Friday, November 22, 2024

November 22, 2024

 





Griffin Memorial School News

At GMS, We THRIVE

November 22, 2024

GMS Families,  

         We haven't had a normal, five day week in quite some time, but this week was great. You can see learning and growth happening at a rapid pace wherever you look. Much time this week was spent preparing for next week, so it is nice to hear all that the students are thankful for.

                The Scholastic Book Fair is where your readers get to choose. They can be true to themselves at our Book Fair (Dec. 2-6)! Plus, every purchase benefits our school. Learn more: GMS book fair homepage. Students will be attending during their class’s library day/time Dec. 2-6. I have included a link below for parents to follow for information on setting up an e-Wallet, viewing the flyer, and the date for Family Night.

If you are able to help make this event a success, please sign up to volunteer.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E054CAAAD23AB9-53060647-scholastic

            At this time as we take a moment to reflect on all that we are grateful and thankful for. We appreciate each and every one of you, from our students to our staff, our families and our community, you all play such an important role in making GMS the truly special place that it is. We are thankful to be able to do what we do everyday and for the support and role that you play in it. We are thankful!

Be Well, Be Curious, and THRIVE,

Dan Mitchell, Principal

Maura Clinton-Jones, Assistant Principal

Upcoming Dates



November 27-29, 2024No School- Thanksgiving Break
December 2-6, 2024Book Fair
December 5, 2024Book Fair Evening Hours 3:30-7:00PM


GMS News

Lego League 

Next week students in grades 2-4 will be receiving a flyer to apply for this year’s Lego League. These will be due back on December 2. If your child is interested in joining this club be on the look out for this flyer and more information in the coming weeks. If you’d like more information please reach out to Mrs. Anctil.

 Here is the Google Form Application that the the QR code links to in the flyer

Counselors' Corner

Please click below for the latest information from our School Counselors Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Perkins

Counselors’ Corner

Facilities Improvement Survey

        The District Facilities Improvement Committee is still looking for input from the Litchfield community in regards to the school facilities in the district.  I encourage you to take a few moments and complete the survey found HERE.  Responses from this survey will greatly help the committee determine the right steps for the schools and the community. Paper copies are also available at each school and Town Hall. Thank you in advance for your input and help. The deadline has been extended until 12/4, though we encourage you to submit it sooner rather than later.


    News from the PTO

    Polar Express

    Join us for dinner and a private showing of the Polar Express at Chunky’s in Manchester on Tuesday, December 3rd or Wednesday, December 4th! Tuesday's showing has limited seats available (purchase your ticket here), and Wednesday's show has a waitlist (here). Tickets are $12 per person, plus the cost of food and drink. Each ticket includes a golden ticket, bell, and hot chocolate for children! Pajamas are encouraged!

    Holiday Store

    We are thrilled to announce that the GMS PTO Holiday Store will be open December 10th, 11th, 12 (13th reserved for inclement weather)! The store is open to K-4 GMS students to enjoy the joy of holiday shopping and pick out gifts for their loved ones. We are in need of volunteers to help the students pick out their perfect gift. Sign up now to volunteer . As we get closer to the store opening, a copy of the inventory form will be sent home. This year’s Holiday Gift Guide is now available here.

    December PTO Meeting

    Please join us for our next meeting on Wednesday, December 11th at 6:30pm via Zoom. We hope you will join us as we hear updates from Mr. Mitchell and Mrs. Clinton-Jones as well as updates about the PTO events and happenings! Looking forward to seeing you there!

    Holiday Cheer Meal

    The PTO is planning a holiday lunch for GMS teachers and staff on Thursday, December 19th. If you are interested in donating an item, please click here. No time to shop but would like to contribute? Please contact Sarah Vasil at sarah_willis01338@yahoo.com.

    Monthly Newsletters - November

    Be sure to read our monthly newsletters where we will highlight important dates and upcoming events, and we'll introduce you to our Executive Board and Coordinators. 

    Calling all 4th Grade Families! It is time to start thinking about the 4th grade yearbook. We are starting to collect photos for fall activities from past years and the current year. Please click on the flyer for more information. 

