Week Ending 11/20/15
Smarter Balanced Assessment Results
Individual reports for student who took the Smarter Balanced Assessment at Polaris last spring were sent home with students today. Students were assessed in Math as well as English language arts/literacy (ELA). A description of the achievement levels can be viewed here.
Hannaford Fundraiser
We received our first check from the reusable bag fundraiser:
Core Value – Citizenship
This week we had a discussion about being a good Polaris citizen. Given the fundraisers and special projects students have been doing this trimester, many students have created posters/flyers that they have hung around the school to advertise. On several occasions, they have later discovered them ripped or torn off the wall which has been very disappointing. Everyone agreed that if some did that to them, they would be upset about it and that we should respect the work that others have put into doing them.
We also read a passage called “Citizenship – What Does it Mean from the book What Do You Stand For – For Kids by Barbara A. Lewis. It discussed democracy and that while we have certain freedoms, we also have rules and laws to follow and we need to be responsible. When you are a good citizen, people will look up to you and you will be more trusted by adults.
Star Students
This week’s star students were: Alex, Evan, Dominick, Maryam, Nikenan and Yousif. Congratulations for being good citizens!
Mrs. Rainey gave out a special group award to the students who organized the movie night/bake sale to benefit Webster House. Nice job Christian, Dory, Gaby, Gus, Haya and Mayla.
Hyrda Class Share
Miss Haynes’ class has been learning all about the Oregon Trail. They are creating their own community to move out West and start a new life. To document their learning and their experience, they are each creating a scrap book that holds information about their life and the things they come across.
They have also been working hard on fictional story writing as well as learning how to classify animals.
Community Giving
Andrew and Calvin held another very successful bake sale during lunch on Friday. They raised $52.85 and donated it to Polaris. Thank you!
Reminders
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There is no school November 25th, 26th and 27th due to Thanksgiving
-
Please remember to pack a snack for your child on pizza Friday’s
- Polaris will receive $1 for every reusable blue Good Karma bag sold at the Hannaford store on Mast Rd. in Goffstown
- The Manchester School District is changing their schools’ hours at the end of November. This does NOT impact Polaris. Our hours will remain the same.
- Our first trimester Learning Celebration is December 9th
PEF News
Read-A-Thon
Only two more days – the Read-A-Thon ends Sunday, November 22nd.
Auction
The Auction planning is in full swing, but there are still plenty of opportunities for you to help! Please email Ali Ferriero,ali.ferriero@gmail.com, if you would like to join the Auction Committee. We need as much help as possible to make this year’s auction the best one yet. Stay tuned for details on all the volunteer opportunities available!!
100 Envelopes Fundraiser
There are still envelopes left in the 100 Envelopes fundraiser for the emergency facilities and maintenance fund. Consider teaming up with your friends and family to fill one. Every envelope counts! Contact Ali Ferriero at ali.ferriero@gmail.com with questions or to pick your envelope.
Week Ending 11/13/15
Strategic Planning Survey
As Polaris Charter School enters our 4th year, we are launching our Strategic Planning Process. We are fortunate to be working with Gene Galvano, from SCORE guiding us with this process. SCORE is a volunteer organization of mostly retirees who mentor small businesses, nonprofits, new businesses. Gene previously was in charge of long range planning for Digital and then owned his own software company. He is also on the board at Pace Career Academy and is thus familiar with the challenges charter schools face. He had developed a survey to get our thoughts, input and perspective on how well we have been doing as a school, board and community agency. The survey is anonymous and the results will be shared in the aggregate with the Board of Trustees. Please be candid in your responses to help us move forward in providing a quality education for our current students as well as those in the future.
Please complete the survey by November 15th. The survey should take about 10 minutes. You can access it at:
Shire Sharing
Polaris is again teaming up with Shire Sharing to bring Thanksgiving dinners to families in our Community who may other wise go without. $20 is enough to sponsor one family.
Whether you can donate time, food or money, there are a lot of ways to help!
We will be holding a food drive at Polaris where kids can bring in items to donate through November 19th.
This is a great way for kids to feel involved and have a sense of helping.
On November 12th, we had a special visitor helping us “duck” hunger by collecting donations at drop off.
We will also need volunteers to help on:
November 21st for about an hour to help pack the bags with the food.
