Quote of the Week: 

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” -Fred Rogers 

Dear Families,

This week, one of our Walnut Square families recently experienced a devastating house fire, resulting in the loss of all their belongings.  During this difficult time, we would like to extend our support by collecting donations in the form of gift cards from Market Basket, Target, Amazon, and Walmart. Any contributions, no matter how big or small, will make a meaningful difference to help this family rebuild their lives.  In addition to gift cards, we also welcome cards and drawings from our students. These heartfelt gestures will surely bring comfort and encouragement to the family as they navigate through this challenging period.  If you would like to participate and provide support, please drop off your donations at the school’s front office by Friday, September 27th. Your generosity and kindness will have a positive impact on this family as they work to recover from this tragic event.  Thank you for your compassion and willingness to help a fellow member of our school community during this difficult time.

September is Attendance Awareness Month!  To celebrate Attendance, the Attendance Awareness Breakfast Contest is on!   The homeroom with the best attendance for the month of September will be honored with breakfast at school to thank them for making getting to school a priority in their home. There will also be special guests in attendance!  Daily attendance routines can reduce stress, increase your child’s self-confidence, and lay a foundation for good attendance in later grades.  Participation in school helps your child connect with other children and adults and get excited about learning.  Children learn best from hand-on activities and through meaningful interactions with their teacher and other students.  Give your child one of the best gifts possible- the gift of daily school attendance!  

This week, Ms. Oland’s 2nd grade class is in the lead with 97.77%!  Please see the attendance rates for our school this week in the graphic below.

This year, all elementary schools in Haverhill have adopted a new English Language Arts curriculum called Wit & Wisdom. Make sure to click on the link below to read the introductory letter to families. Classroom teachers will also be sharing detailed family letters with more information about the texts, art, and videos the students will be engaging with as they learn English Language Arts.

• English Wit & Wisdom Letter to Families 
• Spanish Wit & Wisdom Letter to Families 
• Portuguese Wit & Wisdom Letter to Families 
• Haitian Creole Spanish Wit & Wisdom Letter to Families 
• Vietnamese Spanish Wit & Wisdom Letter to Families 

As with all family updates, this will be posted on our school website, https://walnutsquare.haverhill-ps.org/ and sent to you via Parent Square and Remind.  In addition to the Walnut Square School website, you can also “like” our Facebook page, Walnut Square Elementary School, follow us on Instragram, @walnutsquaresuperstars, and/or follow my channel on YouTube, @jenrubera, to get updates and see all of the fun and learning taking place at Walnut Square!   Please contact me if you have any questions.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely, 

Jen Rubera 

Principal

PTO NEWS

The Walnut Square School PTO (Parent Teacher Organization):  The PTO is a group of families, educators, and Walnut Square Alumni who work together to raise funds to plan enrichment activities and purchase resources to support students. 

Please click here to read the meeting minutes from Wednesday’s meeting.  

The PTO is hosting a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser!  Please click on the link to read the flyer:

• English PTO Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser 
• Spanish PTO Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser 
• Portuguese PTO Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser 
• Haitian Creole PTO Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser 

The PTO is  beginning the Dollar Fundraiser starting on Tuesday, September 10th and ending on Monday, October 7th.  Here are copies of the handouts you will receive with an envelope: 

• English Dollar Fundraiser 
• Spanish Dollar Fundraiser
• Portuguese Dollar Fundraiser 

 Join Parent Square!  

• Parentsquare_Poster_Eng_Horiz
• Parentsquare_Poster_Span_Horiz

Technology:  Please click here to learn more and sign up for the Device Waiver Fee:  https://www.haverhill-ps.org/technology/device-waiver-fee/

DESE Survey: 

HPS receives additional state and local funding to support learning for students whose families are identified as low income. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education identifies most of these students already based on their participation in public assistance programs, but not all.
We are sending this survey to families to help HPS begin to identify additional students who might be eligible to be counted as low income for school aid purposes. Please complete this survey by September 3, 2024.
**This is voluntary. Families are not required to submit this information.
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Community Health Needs Assessement:

Please click on the link to view the flyer:
English:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J4PpF11Ujx8U5ltUrTsvGN4OG_sCkmCL/view?usp=sharing
Spanish:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J5inP3mUohuTbr8UtPAdsKeK-vcWSwER/view?usp=sharing

Mark Your Calendar!  **Subscribe to our Google Calendar!  

