Atherton Hough Family Newsletter

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

May 6-May 19

MCAS Grades 3-5

May 26

Memorial Day –No

School

May 29

6:30 p.m. PTO Meeting

May 30

8:00 School Assembly

June 6

Spring Concert, Grades K

-5 and Band

SCHOOL CONTACT INFORMATION

Robin Moreira,

Principal

Katie Connolly,

Assistant Principal

Jeanne DeBoer,

Secretary

Debra McLaughlin,

School Nurse

Atherton Hough

Elementary School

1084 Sea Street, Quincy,

MA 02169

Phone: (617) 984-8797

Fax: (617) 984-8653

Dear Families,

I first want to tell you how proud I am of our third, fourth, and fifth grade students

(and their teachers!) as they work on the spring statewide assessments. The English

Language Arts portion of the MCAS has been finished and the mathematics test ses-

sions of the 2014 MCAS will be administered to the third, fourth, and fifth graders

during the next two weeks. Fifth graders will also be taking the Science, Technology,

and Engineering MCAS during this time. Please refer to the school calendar with the

specific dates for each grade level. If you have any questions on the calendar and/or

administration of these assessments please do not hesitate to contact me or your

child’s classroom teacher. Thanks again for all you do to help your child feel prepared

and rested; we truly appreciate it!

As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, it will soon be time to begin the process of

building new classes of students for the 2014-2015 school year. This is a very im-

portant task our staff takes on as we consider the strengths and needs of our students,

both individually and collectively. As parents, you may have additional insights and in-

formation that may be helpful to our placement process. Again, all requests will be

included and considered in this process, however, will not be a guarantee of place-

ment. Letters should contain information related to your child such as areas of con-

cern for learning or observations of the type of classroom environment that would

best suit your child’s needs. If you are choosing to send this additional information in,

please do so by Friday, May 16, 2014. We are fortunate to have such a great partner-

ship between home and school for our students and your input is valued.

The last day of school is scheduled for Monday, June 23 for students. It will be an ear-

ly release day for all students.

Please feel free to call, stop in, or email me at robinmoreira@quincypublicschools.com

if ever you have a question, comment, concern, etc.

~ Robin Moreira , Principal

Our next PTO meeting will be held on Thursday, May 29 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the school library. Please join us!!! Babysitting will be available as well as prizes and refreshments!

Attention Grade Five Families….

The Fifth Grade Yearbook Committee could still use some more class, or group pictures of our current

fifth graders. They are also missing a few baby pictures of the students and shout-outs! If you haven’t

sent in a photograph of your child as a baby or a shout-out, please do so by next Monday, May 12th!

The fifth grade graduation is scheduled for Friday, June 20th at 8;15 a.m. Please mark your calendars!

PTO NEWS

We hope to see you this Friday night at our first PTO Cookoff Fundraiser. It will be held at the Houghs Neck Congregation Church Hall from 7:30 to 1:00. This adult only fundraiser will be $5 per admission and sampling of small plates. Beer and wine will be available as well as chances to win on many family friendly raffles including an amazing sports raffle package! All money raised goes right back to our Atherton Hough students and teachers! See the flyer on this newsletter for more information! Thanks for your continued support of the great things happening at Atherton Hough!

The attendance at our PTO meetings this year has been great! We know that you have many commitments and we appreci-ate your time and support and input! You are the PTO and your voice is important!

Keep clipping those Box Tops! Congrats to the fifth graders in Ms. Quinton’s class for collect-

ing the most Box Tops in March!

Also, be sure to continue to use the textile bins as you do your spring “greening!”

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Congratulations to fourth graders Breanna Laroche and

Rebecca Morris! They both were winners in the annual 4th

grade Quincy History brochure contest. Breanna and Re-

becca, along with their families, attended an award presen-

tation and pizza party this past Tuesday. This was spon-

sored by the Quincy Historical Society. Congratulations

Breanna and Rebecca for your recognition!

Special thanks to parent Mr. Cavin for setting us up with the big screen for our school wide

movie before we began our April vacation. All of the students who read at home throughout

the month of March were invited! This was part of our Read Across America initiatives! The

gym was packed! Keep on reading!