November 22nd we will need people to get the food to the departure location, help pass out food to those delivering and people to help deliver.
It’s so great for the kids to see the process from beginning to end so please consider anywhere you are able to help.
This is the list for food requests…
Vegetable oil or other cooking oil
Rolls of foil ($1 at dollar tree)
Aluminum pans for turkeys ($1 at dollar tree)
Stuffing mix (just add water is ideal)
Turkey gravy
Mashed potato mix
All kinds of canned veggies
Bread or cornbread mix
Cranberry sauce
French’s fried onions
Cream of mushroom soup
Pie crusts
Other food donations are accepted as well. Cash can be brought to the office or you can donate online at shiresharing.org. Sorry no checks at this time.
If you can help with any volunteer times please contact Kara @ mollyryan123@gmail.com, on Facebook at Kara Kainu Hewett or by phone 603-505-2200.
Hannaford Fundraiser
The “Hannaford Helps” Reusable Bag Program represents a partnership between Hannaford Supermarkets and area nonprofits. Polaris is receiving $1 for every reusable blue Good Karma bag sold at the Hannaford store on Mast Rd. in Goffstown. To view our earnings click http://hannaford.bags4mycause.com/local-community-impact/. So far we have earned $21.
Core Value – Citizenship
On Tuesday we discussed Veteran’s Day. This holiday is always celebrated on November 11th and it is when we acknowledge soldiers both living and dead for their role in protecting us. We then sang and signed “This Land is Your Land.” Most of know the first verse of “The Star Spangled Banner” but on Thursday we read the entire song that Francis Scott Key wrote in 1812:
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
’Tis the star-spangled banner—O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Talia then led us in singing the first verse together.
Help!
We REALLY need:
Toner for our Brother MFC-7860DW printers!
Snacks for kids who forget their’s
http://www.shop.nepaper.com/Polaris-Charter-School_c61.htm
http://smile.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1Y9FACXN60SS6
Please donate if you can.
Star Students
We honored some exceptional citizens on Monday. Congratulations to: Ayla, Chandler, Jonas, Mikail, Noah, Skylar, Sophia and Viveanna!
Pegasus Class Share
Student’s in Miss Gilbert’s class did skits acting out various scenarios where there was a “bad” citizen and a “good citizen.”
Students tried to guess which scene a group was acting out.
Community Giving
Christian, Dory, Gabby, Gus, Haya, Mayla, Nikosia and Sophia in Mrs. Rainey’s class hosted a movie night on the 7th of November to donate money and games for the Webster House, a group home for children. They sold baked goods and took donations they were excited that they raised over $300 for their cause!
Reminders
-
The Board of Trustees is conducting a Public Hearing Tuesday, November 17, 2015, at 6:00 PM. The purpose of the hearing is to receive feedback from parents regarding the use of audio and video recording in the classroom. Please join us.
- Calvin and Andrew will be having another bake on Friday, November 20th. All proceeds will go to Polaris.
-
There is no school November 25th, 26th and 27th due to Thanksgiving
-
Please remember to pack a snack for your child on pizza Friday’s
- Polaris will receive $1 for every reusable blue Good Karma bag sold at the Hannaford store on Mast Rd. in Goffstown
- The Manchester School District is changing their schools’ hours at the end of November. This does NOT impact Polaris. Our hours will remain the same.
PEF News
Read-A-Thon
Don’t forget, the Read-A-Thon reading period started on Monday, November 9th. Please remind your student (or help them) to track their reading minutes every day from 11/9 -11/22. Whether they have received pledges or not, the minutes count towards individual and classroom prizes.
Auction
The Auction planning is in full swing, but there are still plenty of opportunities for you to help! Please email Ali Ferriero,ali.ferriero@gmail.com, if you would like to join the Auction Committee. We need as much help as possible to make this year’s auction the best one yet. Stay tuned for details on all the volunteer opportunities available!!
100 Envelopes Fundraiser
There are still envelopes left in the 100 Envelopes fundraiser for the emergency facilities and maintenance fund. Consider teaming up with your friends and family to fill one. Every envelope counts! Contact Ali Ferriero at ali.ferriero@gmail.com with questions or to pick your envelope.
