Superintendent Finalist Visits - Please Join Us in Welcoming the Finalists to Topsfield

Dear Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield Families and Community Members:

The two finalist candidates for the position of Superintendent of Schools for the Tri-Town School Union will be visiting our district next week and we invite parents and community members to meet them at our Community Forums.  The Community Forums are scheduled as listed below:

On Monday, November 23rd, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Proctor School Library, 60 Main Street, Topsfield, with Patrick Daly , Assistant Superintendent of the North Reading Public Schools

On Tuesday, November 24th, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Harry Lee Cole School Library, 26 Middleton Road, Boxford, with Scott Morrison, Director of Curriculum and Technology of the Manchester-Essex Regional School District

Refreshments for the Community Forums are being kindly provided by TESPTO, Boxford PTO and BEST.

You are invited to submit questions for the candidates in advance via email to:

TTUSuptSearch@tritownschoolunion.com .  Please understand that submitted questions will be shared with the Tri-Town Union School Committee. It may not be possible for all questions to be asked of each candidate depending on time available.

You may also use the same email address above to provide feedback and input to the members of the Tri-Town Union School Committee, whose responsibility it is to make the selection of the next Superintendent of Schools.

On Tuesday, December 1^st the TTU School Committee will conduct public interviews of the two finalists in the Nathan Media Center at the Fuller Meadow School in Middleton (143 South Main Street) the first interview is scheduled at 5:30 PM. The second interview is scheduled at 7:15 PM. The interviews will be public. MCATV will broadcast live and record the interviews for rebroadcast on CATV in Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield.

Members of the TTU Committee will be conducting site visits to North Reading and Manchester-Essex between December 1^st and December 10^th to learn more about the candidates by meeting with a variety of stakeholder groups in the respective communities.

On Thursday, December 10^th the TTU School Committee will meet to deliberate and elect a new Superintendent. This will be a public meeting. Information about the time and location of the meeting will be communicated once decided by the TTU Committee.

We look forward to your participation in this most important decision making process.

Sincerely,

Members of the Tri-Town Union School Committee

Boxford Members                             Middleton Members                        Topsfield Members

Christine Bolzan, TTU Secretary        Mark Moreschi, TTU Vice Chair       Joseph Quigley, TTU Chair

David Rivers, Member                      Tasha Cooper, Member                  Gordie Spater, Member

Heather Vaz, Member                      Amy Karas, Member                       Katherine Carlson, Member                 

             

Food Drive to Support the Topsfield Food Pantry

Proctor School will be collecting non-perishable foods for the Topsfield Food Pantry.  Proctor School students are asked to bring in canned foods and non-perishable items (no glass, please) to school.  Some suggested items are soup, tuna, peanut butter, canned fruit, canned tomatoes, canned luncheon meats, pasta, coffee, macaroni and cheese and rice.  Food will be collected until Friday, November 20.  On the 20th of November, Proctor School fifth graders will deliver the goods to those in need. 

Veteran's Day Celebration

 

On Thursday, November 12 from 2:30 to 3:00, Proctor School will be celebrating Veteran's Day.  If you are a veteran or know a veteran, we would love to have you and/or him/her join the celebration.  

Wondering How To Help Your Child To Do Long Division??? Watch this.

Mrs. Jen Steinberg, Proctor School Math Specialist, models how to solve a long division algorithm.  

Click on the link below to view the video.

http://murphysteam.blogspot.com/2015/10/math-in-focus-video.html

Mrs. Steinberg and the fourth grade team will be hosting another math morning to model how to use bar models in math problem solving.  Join Mrs. Steinberg and the 4th grade team on Friday, November 6 at 8:00 AM in the Proctor School Cafeteria to practice your bar modeling.  Parents and students are welcome.  

Book Clubs with Mrs. DeFrank

Invitation to Proctor School Open House

Proctor Elementary School  

Open House 

Classroom Visitation, Book Fair, 

Ice Cream Social
 

Please join us at the Proctor School Open House on 

Thursday, November 12.  

