Worthington School District
147 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
413-238-5856
gmorsedobosz@hr-k12.org
Dear Community:
Snow Delay: Just a friendly reminder that on late starts due to weather, school begins at 10:30 a.m. and students go right to the classroom. There is no morning recess.
Crazy Color Spirit Day! The entire school will be participating in a spirit day on Friday, January 26. Early next week each classroom will vote on the color their class will dress up in. This will be a great way students can show school spirit, bond with their classmates and teachers and have fun! The day has been planned by the after-school program student leadership group, Spring Into Action!
Spring Pictures: If you are interested in having your child photographed this spring, please email Ms. Lisa at louellet@hr-k12.org. She has met with a representative from O’Connor Studio and we would like to try them out. You can check out the website here to learn more about them.
After-School Program Update
Summer Program: The After-School Program will be offering a summer program starting July 8th and ending August 1st. The program will run Mondays through Thursdays from 8:45 am to 2:45 pm. Students enrolled in R.H. Conwell in grades K to 6 are eligible to attend (K to 6 for the 23-24 school year). There is no fee for attending the program due to funding through the DESE 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant. Students must enroll/attend 80% of the program days. This is a grant requirement and the program will be working on projects and activities that build off of eachother each day. Students will be going on fun field trips that will connect with our projects. More information and registration forms will be available in February.
Walk, Roll or Ride to school: On Wednesday February 7, we will walk together to school. Buses and parents will drop students at the Worthington Golf Club where we will all walk down Ridge Road together. Watch this space for more details!
Babysitting Course OFFERING: We are partnering with UMASS Amherst’s 4-H Youth Development program to offer a full day babysitting course to students over April break for students 12 years and older. Mature 11 year olds will be considered as well if availability allows. The training course teaches youth what they need to know to be caring, trustworthy, responsible, and competent babysitters. The course will help develop confidence in handling various situations while babysitting, and will cover topics such as general safety, first aid, child development, nutrition, entertaining children, and the business of babysitting. All youth that complete the course will receive a babysitter’s ID, certificate of completion. 4-H babysitting manual, and first aid supplies. If interested, please contact Nurse Steph at sfaas@hr-k12.org.
Hampshire Regional High School Update: The HRHS Administration and Counseling Department are excited to invite all 5th and 6th grade families to an information night on January 25, 2024 at 6 pm in the HRHS auditorium. Parents and guardians are invited to learn about the elementary to middle school transition, middle and high school programming, extracurriculars, athletics, and more about Hampshire Regional! Tours will also be led by the high school Student Council. While this event is for parents and guardians, we will offer many other transition activities for 6th-grade students in the spring. We look forward to meeting you! If you have any questions, please reach out to HRHS Principal Lauren Hotz at Lhotz@hr-k12.org.
Mindful Moments January Challenge! The Wellness Committee has decided to offer not only a faculty challenge this year, but we would also love to share this challenge with families. Here are the details:
Our students have been making strides in their yoga practice over the last few months. From physical poses to breathwork to mindfulness, they have taken this new skill and run with it. In the spirit of support, the Wellness Committee would like to challenge our faculty and families to incorporate an individual mindful moment into their day for the remainder of January.
This challenge not only follows our yoga special but also mirrors the MindUP curriculum. According to the research behind MindUP, children saw benefits in better stress regulation after the program was implemented. There is also a plethora of research on the reduction of anxiety and depression in adults who consistently practice mindfulness.
Some suggestions on how to successfully implement a mindful moment are:
1. Be alone
2. Your eyes can be open, shut, or have a soft gaze
3. If you would like background noise, we suggest soft music or nature sounds
4. Notice your breath, bring awareness to your inhales and exhales
5. Allow yourself to think of something positive, or nothing at all
6. (optional) Practice a breathwork technique, such as Triangle Breathing or Five Finger Breathing
For this challenge, we’re suggesting the mindful moment last anywhere from one to five minutes, however, please do what feels best for you!
Screen-free Days Feedback request: Does anyone remember last spring’s Screen-free Days challenge? The Wellness Committee plans to challenge you again this year. Does anyone have a testimonial in favor of your time spent without screens? Or a tip for those who are reluctant to try a few days without them? Or, what would it take to get you to try even a day without screens? Please email or call your RHC nurses, Steph or Meg. Sfaas@hr-k12.org, mbreymann@hr-k12.org, 238-5856 ext 1. Or let us know when you see us!
