Why are webkins on the wall?

Reminders to use 'Lips the Fish', 'Eagle Eye', and 'Chunky Monkey' are often heard as our first and second graders read.  These phrases are associated with common strategies often used by good readers.  Children love the animal associations and find them helpful in remembering things to try whenever they are stuck on a word.

Strategies frequently used by First Graders:

Lips the Fish- Get your mouth ready.  Sound out the first letter of the word.
Eagle Eye- Look at the picture for clues.
Chunky Monkey- Look for chunks you know in the word.
Flippy Dolphin- Try changing the vowel sound; flip long and short sounds.
Stretchy the Snake- Slowly sound out the different letters then blend.
Tryin' Lion- Try a different word.  Try re-reading.
Skippy the Frog- Skip the word and read to the end of the sentence.  Hop back and reread to figure out the word.

Many of our classrooms feature bulletin boards with posters describing the reading strategies and associated animals as visual aides.  Animal strategies are so popular at Sweetsir, our Special Educators and Reading Teachers have found using this same terminology across settings is very beneficial.  Since a few more animals are needed to complete the bulletin board in the Title One Reading room, we would welcome new or used donations of the following animals in webkin sizes:

eagles   dolphin   snakes   spiders   owls   parrots   iguanas

The animal reading strategies can be found on so many school websites and blogs we were unable to determine who initially created them.  This is an example of how teachers across the globe share great ideas to benefit children everywhere.

'Holiday Helper' Tradition

Giving Tree 2010
Girl Scouts handmade stockings
filled with mittens.

For many years, the Sweetsir School & Donaghue School have joined forces with community members and local organizations to provide holiday gifts for families experiencing financial hardship.  This wonderful tradition will continue again this year!  If you would like to contribute, food drives will be held at both elementary schools and gift cards or monetary donations may be brought to the school office (checks can be made payable to 'Holiday Helper').  After Thanksgiving, there will also be a 'Giving Tree' in the Sweetsir lobby for children to hang donations of mittens and gloves.  The tree is named after the book, by Shel Silverstein, featuring a tree that showed unconditional love by giving gifts.

A letter recently went home to let parents know how they can apply for assistance from the 'Holiday Helper' program.  For more information, please contact one of the elementary school nurses or guidance staff members. 

Lion Club Members 
help every year!

Both retired & current staff members
are behind the scene organizers.

Why is there a 'blob' in the kitchen?

Watch this video to find out what is on the counter and why 

Chef Vienneau was wishing for 'smelly-vision.'

We have two fabulous women working in the Sweetsir School kitchen!!  Mrs. Chase and Mrs. Vienneau keep a super clean kitchen, are kind to children and take pride in making foods from scratch.  Take a look at this video and you will see why students love to buy hot lunch at Sweetsir!

Mrs. Vienneau became our Kitchen Manager this year after transferring from the Page School.  One of the reasons she wanted to come to Merrimac was to work in an early childhood setting.  She loves young children and has made the cafeteria a warm and inviting place.  She often surprises children with stickers for eating their vegetables or trying new foods.  She raffles off prizes for 'Lucky Lunch Day', decorates pumpkins as sesame street characters and even wore a crown on her birthday and gave away pencils.  It has been fun to have her as a member of our school.

Stay away from the 'Danger Zone'

First Student Bus Company's outreach educator, Cheri Gibbons, provided a special safety presentation for students in grades k-2.  In this picture, she is explaining about the 'danger zone', which is the area around the bus that the driver can not see you.  Our Guidance Counselor, Ms. Sarah Angell, used red and yellow tape on the floor to create a visual of the danger zone.  Students learned a number of safety tips, including the importance of looking for the 'thumbs up' signal from the driver before crossing the street.

Parents can help reinforce bus safety rules by reminding children to stay seated until the bus comes to a complete stop, and modeling how to look for the driver's signal before crossing in front of the bus.  Never cross behind the bus since it is part of the danger zone.

Note:  A bar swings out over the danger zones in front of the bus when the stop sign is out.   Look for the driver's signal and then walk beyond the bar so the driver can see you.