October 2016 Auburn Village School Dear Auburn Village School Community, It is hard to believe that the first weeks of school are already behind us. It has been wonderful seeing the AVS students transition to a new school year! Thank you for attending Open House to meet your child's teacher and to learn more about the curriculum being taught. Parent-teacher conferences are around the corner and stu-dents do not have school on November 1st to accommodate for them, however, our teachers are flexible and will schedule meetings with you during the week of November 1-4. This is not the only time parents can meet with their child’s teacher. Arrangements can be made to facilitate busy schedules. An important goal of the first parent–teacher conference is to develop new strategies to support student learning at school and at home.

Our first Brave Rally was very meaningful. We learned about friendship and discussed bullying. These rallies are one way to focus on the importance of coming together as a community to support one another. Our future rallies will enable each grade to share something with their schoolmates– no matter how small or insignificant it seems – it can help us make connections we never realized we could.

Please put October 13th at 6:30 in your calendar for a very important public meeting concern-ing our school renovation. Many questions will be addressed and answered.

Gratefully,

Lori and Michel

As the leaves and temperature drop Cross Coun-try is heating up. The team continues to grow (now up to 55 athletes) and is having another successful season. Championships are October 15th at Mine Falls in Nashua where both boys and girls teams strive to claim a top three fin-ish. CC athletes have worked hard this season and hope to finish strong. Girls’ soccer is having a successful and fun soccer season. The players have been working hard to develop a sense of team, improve their funda-mental skills and to be positive role models in the school community. The team has set goals to make the playoffs and to have the best sports-manship in the league. The boys’ soccer team will play their last 4 games of the season this week. There are 3 home game opportunities for the fans: all at Wayne Eddows- 10/11 v. Hopkinton Middle School, 10/12 v. Chester and 10/14 v. Candia. Lastly, thanks to all the dedicated coaches who are doing a great job and to the parents for their support, without them, our athletic program could not exist.

ATHLETIC NEWS

Red Ribbon Week is October 24-28. Please check out www.redribbonweek.org for more information regarding the national Red Ribbon Week campaign. We have a lot of fun activities planned. Each day there will be dress up days for the entire school. We have a “Band Togeth-er Against Drugs” assembly for middle school students on Friday the 28th. This music themed assembly will include a fundraiser which would benefit Hope for Recovery NH. Please check out their web page for more infor-mation regarding how this organization helps our friends and neighbors with their recovery to a healthy, happy life. http://www.hopefornhrecovery.org/ Tuesday, October 25th is also Mix-it up at lunch day. This day is promoted by Teaching Tolerance. Check out their webpage for more information. http://www.tolerance.org/mix-it-up/what-is-mix . Students will be encouraged to sit with someone new at lunch on this day.

MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELING NEWS

2

Second grade has been busy learning daily routines. We have been practicing

place value, and understanding the value of a digit in a number up to 1,000.

We have also been reading many sto-

ries about kindness, and learning

what it means to be kind to ourselves,

others, and the environment. Stu-

dents have had the opportunity to

share artifacts that they have found

to be strong examples of kindness.

Our second graders continue to be

creative and excellent problem solv-

ers, as well as researchers. As you

may have heard on the news, a very

large snake was spotted in a river, in

Westbrook, Maine. Days later a snake

skin was found on the banks of the

river, it was determined to be that of a green Anaconda. Are those two relat-

ed? We will never know. Just a few short weeks later, our very own Mrs.

Lewis swam in that same river for a triathlon… thankfully she survived! The

second grade teachers were inspired by this story and created a real world

project for the students. The students were challenged to a STEM activity,

after completing research on their Chromebooks, about Anacondas. Their

challenge was to save baby “Anna Conda”. Anna Conda (gummy worm) was

trapped under a boat (plastic cup) and needed her life preserver (gummy life

saver). The children needed to get Anna Conda out from under the boat and

put her life preserver on her all by

only using 2 paper clips. This was

quite the challenge! However, our

second graders are excellent prob-

lem solvers, and we had many suc-

cessful groups.

SECOND GRADE NEWS OCTOBER NEWS FROM THE

AVS LIBRARY

In the upper elementary grades, we continue

with reading nonfiction books. We have reviewed

some different techniques to organize infor-

mation from nonfiction texts. These students

have reviewed the available library resources in-

cluding the online catalog and the online ency-

clopedia with Image quest. We have provided a

school wide password to access these valuable

resources.

