Digital Learning Day

I hope you all will consider participating in Digital Learning Day—a national campaign that celebrates teachers and the potential of instructional technologies in schools. Take a moment to visit the website at http://www.digitallearningday.org and click “Sign Up” to join hundreds of other districts across the country that are hosting Digital Learning Day celebrations and encouraging school-based activities, projects, and interactive lessons (provided by Digital Learning Day) in math, science, civics, and language arts.

It’s all happening on February 6, 2013. I encourage all educators to sign up at http://digitallearningday.org/registration/ before Friday, January 10 and you will be entered in a raffle to win one of five $100 Amazon gift cards. Join this wave of innovation sweeping across our nation’s schools! Participation is free and easy. Digital Learning Day is open to all interested education leaders both in and out of school.

This is a great opportunity to share your efforts in digital learning with community leaders by highlighting your results and showcasing our best teachers!

 

UBER CAFE & Clough Elementary Art Room

Stop in any time and see our student artwork on display for the entire month of January!

We invite you to join us at our Art Exhibition Opening!

Every student that comes to our special night will be given a special treat!

 

Date: Wednesday, January 9th, 2013

Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm

Place: Uber Cafe

Address: 32 Hastings Street, Suite 201

Mendon, Massachusetts 01756

Details: Come by and see our gallery of student artwork and enjoy Uber Cafe’s delicious food & beverage.

Donations: We will be collecting UNUSED hats, gloves, scarfs, coats, and blankets to donate to the grace house.

*A voucher for a free medium coffee or tea will be given to anyone who donates. Valid January 10th through January 31st*

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Parents and Community Members,

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I would like to take a moment to say thank you to each of you who continue to show your support to us here at H.P. Clough Elementary School. It is gratifying to be involved with such kind, caring, and thoughtful people who always work together for the good of our children. Please  know that we (the students, staff and myself) greatly appreciate all you do to assist us in making Clough School the best school it can be.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

Most Sincerely,

Janice Gallagher

Fuel Up to Play 60

This year the Clough Elementary School is participating in a physical activity and nutrition program created by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League called Fuel Up To Play 60. It engages students, working together with adults, to be creative to make long term, healthy changes in our school. These include increased access to nutrient-rich foods, like low-fat and fat free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, in accordance with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, and at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. The program builds on what has been learned from research: well-nourished kids tend to be better students, and physical activity supports learning.

Additionally, the Fuel Up To Play 60 program encourages students to track their healthy eating and physical activity habits. They can do this, with the permission and help from their parents, by logging onto the Fuel Up To Play 60 website at www.fueluptoplay60.com.

The Fuel Up To Play 60 program will be a fun and exciting addition to our Physical Education program at the Clough Elementary School. Students will be presented with fitness activities that can be performed in Physical Education class, at recess, and at home that they can track as part of their 60 minutes of physical activity a day. The program will be a great way to help students get excited about eating healthy and exercising on a daily basis.

Welcome Back!

The excitement at Clough began with the arrival of the first yellow bus and continued until every child stepped off the bus smiling, ready to meet their new teacher and their classmates.  It is wonderful having the students and staff back. Our start of the year went extremely well.

Our Kindergarten Orientations and Pre-K Greet and Meet were held Wednesday, August 29th. Every child had an opportunity to meet their teacher and to become familiar with their classroom. The kindergarteners even got to ride on a bus with their parents. It was such a wonderful experience for them.

Special thanks to the PTO and all those who supported our Golf Classic Tournament last May. The funds from the golf event went to purchasing 7 LCD projectors, 2 Smart Boards and 2 IPADs. The teachers are eager to begin using them with their students. We greatly appreciate your support in assisting with our technology needs.  Open House for Pre-K, Kindergarten, Grade 1 & 2 students will be on September 18^th and for grades 3 and 4 it will be held on September 19^th.

We look forward to an exciting year working with our students, parents, and community members. We value and encourage parent and community volunteers. Working together as one team focusing on providing our students with the best education possible is what we strive for and with your help we will achieve this goal. “One, team, One Goal, No Limits”.

Dear Clough Community,

I cannot believe school starts in less than a week. I am so excited to have the children back! It’s been quiet here without them. I look forward to seeing their smiling faces and hearing all about their summer adventures.

Although the teachers have been in throughout the summer to set up their classrooms and prepare curriculum for their new students, they officially return to school on Monday August 27^th for a full in-service day. As an FYI, the school will be closed to parents and students on this day. Students in grades one through four will start the new 2012-2013 school year on Tuesday, August 28^th.  Students in preschool and kindergarten will have their “Meet and Greet” on Wednesday, August 29^th and they will officially start school on August 30^th.  There will be no school on Friday, August 31^st and Monday, September 3^rd in recognition of Labor Day.

I am pleased to introduce a few new teachers and share some changes in our staffing at Clough this year. Alexis Kornblum has been hired as our new art teacher, Margarita Mojica is our new Second Grade Spanish Immersion teacher and Jackie Nelson will be our new fourth grade teacher ( which thankfully has brought our class sizes down from 28 to 21 students).  Maureen O’Neil will be returning to Clough as a second grade teacher. Becky Pilkington will be teaching Lauren Poxon’s first grade class for the year while she is out on maternity leave.  Rene Smith has been appointed as the Extended Day teacher and Marcy Verrone will be the Extended Day Aide.

          I would like to inform you that in mid-September there will be a change in our district on how student lunches and milk are purchased. We will be introducing a new system whereby parents will be able to charge and recharge their card either on line or by sending a check to school.  Lunch tokens will continue to be accepted during the transition period.  Dianne Braga, our food service specialist, will be sharing more information with you in the next few weeks.

          I look forward to another wonderful and productive year with your and your children.

Best Regards,

Janice Gallagher

   

READ! READ! READ!

With the summer here and children not in school, many parents have asked me what is the one thing they can do to help their children retain all that hard work and progress they achieved this past school year.  My response is, read, read, and read some more. Get as many books as you can into the hands of your children and let them read this summer. Summer reading is all about reading for fun. Letting your children choose what they want to read not only builds good readers but life-long readers, too.  So, grab a good book, relax and read with your child. Enjoy!

I would like to thank the Mendon and Upton parents and the Mendon Community  for your encouragement, your enthusiasm, and your consistent support this year.  All of you helped in making this not only a successful year but also a fun year.  I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know your children and working with them, and in the process I have had so many wonderful opportunities to get to know you~ the parents and community members as well.

 I hope you all enjoy a fun and safe summer filled with lots of laughter, good health, and new memories. We at Clough have truly lived our theme this year. “One Team, One Goal, No Limits”. Thank you for an incredible year and for entrusting your children with us.

Most Sincerely,

Janice Gallagher

Our first grade Spanish Immersion teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Hall was recognized at a special breakfast held by the Blackstone Valley Superintendents Educational Collaborative on May 25^th. She was this years Promising Practice Recipient for the Mendon-Upton Regional School District. We recognized Mrs. Hall for her outstanding contributions to the profession of teaching for the way she inspires her students to stretch and grow on a daily basis through the use of technology. We couldn't be any prouder to have Mrs. Hall at Henry P. Clough Elementary School.