Preschool Open House: Are you interested in signing your little one up for preschool? Come join us on March 9, 2024 from 9-11 a.m. to meet the preschool team and tour the preschool classroom. All interested families are welcome to join us at 8:00 a.m. for a homemade pancake breakfast and then join us in preschool at 9:00. . All proceeds will be for future Nature’s Classroom trips.
News from Hilltown Health Center: The Hilltown Family Center is registering families for its six-week Tinker Play Group developed by the Boston Children’s Museum, beginning January 19th at the Hilltown Family Center, 9 Russell Road in Huntington (across from the Huntington Fire Department). This program is limited to ten families with children aged 3 to 5. Registration is required by emailing Susan LeBarron at slebarron@hchcweb.org. Registered families will utilize a kit from the Boston Children’s Museum and weekly activities program with caregivers engaging in the process and will be coordinated by Susan LeBarron, Family Center Coordinator. Families will take home their kit at the end of the six-week program.
Tinkering is exploring and using materials and tools and often starts with simple questions such as “What can I do with this?” or “How does this work?” Exploring materials and investigating how to use tools is a foundational step of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) learning. When children tinker, they are learning about the properties of materials and the capabilities of tools. They are also developing their fine motor skills. Sometimes, tinkering is just exploring, and sometimes it leads to making something (to do a job or just for fun). It is absolutely the foundation to more complex engineering (using materials to make something that solves a problem). Skills children may develop include fine motor coordination, using tools, problem solving, collaborating, experimenting, thinking creatively, observing, comparing, relating to prior and/or current experience, communicating, and persevering. Tinkering also develops social and emotional skills around self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, self-management, and responsible decision making.
For more about this program or the Hilltown Family Center please visit our Facebook page at Hilltown Family Center or Parent & Family Supports – Hilltown Community Health Center (hchcweb.org) or contact Susan LeBarron, Hilltown Family Center Coordinator.
PTO Update: PLEASE join us at the PTO meeting on January 18 at 6:00 P.M.
| Zoom Meeting: Thursday, January 18 at 6:00PM. Topic: Worthington School District PTO Time: Jan 18, 2024 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74385625708?pwd=PTW1NreBVP45zUEXQ8t3pajIJt1Sm5.1 Meeting ID: 743 8562 5708 Passcode: Tce8z5 |
| Update from the Nurse’s Office: Please send your children to school with warm outerwear! We have seen many students in the health office seeking winter gear. As the temperatures continue to drop, and as we get more snow, it is critical students have warm coats, snow pants, boots, hats, and gloves/mittens to safely play outside. We have no older child socks to loan when feet get wet. We would appreciate any larger or adult sized, even unmatched socks. Also, please remind your students that when there is snow on the ground, they must stay on the blacktop if they are not wearing boots. Thank you! |
Students had a blast making Apple Crisp.
| News from the cafeteria: Hi! Happy New Year! The HOTM is Apples! Here is a link with fun info and activities to do with apples! www.massfarmtoschool.org Don’t forget to sign up for family meals, sign up sheets have gone home in folders for both breakfast and lunch. The return date for The lunch was a typo please send those back by January 8th! You can send money in your child’s folder or bring it the day of, just please sign up beforehand. Just a reminder for students coming for breakfast in the morning breakfast starts at 8:30 and ends at 8:50, please arrive early enough for your student to have time to eat. Thank you! Family breakfast is Friday, January 26. If you would like to purchase lunch for $6.00, please sign up below and return this form with payment by Monday, January 22nd. Please include cash or a check made payable to the Town of Worthington. Name(s): ______________________________________Total Cost: $_______ Preschool Lunch starts at 11:45K – 6 Lunch starts at 12:30 Please enter at the Cafeteria Door and sign your name and the date on the visitor sheet. We look forward to seeing you! |
We are able to provide treats for special celebrations in the classrooms. Please check out the link here for more information and the order form.
The cafeteria now has a peanut free table at lunch time due to the presence of a student in the school with a severe peanut allergy.
Upcoming Events:
January 15: No School/Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 16: No School/Faculty PD
January 18: PTO meeting at 6PM
January 24: Coffee with the Principal. Come meet Interim School Counselor, Lisa Sage.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz
Superintendent/Principal