YARMOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

,

Dear YES Families,

In 2016 my daughter graduated from Yarmouth High School. One of the student speakers at that event gave an inspiring speech that was titled “All In”. For those of us who have been engaged in pandemic learning, we would quickly define that term as a return to all students being back in school together. In the speech given by this young man during pre-pandemic times, his view of the term was quite different. In his view, “all in” is defined as "being fully committed to a task or endeavor". He described how a person is "prepared to give all of one's energy or resources toward something". He then connected this theme to all of the times his class had gone “all in” during their four years together, encouraging them to carry this trait on in their lives as they graduate.

Even though we have just begun the transition back to “all in school" these past few weeks, our entire school community has been living the 2016 Yarmouth graduation “all in” trait for much longer. The time, energy, and support that our community has provided to our students has been extraordinary. In order to have a successful year of learning so many people have gone above and beyond. Please know how grateful I am for the efforts that have been made this year by students, staff, families, and our community.

In this June newsletter, I am excited to share end-of-year information with you that will take us to the summer. We have several special events to highlight including the beloved “YES Field Day”. At this event, all of our students will receive a t-shirt that has been provided through the support of our amazing K-8 PTO. The back of the t-shirt will read “We’re All In!”.  As I shared, it can be defined two different ways this year - but in my view, it is speaking to the pre-pandemic version!

JUNE NEWS AND EVENTS

BIKE RIDING REMINDERS

We have been fortunate that this spring has been so sunny and warm. As a result, we are averaging approximately 100 bike riders a day, with more students choosing this transportation option as we move toward the end of the school year. With all of these bikers on the roads just after 3 p.m, there is the potential for congestion on the streets. I have gotten reports of students who are not being as safe as they should be when on the roads after school. I spoke to all students on Friday, reminding them how important it is that they ride safely. I have also spoken with the Yarmouth PD who will be more of a visible presence on West Elm Street to provide reminders. If your children are riding their bike, please talk with them about the following information from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine:   Obey The Rules Of The Road: -Ride on the right side of the roadway with traffic. -Use hand signals when turning or stopping. -Ride single file. -Obey traffic signs, signals, and laws. -Ride straight — no surprises! -Look back and signal before turning. -Yield to people walking. -Use lights if riding at night (remember to ask your parents for permission). -Always stop at the end of your driveway — look left, right, then left again before entering the road. -Feel unsafe? You can always walk your bike.

You can access further information about bike safety from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, which offers a myriad of resources about smart cycling. Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe. 

PTO NEWS

• Heartfelt Thank You – Thank you, parents, for making it possible for the PTO to fund multiple events and items this year. Your generosity brought much-needed support, enrichment, and fun to students and staff during a challenging year. 
• Hannaford Gift Cards – Last load of the school year - June 8, 12 pm. Stock up for summer! Forms will be sent home.
• YES Field Day – We’re excited to help YES hold this traditional event on Friday, June 11 (rain date June 14). As you know, volunteers will be chosen by lottery, and we will contact the winners in early June. Each child will receive a tie-dye shirt to wear on Field Day to celebrate the YES school community and the end of the school year.
• Raffle Baskets – Due to the generous donations from our Rowe and YES families, we raffled off 15 gift baskets and 15 $50 Island Treasure Toys gift cards to 30 lucky students! Thank you, parents, for making this bit of fun happen for our K-4 students!
• Teacher Appreciation – Staff at YES, HMS, and Rowe School enjoyed gift cards from Clayton's Cafe during Teacher Appreciation Week. This was thanks to parents who gave to our fall staff appreciation campaign and the PTO staff appreciation budget.
• PTO Meeting – Please join us at our last meeting of the school year on June 10 at 4 pm. Zoom link will be posted on our FB page and website soon.
• Questions/Comments – Please contact Christy Hayashida and Jessica Raimy at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com.