For all the elementary classes we will read some

favorites from the library collection. We continue

to read this year’s Ladybug Award nominees.

Reading List

Kindergarten

We will read It's only Stanley by Agee, Hondo

and Fabian by McCarty, My Blue is Happy by

Young.

Grade 1

Caldecott award or Ladybug books will be read

aloud. We are reading It's Only Stanley by

Agee, Ruby the Copycat by Rathmann, and The

Frazzle Family by Bonwill.

Grade 2

We will read It's Only Stanley by Agee, Ruby the

Copycat by Rathmann and Adventures of a

Chicken by Dicamillo. We continue to discuss the

book circulation in the library and choosing a

book that is right for you in the Library Media

Center.

Grade 3

We will read When Marion copied by Berg. We

will discuss plagiarism and copyright. We will

start a fiction selection, Flora and Ulysses by

Dicamillo.

For the upper elementary readers, a title from

the Great Stone Face Book award is a great

choice.

Grade 4

We will read the eBook What Can You do with

Money? by Larson. We will discuss and evaluate

nonfiction books for students' needs. We will

start a fiction selection, Seven Dead Pirates by

Bailey.

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

So much to learn and so little

time! Our Kindergartners have

been very busy learning our

classroom routines and their

new friend’s names. We have

been immersed in our warm up

for the Imagine It! Reading pro-

gram and are ready to start Unit

1 - Off to School. We have been

learning about the numbers 1-5

in math and we are now ready

to start Chapter 2 which will take us to 10. Parents can help to reinforce

number awareness by having their children count out everyday objects while

helping around the house. Parents, with the cooler weather upon us, you

might want to label extra clothing like hats and coats.

NEWS FROM THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Helping at Home with Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness, or the ability to identify, track, segment, blend and

manipulate sounds in words, is a key building block in reading ability. Stu-

dents with strong phonemic awareness skills tend to be stronger readers.

Students who receive reading support or have help in the resource room

will work on activities to strengthen these vital skills. There are many fun

activities to try at home to build and reinforce skills like rhyming, sound

addition or deletion.

For the little ones at home, even newborns, reading (or singing) nursery

rhymes with inflection is the start to hearing sounds in words. Our tod-

dlers will love rhyming books where they can repeat a rhyming pattern,

“the fat cat sat” and eventually, maybe while riding in the car, use silly

words and ask if they rhyme “house, mouse?”, “house, spaghetti?” no, sil-

ly. As we enter school and begin to write, using whiteboards to write new

words by changing the beginning sound: “that says mat, make it say sat,

that says sat make it say rat.” Some kiddos will quickly see they only need to erase the first letter to make a new word. For the older

children, a card game like Slam, where they change the word for the new vowel team on each card is a quick, fun way to practice

changing or moving around sounds.

Happy Rhyming!

Patti Clark, Primary Special Education Teacher

FROM YOUR AVS SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS

Managing Tech Time:

The average child age 8 and under in the United States uses more

than three personal tech devices—such as a tablet, smartphone, or

video game console—at home, according to a new poll of parents

conducted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

(ASHA). With even the youngest kids now “connected” via such tech-

nology, it is important to remember to manage tech time so it doesn’t

overtake time for talking with children.

Talking to children in their first years of life sets them up for future

academic success. The easiest and most effective way that children

learn is simply by talking. Studies have proven the link between the

number and variety of words a child hears and later academic

achievement.

Some tips to consider:

1. Create tech-free times. Find at least one or two opportunities

during the day—at the dinner table, for example—for everyone to

disconnect. Mealtime is a prime opportunity for conversation. Make a

commitment and have everyone check their devices at the kitchen

door.

2. Resist overreliance on technology to pacify boredom. Fifty-

five percent of parents worry that they rely on technology too much to

keep their child entertained, according to the ASHA poll. Roughly half

of parents say that they are using technology as a means to keep kids

age 0–3 entertained. Remember that the best opportunities for con-

versation and learning are often found in situations that may be

viewed as boring, such as while running errands or on a long car

trip—particularly for the youngest children. While it may be tempting,

try to resist the urge to immediately turn to these devices as a source

of entertainment.

3. Always practice safe listening, especially when using ear

buds or headphones. Misuse of this technology can lead to noise-

induced hearing loss. Even minor hearing loss takes a significant toll

academically, socially, vocationally, and in other ways, so prevent the

preventable. Teach kids to keep the volume down (a good guide is

half volume) and take listening breaks.

