March 3, 2016

Dear Memorial Families,

What a great week it's been so far! Thank you to our amazing PTO for making Read Across America week so much fun. The building looks amazing!

Don't forget that parent/teacher conferences begin next week. On Tuesday, March 8th, we will have an early dismissal for our extended day preschoolers and a.m./full day kindergarten students. There will be no p.m. preschool. We look forward to seeing you.

Read Across America Week at Memorial

On Tuesday we gathered as a school to kick off Read Across America week and to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. The following students each stood up in front of the whole school and read a special fact about Dr. Seuss. Awesome job boys and girls!

Chris Unger

Mary-Clare Thorpe

Meigs Dorscheimer

Emma Gorham

Kiley Weafer

Ryan Healey

Jack Blake

Hadleigh Spears

To wrap up the assembly, we all recited the Reader's Oath and sang "Read Across America" led by Mr. Ruggerio.

Wednesday was our guest reader day. Thank you to all of our special guests who took time out of their day to visit the Memorial and share a story.

Thursday was crazy "Fox in Socks" day!  

We can't wait for tomorrow!  There will be a special visitor and everyone is encouraged to wear their Red and White.

Melissa Stewart Visit

We are very excited to announce that Melissa Stewart, an award-winning author of more than 150 science books for children, will be visiting our school April 5 and 6. She has always been fascinated by the natural world and is passionate about sharing its beauty and wonder with readers of all ages. Melissa will be presenting to all Memorial students during her two day visit. We are grateful to our PTO for sponsoring this literacy event.

If you would like autographed copies of her books, please see the order form. All orders are due, with payment, by March 16.

Order form: https://goo.gl/KcqRE5

Wondering how the student placement process works?  Come join me on Monday, March 21st from 9:30-10:30 a.m in the Memorial Library to learn about the parent input letter and the multiple factors that go into placing students into classrooms each year.  More information to follow.

WINTER CARNIVAL – ADVANCE TICKET SALES

Avoid the ticket lines at the Winter Carnival on March 12!  Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased before the day of the carnival by clicking on the following link: http://www.medfieldwintercarnival.com/#!advance-tickets/c1je1

Not sure how many to buy? All booths and food prices are listed on our website so you can plan out how many you and your family needs.   A FEW IDEAS…. give them away as party favors, thank you gifts, birthday presents even! 

It all goes back to your kids! 

WINTER CARNIVAL – SWEETS & TREATS

Calling All Bakers!  This booth will need LOTS of volunteers to bake for the Winter Carnival on Saturday March 12th.

All baked goods are welcomed (pies, breads, cookies, except chocolate chip cookies. The school provides us with plenty of chocolate chip cookies). This year we are using the Sign Up Genius to keep track of donations. Please click on the link:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050d48a8a92fa64-2016

It is helpful to have the items wrapped ready for sale.  Be sure to clearly label any items that contain nuts.  Baked goods can be dropped off the night before the carnival on Friday March 11th at the Memorial School lobby between 4-6 pm.

Please contact Meredith Cumming: 242-5097, Meredith.cumming@gmail.com with any questions.

Or visit www.medfieldwintercarnival.com

WINTER CARNIVAL –Baskets and Raffle

Please click on this link to read the Winter Carnival Newsletter

Last week a yellow flyer went home in your child's backpack outlining our needs for the Winter Carnival Baskets and Raffle.  There are various ways that you can help: donating an item for a particular basket, contributing gift cards, or simply sending in a check to "Medfield Winter Carnival." With any contribution you receive a free raffle ticket for the GO PRO that is being raffled off at the carnival.  The baskets have always been amazingly popular with the kids (and parents!) and this year proves to be no exception. Thank you in advance for your help!

Please reach out to Janie Boylan at janie.steel@totalise.co.uk or Meghan Glenn at theglenns2005@hotmail.com with any questions.

BOX TOPS

CALLING ALL BOX TOPS- Though we collect all year long, the Box Tops final submission for the school year is March 1st, so get your Box Tops in for the raffle drawing this Friday, February 26th!  We are getting closer to our goal of purchasing a Buddy Bench for the playground, but need your help to do this!  Don't forget to put your name on your collection sheet!  10 box tops = 1 ticket, 25 box tops = 3 tickets. 

Check out this week's Thursday Packet for the Box Top collection sheets or click here for sheet 10 or sheet 25.  If you have any questions or would like us to send your child home with the Box Tops collection sheets, please contact Memorial's coordinators Maria Puglia mpuglia79@gmail.com or Lindsay Rogers uflindsay@gmail.com. 

As always, thank you for reading.

Enjoy your week.