Thanksgiving Potluck
Don’t forget about the Thanksgiving Potluck on Saturday, November 14th, at 5pm. The sign up list for food and volunteers is below:
November PEF Meeting
Thursday, November 19 at 7:00pm
Week Ending 11/06/15
Special Visitors
The Primary classes have been studying our very own local community. One aspect of the local community that we’ve been focusing on this month are community helpers. We’ve had some special guests visit us this past month.
Dr. Nakip talked to the students about his role as a doctor are important in our community. We learned a lot about the eye since that was his area of specialty.
Officer Nathan Linstad from the Manchester Police Department visited and talked about his training and work as an officer.
Krista Mellina talked about being a dental hygienist and the importance of keeping our teeth healthy. Her dental office even donated toothbrushes and floss for the kids to take home.
Thank you to all for your excellent presentations and for being an important role model in our community!
Lost and Found
Our lost and found is overflowing again. It would be really helpful if you could write your children’s name inside coats and other items so we can return them to their owner.
Core Value – Citizenship
During November, we will be talking about citizenship. We began by brainstorming what good citizens can be, what they have and what they are.
Wednesday, we spent a little time talking about the constitution giving particular attention to the Preamble. We watched a video from School House Rock that introduced it. You can play it here. The next day we went into more depth. We learned that a preamble is an introduction. We then broke down each phrase and discussed what it means. The constitution was ratified (approved) on September 17, 1787 however Article V specified that it could be amended (changed) by vote. The first 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights and these guarantee freedoms in our country.
Help!
We REALLY need:
Toner for our Brother MFC-7860DW printers!
Snacks for kids who forget their’s
http://www.shop.nepaper.com/Polaris-Charter-School_c61.htm
http://smile.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1Y9FACXN60SS6
Please donate if you can.
Star Students
The students who demonstrated the Core Value of Fairness were honored this week. They were: Emmy, Giuli, Kayla, Mohammed, Oliver, Rosie and Toby.
Vela Class Share
To elaborate on the idea of classroom citizenship, our class has been talking about how excellent classroom citizens are able to recognize the difference between situations that are fair and situations that are unfair. We talked about how as good classroom citizens, it our job to notice things or situations that are not fair so that we can do our best to make them fair for our friends and classmates. For our Friday share, each student made a poster to demonstrate the idea of fairness. The left side of the poster included a sketch of an unfair situation, such as not sharing chalk at recess. The right side of the poster showed a sketch of how that particular situation could be made fair, such as sharing the calk with all of our classmates! The students did a wonderful job sharing their work with their peers!
Community Giving
Don’t forget -Christian,Dory, Gabby, Gus, Haya, Mayla, Nikosia and Sophia are hosting a movie night on the 7th of November to raise money for the Webster House, a group home for children. There will be a G movie (Finding Nemo 5:30 to 7:00) and a PG movie (Maleficent 7:30 to 9:00) in the Polaris basement. Bring an old toy or game (in good condition) and get a free baked good.
Also, as part of their community service project, Cal and Andrew held a bake sale and donated the proceeds to Polaris. In one hour they raised $32.47! Thank you Cal and Andrew.
Reminders
- There is no school next Wednesday, November 11th due to observing Veteran’s Day
- There is no school November 25th, 26th and 27th due to Thanksgiving
- Please remember to pack a snack for your child on pizza Friday’s
- Polaris will receive $1 for every reusable blue Good Karma bag sold at the Hannaford store on Mast Rd. in Goffstown
- The Manchester School District is changing their schools’ hours at the end of November. This does NOT impact Polaris. Our hours will remain the same.
PEF News
Once again, this year, the PEF will be hosting a Thanksgiving potluck to be held in the school basement. Last year’s event was loads of fun, so we hope you can make it. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and connect with other families and to socialize with those we already know. Since we come from so many diverse NH towns, we have few chances to connect. This is a great one.
On Saturday, November 14th, at 5pm, come over to 100 Coolige Ave., share some delicious food, play some games, relax and chat. We will have activities for the kids while the parents do boring things, like talk to one another. 😉 Maybe a rousing game of “Charades”, parents vs. children is in order. No matter, it will be a blast, so mark your calendar.
Watch for the volunteer sheet to be posted the first week of November, and please RSVP.
Polaris Charter School 