    Yearbook Advertisements

    Each year the GMS PTO is proud to present each of our graduating fourth graders with a yearbook that captures memories from their last elementary school year at no cost to families. If you are interested in partnering with us for the upcoming publication, please fill out the sponsorship form. Please contact the yearbook coordinators at GMSyearbook2025@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you for your consideration and support!

    **All of this information and more may be found on our Facebook Page: GMS PTO NH 2024-2025.**

    News from the Community



    Manchester Little League

    Spirit of Litchfield Tree Lighting

    Give a meaningful gift this holiday season that you don’t need to wrap. Give the gift of life – donate blood with the Red Cross. Your donation can bring hope & help someone through some of life's toughest moments. This drive is held in partnership with the GMS & the GMS PTO on Monday, December 9th from 1:30pm - 6pm at the Open Doors Christian Fellowship. For more information and to schedule, please click here. Students who recruit an adult to sign up will receive a special gift! 

    CAL Turkey Trot

    The CAL (Campbell Athletic Leaders) are hosting a 5k Turkey trot on Nov 30th) they are looking for baskets to raffle off at the end but mostly runners! If you are interested in donating a basket from your business or personally please let me know and I will let the CAL club know. Here is the link to sign up for the run/walk if you’re interested. They are hoping to have runners signed up by 11/15 so they can order the shirts in time. The money raised will go to the NH mental health and sport organization in support of November being mental health awareness month. All runners will receive a free shirt. There will be a limited amount of shirts for anyone that wants to purchase one at the event that is not running. All proceeds from the shirts also go to the organization. The cost to run/walk is $30 cash/check can be brought race day or can be mailed to Campbell high school (please put Turkey trot in the notes) so the school knows what the money's for.





    Repeated News/ Long Term Info to Know

    SKI CLUB 2025 is here! 

    We are pleased to announce that we will be doing both Pat’s Peak on Fridays AND Crotched on Tuesdays! Kids can sign up for one or both programs! As we are not affiliated with schools, all Litchfield kids are able to attend, grades K-12! Both mountains are 37 miles from GMS and approximately 50-55 minutes. Both have a nice learners area, and a nice bar/restaurant for parents to visit while children are skiing or boarding! Full Pricing and details in comments

    Pat’s Peak Sign Up –  https://www.patspeak.com/plan-your-visit/lessons-rentals/learn-to-ski-ride-program/

    Code is GMS2025 for Griffin, LMS2025 for LMS, and CHS2025 for Campbell

    Crotched Sign Up – https://www.crotchedmtn.com/plan-your-trip/ski-and-ride-lessons/products/slope-days

    Code is LIT2025 for all kids.

    Ski Club Coordinators:

    GMS Coordinator - Melissa Feeley - mkfeeley@gmail.com

    LMS/CHS Coordinator- Brian Stafford - brian.s.stafford@gmail.com

    I

    n order to balance out our bus routes, some adjustments have been made. Please see the updated lists below. 

    Back to School Paperwork

    • Back to School forms are available and need to be completed on the portal. These forms MUST be filled out EVERY YEAR
    • Here is a link to the PowerSchool Parent Portal 
    • Here is a link  to the Portal Quick Reference Guide
    • Chromebook insurance can now be paid through Titan (same for lunch) or by check (Please add student name and "CB Fee" on check memo so that it is applied to proper student)
    • Gr 1-4 Chromebook usage fee is $5
    • Gr 5-12 Chromebook insurance fee is $20 and free/reduced is $10

    From Nurse Alexa

    Hello GMS families!

    Back to school is a wonderful time of year, but it also means sharing more than just stories from our summer time vacations. Your students, and the staff, also begin sharing germs! And as we enter the cooler months, the more germs we begin to share. So I wanted to share a few friendly reminders to try and keep everyone healthy;

    ·         Please do not send your child to school if they are experiencing

    o    a fever (>100.4°)They must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications

    o   Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours

    o   Continuous coughing not relieved by cough medicine

    o   Are overall not feeling well (headache, stomach ache, fatigue, etc.)