4. Model the tech habits you want your kids to adopt. Practice

what you preach when it comes to tech time and safe-listening hab-

its.

Learn the signs of communication disorders. This is important for

all parents, regardless of their children’s technology use. Early treat-

ment can prevent or

reverse many com-

munication disor-

ders. Parents should

not wait to see if a

child “outgrows” a

suspected speech or

hearing problem. If

you have any ques-

tion about your

child’s speech or hearing, seek an assessment from a speech-

language pathologist or audiologist. Learn more at http://

IdentifytheSigns.org.

The PTA is brewing up lots of fun in October! Our next PTA meeting is October 18 at 6:30 in the library. Remember we have free babysitting and free pizza.

Our next big event is our 18th annual Monster Mash on Saturday, October 22. If you signed up to volunteer for events, this is a great one to be a part of. Please contact Sarah Lawrence for more information (salawrence2@comcast.net).

The PTA would like to give a big thank you to Ami D’Amelio and Kara Costello for chairing another successful children’s theater! Their time and effort every year with this event is truly priceless. We would also like to thank all of our volunteers, students, and parents for helping make our Fall play such a success.

Don’t forget those box tops for your child’s classroom! Every year AVS collects box tops and turns them into cash for our school! They all really add up!

The PTA has a great surprise for our school. We have purchased two tetherball sets for all of our students to use during recess and outdoor break! The PTA is so excited to be able to continue to help with our school’s wish list!

Lastly, it’s not too late to become a PTA member! We would love every family and all of our teachers to be a part of our awesome group. Pick up a form in the front office today! Happy October everyone!

DESTINATION IMAGINATION

Monday- Wear as much RED as possible Tuesday- Stomp out Drugs-

Wear Boots. Mix-it up at Lunch Day- sit with some-one new

Wednesday-Team up Against

Drugs- Wear your favorite team or group colors or uni-form

Thursday- Put a Cap on

Drugs- Wear a hat

Friday- Follow your

Dreams, Don’t Do Drugs- Wear Pajamas

Friday afternoon- Brave Rally

Red Ribbon Week October 24th-28th

IF YOUR CHILD IS CREATIVE... is crazy about puzzles, loves to paint

and draw, can build anything out of cardboard boxes, writes amazing

stories, thinks up whimsical new worlds, has a flair for drama and

acting, is totally into science, or has rewired your toaster into a work-

ing time machine (or wants to), then you may have a Destination

Imagination child

Destination Imagination (DI) is an international, educational program

that gives kids an amazing outlet for their creativity, while teaching

them leadership, teamwork, positive thinking, project management

and so much more. Teams of 2 to 7 kids from 3rd grade through uni-

versity level solve one of six open ended Challenges (Scientific, Engi-

neering, Fine Arts, Service Learning, Improvisation, or Technical) in

their own unique ways, and will present their solutions at our Region-

al Tournament on March 11th. Teams also solve an on-the-spot In-

stant Challenge at the tournament, where they must think quickly on

their feet and work together to solve a problem in around five

minutes. There’s even a noncompetitive Rising Stars! category with a

special Challenge for 1st-2nd graders.

Winners advance to the Affiliate

(state/country) Tournament, and win-

ners at the Affiliate Tournament move

on to Global Finals to compete against

more than 1,400 teams from around

the world.

DI is a school sponsored extra curricula activity. Team managers

along with the team set the schedule for weekly meetings. Competi-

tive teams usually start off with one meeting a week right after

school but quickly expand to two meetings. As our regional competi-

tion approaches, teams may need to meet on weekends and vaca-

tions to complete their solutions.

DI Intent Forms were sent home with students last week. If your

child is interested, please return the completed form to the school

office by Wednesday, October 12th. For more info about the program,

please contact Eileen McDonald at emcdonald@sau15.net.

ASTRONOMY NIGHT

Who: 7th Grade Students & their families What: An opportunity to observe the night sky with telescopes and astronomy experts from the NH Astronomical Society Where: Preston Field, which is on Manchester Water Works land on Manchester Rd. across from Hobbs Auto, near the center of town. The gate will be unlocked and you will drive carefully down the fire road. A sign will be posted. Please look for parking attend-ants to direct you. When: Thursday, Oct. 20 from 6:30-8:30pm Please join us for an exciting evening of sky viewing with the New Hampshire Astronomical Society as they share their telescopes, knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm with us. We will get a close up look at the constellations, planets, nebulas, star clusters and hopefully even see some of the Orionid Meteor Showers! All seventh grade students are strongly encouraged to attend and will be given an assignment to complete that evening – a sort of as-tronomical scavenger hunt! It is not necessary to attend for the entire time – only long enough to enjoy the stars and complete the assignment.