CLIPPER HONORS 

Yarmouth Education Foundation (YEF) Clipper Honors

Clipper Honors is a great end-of-year gift for any Yarmouth School Department employee. Donate $25 or more in honor of an educator, and your honoree will receive a YEF certificate of appreciation, a note from your family, and a gift card to Thoroughfare! Place your order online here by Friday, June 4 (yarmouth education foundation.org). YEF volunteers will take care of the rest. Educators will receive their gifts from your family by June 11. Clipper Honors is a thoughtful way to honor teachers, administrators, support staff, bus drivers, and more. Thanks for your support!

MEA/MAP RESULTS

Third and fourth graders are finishing up some make-ups on the spring Maine Educational Assessment. As I shared with you earlier, the state has shifted the testing instrument to one we all know well- the NWEA MAP Reading and Mathematics Growth assessment. The week of June 7 we will be mailing these results home to you along with a letter that helps explain the assessment. 

FROM THE LIBRARY: BOOKS DUE BACK BY JUNE 1

Dear Families,

The YES Library is closing Friday, June 4 for construction over the summer. It's been a wonderful year of reading together, but now all library books must come back to school by Tuesday, June 1. 

Please check with your students or reach out to Ms. Moreno to see what they have out, and help them return their books by Tuesday, June 1. Thank you so much! We'll look forward to a refreshed library in the fall! 

Mrs. Moreno

YES TIME CAPSULE 2021 - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2

In the fall, you may recall that we unearthed and shared the contents of a time capsule that students had created and placed in the school. The year of that placement was 1961 and the contents of the capsule are still available to view at the Yarmouth Historical Center. It generated lots of interest from our students who were excited to learn more about what school was like in Yarmouth fifty years ago. 

This spring YES students have been working on a time capsule project that will be placed in our newly renovated and expanded school! On Wednesday, June 2 teachers will push out a video for a virtual “community meeting” where the entire school can see what each classroom has chosen to place in the time capsules. There will be a capsule for each grade. In sixty years one of our current students may have grandchildren who will help unearth this capsule and learn about life in 2021!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9- LAST REMOTE DAY/PACKING DAY FOR STAFF

On Wednesday, June 9 we will have our last remote learning day of the year. Teachers will be pushing out assignments and we will still offer the Ed. Tech Help Desks, beginning at 11:00 a.m for each grade. However, we will not hold morning meetings or teacher help desks that day as staff will be packing up their classrooms to prepare for our huge summer move. Every staff member in the building will be moving into a new space over the summer. This packing requires multiple days and we need to vacate the building shortly after school ends to stay on the construction schedule. 

REPORT CARDS SENT HOME JUNE 10

On the afternoon of June 10, classroom teachers will be sending students home with an envelope that will contain their end-of-year report card. Despite the challenges of pandemic learning, students have made some wonderful growth this year. As I noted at mid-year, we are still reporting out on student progress towards the grade-level standards that would be taught in a normal school year. As a result, you may see more “developing” than you might see in a typical year. But as I have noted previously, we will continue to meet students where they are at and keep them growing. When returning to normal five days a week schooling in the fall we are confident that students will make solid catch-up growth over time. Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions on the end-of-year report card.

GRADE FOUR STUDENT CELEBRATION ON JUNE 10

At this student-only event, our school will recognize our fourth-grade students, who have been fantastic leaders and role models for younger students this past year. That afternoon they will participate in special activities that have been arranged by the fourth-grade teachers. This is the day of the cherished “4th-grade T-Shirt” that is, once again, sponsored by our PTO. 

YES FIELD DAY ON JUNE 11

In-person YES Field Day is back! First and foremost, a huge thank you to the PTO for supporting this event and our other end-of-year celebrations. As noted, all students will receive a t-shirt along with a popsicle treat at the end of the day. Students will be outside participating in stations for about 80 minutes. Only one grade will be out at a time as we have modified the event to be as Covid safe as possible. Your child should plan on making sure they have their water bottle that day along with sunscreen. Unfortunately, we will not be able to schedule a rain date. If the weather does not cooperate it will be a normally scheduled day, but t-shirts and popsicles will still be given out. Let’s hope for another beautiful sunny day!