    ·         Practice hand washing

    ·         Practice covering a cough and sneeze

    ·         Drink lots of fluids

    ·         Get plenty of rest

    Linked below is a resource for helping prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. As always, you can reach out to the school nurse with any questions or concerns.

    https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/precautions-when-sick.html

    End 68 Hours of Hunger and the Litchfield School District 2023-2024

    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. 

    If you’d like to sign up for the program or need additional information, please contact Taryn Staples, School Social Worker, at tstaples@litchfieldsd.org

    Morning Drop Off Procedures

    During the morning drop off, both buses and cars will utilize the big loop. As vehicles pull in please pull as far forward until all cars have stopped. Then you can let your child out of the car. Please then wait until the cars in front of you move before pulling forward. Please DO NOT pass a stopped car or stop at the front door if there is space in front to pull forward. We also ask that you avoid parking in the parking lot and walking your child to the door, this adds pedestrian traffic to car traffic. Our attempt is to make this a safe and fluid process. We understand that some back ups do occur, but this procedure ensures safety of all and limits the length of any delay.

    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-E): 2:45

    Yellow Group (Last Names F-N) 2:52

    Blue Group (Last Names O-Z) 3:00

    Buses: 3:10 targeted departure 

    Absence Reporting 

    At Litchfield School District, one of our greatest priorities is ensuring that all our students arrive safely at school each and every day. 

    To enhance our existing absence-checking procedure, we are introducing a new, more efficient student absence reporting system called SafeArrival.  This new system will reduce the time it takes to verify student attendance, make it easy for you to report your child’s absence and easy for staff to respond to unexplained student absences. 

    With SafeArrival, you are asked to report your child’s absence in advance using any of these 3 convenient methods:

    1. Using your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at https://go.schoolmessenger.com). The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.

    2. Use the SafeArrival website, https://go.schoolmessenger.com. The first time you use the website, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.

    3. Call the toll-free number 1-833-516-0370 to report an absence using the automated phone system.

    These options are available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.  Future absences can be reported at any time. 

    In addition, we will use the SchoolMessenger Communicate automated notification system to contact parents whose child is absent when the absence was not reported in advance. The automated notification system will attempt to contact parents at multiple contact points until a reason is submitted for the absence. If our system is unable to reach the designated contacts, office staff will follow up. 

    If you report your child’s absence in advance using the SafeArrival toll-free number, website or mobile app, you will NOT receive these notifications.

    Starting March 4, when we return from Vacation, please report absences in advance using SafeArrival instead of sending notes or calling/emailing the school.  

    Starting March 4, staff will begin using the SafeArrival notifications to let you know if your student is absent (when you haven’t reported the absence in advance).  

    Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we implement this new system.

    ***Please Note that Sign Up may not be available until early next week***

    SafeArrival Sign Up

    SafeArrival FAQs

    SafeArrival Report an Absence




    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/


                                                                                                    



    Friday, November 15, 2024

    November 15, 2024

     





    Griffin Memorial School News

    At GMS, We THRIVE

    November 15, 2024

    GMS Families,  

             The short weeks often feel the longest, but we are looking forward to our first full, normal week in a long time next week. With Thanksgiving coming up we know that the pace of life only increases from here for a while, so we look forward to the quieter moments we can find, and wish the same for you. 

              The pace of life is no different here at the elementary levels. We have so many exciting events coming up that we are looking forward to including the Book Fair, The Polar Express, the PTO Holiday Store, and so much more. One way you may help is through volunteering at our Book Fair. If you have some time you can sign up HERE.

             Finally, as we enter into the Season of Giving, next week will be our Make A Difference Food Drive in support of the Litchfield Food Pantry. We will send out reminders and will be collecting food next week until Monday the 25th. For ways you can help please check out the follow flyer: Food Drive Flyer

               Please keep reading for more information about the upcoming season of Lego League, News from the PTO, Ski Club, Rec Basketball, and the latest edition of the Counselors' Corner.

    Be Well, Be Curious, and THRIVE,

    Dan Mitchell, Principal

    Maura Clinton-Jones, Assistant Principal

    Upcoming Dates

    November 21-22, 2024Lions Club Vision Screenings
    November 27-29, 2024No School- Thanksgiving Break
    December 2-6, 2024Book Fair
    December 5, 2024Book Fair Evening Hours 3:30-7:00PM


    GMS News

    Lego League 

    Next week students in grades 2-4 will be receiving a flyer to apply for this year’s Lego League. These will be due back on December 2. If your child is interested in joining this club be on the look out for this flyer and more information in the coming weeks. If you’d like more information please reach out to Mrs. Anctil.

