Mathewson Elementary School
PAWprint January 28, 2022
Hello Mathewson Families,
We had another busy week here at school. We had fun “summer dreamin” today for our Spirit Day and we look forward to some snow play this weekend! Stay safe and warm and be sure to read all about the happenings of MPS and Mathewson in our newsletter.
Daffodil days are Back!
Click here for more info & to order your flowers to help support
The American Cancer Society.
School Attendance - Regular school attendance and overall student safety and well-being are always vital for laying a foundation for success during the school year. Paying attention to attendance is even more essential this year, given the unique challenges created by COVID-19 for schools, families, students, and community providers.
Stay home if you are sick! Complete the COVID-19 Daily Self Checklist at home before you send your child to school. If your child(ren) has any symptoms, no matter how mild they seem, do not send them to school. Notify your school of the absence using the current MPS Student Absence Reporting Procedure and your School Nurse will follow-up regarding next steps.
If your child is feeling well and answered “no” to the COVID-19 Daily Self Checklist, please send your child into school. We know that students learn best with regular attendance. In-person attendance each day is the best school experience for our students when other challenges do not prevent students from getting to their schools.
Please report all absences through PowerSchool. (No phone calls or emails).
ASAP!'s Celebration of Young Game Designers (grades 3-12)- This opportunity promotes creative thinking, problem-solving, writing, storytelling, visual arts while showing students the process of video game development. Top selected students will work virtually with professional video game developers to bring their video game to life! The deadline is Feb. 1st, 2022. Please see the flier for more information.
Valentines: Valentine’s Day is always exciting in elementary school. Our students love to share how they care about each other :) Students will be permitted to pass out valentine cards this year if they wish to participate. Please know your child’s teacher will send out more information as the date approaches. We ask that you do not send in any gift bags or food items. Cards (and a small bookmark or pencil) are welcome. Your child’s teacher will be happy to provide you with the number of students in the classroom so you know how many cards to purchase or make should you wish to participate. Staff will help to ensure that we are handing out the items and still celebrating the fun while following social distancing guidelines.
The district in partnership with Griffin hospital has scheduled a series of vaccination clinics for our students aged 5 - 11 at our elementary schools. Mathewson will host our first clinic which has been scheduled for February 1st between the hours of 4-8 pm. More information will be forthcoming.
If you do plan to attend a clinic please be aware of the following: many schools dismiss and the parking lots are busy until about 3:45 pm. We ask that you please not enter our parking areas before the 3:45 pm time. Buildings will open at 4 pm as we want to keep students safe during dismissal
Please know that many afterschool programs (Boys and Girls as well as YMCA) may be in alternate locations on these given school based vacc days. Be on the lookout for updated information from your after school provider about where to pick up in the school on those days.
Voluntary COVID Testing for Students (all students eligible regardless of vaccination status)- More information can be found here
COVID Vaccine upload - Parents may voluntarily provide a copy of their child’s COVID immunization card now by uploading it using our secure form here. This information will only be accessible by school nurses and school administration.
Stay healthy, PAWsitive and Be Kind!
Melissa Currier
Melissa Currier, Principal
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Important Dates, WOOF!
Friday, February 11th: Next School Spirit Day (TBD)
Friday, February 18th and Monday, February 21st: No School Winter Recess
Wednesday, February 23rd: Early Dismissal for Teacher Professional Learning. Students dismissed at 1:25
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District-wide Information
If your child is a remote learner and we have inclement weather what happens?
As we head into the winter months the likelihood of inclement weather having an impact on our school schedule is certainly heightened. In an effort to keep all of our staff and students safe there are instances when school is closed, delayed, or dismissed early. However, since our remote learning schedule and associated logistics are different than for our in person learners we thought it appropriate to clarify how inclement weather or other days where the full day in person school schedule is modified may have an effect on the remote learning schedule.
School Closure Remote Learning Plan:
In the event that Milford Public Schools are closed due to weather or other factors there will be no synchronous or asynchronous remote learning sessions held.
Remote Learning Plan for Delays
If school is delayed a synchronous morning meeting would not occur for remote learning students. All synchronous STEM and Humanities lessons will follow the regular remote learning schedule.
Remote Learning Plan for Early Dismissals:
Early dismissals will not impact the remote learning schedule. If school is dismissed early due to weather, teacher professional learning, or any other reason remote learning students will follow the regular remote learning schedule.
It is our goal to ensure that a student engaging in temporary remote learning due to a Milford Health Department authorized Covid-19 related isolation or quarantine experience the least possible disruption in their learning. Therefore, it is our intention to keep both the synchronous and asynchronous opportunities for our remote learners as consistent as possible.
If you have any questions about the remote learning schedule please feel free to reach out to your child’s remote learning teacher or school counselor.
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Older News…. But Still Important!
Mrs. Wetmore, our Library Media Specialist, has created a new Media Center webpage. On it, you will find links to many of the students' favorite websites for coding, virtual field trips, book awards, and more! You can also check it out periodically for book recommendations for K-2, 3-5, and even adults. Enjoy and don't hesitate to reach out to her with any questions!
Staff Dress Down Days- Staff donates money yearly in order to “dress down” on Fridays throughout the year. The money goes to help support families, staff and community causes where we want to express care. Sometimes we add an extra day or two if we want to earn a little more to donate. So if you see us in our jeans you know it is to support a great cause! GO BULLDOGS!
Attendance : If your child is absent from learning, you must log in and report the absence that day through the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
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Follow Mathewson School on Twitter
@ BePAWsitiveMPS