APRIL MYSTERY NUMBER

WINNERS!

Caroline Campbell

Hailey Concannon

Kyle DeBoer

Mary Doherty

Shane MacNeil

Jace Mauriello

Sophia Nguyen

Stephen Wright

Danielle Toomer

At our April assembly last

week, third graders Kyle

DeBoer and Hailey Concan-

non shared with the school

how they both used the clues

to help them determine the

mystery number of… 65!

Each student who explained

their thinking and got the

answer received a math cer-

tificate and a homework pass!

Congratulations!

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Curriculum Highlights

In May the kindergarten will be learning about how plants grow and do some hands on planting. In Literacy they will be focusing on the letters :u, l, w, v, z, y, q. The shared literature will focus on drawing conclusions, comparing and con-trasting, and story structure. In Math they will be classifying and sorting data by color, shape, and size. The students will learn how to display the classified data by constructing their own graphs and how to read and compare graphs.

This month the first graders will be hosting a special "You are my Sunshine" celebration. Special women in the student’s lives will join them on May 9th for a special celebration where students will read a writing piece they have com-posed for their guest and then work with their special grown up to create a sun-shine magnet craft. In math the first graders have begun working with measure-ment. Students will be learning to measure with nonstandard units and also measure time. In the Journey's series they will begin their sixth and final unit. In this unit students will read selections that focus on art, teamwork, trying your hardest, weather, and insects. In Science and Social Studies they will be learning about plants and their life cycles.

This month the second graders will be finishing their unit on measurement. The students have been introduced to nonstandard units of measurement, and have enjoyed measuring many objects in the classroom! In literacy, the students have been exposed to several genres including Informational Texts, Narrative Fiction, and Folktales. In Science the students have been working on their weather unit. They have been observing the weather and patterns, and are looking forward to the warm weather! In Social Studies the students will be learning about Memori-al Day and why it is celebrated in the United States. Grade three has several field trips this month including one to Plimouth Planta-tion, the Quincy Historical Society and Department of Public Works. They will see first hand all that they’ve been learning about in science in social studies. In mathematics students will work on identifying and using different units of meas-ure for area and perimeter, length, liquid volume and mass. Students will con-tinue to work towards earning their cursive license in language arts and look for-ward to working on the bare books.

Fourth graders will be quite busy this month! In writing the students will be cre-ating their selections for the Authors Tea and will be designing their Bare Books to showcase at this event. In math, the students will be finishing their last chap-ter of measurements and conversions, and will then work on using shapes and fractions together and tessellation patterns. In Social Studies the students will be working on Midwest Region projects.

Fifth grade students have been hard at work all year long and will be using all of their skills and strategies on the Mathematics and Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS Tests. The fifth grade has also been hard at work preparing for its annual Living History Museum. Each student has been researching the life of an innovative and historical person. They will use all their research to pre-pare a presentation on that person’s life and accomplishments. It is always a highlight of the fifth grade year and the students’ hard work leads to a great event. Mark your calendars – this year’s Living History Museum will be open on Tuesday, May 20th and all are invited to step back in time with the fifth grade!

BUILDING OUR KIDS SUCCESS (BOKS) PROGRAM AT ATHERTON HOUGH

Our first spring session of BOKS is off to a great start! Thanks again to parent, John Toler, for taking the initiative on

this great program for our students. Each Tuesday and Thursday morning approximately 50 students participate in

the BOKS program. Sessions are approximately 40 minutes long and will run through June. Sessions are filled with

team oriented games, relays, strength movements, health, and provide plenty of opportunity for play since the pro-

gram is based on and focuses on FUN! Mr. John Toler serves as the Lead Instructor overseeing the program and all

of the paperwork with Mr. Chris Murtagh, our Physical Education teacher, serving as the Physical Activities Instruc-

tor. Mr. Toler and Mr. Murtagh make a great team!

BOKS is designed to involve the whole community and family and we are also fortunate to have some great parent

volunteers. Volunteers can cheer for the kids, participate in activities, help with attendance, help with set up/break

down of stations, and help monitor the kids. Special thanks to Ms. Galligan, Ms. Cannon, Ms. Gierl, Mrs. Stirling,

and Mrs. Pick for joining us! We hope that you will share our enthusiasm for this program and you will, in turn,

hopefully see a positive impact on your children. If you have any additional questions or interested in volunteering,

please contact me or John Toler via email at: jjt034@gmail.com or call 617-688-1521.