    Lego League Flyer

    Counselors' Corner

    Please click below for the latest information from our School Counselors Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Perkins

    Counselors’ Corner

    Facilities Improvement Survey

            The District Facilities Improvement Committee is still looking for input from the Litchfield community in regards to the school facilities in the district.  I encourage you to take a few moments and complete the survey found HERE.  Responses from this survey will greatly help the committee determine the right steps for the schools and the community. Paper copies are also available at each school and Town Hall. Thank you in advance for your input and help. The deadline has been extended until 12/4, though we encourage you to submit it sooner rather than later.


    SKI CLUB 2025 is here! 

    We are pleased to announce that we will be doing both Pat’s Peak on Fridays AND Crotched on Tuesdays! Kids can sign up for one or both programs! As we are not affiliated with schools, all Litchfield kids are able to attend, grades K-12! Both mountains are 37 miles from GMS and approximately 50-55 minutes. Both have a nice learners area, and a nice bar/restaurant for parents to visit while children are skiing or boarding! Full Pricing and details in comments

    Pat’s Peak Sign Up –  https://www.patspeak.com/plan-your-visit/lessons-rentals/learn-to-ski-ride-program/

    Code is GMS2025 for Griffin, LMS2025 for LMS, and CHS2025 for Campbell

    Crotched Sign Up – https://www.crotchedmtn.com/plan-your-trip/ski-and-ride-lessons/products/slope-days

    Code is LIT2025 for all kids.

    Ski Club Coordinators:

    GMS Coordinator - Melissa Feeley - mkfeeley@gmail.com

    LMS/CHS Coordinator- Brian Stafford - brian.s.stafford@gmail.com

      News from the PTO

      Volunteering at GMS

      GMS has partnered with the Lions Club for a free KidSight vision screening for our students on November 21st and 22nd, and we’re looking for volunteers! Help is needed to guide students between their classrooms and the gym. Ideally, we need 2 full-day volunteers, but partial-day help is welcome.Volunteer Training is required. To volunteer, sign up here.

      Polar Express

      Join us for dinner and a private showing of the Polar Express at Chunky’s in Manchester on Tuesday, December 3rd, or Wednesday, December 4th! Tuesday has limited seats available (purchase your ticket here), and Wednesday has a waitlist (here). Tickets are $12 per person, plus the cost of food and drink. Each ticket includes a golden ticket, bell, and hot chocolate for children! Pajamas are encouraged!

      Holiday Store

      We are thrilled to announce that the GMS PTO Holiday Store will be open December 10th, 11th, 12 (13th reserved for inclement weather)! The store is open to K-4 GMS students to enjoy the joy of holiday shopping and pick out gifts for their loved ones. We are in need of volunteers to help the students pick out their perfect gift. Sign up now to volunteer (as teachers sign up for a slot we will add this information to the sign up genius). As we get closer to the store opening, keep an eye out for a letter and inventory form coming home and visit the Facebook page for a Holiday Gift Guide that will include photos and prices of gifts. 

      December PTO Meeting

      Please join us for our next meeting on Wednesday, December 11th at 6:30pm via Zoom. We hope you will join us as we hear updates from Mr. Mitchell and Mrs. Clinton-Jones as well as updates about the PTO events and happenings! Looking forward to seeing you there!

      Monthly Newsletters - November

      Be sure to read our monthly newsletters where we will highlight important dates and upcoming events, and we'll introduce you to our Executive Board and Coordinators. 

      Calling all 4th Grade Families!

      It is time to start thinking about the 4th grade yearbook. We are starting to collect photos for fall activities from past years and the current year. Please click on the flyer for more information. 

      Yearbook Advertisements

      Each year the GMS PTO is proud to present each of our graduating fourth graders with a yearbook that captures memories from their last elementary school year at no cost to families. If you are interested in partnering with us for the upcoming publication, please fill out the sponsorship form. Please contact the yearbook coordinators at GMSyearbook2025@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you for your consideration and support!

