware of:
NWEA/MAINE THROUGH YEAR ASSESSMENT RESULTS
We appreciate your patience in regard to the fall NWEA testing results. Since this is the first year of the Maine Through Year Assessment, it has taken additional time for the Maine Department of Education to provide access to the results. We are pleased to share that individual student results on the assessments will be sent home to you this week.
Please remember that students in grade two take the NWEA/MPG assessment in reading and math twice a year in both fall and winter. Families of second-grade students will receive an information letter with the fall of 2023 assessment results.
Students in grade three take the state-mandated NWEA/Maine Through Year Assessment. Families of third-grade students will also receive an information letter along with the fall of 2023 results.
Students in grades four and five took the Maine Through Year assessment in the spring and fall of 2023. Families of fourth and fifth-grade students will receive the informational letter and results from both of those assessments.
Please keep in mind that these assessments are a snapshot of one instrument completed on a given day. We place great emphasis on the classroom curriculum and assessments that are aligned with our curriculum. Teachers continue to tap into student strengths, meet them where they are academically, and work with them to grow. If you have any questions about the assessments please feel free to reach out to us.
WINTER WEATHER CLOTHING
Please be sure that your child leaves in the morning dressed for winter weather conditions. Dressing in layers is always a good idea. Boots, gloves, hats, and snow pants should become part of their standard attire when the snowflakes begin to fall. Students will be allowed to play in the snow if dressed properly. It is also important to label your child’s clothing and boots.
If the temperature is below 40 degrees students may not go outside for recess if they are not dressed properly. This means no shorts. Students' legs need to be covered and that can include items like tights and athletic wear workout material. Additionally, it is expected that students wear a jacket when the temperature is this cold. A sweatshirt is not considered a winter jacket and is not sufficient for those kinds of winter conditions when the temperature is in the 30s.
If you have any questions about this please feel free to contact us. We appreciate your help in keeping all of our children warm and healthy this winter.
SNOW DAYS/REMOTE LEARNING POSSIBILITY
As you are aware, the first three snow days of 2023-24 will be traditional "snow days". This means no school for anyone K-12. However, if we have more than three days where travel is not deemed safe we are going to plan on holding remote learning days after that. The 2023-24 YES Remote Snow Days Plan provides a summary of what student learning will look like on these days if they come to pass.
We will be watching the weather all winter and sending home school iPads the night before any anticipated poor travel conditions. If we send them home we will communicate this to you through an email. The iPads should stay in backpacks at home unless we actually have a snow day. If there is no snow day, the iPad and sleeve will still be in the backpack ready to come right back to school that day.
CAR TAG REMINDER
Over the past few weeks we have noted that there is a growing number of student car pickups who are not displaying car tags or the PikMyKid app. We need to verify and make sure that the adult is authorized to pick up that child. Please make sure to post the car tags on the lower side of the windshield towards the sidewalk. If you need a new car tag please contact the main office. We appreciate your help with this.
LOST AND FOUND CLOTHING
The lost and found clothing area in the gym lobby is starting to get quite full. Teachers have been actively encouraging students to look for any missing items. Even with those efforts, there are several unclaimed coats, sweatshirts, gloves, and other articles of clothing that do not have names on them.
On December 21st we will be donating any unclaimed items to a local charity. If you would like to stop in and look for specific articles of clothing please contact the main office to arrange that. The lost and found area is also accessible for any weekend programs held in the gym so please take a look when you are at those events, or at our upcoming concerts on December 13th and 14th. Again, we encourage you to write your child’s name somewhere on their clothing so it can be easily identified.
PTO NEWS
- Next PTO meeting date: December 14th at 4:00 at the YES Library, a babysitter will be provided for attendees. All are welcome!!
- Student Directory Guidelines for ordering 2023-2024 Directory Announcement.pdf
- December 3rd is the PTO Fabulous Make It, Take It event 2023 Make-It Take-It flyer (4).png
- The next Hannaford Gift Card Load will be December 15th. Thinking of a Holiday gift for a family member, relative, or neighbor, this is it!
- Hannaford Flyer 23 to 24 (1).pdf(144K)
- Coming up in January but we wanted to give you a heads-up for the PTO Parent ED Series!
- We are sharing information about three upcoming (in early 2024) Parent Education workshops to be hosted by the Yarmouth PTO with complete financial sponsorship by local businesses (Dirigo Pediatric Dentistry and Mbrace Orthodontics).
- The workshops are entitled “Raising Sexually Healthy Children” and will be facilitated by Jennifer Weissner, LCSW and certified sex therapist. https://jenniferwiessnerhealthysexuality.com/
We will have 3 separate workshops:
- Raising Sexually Healthy Children Workshop for parents/caregivers of kids 0-9 years old
- Raising Sexually Healthy Children Workshop for parents/caregivers of kids 10-18 years
- Raising Sexually Healthy Children Workshop for dads and male-identifying caregivers only workshop (birth to age 9)
Each workshop is 2 hours in duration.
Topics in the presentation will be:
- Healthy body image
- Empowering parents to be their child’s source of information
- Sexual development
- Common myths
- Helping parents to reduce the possibility of a porn exposure
- Gender-expansive children and how to support them
- Ways to best answer children’s questions
- How to check in with one's values as they relate to healthy sexuality
Dates and sign-up information will be coming in our News to use, the principal's newsletter, and on social media. For questions about the event, you can contact the Yarmouth K-8 PTO.
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, December 3: Vaccination Clinic at Harrison Middle School
Wednesday, December 13th: 5th Grade Concert & Thursday, December 14th: 4th Grade Concert
Under the direction of Mrs. Troy and Mrs. Stebbins, we look forward to the first performance of the year for our student musicians and singers!
Grade 5 Concert - Wednesday, December 13th
- Who? 5th Grade Chorus, Band and Orff Ensemble, Families and Friends
- When? Band Students will meet Mrs. Stebbins in the gym with instruments and music at 5:45. Students in the Chorus and/or Orff Ensemble only will meet Mrs. Troy in the YES Music Room at 5:45. Concert begins at 6:00 in the YES Gym and we anticipate being done by 7:00.
Grade 4 Concert - Thursday, December 14th
- Who? 4th Grade Chorus and Orff Ensemble (including 5th Grade Orff Ensemble Leaders), Families, and Friends
- When? Performers meet Mrs. Troy in YES Music Room at 5:45. The Concert begins at 6:00 in the YES Gym and should wrap up by 6:45.
Thursday, December 14th: December Community Meeting for Staff & Students.
We will hold an all-school community meeting that morning and enjoy an encore performance of the concert with our 4th and 5th graders performing one more time.
Thursday, December 21st: Comfy Clothes Day & “Festive Holiday Sweater” Day for Staff
As our last student day before the holiday break, we have declared "Comfy Clothes Day" once again at YES. Everyone can start picking out their favorite comfy clothes to wear to school on this day! Staff will wear their festive (and fun) holiday gear. This tradition is always a student favorite!
December 22nd- January 1st: Holiday Winter Vacation
Happy New Year! Remember that classes resume at YES on Tuesday, January 2nd.
On behalf of the Yarmouth Elementary School faculty and staff, we wish all of our students and families a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!
Warm regards,
Ryan Gleason, YES Principal & Molly Kilpatrick, YES Assistant Principal