 

Enjoy visiting your child's classroom, attending the book fair and eating some ice cream.  

 

Classrooms will be open from 6:00 to 7:00.

   

The book fair will be open in the library from 5:30 to 8:00.

   

Ice cream will be served in the cafe from 6:30 to 8:00. 

  

With so many amazing events in one evening, please plan your evening so you can enjoy and participate in each aspect. 

Trick or Treat For Unicef

Trick or Treat for UNICEF
The Proctor School will continue a long standing tradition by participating in Trick or Treat for UNICEF.  During the school assembly this week, we shared the vision and mission of UNICEF and described how the money which is collected can help others around the world.  Below are two videos which were springboards for our discussion.  Please watch for the collection boxes and additional information about the collection to come home in your child's backpack.  Thank you in advance for supporting this event.  

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF - About UNICEF

  

UNICEF Change for Good: Save a child with the power of 5

Card Board Challenge

Each year, our fifth grade students participate in the Global Cardboard Challenge. Inspired by the short film, ‘Caine’s Arcade,’ the Global Cardboard Challenge is an annual event presented by the Imagination Foundation that celebrates child creativity and the role communities can play in fostering it (www.cardboardchallenge.com).  At the Proctor School All School Assembly, our fourth and sixth grade students had the opportunity to play the AMAZING cardboard arcade games that our fifth grade students made.  To watch the video that inspired the Cardboard Challenge link on the link below.  

Caine's Arcade 2

   

Superintendent Search Committee Parent/Community Focus Group

Tri-Town School Union

Superintendent Search Committee

Parent/Community Focus Group

All Boxford, Topsfield, and Middleton parents and interested community members are invited to attend a focus group to answer questions related to the search for the next Tri-Town School Union Superintendent, which will inform the process for the search committee.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Cole School Cafeteria

7:00pm
26 Middleton Road, Boxford, MA 01921

As you make plans to attend the session, it is asked that you be prepared to discuss the following questions:

* What are the strengths of the Tri-Town School Union Districts 
(Topsfield, Middleton and Boxford)?

* What are the challenges and issues that the Districts face now and in 

* What are the characteristics you think are necessary for the next 
Superintendent in the Tri-Town?

Global Read Aloud

Global Read Aloud

Our students and teachers are participating in the Global Read Aloud.  This program was created by Pernille Ripp with the idea of using one book to connect the world.  The program has been in existence for five years with 200,000 students connected. Our teachers will be reading aloud, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt to our students.  Classrooms will be using a variety of tech tools to connect our children and classrooms to children across the United States and around the world.  The book is the platform for the conversations, a digital book club, but much more is learned during the connection.  

This week at our All School Assembly, we introduced the students to the themes in the book and listened to the author read a few pages.

Thank you to Mrs. Klipfel for bringing this amazing program to our school.  You can check out Mrs. Klipfel's or Mrs. O'Leary's blog to learn more about Proctor's participation in the program or you can click on the links below.

Mrs. Klipfel's Blog Post About the Global Read Aloud 

Global Read Aloud Link

Google for Education

Google For Education

(This information will also be shared in a backpack letter and in the weekly electronic newsletter.)

We are excited to announce the implementation of Google for Education beginning this year at Proctor School.  Google for Education provides many digital tools to enhance the way we use technology and share information within and beyond our school community. Our main objective is to have a place where students can share work, communicate with teachers and save/retrieve projects using laptops, tablets and other devices.

Google for Education, a suite of free, cloud-based productivity tools allows us to collaborate and communicate more effectively through the use of technology.  It also offers a range of new learning opportunities for both teachers and students.  Further information about Google for Education can be found at:www.google.com/edu/.

Students, like staff, at Proctor School will receive a Google for Education account that will allow access to our Google-hosted domain. This is a “closed account” where students will only have access to what the teachers provide for them.  At this time, they will not have the ability to email.  If that changes, we will communicate with you in advance.  In order to do this, Proctor School requires parents and students to sign our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), which you and your child signed and returned during the first days of school.  A copy of our AUP can be found on our school’s website:  http://www.tritownschoolunion.com/proctor and by choosing the Quick Link entitled “2015-2016 School Handbook”.  From there, you can refer to Appendix A: Topsfield Schools Student Acceptable Use Agreement-Technology page 50-52.