      **All of this information and more may be found on our Facebook Page: GMS PTO NH 2024-2025.**

      News from the Community

      Litchfield Basketball Registration

      Final Call to register for Lil’ Dribblers, Instructional, and Co-ed Rec Basketball programs, open to boys and girls from Pre-K to 8th grade. Programs run from December to February. For more information about our programs visit www.LRBL.net.  Volunteer coaches are needed, please apply here.

      This Saturday, 11.16.24 is our Rec Assessments for registered participants in our 3rd thru 8th grade program (*2nd graders interested may attend).  Players should bring a ball and water.

      •     10:00 - 10:45 - 3rd / 4th grade assessments at LMS

      •     11:00 - 11:45 - 5th / 8th grade assessments at LMS

      The CAL (Campbell Athletic Leaders) are hosting a 5k Turkey trot on Nov 30th) they are looking for baskets to raffle off at the end but mostly runners! If you are interested in donating a basket from your business or personally please let me know and I will let the CAL club know. Here is the link to sign up for the run/walk if you’re interested. They are hoping to have runners signed up by 11/15 so they can order the shirts in time. The money raised will go to the NH mental health and sport organization in support of November being mental health awareness month. All runners will receive a free shirt. There will be a limited amount of shirts for anyone that wants to purchase one at the event that is not running. All proceeds from the shirts also go to the organization. The cost to run/walk is $30 cash/check can be brought race day or can be mailed to Campbell high school (please put Turkey trot in the notes) so the school knows what the money's for.



      Repeated News/ Long Term Info to Know

      In order to balance out our bus routes, some adjustments have been made. Please see the updated lists below. 

      Back to School Paperwork

      • Back to School forms are available and need to be completed on the portal. These forms MUST be filled out EVERY YEAR
      • Here is a link to the PowerSchool Parent Portal 
      • Here is a link  to the Portal Quick Reference Guide
      • Chromebook insurance can now be paid through Titan (same for lunch) or by check (Please add student name and "CB Fee" on check memo so that it is applied to proper student)
      • Gr 1-4 Chromebook usage fee is $5
      • Gr 5-12 Chromebook insurance fee is $20 and free/reduced is $10

      From Nurse Alexa

      Hello GMS families!

      Back to school is a wonderful time of year, but it also means sharing more than just stories from our summer time vacations. Your students, and the staff, also begin sharing germs! And as we enter the cooler months, the more germs we begin to share. So I wanted to share a few friendly reminders to try and keep everyone healthy;

      ·         Please do not send your child to school if they are experiencing

      o    a fever (>100.4°)They must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications

      o   Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours

      o   Continuous coughing not relieved by cough medicine

      o   Are overall not feeling well (headache, stomach ache, fatigue, etc.)

      ·         Practice hand washing

      ·         Practice covering a cough and sneeze

      ·         Drink lots of fluids

      ·         Get plenty of rest

      Linked below is a resource for helping prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. As always, you can reach out to the school nurse with any questions or concerns.

      https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/precautions-when-sick.html

      End 68 Hours of Hunger and the Litchfield School District 2023-2024

      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. 

      If you’d like to sign up for the program or need additional information, please contact Taryn Staples, School Social Worker, at tstaples@litchfieldsd.org

      Morning Drop Off Procedures

      During the morning drop off, both buses and cars will utilize the big loop. As vehicles pull in please pull as far forward until all cars have stopped. Then you can let your child out of the car. Please then wait until the cars in front of you move before pulling forward. Please DO NOT pass a stopped car or stop at the front door if there is space in front to pull forward. We also ask that you avoid parking in the parking lot and walking your child to the door, this adds pedestrian traffic to car traffic. Our attempt is to make this a safe and fluid process. We understand that some back ups do occur, but this procedure ensures safety of all and limits the length of any delay.

      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-E): 2:45

      Yellow Group (Last Names F-N) 2:52

      Blue Group (Last Names O-Z) 3:00

      Buses: 3:10 targeted departure 

      Absence Reporting 

      At Litchfield School District, one of our greatest priorities is ensuring that all our students arrive safely at school each and every day. 