STEP-UP DAY ON JUNE 14

On the afternoon of Monday, June 14 the entire school district will be participating in a step-up day where students will have the opportunity to spend time with their classmates and teacher(s) for 2021-22. At 1 p.m. our fourth graders will be visiting the middle school and spending time with their grade five teachers. At YES our second and third graders will visit with their 21-22 teachers. YES second-grade teachers will travel down to Rowe and visit the first graders at the school. 

Our second and third-grade wings will be under construction next year, so no students will be able to visit the classrooms that they will be in for 21-22 as they won’t be ready until the fall. The exciting news is that every classroom will be in a brand new space next year. Music and Grade Four Band are the only exceptions as they will be housed in the modular classrooms until January 2022. We plan to provide drop-in/visit opportunities for those spaces prior to the start of school in the fall. 

At the end of the step-up day, each child will be sent home with an envelope that includes a letter describing the placement process and their classroom teacher assignment for 2021-22. 

MOVING FROM YARMOUTH?

If you are moving, or plan that your child will not attend YES next year, please make sure that you contact the main office to share that information with us. For those of you who will not be with us next year, we wish your family all the best.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL ON JUNE 15

Students will be dismissed at noon. Bagged lunches will be provided for students who would like to take them home at dismissal time. 

SUMMER CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNICATION

As noted, It will be a busy summer with more construction and the entire school moving into new spaces next year. We will be in a state of flux throughout June/July but anticipate that the new office will be finished and open beginning August 1. Our phone lines will be open, as will the central office, but the best way to get in touch with us over the summer until then will be to email me directly at ryan_gleason@yarmouthschools.org. 

OUR FOURTH-GRADE LEADERS ARE MOVING ON...

Congratulations to our fourth-grade students as they move down the street and begin their middle school careers. It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to a grade as they move onward and upward. We are so proud of their hard work and leadership- particularly this year.  We are also confident that they are well prepared for success in middle school.  

We wish all students and families a safe and enjoyable summer, and we will see you back in August.  Our first day of the 2021-22  school year will be September 1. I’ll be in touch with you over the summer regarding transition back to school events along with Fall Open House dates.  Between now and then hit the beach and all the other joys a Maine summer has to offer. Have a wonderful summer break!

With appreciation,

Ryan Gleason, YES Principal 

 

Dear YES Families,

In 2016 my daughter graduated from Yarmouth High School. One of the student speakers at that event gave an inspiring speech that was titled “All In”. For those of us who have been engaged in pandemic learning, we would quickly define that term as a return to all students being back in school together. In the speech given by this young man during pre-pandemic times, his view of the term was quite different. In his view, “all in” is defined as "being fully committed to a task or endeavor". He described how a person is "prepared to give all of one's energy or resources toward something". He then connected this theme to all of the times his class had gone “all in” during their four years together, encouraging them to carry this trait on in their lives as they graduate.

Even though we have just begun the transition back to “all in school" these past few weeks, our entire school community has been living the 2016 Yarmouth graduation “all in” trait for much longer. The time, energy, and support that our community has provided to our students has been extraordinary. In order to have a successful year of learning so many people have gone above and beyond. Please know how grateful I am for the efforts that have been made this year by students, staff, families, and our community.

In this June newsletter, I am excited to share end-of-year information with you that will take us to the summer. We have several special events to highlight including the beloved “YES Field Day”. At this event, all of our students will receive a t-shirt that has been provided through the support of our amazing K-8 PTO. The back of the t-shirt will read “We’re All In!”.  As I shared, it can be defined two different ways this year - but in my view, it is speaking to the pre-pandemic version!

JUNE NEWS AND EVENTS

BIKE RIDING REMINDERS

We have been fortunate that this spring has been so sunny and warm. As a result, we are averaging approximately 100 bike riders a day, with more students choosing this transportation option as we move toward the end of the school year. With all of these bikers on the roads just after 3 p.m, there is the potential for congestion on the streets. I have gotten reports of students who are not being as safe as they should be when on the roads after school. I spoke to all students on Friday, reminding them how important it is that they ride safely. I have also spoken with the Yarmouth PD who will be more of a visible presence on West Elm Street to provide reminders. If your children are riding their bike, please talk with them about the following information from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine:   Obey The Rules Of The Road: -Ride on the right side of the roadway with traffic. -Use hand signals when turning or stopping. -Ride single file. -Obey traffic signs, signals, and laws. -Ride straight — no surprises! -Look back and signal before turning. -Yield to people walking. -Use lights if riding at night (remember to ask your parents for permission). -Always stop at the end of your driveway — look left, right, then left again before entering the road. -Feel unsafe? You can always walk your bike.