New to the Cafe this Year

We are now offering a Hot lunch option; as well as; a specialty salad and

a sandwich of the day! These choices are different daily!-

We also have a fully stocked salad bar!

The salad bar consists of:

3 different kinds of sandwiches

assorted fresh fruits

bagels

yogurt (with or without granola)

cheese sticks

hard boiled eggs

ham cups

veggies trays with dip or hummus

garden, Greek and Caesar salads!

You create your own meal by selecting:

1-hot lunch entree, sandwich or entree salad

But you may choose both!

Get seconds for $1.50

Don't forget we offer breakfast for $1.50!

Any Questions? Fell free to contact Mrs. Belanger: 483-2769 ext. 5

sbelanger@sau15.net

EIGHTH GRADE NEWS

The 8th grade students are getting acclimated into their studies. They need to keep their expectations and work ethics strong as recommendations for their academic levels for Pinkerton High School will be recommended shortly after the new year. Our fundraiser during Auburn Day was very successful with the 8th grade earning just over $600 for their efforts! This is a reminder that each student is being asked to submit a class due of $20 to help offset the costs associated with our class activ-ities and events. Thanks to those of you who have already turned this in. If you have the means to help another student who might not be able to afford this, your extra donation is appreciated.

Reminder: November 1-4th are Student-led parent conferences

Technology Plan Committee

The Technology Plan Committee is looking for

two individuals from the community to be

members of the committee.

This committee is charged with the develop-

ment and maintenance of the school's technol-

ogy plan. As a committee we are currently

working on a new 5 year plan which will be

presented to the School Board this year for

approval. As a member of this committee you

will help develop the many facets of technolo-

gy in the AVS Technology Plan.

As a committee we meet several times

throughout the school year to develop, review

and amend the plan as necessary. We have set

this year’s meetings to be Thursdays

from 4PM to 6PM on 10/27, 12/22, 2/23 and

4/20. If you are interested in joining the com-

mittee please send an email to Michael Les-

sard at mlessard@sau15.net or contact him by

phone at 483-2769 x1200.

Upcoming Events:

Oct 13 Public Meeting School Renovation

Oct 18 PTA Meeting, Media Center

Oct 22 PTA Monster Mash 5-9pm

Oct 24 through Oct 28 Red Ribbon Week

Oct 25 NJHS Induction/6:30pm/Gym

Oct 31 “NED Show” Assembly 8:30-10:15pm

Oct 31 through Nov 4 P/T Conferences

Nov 1 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Nov 5 P & R Coffee House/6-8pm café, gym

Nov 8 Voting Day 7a-7pm NO SCHOOL

Nov 11 Veterans Day NO SCHOOL

Nov 15 PTA Mtg/6:30p/Media Center

Nov 17 College Day

Hourly calendar start/stop times:

Middle School (5-8) 7:50 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Elementary School (1-4) 8:50 a.m. - 3:25 p.m.

AM Kindergarten 8:50 a.m. - 11:40 a.m.

PM Kindergarten 12:45 p.m. - 3:25 p.m.

In their reading series,

the fourth graders have

been busy with their

cross curricular study

of nature and its bal-

ance. It has been fun

for many, because the

students have shown a

great deal of interest in

the natural world. In

addition many students

have had some kind of

experience with ecology

-related activities, such as recycling and conserving water. Students

have learned about energy, the food chain, and the concept of decompo-

sition of plants and animals. One of the biggest and most important

questions that was discussed was, “Why should I be concerned about

nature’s delicate balance?” You might want to ask your child and hear

their interesting response!

FOURTH GRADE NEWS

School Renovation Public Session October 13th 6:30 AVS Cafeteria

Design team and construction manager will answer questions

Babysitting provided by National Junior Honor Society.

Open Homework Room

Students in grades 5-8 are welcome to use the Open Homework

Rooms from 2:30 to 3:30 on Mondays—Thursdays. The Open Home-

work Room is voluntarily supervised by a staff member to provide a

place for students to go if they have a sports practice or an activity that

begins after our 2:30 pm dismissal. Unlike the Homework Club, this

room provides a quiet space without support for those students who

have a gap in their schedules. Thank you to our UA and grade 5-8

teachers for volunteering their time to provide this service to our stu-

dents!

