WHAT’S HAPPENING
Monday, September 1
Labor Day – No School
Tuesday, September 2
First Day of School for K and PK
Principal’s Meet & Greet – 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.
Monday, September 8
School Committee Meeting – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 11
PTO Meeting – 5:30 p.m.
Friday, September 26
All-School Assembly – 2:15 p.m.
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IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE
One of my most significant mentors was a violinist and conductor named Blanche Moyse. I was just eleven years old when I began to study flute with her husband and, for a few years, I found my brief encounters with her to be a bit intimidating. As I grew older, we developed a genuine respect and affection for one another. In college, Blanche oversaw a good portion of my musical training, including a tutorial on Harmony & Analysis. I struggled mightily, but she did not give up on me. My final exam was to do a harmonic analysis of a large portion of a huge choral masterpiece by Johann Sebastian Bach. I still have that tattered musical score. On the front, Blanche wrote, “B+. Good for both of us!”
Every teacher can relate to moments like this. One of the most gratifying moments for an educator is seeing a child grasp a concept or skill that had seemed incredibly elusive. Sometimes, the teacher is a parent, friend or relative. I can recall quite clearly deciding that a second grade classmate would no longer fail spelling. Helping Minnie succeed became my special project (I’m not quite sure how I got permission!) and when she achieved that first 85%, I am sure I also thought “Good for both of us!”
Things are quite different now than they were in an elementary school of the 1960s. At LES, it is quite common to see children working cooperatively. Unlike the days when students sat in rows, and were only allowed to speak to one another at lunch and recess, Leverett students have frequent opportunities to interact with each other, share ideas, and help each other develop knowledge and understanding. Through those interactions, children develop not just academic competence, but also social competence. They learn to listen to one another, respect one another’s ideas, to compromise. These are all the hallmarks of good teamwork.
In my brief time here at LES, I have quickly learned about the many ‘teams’ that keep this town and school running. Without the dedication and expertise of the individual members, the teams would quickly lose their effectiveness. Building strong home-school connections is similarly important. Good communication is essential because it helps the child know that we are equally invested in making sure that children have the tools to grow as learners, and the love and nurturing that they need to develop strong emotional roots.
One of my goals as principal is to find new ways to strengthen all of those connections-- home-school connections, school-town connections, people-people connections. I feel certain that a healthy and vibrant LES community is sure to endure when we can say, “Good for all of us!”.
-Margot Lacey
SPOTLIGHT ON . . .
PTO is off to a great start. We were happy to welcome our teachers back with plants and a tray of pastries and are in the process of pulling together other surprises throughout the year. We are trying to look at events for our community and see what we’d like to focus on this year. Join us on Thursday Sept. 11th from 5:30 - 7pm. Consider bringing a brown bag dinner for yourself. We’ll supply dessert and drinks. Enjoy fellowship and planning for a wonderful year together.
- Jo-Ann Konieczny, PTO Chair
MONTHLY CALENDAR
Attached to this week’s copy of the Friday Post is the school calendar for the month of September. Please keep it in a handy place. On the last Friday of each month the calendar for the next month will be attached to the Post. A one-page calendar for the whole school year will be included in the Family Handbook and also is available online at www.leverettschool.org
FORMS, FORMS, and MORE FORMS!
Many, many thanks to all the parents/guardians who have already filled out the avalanche of forms sent home in the back-to-school mailing. For the few who haven’t done so yet, please send them in soon – especially the emergency information form (green) so that we are able to contact you if necessary.
TOO MANY FRIDAY POSTS?
If your family is getting more copies of the Post than you need, please call Marilyn at 548-9144 or e-mail [email protected], and let me know which of your children should bring home the Post. Thanks!
Breakfast is served daily at LES!
Enjoy a bowl of cereal and fresh fruit or try the hot item of the day. Students come to breakfast directly off of the bus. Check out the full menu in the back of the Post.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
(Items listed here are not school sponsored)
The Fall session of Herbal Girls will begin soon for Fifth and Sixth Grade Girls. We have fun learning wild edibles, foraging and making delicious treats, making herbal medicines and other herbal products. A highlight of this session will be dying wool with natural dyes and making a felted bag. Wednesdays afterschool dates are September 17, 24, October 1,15 and possibly the 22nd if there is interest. Tuition is $35/session with a $15 materials fee for the entire package. Contact Jean Bergstrom for details and to register at [email protected] or 367-2842. Space is limited, so register soon.
If you would like to put a notice in the Community Bulletin Board section of the Friday Post, please submit notices to be published no later than Thursday at noon. The easiest way to do that is by e-mail to [email protected]. Flyers for non-school sponsored events can be attached to the Post. They must contain a disclaimer “This is not a school-sponsored event” and a sufficient number of copies (125) should be provided to the office by the end of the school day on Thursday.