You can access further information about bike safety from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, which offers a myriad of resources about smart cycling. Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe. 

PTO NEWS

• Heartfelt Thank You – Thank you, parents, for making it possible for the PTO to fund multiple events and items this year. Your generosity brought much-needed support, enrichment, and fun to students and staff during a challenging year. 
• Hannaford Gift Cards – Last load of the school year - June 8, 12 pm. Stock up for summer! Forms will be sent home.
• YES Field Day – We’re excited to help YES hold this traditional event on Friday, June 11 (rain date June 14). As you know, volunteers will be chosen by lottery, and we will contact the winners in early June. Each child will receive a tie-dye shirt to wear on Field Day to celebrate the YES school community and the end of the school year.
• Raffle Baskets – Due to the generous donations from our Rowe and YES families, we raffled off 15 gift baskets and 15 $50 Island Treasure Toys gift cards to 30 lucky students! Thank you, parents, for making this bit of fun happen for our K-4 students!
• Teacher Appreciation – Staff at YES, HMS, and Rowe School enjoyed gift cards from Clayton's Cafe during Teacher Appreciation Week. This was thanks to parents who gave to our fall staff appreciation campaign and the PTO staff appreciation budget.
• PTO Meeting – Please join us at our last meeting of the school year on June 10 at 4 pm. Zoom link will be posted on our FB page and website soon.
• Questions/Comments – Please contact Christy Hayashida and Jessica Raimy at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com.

CLIPPER HONORS 

Yarmouth Education Foundation (YEF) Clipper Honors

Clipper Honors is a great end-of-year gift for any Yarmouth School Department employee. Donate $25 or more in honor of an educator, and your honoree will receive a YEF certificate of appreciation, a note from your family, and a gift card to Thoroughfare! Place your order online here by Friday, June 4 (yarmouth education foundation.org). YEF volunteers will take care of the rest. Educators will receive their gift from your family by June 11. Clipper Honors is a thoughtful way to honor teachers, administrators, support staff, bus drivers, and more. Thanks for your support!

MEA/MAP RESULTS

Third and fourth graders are finishing up some make-ups on the spring Maine Educational Assessment. As I shared with you earlier, the state has shifted the testing instrument to one we all know well- the NWEA MAP Reading and Mathematics Growth assessment. The week of June 7 we will be mailing these results home to you along with a letter that helps explain the assessment. 

FROM THE LIBRARY: BOOKS DUE BACK BY JUNE 1

Dear Families,

The YES Library is closing Friday, June 4 for construction over the summer. It's been a wonderful year of reading together, but now all library books must come back to school by Tuesday, June 1. 

Please check with your students or reach out to Ms. Moreno to see what they have out, and help them return their books by Tuesday, June 1. Thank you so much! We'll look forward to a refreshed library in the fall! 

Mrs. Moreno

YES TIME CAPSULE 2021 - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2

In the fall, you may recall that we unearthed and shared the contents of a time capsule that students had created and placed in the school. The year of that placement was 1961 and the contents of the capsule are still available to view at the Yarmouth Historical Center. It generated lots of interest from our students who were excited to learn more about what school was like in Yarmouth fifty years ago. 

This spring YES students have been working on a time capsule project that will be placed in our newly renovated and expanded school! On Wednesday, June 2 teachers will push out a video for a virtual “community meeting” where the entire school can see what each classroom has chosen to place in the time capsules. There will be a capsule for each grade. In sixty years one of our current students may have grandchildren who will help unearth this capsule and learn about life in 2021!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9- LAST REMOTE DAY/PACKING DAY FOR STAFF

On Wednesday, June 9 we will have our last remote learning day of the year. Teachers will be pushing out assignments and we will still offer the Ed. Tech Help Desks, beginning at 11:00 a.m for each grade. However, we will not hold morning meetings or teacher help desks that day as staff will be packing up their classrooms to prepare for our huge summer move. Every staff member in the building will be moving into a new space over the summer. This packing requires multiple days and we need to vacate the building shortly after school ends to stay on the construction schedule. 