September:  

•  Wed 9/18 • School Picture Day
•  Wed 9/25 • Early Release- Dismissal is 11:35 am/Staff PD
•  Wed 9/25 • PTO Spaghetti Supper

Remembering 9/11

I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you my list of resources and stories about September 11, 2001 that I’ve compiled over the years.  I was teaching reading to my fourth grade students when the first plane hit.  Like many of you, I vividly remember many details and emotions about that day 23 years later.  To honor and remember those we lost, I have always shared stories about hope, courage, and “the helpers” to my students over the years.  

For our children, 9/11/2001 is history. As parents, you can share your memories about September 11th to build your child’s background knowledge.  Building background knowledge helps your child become better readers. In the book “7 Keys to Comprehension: How to Help Your Kids Read It and Get It!“ by Susan Zimmermann and Chryse Hutchins, they share, “You might think you have nothing of interest to say to your child as you read. You’re wrong. Your memories and childhood experiences are fascinating to her. Immerse your child in your memories. It helps her build background knowledge. She’ll realize all that books can spark while strengthening her grasp of language.”

Below is a collection of read-aloud videos and a list of recommended books with Amazon reviews. Parents, please preview the videos and read the books first to determine their appropriateness for your child’s age and grade level.

I hope these stories bring comfort and hope to you and your family.  -Jen Rubera

 Read Aloud:  The Man in the Red Bandanna 

Video: The Man in the Red Bandanna

Read Aloud:  Saved by the Boats: The Heroic Sea Evacuation of September 11 by Julie Gassman 

America is Under Attack by Don Brown

On the ten year anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, a straightforward and sensitive book for a generation of readers too young to remember that terrible day. The events of September 11, 2001 changed the world forever. In the fourth installment of the Actual Times series, Don Brown narrates the events of the day in a way that is both accessible and understandable for young readers. Straightforward and honest, this account moves chronologically through the morning, from the plane hijackings to the crashes at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania; from the rescue operations at the WTC site to the collapse of the buildings. Vivid watercolor illustrations capture the emotion and pathos of the tragedy making this an important book about an unforgettable day in American history. –www.amazon.com

The Man in the Red Bandanna by Honor Crowther Fagan

When Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red bandanna, which he always carried with him. On September 11, 2001, Welles Remy Crowther saved numerous people from the upper floors of the World Trade Center South Tower. “The Man in the Red Bandanna” recounts and celebrates his heroism on that day. Welles’ story carries an inspirational message that will resonate with adults as well as young children. –www.amazon.com

Fireboat:  The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman

The John J. Harvey fireboat was the largest, fastest, shiniest fireboat of its time, but by 1995, the city didn’t need old fireboats anymore. So the Harvey retired, until a group of friends decided to save it from the scrap heap. Then, one sunny September day in 2001, something so horrible happened that the whole world shook. And a call came from the fire department, asking if the Harvey could battle the roaring flames. In this inspiring true story, Maira Kalman brings a New York City icon to life and proves that old heroes never die. –www.amazon.com

14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy

In June of 2002, a very unusual ceremony begins in a far-flung village in western Kenya.

An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed on the American men, women, and children, and he is there to accept it. The gift is as unsought and unexpected as it is extraordinary. –www.amazon.com

 The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. This picture book captures the poetry and magic of the event with a poetry of its own: lyrical words and lovely paintings that present the detail, daring, and–in two dramatic foldout spreads– the vertiginous drama of Petit’s feat.

 The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is the winner of the 2004 Caldecott Medal, the winner of the 2004 Boston Globe – Horn Book Award for Picture Books, and the winner of the 2006 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children’s Video.

-www.amazon.com