Sincerely,

Missy Bilsborough

Memorial School Principal

February 25, 2016

Hello Memorial Families,

This week we celebrated the 100th day of school (2/22 for Grade 1 and 2/24 for Kindergarten)!  Hard to believe that we are more than half-way through the school year already.  

What's Happening in the Memorial Lobby?

If you've been to the school in the last week, you'll notice that the lobby has an new arrangement. Our school mascots, Duck and Moose, have been relocated to make room for a very special project. More information will be shared in late spring.

Students from Mrs. McAvoy's, Mrs.Hedberg's, Mrs. Elrick's, Mrs. Pollock's and Mrs Herring's classes joined together in second lunch to commit random acts of kindness.  Each special act was recorded on a heart throughout the month of February and the hearts were hung on the walls of the cafeteria.  I'm so proud to say that the kindness wrapped around the entire cafeteria!  Way to go everyone!

Thanks to all who participated in Pajama Day before vacation!  What a great way to celebrate our progress towards our Box Top collection and a nice way to kick off February vacation and Valentine's Day.  Be on the lookout for more Spirit Days...coming soon!

Next week is Read Across America Week! We will be having special activities starting with a school wide kick off ceremony and ending with a special visit from the Cat in the Hat.  In between we'll have guest readers and crazy sock day.

Math, Math Everywhere!!!

Wondering how the student placement process works?  Come join me on Monday, March 21st from 9:30-10:30 a.m in the Memorial Library to learn about the parent input letter and the multiple factors that go into placing students into classrooms each year.  More information to follow.

MCPE Upcoming Events
Parenting Author Jessica Lahey is coming to speak at Dover/Sherborn Alan Mudge Auditorium on Tuesday, March 1st at 7 p.m.   

The location of the Alan Mudge Auditorium is in the building between D-S middle school and D-S high school on the Regional campus.  D-S has kindly invited Medfield parents to this free event. Please register online at http://goo.gl/forms/O3mRWJh0yt . Jessica Lahey is an educator, writer, and speaker. She has taught middle and high school for over a decade, is a correspondent for the Atlantic and PBS Parents, commentator for Vermont Public Radio, and writes the "Parent-Teacher Conference" column for the New York Times. Her New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed was released by Harper Books in 2015. Jessica is a Dover-Sherborn graduate, earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts, and a J.D. with a concentration in juvenile and education law from the University of North Carolina School of Law. 

"Most Likely to Succeed" Film Screening and Discussion: A Medfield Community Event

​ 

on Tuesday, March 29th at 6:30 p.m.​

Most Likely to Succeed offers an inspiring look at what students and teachers are capable of when given the opportunity. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Greg Whiteley, the film has been an official selection of two dozen of the world’s top film festivals, including Sundance, Tribeca, AFI, Cleveland, Dallas, Milwaukee, Sarasota, Seattle, Virginia, and Bergen. It’s been featured at leading conferences on education, including ASU/GSV, SxSWedu, Harvard/GoldmanSachs, and NewSchools Venture Fund. Audience members call it the most compelling film ever done on the topic of school.

The film will be shown from 6:30-8 p.m., at the Medfield High School Auditorium, with small group discussions with Medfield Public School Administrators from 8-9 p.m. You are invited to see the film and join the conversation! This is NOT one solution to education. This film asks us to ask questions, which will hopefully lead us to our own answers. PLEASE VISIT www.MLTSfilm.org TO SEE THE TRAILER! Click this link for your free registration:

eventbrite.com/e/most-likely-to-succeed-film-screening-and-discussion-a-medfield-community-event-tickets-21453072718

Thank you for reading.
Enjoy the remainder of your week.
Sincerely,
Missy Bilsborough, Principal

February 11, 2016

Greetings Memorial Families,

Tomorrow is pajama day at the Memorial School! We are celebrating the success of the box top collections to date.   All are welcome to wear pjs and don't forget, donated new pajamas are still being collected by the Girl Scouts to support the Boston Bruins and Cradles to Crayons annual pajama drive.

On Wednesday, the Museum of Science Star Lab visited the Memorial.  Thanks to the PTO, all kindergarten students had a chance to learn about the sun and the moon and to visit the planetariums. The excitement as they waited to enter the domes was palpable. 

Attention First Grade Parents!

Save the date! 

Incoming Grade 1 PIN at Wheelock School 7:00-8:00pm on March 30, 2016.

If you have not yet done so, please pre-register online at http://www.medfield.net/mem-information/kindergarten-registration.html by February 22nd.

Walk-in registration for Kindergarten students entering K in September is being held on Friday, February 26th.  Please come to the Memorial School between 9:00-10:30 or 12:30-2:00 with the following information:

For students new to the Memorial School...