The Auburn Recreational Basketball League (ARBL) is looking to teach basketball skills and concepts to boys and girls Grades K-8 in Auburn while playing weekly games at AVS with- and against- their friends/classmates. Registration is open now at https://sports.bluesombrero.com/auburnnhbasketball Don’t miss out on this opportunity to play basketball starting October 23 and going into March!

Trick or Treat

October 30th

1:00 pm-4:00 pm

AVS students will

attend a 45 minute

character educa-

tion program

called The NED

Show on October

31st . NED is a

loveable cartoon

character whose

name is an acro-

nym for Never give

up, Encourage others, and Do your best.

A friendly reminder to parents: Please write notes on large paper (we don’t want to lose them!). Please include first and

last name of your student, the date, teachers name and grade. Please also remember to sign your notes.

We have had an influx of tiny notes coming from the teachers to the office. These notes get lost and cause chaos at the

end of the day when they are for transportation.

The 3rd graders explored writing and were introduced to the steps in finding the main idea, based on the hands on activities introduced in the Keys to Literacy workshop on September 30th. They have also examined the elements of an argumenta-tive piece of writing and will continue to evaluate their ongoing writing. They are very excited to investigate other types of writ-ing such as narrative and informative.

THIRD GRADE NEWS

Dental Care Van comes to AVS

The NH Ronald McDonald Care Mobile provides comprehensive dental services to stu-

dents at no out of pocket costs to families. The Care Mobile is run by Saving Peoples

Smiles, a non-profit community dental center. A dentist and dental hygienist provide an

exam, cleaning, sealants, x-rays, fillings and extractions to enrolled students as needed.

As a critical part of the NH State’s oral health

Safety net, their mission is to increase access

to dental care for high risk children and youth

by bringing services to their schools.

The Care Mobile began seeing patients in

April of 2014. Students are eligible if:

They do not have a regular dentist or they are on NH Medicaid and do not have a

regular dentist or they do not have any dental insurance.

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will be returning to AVS on April 5th to see

children already enrolled and is happy to accept new patients as well!! Please call me

if you are interested and fill out an interest form!!

Ellen Warecki, APRN School Nurse

6th Graders had a blast last week creating their own sovereign state. They were able to create laws, freedoms, and boundaries. They showed exemplary creativity when creating their sovereign state flag, name, and traditions. It looks like we have some great leaders for the future!

The Longmeadow Church invites you to partici-

pate in, "Cans for Candy" with us this

Halloween during the hours of trick or

treat, Sunday, October 31st, from 1 to 4 pm.

Stop by the church with your nonperishable food

item and receive your candy treat. All items will be

donated to the Chester food pantry.

Thank you for your support.

LEGO BRICKS IN FIRST GRADE

Over the last 3 weeks, our 1st graders have been working with LEGOs to earn their builder’s license. Using LEGOs is a fun, hands

– on approach that really engages students, stimulates critical thinking and encourages crea-

tive problem solving. LEGO bricks turn numbers, words and ideas into real models!

The LEGO Education learning philosophy is built on the “four Cs” concept:

Connect – Construct – Contemplate – Continue

Connect.

Learners are given an open-ended task that allows them to find their own solution to the chal-

lenges placed before them. The active engagement of students in problem solving encourages them to connect to their own inter-

ests and motivations. Students are encouraged to ask questions and explore ideas to connect their newly acquired learning to their

existing knowledge and areas of interest.

Construct.

The core of every LEGO task involves building. By actively learning through tactile experience, students construct knowledge in

their minds. Students also construct knowledge with others in group settings, where collaboration extends their learning even fur-

ther.

Contemplate.

Students are given the opportunity to consider what they have learned through the construction activities. Through contempla-

tion, students ask reflective questions about both the content and process of their learning. These questions are designed to help

learners gain awareness of the process in which they are engaged, and to encourage exploring new ways to go about finding solu-

tions to the challenges set before them.

Continue.

Every LEGO task ends with a new task that builds on what has just been learned. Thus, students are encouraged to continue their

exploration and extend the experience beyond the classroom.

Auburn firefighters welcome community to open house!

With fire sirens screaming and lights flashing, the Auburn Fire Department will let residents know of their open house on

Sunday, October 16th by parading around town to the delight of children waving from their doorsteps. The parade begins at

10:30 a.m. and the open house will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Safety Complex. The parade will follow the route below:

Sibling Picture Day

We are offering a Sibling Picture Day on Friday, Oct 21st.

