December 4, 2020 - Week 11

Dear Dale Street Community,

I hope that this note finds you well and you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday (albeit a little different this year).  We have officially entered "the most wonderful" time of the year.  If you think like I do, it is also "the craziest and busiest" time of the year!  We were super busy (not too crazy) this week at #beproudbedale.  Take a minute to look through this week's blog to see some great things.   

This week, Dale Street Technology Integrationist, Mr. Ahern visited Ms. MacDonnell's grade 4 class to talk about the very important idea of being responsible with technology and each of our digital footprints.

  

I had the opportunity to teach a reader's workshop lesson in Ms. DiPesa's fourth-grade classroom today.  We used Pixar's short film Presto, Peter Reynolds' book The Dot, and great classroom conversation to discuss the reading signpost: contrast and contradiction.  It was a great time!

I received a wonderful Thanksgiving note from a student in Mrs. Nee's classroom prior to our break.  It made my holiday!

Our Student Council initiative to support local restaurants during the pandemic continues!  Each week, 2 restaurants will be sponsored by the Dale Street Student Council and their classmates.  Be sure to help our local restaurants!  Next week's sponsored restaurants: Blue Moon Bagel Cafe and Noon Hill Grill.

Support Blue Moon Bagel Cafe! This restaurant has a vast array of food, including baked goods, sandwiches, and drinks, and they have great service. They have won three blue ribbon awards for their food. They use fresh ingredients, have curbside pickup and outdoor seating, and are very kid-friendly! Blue Moon Bagel Cafe is the place to go!  

Come to Noon Hill Grill to support a local business and to enjoy their bold and flavorful dishes. Their food is prepared daily and made with fresh local ingredients. They offer mouthwatering seasonal meal choices and large portions, Their vast menu has so many choices that there is sure to be something for everyone in your family.

Check out the advertising one of this week's featured restaurants received from Mr. Douglas' student!  We are so proud of him!

Congratulations to Mrs. Oxholm, Mrs. Callahan, and Mrs. Delaney! 

This week in Ms. Johnson's fifth-grade class, students had fun with Reading Specialist, Mrs. Bassett using popular song lyrics to help identify themes.  There was also some singing and dancing as well!  

Please join us for a Guidance Webinar: Staying Organized on Remote Learning Days led by Dale Street Guidance Counselor, Lindsey Warner, and Wheelock and Memorial Guidance Counselor, Kathy Bockhorst.  Topics will include: "What is executive functioning?", "What should parents expect developmentally at this age?" and "What are some suggestions and strategies to assist students and families?"  

We would appreciate your input prior to the webinar letting us know what is working, what is not working, and any specific questions you may have about remote learning days.  Please complete this form with your comments.  The webinar link will be sent out next week. We hope you will be able to join us! 

Students may bring lunch from home or purchase a meal from the cafeteria. Lunch is prepared by our cafeteria staff and is delivered to the classrooms.  Meals prepared in the cafeteria will be free to all students for the 2020-2021 school year.  Families will still need to complete the free & reduced lunch application. 

Medfield Outreach has extended their weekly drop-in mental health hours through December.  Please check out this flyer for more information. There are also weekly drop-in times for students.  Click here for details.

MCAP's Social Host Law Campaign is coming to an end but our work is not yet finished! You are invited to join the Medfield Cares About Prevention Community Coalition and help us make change in the Medfield community. Please read our  MCAP November Newsletter to learn more about how to get involved or email Meri Haas at mhaas@medfield.net.

Please send your child in with a refillable water bottle. We can't allow students to use the water fountains, but we do have two water bottle stations. Wearing masks can make your mouth drier and we do let students keep a bottle of water in school.

Check this out.....Zoe, a fifth-grader in Mrs. Chamblin's class created a math game the class could safely play during our current situation! The custom donut pieces were fantastic!  Bravo, Zoe!  

Please make a note of the following important change to the schedules for Cohort A & B prior to the Winter break.

On Tuesday, December 22, students in Cohort B will attend school in-person while students in Cohort A will work remotely.  Making this switch allows both of our cohorts to receive in-person instruction during the week of December 21st. 

Please note that virtual notebooks will be adjusted to reflect this change for both cohorts and that teachers will conduct a morning check-in with Cohort A on Tuesday, December 22nd.

Students in Miss McKenzie's fifth-grade class did a phenomenal job thinking deeply about the again & again signpost in “Majestic.” You know it’s a good lesson when the kids start applauding each other when sharing their work! 

We will be holding virtual parent-teacher conferences this Thursday, December 10th from 12-3:30 p.m., and Tuesday, December 15th from 12:00-3:30 p.m.  These are early release days and students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m.  Please be sure to update School Dismissal Manager to reflect your child's dismissal plans on these days.

Just a reminder, Flu Shots are now required for all students in MA by December 31st, 2020 unless your child has a medical or religious exemption. Immunization exemptions need to be updated annually and on file with the school nurse. Please contact your child's health care provider to make arrangements for your child to receive the Flu Vaccine and send evidence of immunization to the school nurse. 

CVS in Medfield and Shaws/Osco Pharmacy in Medfield are also offering flu shots.   

Please feel free to reach out to the school nurse with any questions or concerns. kthompson@email.medfield.net or 508-242-8573

Thank you all for your continued support and dedication.  Stay healthy, stay safe.

Best, 

Steve

Respect * Compassion * Collaboration * Continuous Growth