      To enhance our existing absence-checking procedure, we are introducing a new, more efficient student absence reporting system called SafeArrival.  This new system will reduce the time it takes to verify student attendance, make it easy for you to report your child’s absence and easy for staff to respond to unexplained student absences. 

      With SafeArrival, you are asked to report your child’s absence in advance using any of these 3 convenient methods:

      1. Using your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at https://go.schoolmessenger.com). The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.

      2. Use the SafeArrival website, https://go.schoolmessenger.com. The first time you use the website, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.

      3. Call the toll-free number 1-833-516-0370 to report an absence using the automated phone system.

      These options are available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.  Future absences can be reported at any time. 

      In addition, we will use the SchoolMessenger Communicate automated notification system to contact parents whose child is absent when the absence was not reported in advance. The automated notification system will attempt to contact parents at multiple contact points until a reason is submitted for the absence. If our system is unable to reach the designated contacts, office staff will follow up. 

      If you report your child’s absence in advance using the SafeArrival toll-free number, website or mobile app, you will NOT receive these notifications.

      Starting March 4, when we return from Vacation, please report absences in advance using SafeArrival instead of sending notes or calling/emailing the school.  

      Starting March 4, staff will begin using the SafeArrival notifications to let you know if your student is absent (when you haven’t reported the absence in advance).  

      Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we implement this new system.

      ***Please Note that Sign Up may not be available until early next week***

      SafeArrival Sign Up

      SafeArrival FAQs

      SafeArrival Report an Absence




      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/


                                                                                                      



      Friday, November 8, 2024

      November 8, 2024

       





      Griffin Memorial School News

      At GMS, We THRIVE

      November 8, 2024

      GMS Families,  

               This morning we had the privilege of welcoming and honoring our local Veterans at our Annual Veterans Day Ceremony. We were able to hear and be inspired by two of our local Veterans, Teresa Baker-Opland and Adam Gannon. We thank them for their service and their stories. They were impactful to all. The Wall of Heroes is now up in our main hallway and will stay there for the month of November. Please take a moment to visit and recognize the service of over 175 local or connected Veterans.

              Earlier today, parents, in Grades 1-4, should have received two emails. The first included an attachment that had a code and the second email included your child's First Quarter Report Card.  Please reach out to Mr. Mitchell if there was a glitch in either of these emails getting to you. While we just had conferences, we also know that these report cards serve as an important way of informing you of your child's progress and keeping us all connected in their learning. Please take a moment to review these reports, and let us know if we can be of any further assistance.  

               We hope you all have a restful, long weekend. At today's ceremony we drew attention to the town's new Veterans Park at Town Hall. We hope you are able to visit it this weekend in recognition of the service and sacrifice of those in town and beyond.     

      Be Well, Be Curious, and THRIVE,

      Dan Mitchell, Principal

      Maura Clinton-Jones, Assistant Principal

      Upcoming Dates

      November 11, 2024

      No School- Veterans Day

      November 21-22, 2024Lions Club Vision Screenings
      November 27-29, 2024No School- Thanksgiving Break


      GMS News

      Facilities Improvement Survey

              The District Facilities Improvement Committee is still looking for input from the Litchfield community in regards to the school facilities in the district.  I encourage you to take a few moments and complete the survey found HERE.  Responses from this survey will greatly help the committee determine the right steps for the schools and the community. Paper copies are also available at each school and Town Hall. Thank you in advance for your input and help. The deadline has been extended until 12/4, though we encourage you to submit it sooner rather than later.

      Counselors' Corner

      Be sure to read the first monthly issue of Counselors' Corner to find out all the news from Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. Perkins, and Mrs. Carroll.

      Counselor’s Corner

      SKI CLUB 2025 is here! 