These pictures will be taken by Geskus Photography and they will be setup in our Band Room.

Prices, packages and order forms will be sent home on Tuesday Oct 11th.

If you choose to be a part of our sibling pictures, please fill out the order form and return it to Mrs. Aubin in the main office.

AVS is proud to take part in the Pinkerton/Memorial Crew Team’s fundraiser to collect 7,500 pairs of shoes from

October 1st through October 28th to raise funds for athlete scholarships, team uniforms and equipment. They have

partnered with Funds2Orgs, a company that will purchase all of the donated footwear. The Crew Team will earn

funds based on the total weight of the shoes collected. Those dollars will directly benefit rowers who join the crew

team. Anyone can help by dropping off gently worn, used or new shoes in the back lobby of the school. Look for the

giant red box! Donors may also visit the fundraising Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PAMshoedrive or email

pamshoedrive@gmail.com to make arrangements for drop-off or pick-up.

Reflections Art Contest is Coming!

2016 Theme – What is your story?

Kindergarten through 8th grade is invited to Submit your entry in one of these categories:

Literature

Photography

Film Production

Dance Choreography

Music Composition

Visual Arts (drawing, printmaking, collage, 3D sculpture, wood, ceramics, etc.)

Watch for an intent form to be sent home in early October with more information!

Deadline for entries is DECEMBER 2nd, 2016

Enter for your chance to win a $5,000 Disney gift card, good for

all things Disney!

Sell them to your family and friends. Sell 10 tickets and the

11th ticket is free for YOU!

Auburn Village School

$5,000 DisneyGift Card Raffle

Tickets - $10 each

Winner will be drawn during the AVS Holiday Fair

on December 10, 2016

All proceeds benefit the AVS PTA.Any questions contact Kendra at

kdn17@comcast.net

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Tickets - $10 each • Make checks payable to AVS PTA

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET

FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET

FREE

TIC

KET

• FR

EE T

ICKE

T FREE TICKET • FREE TICKET

AVS PTA $5000 Disney Gift Card Raffle

Full Name:

Email:

Phone:

Sell 10 tickets and the 11th ticket is free for YOU!

Please write legibly. If the chosen ticket cannot be read,another winner will be picked.

Forms and money can be turned in to your teacher or the front office in an envelope marked ‘AVS PTA DISNEY RAFFLE’.

All proceeds benefit the AVS PTA.Thank you for your support!

S T A T E O F N H F I R E M A R S H A L ’ S O F F I C E P R E S E N T S … .

ONE STOP EDUCATOR Educator’s One Stop Resource

for Monthly Fire & Life Safety Quick Teaching Topics

October 2016

This October Edition of ONE STOP EDUCATOR will support and provide

educators with teaching information and links to support topics discussed in

this month's SAFETY EDUCATOR NEWSLETTER. It will also support students

wishing to participate in the Annual Fire & Life Safety Calendar Contest.

2016-2017 Fire Prevention Week Theme:

Don’t Wait Check The Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years. Introduce Fire Prevention Week to students in grades 1-5 through these fun, interactive lessons

and activities. NFPA has everything you need from music and movement fire-safety videos,

storybook apps, Common Core-aligned lesson plans and take home materials to get families

involved.

Send home a letter to parents to encourage families to complete the Fire Prevention Week

checklist.

Sparky's Schoolhouse is a classroom portal for teachers. It includes music videos, lesson

plans, eBooks and apps.

Sparky's Fire Safety for Kids page has several activities that you can use in the classroom.

Change your Batteries in your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives. Every home needs them. These alarms have

special locations where they need to be placed within the home to keep families safe. A smoke

alarm senses smoke. It will sound if there is smoke in the home, possibly from a fire.

A carbon monoxide alarm senses a colorless, odorless gas that can not be

detected by the human nose. When the smoke and/or carbon monoxide alarms

sound, everyone should leave the home right away. Their batteries need to be

changed at least once a year. Help your students learn how they

can keep their families safer.

Questions or comments? Please contact Sheryl Nielsen, NHFMO Public Educator at Sheryl.Nielsen@dos.nh.gov

OCTOBER ANNUAL FIRE & LIFE SAFETY CALENDAR CONTEST TOPIC MATERIAL

OCTOBER 2016

Safety Educator NH State Fire Marshal’s Office

What is Fire Prevention Week (FPW)?