• Copy of Student's Birth Certificate
  
• Copy of Purchase & Sale Agreement - If you have moved to Medfield within the last year
• Required for NEW incoming Kindergarten students (*click here for the complete printable packet):
• Kindergarten Registration Form*
• Home Language Survey*
• Current Physical Exam & Immunizations*
• Kindergarten Session Preference Form*
• A Deposit in the amount of $350.00 for the Full Day Kindergarten Program
          Please make check payable to the Town of Medfield with
                  "FDK and your child's name" in the memo section
          This payment will be applied to the last tuition installment which will be due June 2017.

For students who currently attend the Memorial Preschool program or receive walk-in services at Memorial School...

• Kindergarten Session Preference Form (click here for the form)
• A Deposit in the amount of $350.00 for the Full Day Kindergarten Program
           Please make check payable to the Town of Medfield with
                  "FDK and your child's name" in the memo section
          This payment will be applied to the last tuition installment which will be due June 2017.

Wondering how the student placement process works?  Come join me on Monday, March 21st from 9:30-10:30 a.m in the Memorial Library to learn about the parent input letter and the multiple factors that go into placing students into classrooms each year.  More information to follow.


We are looking forward to the Valentine's Day celebrations tomorrow and wish you all a safe and enjoyable February break!

Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Missy Bilsborough

February 4, 2016

Greetings Memorial Families,

Tomorrow is Digital Learning Day.  Please note that there will be no school for students.  Currently there are 85 sessions, 130 presenters, 50 parents signed up to attend and 40 student volunteers.  We are excited to learn about technology tools that can help support the learning of Memorial students. A HUGE thank you to Kim Cave, Debby Fromen, Neal Sonnenberg, and Diane Horvath for their amazing efforts in planning this day.  Follow #dldmedfield for updates throughout the day.

Pajama Day!
Next Friday, February 12th will be Pajama Day at Memorial.  We are having this special day to celebrate the outstanding success of the PTO Box Top collection thus far this year.   Three lucky students have won gift certificates this year courtesy of the PTO and there are more drawings to come.  We are 50% of the way towards of goal!  As you know. we are planning to use the earnings to purchase a Buddy Bench for the playground.  Please keep the Box Tops coming!

Don't forget...the Boston Bruins/Cradles to Crayons PJ drive is happening now.

Medfield Girl Scouts Troop #74900 is joining with the Boston Bruins and Cradles to Crayons for the 9th annual PJ Drive. The Boston Bruins and Cradles to Crayons are coming together to collect new pajamas for local children living in homelessness and poverty. Troop #74900 has placed a collection box in the Memorial office and will deliver all PJ's to the Bruins at the close of the drive. For every pair of pajamas our school donates, the Boston Bruins will also donate a pair of PJs. This event will run from February 1st through March 15th.

Please note that pajamas must be new and sizes 4T-18.
Thank you in advance!

Next week we are looking forward to the Star Lab visit in Kindergarten.  Be on the look out for some photos of this amazing presentation.

Valentine's Day Parties will be held on Friday, February 12th.  Teachers will be sending information directly to parents regarding classroom specifics.

Thank you for reading.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Sincerely,

Missy Bilsborough

January 28, 2016

Hello Memorial Families,
It's hard to believe that January is just about over.  We are quickly approaching the mid-point of the school year and things are in full swing at Memorial.

Incoming Kindergarten Parent Night
On Wednesday, the informational night for incoming kindergarten parents was held in the gymnasium. It was a pleasure to see so many new and returning faces to the Memorial and I am looking forward to meeting all of the new students in June for Transition Day.  Pre-registration for the 2016-2017 school year is now open. Materials and forms can be accessed by clicking here. 

To access the presentation from last evening, please click here.

As a reminder, walk-in registration will be held on Friday, February 26, 2016.  Registration times are 9:00-10:30 a.m. or 12:30-2:00 p.m. Please be sure to visit the website to view the required materials.  

PJ Drive!
Medfield Girl Scouts Troop #74900 is joining with the Boston Bruins and Cradles for Crayons for the 9th annual PJ Drive. The Boston Bruins and Cradles to Crayons are coming together to collect new pajamas for local children living in homelessness and poverty. Troop #74900 will be placing a collection box in the Memorial lobby and will deliver all PJ's to the Bruins at the close of the drive. For every pair of pajamas our school donates, the Boston Bruins will also donate a pair of PJs. This event will run from February 1st through March 15th.

Please note that pajamas must be new and sizes 4T-18.

Thank you in advance for your support!

No School

There will be no school on Friday, February 5th as Medfield staff members will be participating in Digital Learning Day.

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful week.

Sincerely,

Missy Bilsborough