Google for Education student accounts created by the school district will be managed based upon the classroom requirements and parental consent.

In school, teacher supervision and content filters are used to help prevent access to inappropriate content and to ensure proper educational use of the application.  Google does not request any personal information from students and the District does not provide personal student data to Google.  Student accounts can be accessed by domain administrators at any time.  Information about the privacy policy and protections of Google for Education can be found at: www.google.com/edu/trust/

As with all Internet access, the district utilizes a content filter.  While at school, staff will monitor students’ use of Google for Education productivity suite; either by direct observation or by automated systems, which identify prohibited use. At all times, whether at school or home, students are responsible for their adherence to the Proctor School Acceptable Use Policy.

If you still feel it would be best for your child not to utilize these tools, the Proctor School Technology Department will make sure that your student does not have access and will then be issued an alternative.

Please feel free to contact us with questions or concerns.

GRIT: Guts, RESILIENCY, Innovation, Teamwork

GRIT: Guts, RESILIENCY, Innovation, Teamwork

Rachel Simmons, a nationally recognized author, speaker & facilitator, will offer practical advice & helpful strategies to help your child become braver & interpret setbacks with more optimism.  This talk supports our theme of GRIT.  Join the TriTown Council and Rachel Simmons, for "Failing Well: Raising Resilient Kids" on Thursday, October 1 at 7:00 in the Masconomet Auditorium.  

"Failing Well: Raising Resilient Kids"

Success isn't just about winning: it's about who we are when we fall short. Today, kids and teens have never had more opportunity-or have ever seemed more fragile. When kids lack the skills to face down a challenge, recover from failure or adapt to change, they fall short of reaching their potential.  In this talk, you'll learn strategies you can use immediately to help your child become braver and interpret setbacks with more optimism. You'll also learn how to explore your own relationship to failure, so that you can model resilience for your child. Register at www.tritowncouncil.org (events tab).

Sixth Grade Canoe Trips

Each year our students head out on the Ipswich River with guides from the Ipswich Wildlife Sanctuary to explore the river ecosystem.

Proctor School Council

School Council

As mandated by the Massachusetts Education Reform Act (June, 1993) Proctor School established a School Council that is a representative, school building based committee composed of an equal number of parents and staff. The Council is an advisory body to the principal and its purpose is to assist the principal in reviewing the school building budget, in developing a school improvement plan, and in identifying educational needs and goals for our students at Proctor School. The Council meets one morning at 8 AM each month from 8:00-8:45. Our first meeting will be held on October 27. Subsequent meetings will be held on the following dates: November 24, January 26, February 23, March 29, April 26 and May 24. 

The TESPTO (Topsfield Elementary Schools Parent Teacher Organization) is facilitating the election process for new Council members for the Proctor School this year. They are responsible for handling all aspects of the election process, including the acceptance of nominations as well as the distribution, collection, and counting of the ballots.

If you were a member of School Council for the 2014-2015 school year, and are still interested, please contact Helen or Susan in the main office.  We may have vacancies here at Proctor School for Council representation. If you feel you are able to share your time and energy in this capacity, please submit a short paragraph to TESPTO to place your name in nomination. Please be assured that the only criterion for eligibility is a love of children and a willingness to serve! State your desire to serve, any life experiences that may support Council work, and the number of years you are willing to serve (one or two). Please deliver it or email to the school office (soleary@topsfieldps.org) by October 13 .

If ballots are necessary, they will be sent home on October 16 with a return deadline of October 22.

We need your help and assistance since our school will be stronger as a result of our working together on behalf of the children. If you have any questions that we may help you with, please don't hesitate to call us at 887-1530. Thank you! 

The Proctor Garden

The Proctor Garden

Green Topsfield has been incredibly helpful in creating opportunities 

for students and families to plant and maintain the Proctor Garden.  