      We are pleased to announce that we will be doing both Pat’s Peak on Fridays AND Crotched on Tuesdays! Kids can sign up for one or both programs! As we are not affiliated with schools, all Litchfield kids are able to attend, grades K-12! Both mountains are 37 miles from GMS and approximately 50-55 minutes. Both have a nice learners area, and a nice bar/restaurant for parents to visit while children are skiing or boarding! Full Pricing and details in comments

      Pat’s Peak Sign Up –  https://www.patspeak.com/plan-your-visit/lessons-rentals/learn-to-ski-ride-program/

      Code is GMS2024 for Griffin, LMS2025 for LMS, and CHS2025 for Campbell

      Crotched Sign Up – https://www.crotchedmtn.com/plan-your-trip/ski-and-ride-lessons/products/slope-days

      Code is LIT2025 for all kids.

      Ski Club Coordinators:

      GMS Coordinator - Melissa Feeley - mkfeeley@gmail.com

      LMS/CHS Coordinator- Brian Stafford - brian.s.stafford@gmail.com

        News from the PTO

        November PTO Meeting

        Please join us for our next meeting on Tuesday, November 12th at 6:30pm via Zoom. We hope you will join us as we hear updates from Mr. Mitchell and Mrs. Clinton-Jones as well as updates about the PTO events and happenings! Looking forward to seeing you there!

        Polar Express

        Come join us for dinner and our own private showing of the Polar Express at Chunky’s in Manchester on Tuesday, December 3rd or Wednesday, December 4th! Ticket sales will go live at 6pm on Wednesday, November 13th. Limited tickets will be sold, so be sure to mark your calendars! The cost will be $12 per person plus the cost of food and drink. Your ticket includes a golden ticket, bell, and hot chocolate for children! Pajamas are encouraged!

        Volunteering at GMS

        GMS has partnered with the Lions Club for a free KidSight vision screening for our students on November 21st and 22nd, and we’re looking for volunteers! Volunteers will assist by walking students from their classrooms to the gym for their screenings and back.  We would love to have 2 volunteers who can commit to the full day, but if you are only available for part of the day, your help would still be greatly appreciated! Volunteer Training is required. Please reach out to Trixy Gardner at gardnerfamilynh@gmail.com with any questions.

        Monthly Newsletters - November

        Be sure to read our monthly newsletters where we will highlight important dates and upcoming events, and we'll introduce you to our Executive Board and Coordinators. 

        Calling all 4th Grade Families!

        It is time to start thinking about the 4th grade yearbook. We are starting to collect photos for fall activities from past years and the current year. Please click on the flyer for more information. 

        Yearbook Advertisements

        Each year the GMS PTO is proud to present each of our graduating fourth graders with a yearbook that captures memories from their last elementary school year at no cost to families. If you are interested in partnering with us for the upcoming publication, please fill out the sponsorship form. Please contact the yearbook coordinators at GMSyearbook2025@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you for your consideration and support!

        **All of this information and more may be found on our Facebook Page: GMS PTO NH 2024-2025.**

        News from the Community

        The CHS Spanish National Honor Society will be hosting a movie night featuring Coco on Saturday, November 2nd from 5:45 pm to 7:45 pm in the CHS Learning Commons. Students of all ages, particularly elementary aged students, are invited to attend for a suggested $5 donation per child (all proceeds go to Spanish NHS).  Supervision will be provided so families do not have to stay for the movie (but can if they want). Refreshments provided!

        The CAL (Campbell Athletic Leaders) are hosting a 5k Turkey trot on Nov 30th) they are looking for baskets to raffle off at the end but mostly runners! If you are interested in donating a basket from your business or personally please let me know and I will let the CAL club know. Here is the link to sign up for the run/walk if you’re interested. They are hoping to have runners signed up by 11/15 so they can order the shirts in time. The money raised will go to the NH mental health and sport organization in support of November being mental health awareness month. All runners will receive a free shirt. There will be a limited amount of shirts for anyone that wants to purchase one at the event that is not running. All proceeds from the shirts also go to the organization. The cost to run/walk is $30 cash/check can be brought race day or can be mailed to Campbell high school (please put Turkey trot in the notes) so the school knows what the money's for.


        Kids’ Clothing Thrift Sale

        On Saturday, October 26th, there will be a Kids’ Clothing sale at the Litchfield Community Church Presbyterian located at 259 Charles Bancroft Highway. It will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the downstairs hall. All new or gently used clothing will start at $1.00 per item. As children out-grow their clothing, this is a good time to shop for those new sizes and the new season. Come and see the collection of styles and sizes available.

