Dear Lower School Families,
We wish everyone a wonderful break! These vacations from the busy pace of school are important opportunities for families to come together, to rejuvenate, and to relax—we wish you plenty of all those treats. We hope that during long breaks like this, you are also able to find natural opportunities to engage your child(ren)’s brains. Intellectually engage with your child: read books, look for chances to do math (perhaps approximating change at the store or counting cookies). Brains that remain active and challenged are ready to jump back into schoolwork when January arrives. Also, chores and routines are important to building students’ self-discipline and help them take charge of their activities. Click here for an article from the freshman dean at Stanford University, who shares her advice about giving children important work and agency that allows them to build the skills they will need as teens and adults.
In today’s Lower School Newsletter you will find a notice that Chromebook web filters will be updated during the vacation, a link to last week’s visit with the Drs. Chopra and Tanzi, a reminder about the skate exchange and updates for the week we return.
Happy Holidays!
Racheal
News and Announcements
iPad and Chromebook Update—The web filter on student Chromebooks will be updated over break. This important work will not impact any school days. For some period of time over break, students will not be able to access the internet via their iPads or Chromebooks. If we receive more specific information about when the devices will be affected, we will let you know.
It’s Skating Time—When we return from Winter Break, students in Grades 3, 4 and 5 will begin skating during physical education class. When we return, be sure to send your child with skates, a helmet (required), mittens, and snowpants.
Grade 5 Pond Hockey––Last year, we offered pond-style ice hockey during our usual PE time. This year, we will again split the ice in half, and allow students (who choose, and are prepared) to play pond-style hockey to skate on one half of the ice, and students who prefer to figure skate, to continue on the other half. Students should not feel any pressure to choose one option over the other. Wondering what pond-style hockey is? It is exactly what it was back in the the days when many kids played hockey on local ponds, with minimal equipment and in a smaller area with no contact. Pond hockey places more emphasis on skating and puck handling ability, and less on shooting and checking. Your child does not need to have any previous hockey experience. For many, it will just feel like floor hockey, but on the ice with skates.
Students who choose to play hockey will need the following equipment: a helmet with protective face cage(can be a lacrosse helmet), protective gloves (hockey or lacrosse), shin guards (hockey, lacrosse, hard soccer shin guards), skates and a stick. Students who are not properly equipped will not be allowed to play. You may be able to borrow some of this equipment from friends. Please know that we don’t require parents to purchase new equipment—in fact, there are many resale stores for hockey gear.
We will work hard as hard as possible to keep things safe and appropriate to the level of skaters, but know that as with any sport, there can still be some falling and bumping in hockey. If you have any questions, contact Sam Landau at sam_landau@milton.edu
The Week We Return
Faculty Professional Day, Tuesday, January 3—No Classes
Classes Resume, Wednesday, January 4—There will be a Wednesday schedule.
Lower and Middle School Family Skating Party, Sunday, January 8, 1 p.m., ACC––See Parent Association section for details.
Important Reminders
Lower School Snacks—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.
Click here for a list of acceptable snacks.
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.
Video of Deepak Chopra and Rudy Tanzi Visit—In case you missed Monday’s assembly with Drs. Chopra and Tanzi, click here to watch a video of the event.
Skate Exchange—The Robbins Rink community skating program is in full swing, with a number of open skate times available on weekends and over winter break. Since children grow so quickly, skates don’t always last from year to year. If you have skates that no longer fit anyone in your home, send them to school for our skate exchange. Beginning Monday, there will be skate exchange boxes in the both the Junior Building and Greenleaf Hall. Students may bring and exchange skates as they wish.
Follow the Lower School on Instagram—Our Instagram account offers a window into the daily activities of our students and faculty—in moments both big and small. Follow us @miltonacademy_ls. Our account is private and requires that users “request” to follow.
Bookstore Extended Holiday Hours––We are working with Bookstore personnel to begin stocking youth and adult extra small sizes in January. In the meantime, the bookstore, located in the lower level of the Student Center, is open for holiday shopping Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until December 16, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from December 19–22. Click here for a 20% off coupon.
Add These Dates to Your Calendar
- Friday, January 13—Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration
- Monday, January 16—No classes in observance of MLK Jr. Day; Brunch Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Monday, January 17— Maria Trozzi presentation to K–5 Parents: Five to Thrive
- Thursday, January 26—Geography Bee
- Friday, January 27—Early Release
- Thursday, February 2—Second semester begins
- Friday, February 3—Early Release
- Friday, February 17—Early Release
- Monday, February 20—No classes in observance of Presidents’ Day