The garden is in full bloom and ready to be harvested.   Green Topsfield has volunteered to work with our students to harvest the vegetables and donate its produce to those in need.  Students willing to help with this process should meet by the Proctor Garden at 8:15 AM on Wednesday mornings starting on Wednesday, September 23.  Please complete the attached permission if your child would like to help with the harvest and the donation process.

Garden Permission Slip

Going Even GREENER!

We are excited about continuing our mission to become an even GREENER school.  We continue to RECYCLE, REDUCE, REUSE and ROT (compost) and this year we moved from compostable trays to washable trays which continues to reduce our carbon footprint.  Thank you to GREEN Topsfield for their continued support.  Check out GREEN Topsfield at https://www.facebook.com/GREEN-Topsfield-245268968998949/timeline/

Students at  recycling station

Our NEW washable trays

Parent Curriculum Night

Thank you families for coming to the Proctor School Curriculum Night.  We appreciate the opportunity to share the curriculum and learning expectations with you.

Thank You to the Playground Committee

We love our new CHESS BOARD and MAYPOLE!

GRIT

GRIT

Our theme for the year is GRIT.  As a staff we have been developing ways to foster the elements of GRIT, Guts, Resilience, Innovation and Teamwork, in our students.  Angela Lee Duckworth has conducted research focused on how fostering GRIT in students provides life-long strategies and benefits.  Our classroom meetings and all-school assemblies will focus on developing resilience, risk taking and perseverance.  Below is a link to Angela Lee Duckworth's TED Talk, "The Key to Success? GRIT".   

https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit

What a Wonderful Start to the School Year!

What a wonderful start to the year!  It was great to see the excitement and enthusiasm for the new year that the students expressed on Thursday and Friday.  

This newsletter will focus on some of the safety procedures we have at Proctor. 

Arrival to School

Students may arrive to school by foot, bike, bus or car.  If driving your child to school, please let them out on the sidewalk which is parallel to the front of the school.  DO NOT use the Town Hall Parking Lot to drop children off.  Please don't arrive to school before 8:30.  All students should meet at the entrance nearest to the town hall. 

Dismissal

Students may walk, bike or be driven home by car or bus.  If you are picking your child up from school, please follow the driveway to the end of the fourth grade wing.  Students will exit by the end of the wing door and enter cars on the passenger side.  Cars should exit passed the tennis courts towards Grove Street. 

Students are dismissed at 3:10.  The office is very hectic at the end of the day and the early dismissals for non-emergency situations can distract the office from safely dismissing the rest of the students.  Therefore, we will NOT be allowing children to be dismissed from the office between 2:45 - 3:10. 

Bicycle Permission Slips

If your child will be riding his/her bike to school, you and your child will need to sign a bicycle permission slip.  Stop in the office for a permission slip.

Pick Up Notes

Please write a note if your child is going to be doing something other than their typical dismissal procedure. 

Permanent Notes

If you know your child will have a consistent, permanent dismissal change on a certain day of the week, you can write a permanent note which will be good for the entire school year.

Cell Phone

Cell Phones are to be kept off and in a child's backpack while in school and on the bus.  Students are not able to use their phones during the school day.  If you need to contact your child, please call the office.  

Beginning of the School Year Forms

The following forms need your attention for the start of the school year.  All forms were sent home in your child's back pack and/or can be found at http://www.topsfieldschools.org/proctor/ 

• Yellow Emergency Card - Please return ASAP
• Bus Rider Policy- This is in the handbook. Please read this through with your child.  You do not have to return this form.
• Handbook/Media Permission Signature Sheet- This will need to be signed and returned (handbook on website)
• Technology Acceptable Use Guidelines - This will need to be signed and returned (handbook on website)
• Code of Conduct - This will need to be signed and returned (handbook on website)
• Lefebrve Insurance Forms are found on the school website - These are NOT to be returned to school. The address to return them to is located on the form.  
• Free & Reduced Lunch Applications are located in the school lobby and can also be found on the school website.