Dear Lower School Families,
Today, our Head of School Todd Bland issued a message regarding this week’s election, and I hope you took the opportunity to read it.
In this newsletter, you will find a link to watch Mr. Charles Fadel’s presentation to Lower School Parents last week; reminders about next week’s Fireside Chat and Maria Trozzi’s presentation to parents in Kindergarten and Grade 1; an invitation to our Thanksgiving Assembly; reminders about snacks, including birthday snacks; our upcoming Fall Reports and Conferences; and lunches.
Best,
Racheal
News and Announcements
Thanksgiving Assembly, Tuesday, November 21, 2 p.m., Thacher—We hope you will join us for our special Thanksgiving Assembly. Students and Teachers are preparing a beautiful celebration of thanks and giving in our community and we would love to share it with you. In support of our Milton Food Pantry, we ask that you consider sending your child with a nonperishable food item to donate.
Thank you—On behalf of the K–8 Admission Office, thank you to the many students and parents who volunteered at last weekend’s Open House. More than 330 families toured our facilities and spoke with you and your children—an increase from last year’s Open House that reflects continued growth in interest in Milton Academy. We could not do this event without our wonderful families, faculty, and staff! Thank you so much for your time and participation. We hope that you will take a moment to complete this feedback form. Our goal is to run as successful Open House every year, and your insights and suggestions go a long way in helping us fine tune the event.
Nancy Anderson Presents Keynote Address—Last week, K–8 Mathematics Coordinator Dr. Nancy Anderson gave the keynote address at the fall conference of the Wisconsin Education Council. Her presentation, “Talk Moves: Tools for Using Productive Discussions to Build Proficient Learners,” highlighted her research on discourse-intensive instruction and described the strategies that Milton math teachers use to facilitate discussions that help students learn. Discussion in mathematics is an important element in the Investigations and CMP3 programs that Milton has adopted in the Lower and Middle Schools.
The Week Ahead
Lower School Fireside Chat with Todd Bland and Racheal Adriko, Tuesday, November 15, 7 p.m., Straus—Join us for a special evening to hear from our Head of School and our Lower School Principal about Milton’s priorities and future. Click here to submit questions to Todd and Racheal.
Kindergarten and Grade 1 Family Education Series, Thursday, November 17, 8 a.m., Junior Building All-Purpose Room—Join us to hear Maria Trozzi, assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and consultant to the Child Development Unit at Children’s Hospital. This is a continuation of the discussions we had with Rob Evans during our Family Orientation in September. This session is geared to the needs of students and parents in our youngest grades. Please make time for this important presentation.
The Basement Beanstalk Presentation For Lower School Students, 10:15 a.m., Thacher—Our Lower School students will see a special presentation of the Middle School Fall Play. Ms. Arsenault wrote this adaptation of the classic tale of Jack and his magical beanstalk.
Important Reminders
Charles Fadel’s Presentation on 21st Century Skills and 4-Dimensional Education—In case you missed the talk, click here for a video (the case-sensitive password is “Mustangs”) and to learn about Mr. Fadel’s work with Milton as we continue a robust discussion about teaching and learning in our Lower School.
Fall Reports—Expect to receive the link to reports the week of November 28. Fall reports will be followed by parent conferences, on December 1 and 2. As we accommodate teaching schedules and planning time, be aware that some grades may extend conferences beyond December 2. Next week, we will send the conference link. December conferences, which will be 35 minutes long, are meant as an opportunity to speak with teachers about your child’s progress in these first 10 weeks of school. Parents in Grades 4 and 5 can expect to meet with both teachers.
Important Snack Message—Due to the increasing number of students in our community with peanut/tree nut allergies that range from mild to life-threatening, it is imperative that all snacks sent into the classroom be nut free. This applies to every classroom and every grade, regardless of whether or not that classroom contains a student with peanut/nut allergies. Products explicitly containing nuts, nut traces, nut products and nut oils as well as those products that state they may contain peanuts or nut traces are not acceptable in any classroom. Any product with a label stating that it was manufactured on shared equipment with peanut/nut products or was processed in a facility that also processes peanuts and nuts is also not acceptable.
Because of the seriousness surrounding these health issues, unacceptable snacks will be sent home unopened. Please do not take offense. Be in the habit of reading the entire ingredient label every time (what may have once been safe may have changed, as in the case of Cape Cod Sweet Potato Chips). A statement about common allergens may appear elsewhere on the package and not necessarily on the ingredient label. For snacks that are homemade, be sensitive to the presence of nuts in your kitchen and take the necessary precautions. Finally, bakery items and chocolate are particularly at risk for potential peanut/nut contamination.
Birthday Snacks—Moving forward, the only birthday snacks that will be allowed are Rice Krispies® treats, Chloe Bars, Oreo® cookies, Chips Ahoy® cookies and fruit platters.
Lunch Boxes—For the safety of our students, we will no longer allow lunch boxes from home in Grades 1-5. If your child has unique dietary needs, please contact Marlena Alex and we will work with FLIK to prepare a special plate for your child.
Add These Dates to Your Calendar
November 22—Thanksgiving Assembly at 2 p.m. Dismissal at 3 p.m.
November 29—Classes Resume, Monday Schedule.
December 1 & 2—Parent Conferences
December 2—Early Release Friday
December 5—Grade 2 and 3 Family Education Series with Maria Trozzi. This session is geared to the needs of Grade 2 and Grade 3 students and parents. Please make every effort to attend.
December 7—Grade 5 Writing Celebration
December 8—Author visit: Jarrett Krosoczka
December 12—Grade 4 and 5 Family Education Series with Maria Trozzi. This session is geared to the needs of Grade 4 and Grade 5 students and parents. Please make every effort to attend.
December 15—K–12 Holiday Assembly; winter break begins at noon.