        Repeated News/ Long Term Info to Know

        In order to balance out our bus routes, some adjustments have been made. Please see the updated lists below. 

        Back to School Paperwork

        • Back to School forms are available and need to be completed on the portal. These forms MUST be filled out EVERY YEAR
        • Here is a link to the PowerSchool Parent Portal 
        • Here is a link  to the Portal Quick Reference Guide
        • Chromebook insurance can now be paid through Titan (same for lunch) or by check (Please add student name and "CB Fee" on check memo so that it is applied to proper student)
        • Gr 1-4 Chromebook usage fee is $5
        • Gr 5-12 Chromebook insurance fee is $20 and free/reduced is $10

        From Nurse Alexa

        Hello GMS families!

        Back to school is a wonderful time of year, but it also means sharing more than just stories from our summer time vacations. Your students, and the staff, also begin sharing germs! And as we enter the cooler months, the more germs we begin to share. So I wanted to share a few friendly reminders to try and keep everyone healthy;

        ·         Please do not send your child to school if they are experiencing

        o    a fever (>100.4°)They must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications

        o   Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours

        o   Continuous coughing not relieved by cough medicine

        o   Are overall not feeling well (headache, stomach ache, fatigue, etc.)

        ·         Practice hand washing

        ·         Practice covering a cough and sneeze

        ·         Drink lots of fluids

        ·         Get plenty of rest

        Linked below is a resource for helping prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. As always, you can reach out to the school nurse with any questions or concerns.

        https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/precautions-when-sick.html

        End 68 Hours of Hunger and the Litchfield School District 2023-2024

        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. 

        If you’d like to sign up for the program or need additional information, please contact Taryn Staples, School Social Worker, at tstaples@litchfieldsd.org

        Morning Drop Off Procedures

        During the morning drop off, both buses and cars will utilize the big loop. As vehicles pull in please pull as far forward until all cars have stopped. Then you can let your child out of the car. Please then wait until the cars in front of you move before pulling forward. Please DO NOT pass a stopped car or stop at the front door if there is space in front to pull forward. We also ask that you avoid parking in the parking lot and walking your child to the door, this adds pedestrian traffic to car traffic. Our attempt is to make this a safe and fluid process. We understand that some back ups do occur, but this procedure ensures safety of all and limits the length of any delay.

        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-E): 2:45

        Yellow Group (Last Names F-N) 2:52

        Blue Group (Last Names O-Z) 3:00

        Buses: 3:10 targeted departure 

        Absence Reporting 

        At Litchfield School District, one of our greatest priorities is ensuring that all our students arrive safely at school each and every day. 

        To enhance our existing absence-checking procedure, we are introducing a new, more efficient student absence reporting system called SafeArrival.  This new system will reduce the time it takes to verify student attendance, make it easy for you to report your child’s absence and easy for staff to respond to unexplained student absences. 

        With SafeArrival, you are asked to report your child’s absence in advance using any of these 3 convenient methods:

        1. Using your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at https://go.schoolmessenger.com). The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.

        2. Use the SafeArrival website, https://go.schoolmessenger.com. The first time you use the website, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.

        3. Call the toll-free number 1-833-516-0370 to report an absence using the automated phone system.

        These options are available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.  Future absences can be reported at any time. 

        In addition, we will use the SchoolMessenger Communicate automated notification system to contact parents whose child is absent when the absence was not reported in advance. The automated notification system will attempt to contact parents at multiple contact points until a reason is submitted for the absence. If our system is unable to reach the designated contacts, office staff will follow up. 

        If you report your child’s absence in advance using the SafeArrival toll-free number, website or mobile app, you will NOT receive these notifications.

        Starting March 4, when we return from Vacation, please report absences in advance using SafeArrival instead of sending notes or calling/emailing the school.  

        Starting March 4, staff will begin using the SafeArrival notifications to let you know if your student is absent (when you haven’t reported the absence in advance).  

        Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we implement this new system.

        ***Please Note that Sign Up may not be available until early next week***

        SafeArrival Sign Up

        SafeArrival FAQs

        SafeArrival Report an Absence




        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/


                                                                                                        





        April 11, 2025

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