Welcome Back!
We are so happy to be Back at School!
Dear Community:
Welcome Back! Thank you for taking time to meet with teachers during the designated two half-days. In-takes are a wonderful opportunity for parents and teachers to hear how the summer went, and your hopes and dreams for the new school year! Please don’t hesitate to reach out or stop by with any questions. I can be reached at gmorsedobosz@rhconwell.org or 413-238-5856.
Parent Coffee: Please join me on September 12th for the first Parent Coffee! This is an opportunity for parents to hear about some of the school wide goals for this year, and to ask questions. Also, families will be invited to join classroom morning meetings beginning at 9:05. PLEASE RSVP to Gretchen Morse-Dobosz
R.H. Conwell After-School Program News: The After-School Program will begin on Monday, September 16th! The program will be open on full days of school – Monday through Friday from 3:20 to 5:15 for grades 1st through 6th and will be open on Monday through Thursday for Kindergarten. The After-School Program is free to students thanks to the 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant through the Department of Education (DESE). DESE requires students to enroll and attend the program a minimum of 2 days a week. Some of the fall activities will be: Art, Nature Explorers, Travel Our World, Harry Potter Club, Escape Room, Instrument Lessons for grades 4 to 6, Fun Friday, Outdoor Exploration, Conwell’s Student Leaders, and Soccer.
Registration forms for session one were handed out to students in their classrooms this past week. Forms should be returned to school day teachers or e-mailed to Shannon Madden by Monday, September 9th. For more information please contact Shannon Madden, Out of School Time Program Coordinator, at smadden@rhconwell.org.
| Upcoming Events: – Sept 4: First Day of Preschool – Sept 5: PTO MEETING at 6:30 p.m. – Sept 12: School Pictures – Sept 12: School Committee at 6:30 p.m. – Sept 13: Parent Coffee |
From The Cafeteria:
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome back students and families! We are excited to let you know that R.H. Conwell will continue to receive FREE school meals in School Year 2024-2025, and in all future years. This means that breakfast and lunch will continue to be served at no cost to all students. Since your child attends a school that participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), you are not required to complete the household Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals.
If you are interested in receiving monthly financial assistance to purchase groceries, please consider applying for SNAP, the federal nutrition program that supports eligible residents. More SNAP information can be found at gettingsnap.org or by calling Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333.
Your student can receive 1 FREE complete breakfast and 1 FREE complete lunch each school day.
As part of both the National School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, our district is required to follow USDA meal pattern requirements for complete meals for breakfast and lunch.
Example meals are outlined here:
Breakfast: includes 1 cup of fruits, 2 ounces of whole grains (OR 1 serving of whole grains and 1 serving of meat or meat alternatives), and 1 cup of milk.
Examples From RHC:
Breakfast Example 1: Cinnamon Bun, 1 cup of fruit, 8 oz milk
Breakfast Example 2: Scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast, 1 cup of fruit, 8 oz milk
Lunch: At least 3 of the 5 offering food groups – dairy, meat/meat alternative, grain, fruit, and vegetable. One MUST be a serving of fruits/vegetables.
Examples from RHC:
Lunch Example 1: Pizza, side salad, 8 oz milk
Lunch Example 2: Beef Taco, black beans, apple, 8 oz milk
It is our privilege to provide breakfast and lunch to your children, supporting them with nourishing and healthy meals to power through the school day! We can’t wait to see them in the coming weeks. By participating in the School Meal Program, you not only ensure nutritious meals for your children, you support our program and our school community. Please reach out with any questions or concerns that you may have.
Best,
Ashley Tompkins