Here are a few pictures of students participating in the

BOKS program! Great job, everyone!

Photos shared by Kelli Galligan

ARE YOU WALKING ON WEDNESDAYS YET?!

Blue 7:15 Pawsey Street & Rockland Street

Blue 7:20 Rockland Street & Spring Street

Blue 7:25 Rockland Street & Sea Street

Blue 7:30 Darrow Street & Hawthorne Street

Green 7:15 Bay View Avenue & Medway Street

Green 7:20 Bay View Avenue & Sea Street

Green 7:25 Sea Street & Shennen Street

Green 7:30 Sea Street & Rock Island Road

Green 7:35 Sea Street & Hull Street

Orange 7:15 Manet Avenue & Sea Street

Orange 7:20 Babcock Street & Newton Street

Orange 7:25 Babcock Street & Malvern Street

Orange 7:35 Babcock Street & Manet Avenue

Red 7:10 Hood Street & Spring Street

Red 7:15 Rock Island Road & Edgewater Drive

Red 7:20 Macy Street & Littlefield Street

Red 7:25 Darrow Street & Rock Island Road

Red 7:30 Darrow Street & Casco Street

As you know, Atherton Hough Elementary School is a partner of Safe Routes to School, a service of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Safe Routes to School’s goals are to encourage kids to walk and bike to school and to make it safer for them to do so. Safe Routes to School programs encourage environmental awareness, establish healthy and safe lifetime habits for students, foster community building, and help students arrive at school ready to learn.

A Walking School Bus (WSB) is a fun, social, physically active, and environmentally friendly form of transportation! A WSB consists of a group of children that walk together accompanied by adults on a pre-determined route to or from school. Throughout the rest of the school year there will also be prizes and other recognition given to those students who walk to school in order to help promote our initiative!

We have four Walking School Bus lines and would love to have your child(ren) join for the spring! In order for your child(ren) to participate in a Walking School Bus please complete the permission slip that was sent home last week and return it to the main office. Please note that if your child is already part of the Walking School Bus there is not a need to register again. If you need another permission slip and/or have questions, please call us!!

For your convenience, a copy of the Walking Map Routes is on our website!

Which Walking School bus line is

your child on?

Thanks for your help!

For more information on how you

can help out, please contact Jeff

Earnest at (617) 750-7809 .

This coming Wednesday is Massa-

chusetts Walk to School Day!

CLEANER GREENER….

THANKS TO THE DPW FOR SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES!

John Newton and John Sullivan

from the Public Works Department

were here to introduce our third

graders to the City of Quincy’s new-

est addition… their recycling robot!

Third graders heard from the robot

about how important it is to recycle.

They also had the chance to give

feedback on the robot’s name.

Nunzio and Tubby seemed to be the

Atherton Hough picks!

Our third graders will also partici-

pate in a tour of the DPW in a couple

of weeks!

We had LOTS of families participate in Quincy’s Cleaner Green-

er this past Saturday, May 3rd! Special thanks to …. Mr. and

Mrs. Barry and Mikayla, Mrs. Campbell and Caroline, Mrs. Ca-

trambone and Lilli and Evie, Mrs. Cross and Ryan, Mrs. Fallon

and Jack and Kalia, Ms. Galvin and Marguerite, Ms. Gierl and

Jackson, Mr. Houlihan and Sarah, Mrs. Kuntupis and Alex, Mrs.

Leahy and Christina, Mrs. O’Handley and Grace and Owen, Mr.

Orne and Zachary, Mr. and Mrs. Powers and Dylan, Mr. and

Mrs. Russo and Jake, Mrs. Stirling and Katie and Meg, Mrs.

Tracey and Daniel and Caroline, Thomas and Isabella

Plonowski, Isabella Pagliarulo, Andrew Engren, Maggie Fay,

Jania and Amariana Astacio, and Jessica Zisk.

Thanks to a school beautification grant awarded by the DPW, we were able to purchase many new

plants and flowers for our gardens. We also have a picnic table and new planters at the front entrance.

