June 9, 2023

 

Griffin Memorial School News At GMS, We THRIVE

June 9, 2023 GMS Families,             It is hard to believe that this is the last newsletter of the year. This year has been one of growth on all counts. Thank you all for coming on this journey with us. It has been a pleasure.         This final week will be one filled with events. Beyond what may happen in the classroom, we will start on Monday with our Fourth Grade Recognitions (please see below for specifics), then Tuesday is our Field Day. This will happen rain or shine, if it is rain we will convert to an indoor event, but we are wishing away the rain. Please remember to send your child with water that day. On the last day of school, students will be sent home with a packet that includes their report card with next year's teacher indicated and a report of their assessment results. Please keep an eye out for it.         Please note that the last day (June 15) will be an early release with dismissal starting at 11:45. The dismissal groups will follow the same way they normally do only 3 hours earlier so it will be: Pink 11:45 Yellow 11:52 Blue 12:00 Buses 12:10          Finally, as we reflect on this year we recognize that we could not have done it without each and everyone of you. This is a community made up of passionate and commitment people. From our students to our teachers, parents and community members, staff member and volunteers, GMS is a shining example of community. We couldn't be happier to be a member of it. Be Well, Be Curious, and THRIVE, Dan Mitchell, Principal Maura Clinton-Jones, Assistant Principal Upcoming Dates June 12, 2023 4th Grade Recognition June 13, 2023 Field Day June 15th, 2023 Last Day of School- Dismissals Begin at 11:45 GMS News 4th Grade Recognition On Monday, June 12 we will have our 4th Grade Recognitions. The morning will be class specific recognition ceremonies and a honk out. Parents should plan to arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before the scheduled event. If participating in the honk out, please park in the loop along the curb, like parent pick up. In the afternoon, we will have them all together for one whole grade celebration. Parents and families are invited to take part in the morning class celebrations. More information will be coming next week but for planning purposes the times of these celebrations are as follows: 9:00 Kazangian 9:45 Leary 10:30 Ashe 11:30 Cohen Note from the Library: Summer Reading is happening at the Cutler Library! From June 20nd – July 29th  We have exciting FREE & FUN events for kids ages 0-12 including storytimes, and STEAM & Arts! And Wildlife Encounters will be back with 7 new animals to meet. All of this will be happening under the tent on the Library lawn. Earn prizes and treats just for reading: ice cream, pizza and more! Plus there are weekly drawings like Cowabungas, Chunky’s Cinema and Santa’s Village!!!! Registration is now open! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjVqcRR83KWEhfZ-IjUwKkGT9Nn07ETSDfc1MYUrla5vT1Sg/viewform Contact Alexis Britton, Children’s Librarian, at acml_childrenslibrarian@comcast.net about registration and more information. See the brochure attached. Summer Reading Challenge Flyer From the Nurse Field day is around the corner!!  We are in need of water bottles for that day.  If you are able to, you can send them into the gym.  Thank you in advance!! News from the SAU/ Superintendent News from the PTO THANK YOU: As the school year wraps up, the PTO would like to thank the GMS community for coming together and volunteering over 2345 hours this year to help make this year a success! We hope you all have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall! June PTO meeting: Join us for our next and last PTO meeting on Tuesday, June 13th at 6:30pm via Zoom.  At our most recent meeting, we voted to adopt updated GMS PTO by-laws. What does this mean? The most significant update to the by-laws would allow co-positions for the Fundraising Chair & Cultural Arts Chair. Please note interested candidates in a co role must have mutual interest in working together and agree to a co nomination. Given the update to the by-laws we voted to postpone the Executive Board election until our June meeting. At this meeting we will continue with the nominations and follow with a vote. If you are interested in a position, please reach out to a board member or myself at ericaeagan@gmail.com. We are here to answer any questions you may have Newsletter: Our June Newsletter includes PTO news as well as fun ideas for the summer! Attention all GMS Volunteers: GMS would like to apply for a Blue Ribbon Award this year and in order to do so, we need to keep track of volunteer hours. We are currently using a Google form to track. Please be sure to enter any time you may have spent volunteering this school year. Some examples include baking for the back to school breakfast bash, volunteering in the library, planning/coordinating an event, etc. Thank you to our volunteers for all that you do! June PTO Newsletter News from the Community Litchfield Recreational Basketball League will be offering Summer skills and drills for our athletes in Grades 1-8. Our Coaches Tyler Amigo and Brittany Reidy will be joining us again on the Darrah Courts. Register here for 4 session | $20. Boys Monday Nights: July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31 Grades 1-4, 5:00pm-6:30pm | Grades 5-8, 6:30pm-8pm Girls Tuesday Nights: July 11, July 18, July 25, Aug 1 Grades 1-4, 5:00pm-6:30pm | Grades 5-8, 6:30pm-8pm * time can be adjusted due to registration numbers Memorial Day Parade and Program: This year’s Memorial Day Parade and