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms

Every 10 Years,” represents the final year of the NFPA’s 3-year effort to educate the public about

basic but essential elements of smoke alarm safety.

Why does the NFPA, and the NH State Fire Marshal’s Office, focus on

smoke alarms three years in a row? Because NFPA’s survey data shows

that the public has many misconceptions about smoke alarms, which may put

them at increased risk in the event of a home fire. For example, only a small

percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are, or how often they

need to be replaced. As a result of these findings, we’re addressing smoke alarm

replacement this year with a focus on these key messages: Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. Make sure you know how old all the smoke alarms are in your home. To find out how old a smoke alarm is, look at the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm; the alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date. The State of New Hampshire uses Fire Prevention Week as a kick off to a year long

campaign to remind citizens to keep their family and homes safer by checking the

date and replacing smoke alarms every 10 years.

OCTOBER: Change Your Batteries in Smoke and CO Alarms

Garrett Howard from Hills Garrison Elementary School in

Hudson, reminds us during the month of October to:

1. Change batteries in smoke alarms or if something

catches fire {in your home} you might not know.

2. Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.

Thank you Garrett for your important safety message!

Click the MOLLY button to learn more about the 3rd grade calendar contest!

Smoke Alarms 2

Smoke Alarm Placement

3

Steps to Safety 3

Message from the State Fire Marshal

4

Approved Fire Safety Websites

4

Inside this issue:

IT’S FIRE PREVENTION WEEK!

Click to watch video

Molly’s Minute Reminders

SMOKE ALARMS IN THE HOME

Page 2 Safety Educator

Hey Kids! K9 MOLLY here and I have some really important information for you

to share with your family, relatives, neighbors and friends. We NEED to make sure

everyone knows what a smoke alarm is, where they belong in every home and

that they are working. Please help me spread this safety information.

WHAT IS A SMOKE ALARM?

Smoke alarms are tools that can tell if there is smoke in the air. They work even if you

can't smell smoke. A smoke alarm looks like a small dish or dinner plate on the ceiling of your home. Take a moment

and see if you can find all the ones in your home. They should be in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area

and on every level of the home, even the basement.

WHAT NOISE DOES A SMOKE ALARM MAKE?

A smoke alarm makes a very loud beeping noise to warn you that a fire has started. Ask a grown up in the home to

test it now so everyone can hear what it sounds like.

HOW DO WE TEST TO SEE IF A SMOKE ALARM IS WORKING?

♥ Smoke alarms should be maintained according to manufacturer’s instructions.

♥ Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.

♥ Follow manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working

well. The instructions are included in the package or can be found on the internet.

♥ Smoke alarms with non-replaceable 10-year batteries are designed to remain

effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps, warning that the battery is low,

replace the entire smoke alarm right away.

♥ Smoke alarms with any other type of battery need a new battery at least once a

year. If that alarm chirps, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away. Smoke Alarms need to be

replaced every 10 years.

♥ When replacing a battery, follow the manufacturer’s list of batteries on the back of the alarm or manufacturer’s

instructions. Manufacturer’s instructions are specific to the batteries (brand and model) that must be used. The

smoke alarm may not work properly if a different kind of battery is used.

WHAT IS THE BEST SMOKE ALARM FOR MY HOME?

There are two kinds of smoke alarms.

► Ionization Smoke Alarms are typically quicker to warn about flaming fires, such as a pan fire.

► Photoelectric Smoke Alarms are typically quicker to warn about smoldering fires, as would occur when a

lit cigarette is dropped on a sofa.

Combination Smoke Alarms provide ionization and photoelectric detection. The NH State Fire Marshal, your local

fire department, as well as the NFPA recommend installing combination alarms, or both types of

alarms, in your home. Whatever type of smoke alarms you choose, make sure they bear the mark

of a recognized testing laboratory.

Are smoke alarms available for the hard-of-hearing or deaf?

Smoke Alarms for the Hard-of-Hearing or Deaf are available. Learn about the

various options that are available.

K9 PAL REMINDS YOU WHERE TO PLACE SMOKE ALARMS IN YOUR HOME Smoke Alarms should be in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area,

and on every level of your home, INCLUDING the basement. Larger homes may

require additional alarms.

For best protection, install interconnected smoke alarms in your home. When one

smoke alarm sounds, they ALL sound. It is especially important to have

interconnected alarms if you sleep with the doors closed.