Thanks to Home Depot for their donation of aprons for all of our l’il gardeners!

EXTENDED DAY OPPORTUNITIES AT ATHERON HOUGH

Almost 80 students in grades three, four, and five are finishing up their work in

our Prep for Success program for math. Students worked before and after school

twice a week. Each grade would begin together for a short focused mini-lesson and would then work in small groups extending their work from the mini-lesson.

Students were recognized at last week’s assembly for their participation.

Well done everyone!!

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Come one, come all to the

Atherton Hough PTO Cook-Off

Friday, May 9th from 7:30 – 11:00 pm at the

HN Congregational Church Hall

Please join us for an exciting evening of sampling, socializing, and fundraising! For just $5 per

person, you can sample and judge food selections made by both Atherton Hough parents and

staff members. In addition, there will be live entertainment from The T McGinnis Band, a

cash bar (beer and wine) and a variety of family friendly raffle prizes, including: Red Sox

tickets and passes to Duck Tours, Storyland, Water Wizz, New England Aquarium and much,

much more!

In addition to improving technology at Atherton Hough, money raised by the PTO has recently

funded:

Brand new books for the renovated Media Center

Playground and gym equipment

Docent Art materials

Field trip transportation costs

Read Across America materials and incentives

Agenda Books

Folding chairs for school-wide assemblies, concerts, and special events

SCHOOL MEALS

Remember that your child

can still pay cash daily for

breakfast or lunch but we

are encouraging you to

prepay money into your

child’s account, if you’re

able. Prepaid accounts

allow you the option to

deposit money in your

child's account in any

amount at any time and not

have to be concerned with

giving your child the exact

change every morning.

Prepayment allows for bet-

ter security rather than cash

and moves lunch lines

quicker which gives stu-

dents more time to enjoy

their meal.

You can also pay by check;

checks must be made paya-

ble to QPS, Food Service

Department. Your child’s

full name and ID (pin)

number must be included

on the face of the check or

on the envelope containing

cash. Questions, please

contact the Food Service

Office at 617-984-8768.

GREAT SCHOOL CITIZENS

Kindergarten— Konrad Brown, Aaron Earnest, Marguerite Gal-

vin, Ami Husky, Andrew Lee, and Jenna McCratic

First Grade— Joshua Castillo, Lilli Catrambone, Nathan Goff

and Riley Sullivan

Second Grade - Lilly Blow, Joshua Campbell, Nicholas Cerone,

Corrin Cudmore, Sadie Galvin and Jasmine Li

Third Grade— Serena Crane, Alexis

Dussault, Mason McDonough, Dean Schaaf

and Katie Stirling

Fourth Grade— Lawrence Ching, Natalya

Desmond, Maggie Fay, Cassie Gordon. Lillian

Hanly, Upasana Joshi and Isabella Pagliarulo

Fifth Grade— Brody DeGust, Andrew Devlin, Nolan Hanley, Au-

rora Kilrain, Owen Schaaf, Sonny Williams and Ashley Young

Each month the Atherton Hough

teachers and staff focus on a differ-

ent character trait school wide. Par-

ticipation was our theme for April.

At our school wide assembly last

Friday, students were recognized

for their participation in extended

day opportunities. They also were

recognized for their participation in

Care Packs. Led by our fifth grade

Girl Scouts, each student at Ather-

ton Hough made a card to be sent,

along with our enormous American

flag, to our soldiers.

Students were recognized from each

classroom that also showed great

participation throughout the month

of April. For the month of May, we

will work with the character trait,

self-respect. Students are encour-

aged to think about consequences

before saying or doing anything, fol-

low school rules, use good manners

and use positive language.

The following students were

recognized last week for their par-

ticipation throughout the month of

April:

PLEASE CHECK US OUT ONLINE!

Check out the PTO website

www.athertonhoughpto.s5.com for important in-

formation, events meeting agendas, minutes, etc.

Check out the QPS website www.quincypublicschools.com. Follow the link under “schools” to Atherton Hough Elementary School. There you will find links to the monthly calendar, monthly family newsletter, as well as any other im-portant documents and information.

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