Program will be held on Monday, May 29th, starting at 10:00 A.M. Groups and individuals are invited to march inthe parade. Marchers and floats are asked to meet at the Litchfield Middle School parking lot at 9:30 A.M. The Parade will begin at the Litchfield Middle School andend at the Historical Society Building. The Memorial Day Program will begin at this time. The Scouts will perform the Presentation of Colors. The Campbell High School Chorus and Band will be performing. The program will close with the placement of service wreaths and the playing of TAPS. The Historical Society’s “Civil War Room” and other furnished rooms will be open to the public after the program. Repeated News/ Long Term Info to Know Registration for Kindergarten for this fall has begun. You must use a laptop or desktop computer. Please use Chrome or Safari as your browser, not Internet Explorer. Please go to the Litchfield School District website (litchfieldsd.org) and click on the Orange tab on the top, left-side of the page. After completing this short form you will receive an email with further instructions on setting up an account. Please note that it may take several business days before your account becomes active. You will need to provide the following documents in addition to completing the registration forms: 1. Child's birth certificate 2. Proofs (3) of residency 3. Proof of guardianship 4. Proof of immunizations and most recent physical All forms and document submissions should be completed as soon as possible. Please call Griffin Memorial School @ 603-424-5931 if you have questions about registering for Kindergarten. Blue Lights You may have seen that in the past few months blue lights have been installed both inside and outside of all three schools in the Litchfield School District. These lights are designed to flash in an emergency, offering a visual alert that there is an emergency situation going on. When you are in the building and see the blue light flashing you should listen for information given over the intercom. If you are outside of a school building and you see the blue light flashing you should not enter the building.  Lunchroom News Beginning April 1, 2023, the price of breakfast and lunch will be increasing at each school.  Breakfast will be $2.00; Lunch will be $3.00 at GMS, $3.25 at LMS and $3.50 at CHS.  Please contact lcrowley@litchfieldsd.org with any questions or concerns. Hannaford Helps Do you shop at Hannaford? If you do then please help Hannaford support GMS by just doing your regular grocery shopping!! Shopping In-Store  SHOP – Look for shelf tags on over 1,500 participating products. CHECK OUT – Collect your School Dollars from an associate at checkout. DEPOSIT – Drop your School Dollars in the Hannaford Helps Schools collection tower in-store. Hannaford To Go  SHOP – Look for the apple icon on over 1,500 products online. CHECK OUT – Receive your School Dollars with your receipt. DEPOSIT – Drop your School Dollars in the Hannaford Helps Schools collection tower in-store, or send them to school with your child. End 68 Hours of Hunger and the Litchfield School District 2022-2023 The End 68 Hours of Hunger Program and Litchfield Schools are pleased to inform you about a free, confidential food program which provides students with meals from Friday after school until they return to school on Monday morning.  If meeting the weekend nutritional needs of your child is challenging at this time, we would like to help meet that need.  All food is non-perishable and easy to prepare.  If your child has any food allergies, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate this need.  Nut products are included for those who are not allergic, but children are informed that they are not to open the bags until a parent can review the contents.   Each week, bags containing food will be provided to students at school.  Students will bring the bag home on the bus or by whatever mode of transportation they have at the end of the day.  If you prefer, parents may pick up the bag at school. Please contact your GMS School Social Worker Jada Tessier for further information jtessier@litchfieldsd.org. End 68 Hours of Hunger Sign Up Pick Up Procedures Those utilizing parent pick up are asked to fill in the large loop at the designated time. Please have the colored pick up slips that were sent home, as these act as verification for our staff. If you arrive early for your designated time, you will be directed to a waiting line in the parking lot until your group time. Pink Group (Last Names A-G): 2:45 Yellow Group (Last Names H-O) 2:52 Blue Group (Last Names P-Z) 3:00 Buses: 3:10 targeted departure Absence Reporting Email The GMS office now has a dedicated email address to use to report your child tardy or absent:  GMSabsences@litchfieldsd.org. You can also find it on the Griffin Memorial School homepage, on the top, left side under “ABSENCES”. When you send an email please include the following information:                 *Child’s first and last name                 *Teacher                 *Reason for absence If you would prefer to leave a voicemail message when your child is absent or tardy you are still welcome to call 424-5931 and then hit “2” when you hear the automated message. Please remember to include the above information in the voice message. Please note that when you email or leave a voice message saying that your child “will be out” then the absence is recorded as unexcused. Please tell us the reason for the absence so it is documented correctly. 229 Charles Bancroft Hwy. Litchfield, NH 03052 (603) 424-5931 Past Editions of the GMS School News can be found at: https://griffinnhnews.blogspot.com/