Smoke Alarms should be installed at least 10 feet from a cooking appliance. Use a

photoelectric alarm if the alarm is going to be between 10 and 20 feet from a

cooking appliance.

If cooking fumes set off alarms, either replace the alarm with one that has the “hush”

button, which will silence the alarm for a short period of time, OR install a photoelectric type of alarm.

When installing a smoke alarm, follow the instructions that come with the alarm.

OCTOBER 2016

Page 3

PAL’S POINTS

K9 MOLLY & K9 PAL EVENT LOOKOUT!

We want you to keep an eye out for K9 MOLLY and K9 PAL as they love to attend events and show you how they work and train. Send us your photo with one of these canines and we’ll send you a special gift just from them!

Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound and understands what to do when they hear a smoke alarm.

Being prepared for home emergencies can help lesson fears and anxieties before, during and after an

emergency. K9 PAL strongly encourages families to include children in home emergency planning conversations in

advance of potential disasters. Include these topics as part of your planning. Need help or have a question? Please

contact your local fire department.

FIRST STEP: HAVE TWO WAYS OUT OF EVERY ROOM

Every room should have two ways out. One way out would be the door and the second way out

may be a window. If your first way out is blocked by fire or smoke you should use your second way

out. Emergency escape from a second story window may involve using a home fire safety ladder. If

your escape plan includes an escape ladder, practice using it from a first floor window with a

grown-up. Now that your family has created two ways out of every room and made sure that all

doors and windows leading outside can easily open, it is time to create your ESCAPE PLAN and

MEETING PLACE.

SECOND STEP: ESCAPE PLAN

Click to get your —-> Escape Plan Directions and Map to print and create. Once

complete place on your fridge!

THIRD STEP: MEETING PLACE

□ Pick a safe meeting place outside. It should be in FRONT of the home. It should be a safe

distance from the home like a light pole, mailbox or neighbor’s house.

□ Agree that everyone will meet at the meeting place.

□ Make sure your house number can be seen from the street.

□ Create and practice your plan with everyone in your home as well as those visiting overnight.

□ Learn the emergency phone number 9-1-1 as well as the one for your local fire department.

□ Practice your home fire escape drill OFTEN!

WHEN THE ALARM SOUNDS: Three Steps to Safety

STUDENT & PARENT Approved Websites

New Hampshire State

Fire Marshal’s Office J. William Degnan

NH State Fire Marshal

Stacey Dubois District Chief/K9 Handler Mary MacCaffrie

Public Education Administrator

Sheryl Nielsen

Public Education Specialist

Youth Firesetter Intervention &

Education

Department of Safety

33 Hazen Drive

Concord, NH 03305

Phone: (603)223-4289

Arson Hotline:

1-800-400-3526 Email: FMO@dos.nh.gov

K9 MOLLY and K9 PAL encourage students to disconnect and enjoy safe outdoor play, however we dogs understand that sometimes the weather just doesn’t cooperate. So, when it comes to computer time, try one of these family fun fire and life safety websites. Just click a picture below to open the links and play. Have fun and be safe!

Find Us on the Web:

www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/

Any questions or comments regarding this newsletter please feel free to contact:

Sheryl Nielsen Public Education Specialist

Youth Firesetter Intervention & Education Sheryl.Nielsen@dos.nh.gov 603-223-4289

J. William Degnan

NH State Fire Marshal

Message from Fire Marshal Degnan:

This month Governor Hassan, myself, fire departments

throughout the State of New Hampshire, as well as across

the country, have declared October 9th-15th as Fire

Prevention Week. This year’s FPW theme is, “Don’t

Wait-Check the Date. Replace Your Smoke Alarms Every 10

Years.” This dedicated week provides educators with the

ideal opportunity to educate you about the importance of having working

smoke alarms that are replaced every 10 years. Not only is your family’s health

and safety important, but so is the health of your smoke alarm! By ensuring that

your home smoke alarms are properly placed throughout the home; are well

maintained by being properly cleaned of dust particles; the batteries are

changed on Nov 2nd when we change our clocks back; smoke alarms are

replaced every 10 years you can ensure that your family is safe and will take

home fire and life safety as a priority. Should you not know how old your smoke

alarm is, I highly encourage you to replace them immediately. When it comes

to the safety of you, your home and visitors one can never be too safe. Please

take a moment to read through this newsletter. Should you have any questions

please do not hesitate to contact your local fire department or the NH State

Fire Marshal’s Office.