REPORT CARDS SENT HOME JUNE 10

On the afternoon of June 10, classroom teachers will be sending students home with an envelope that will contain their end of year report card. Despite the challenges of pandemic learning, students have made some wonderful growth this year. As I noted at mid-year, we are still reporting out on student progress towards the grade level standards that would be taught in a normal school year. As a result, you may see more “developing” than you might see in a typical year. But as I have noted previously, we will continue to meet students where they are at and keep them growing. When returning to normal five day a week schooling in the fall we are confident that students will make solid catch up growth over time. Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions on the end of year report card.

GRADE FOUR STUDENT CELEBRATION ON JUNE 10

At this student only event, our school will recognize our fourth grade students, who have been fantastic leaders and role models for younger students this past year. That afternoon they will participate in special activities that have been arranged by the fourth grade teachers. This is the day of the cherished “4th grade T-Shirt” that is, once again, sponsored by our PTO. 

YES FIELD DAY ON JUNE 11

In-person YES Field Day is back! First and foremost, a huge thank you to the PTO for supporting this event and our other end of year celebrations. As noted, all students will receive a t-shirt along with a popsicle treat at the end of the day. Students will be outside participating in stations for about 80 minutes. Only one grade will be out at a time as we have modified the event to be as Covid safe as possible. Your child should plan on making sure they have their water bottle that day along with sunscreen. Unfortunately, we will not be able to schedule a rain date. If the weather does not cooperate it will be a normally scheduled day, but t-shirts and popsicles will still be given out. Let’s hope for another beautiful sunny day!

STEP-UP DAY ON JUNE 14

On the afternoon of Monday, June 14 the entire school district will be participating in a step up day where students will have the opportunity to spend time with their classmates and teacher(s) for 2021-22. At 1 p.m. our fourth graders will be visiting the middle school and spending time with their grade five teachers. At YES our second and third graders will visit with their 21-22 teachers. YES second grade teachers will travel down to Rowe and visit the first graders at the school. 

Our second and third grade wings will be under construction next year, so no students will be able to visit the classrooms that they will be in for 21-22 as they won’t be ready until the fall. The exciting news is that every classroom will be in a brand new space next year. Music and Grade Four Band are the only exceptions as they will be housed in the modular classrooms until January 2022. We plan to provide drop in/visit opportunities for those spaces prior to the start of school in the fall. 

At the end of step up day, each child will be sent home with an envelope that includes a letter describing the placement process and their classroom teacher assignment for 2021-22. 

MOVING FROM YARMOUTH?

If you are moving, or plan that your child will not attend YES next year, please make sure that you contact the main office to share that information with us. For those of you who will not be with us next year, we wish your family all the best.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL ON JUNE 15

Students will be dismissed at noon. Bagged lunches will be provided for students who would like to take them home at dismissal time. 

SUMMER CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNICATION

As noted, It will be a busy summer with more construction and the entire school moving into new spaces next year. We will be in a state of flux throughout June/July, but anticipate that the new office will be finished and open beginning August 1. Our phone lines will be open, as will the central office, but the best way to get in touch with us over the summer until then will be to email me directly at ryan_gleason@yarmouthschools.org. 

OUR FOURTH GRADE LEADERS ARE MOVING ON...

Congratulations to our fourth grade students as they move down the street and begin their middle school careers. It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to a grade as they move onward and upward. We are so proud of their hard work and leadership- particularly this year.  We are also confident that they are well prepared for success in middle school.  

We wish all students and families a safe and enjoyable summer, and we will see you back in August.  Our first day of the 2021-22  school year will be September 1. I’ll be in touch with you over the summer regarding transition back to school events along with Fall Open House dates.  Between now and then hit the beach and all the other joys a Maine summer has to offer. Have a wonderful summer break!

With appreciation,

Ryan Gleason, YES Principal