Dear Sprague Community, Many thanks to parents who generously opened their homes for grade level socials these past two Friday evenings. Thanks to kindergarten parents Carrie and Will Reepmeyer—parents of Dylan (2), Kendall (K), and Quinn (K); first grade parents, Kristina and John Alessi—parents of Julian (4) and Anastasiya (1); third grade parents, Michele and David Frost—parents of Peter (3); fourth grade parents Sarah and Paul Green—parents of Katie (4) and Ellie (4); fifth grade parents Catherine and Chris Mirick—parents of Benjamin (5); and thanks in advance to second grade parents Melissa and Kevin Martin—parents of Audrey (5), Gary (4), and Andrew (2). Congratulations to all of our 4th graders! They completed a unit of study that culminated with an Architectural Showcase that included drawings, writing, notebooks, and models of “Dream Homes.” I was so impressed with the imagination, skill, and creativity! I heard many parents comment how impressed they were as well. Kudos to the students and the grade 4 team of teachers, Mr. McManus, Ms. Heckman, Mrs. Henzel, Mrs. Drake, and Mrs. Mahoney! Wellesley Firefighters visited with students in grades K and 1 on Friday as part of their Fire Prevention Week initiative. Students were attentive as they explained about how to crawl low to avoid smoke, how to stop, drop, and roll, and the importance of a family fire drill plan at home. They also showed their gear and gave the children the chance to see and hear a firefighter with full gear and respirator on. DreamBox Learning is back! Many thanks to the Sprague PTO for purchasing the site license this year. DreamBox provides children with additional opportunities to practice and learn numeracy skills. It does not replace classroom instruction but it does provide practice and information about how children are applying their skills and where specific gaps may be they may be impacting their overall understanding. It is very important that you (or an older sibling) DO NOT help when your child gets stuck. The program is designed to recognize that your child is getting the incorrect answer or taking a very long time. It will prompt your child to use a strategy already covered or present your child with an easier version of the problem. When someone intervenes the program assumes the child understands and presents more difficult problems. This can lead to frustration. Your child’s teacher will send home a DreamBox Parent Invitation Sheet. This sheet will tell you how to set up an account so you can view your child’s progress at home. Your child’s teacher will also send home his/her username and password. You can access Dreambox by visiting the district website and using the pulldown menu on the “Students” tab. Then click on “more online tools.” DreamBox can be used on any computer and also on an iPad. The Parent Invitation Sheet explains how to access Dreambox on an iPad. The school code: 4rts/spragues must be used after downloading the app. Gentle Reminders: Please drive slowly at all times in/around the Sprague parking lot. Also, if using carline for drop off in the morning, please pull up as far as you can towards the main entrance of the building before dropping off your child(ren). Please try, as much as possible, to keep the “good-bye” short and sweet. Be sure to park in marked spaces in our parking lot and leave the handicapped spots for those with a valid placard. Per Wellesley posted laws, all dogs on or near school property must be kept on a leash. Please be sure your dog is leashed and be considerate of those who may be uncomfortable around your pet. As always, thanks for your support of Sprague School. Sprague School will once again participate in the 7th Annual Community Candy Drive to benefit the U.S. Troops serving overseas. From November 3rd to November 14th, we will be collecting candy, handwritten notes and cards for our soldiers. This drive is sponsored by Wellesley Dental Group with a goal of teaching kids lessons in giving by encouraging them to share extra Halloween candy with our troops overseas. From the Nurse: October is National Home Eye Safety Month We all want Halloween to be a fun time that our children remember for years to come. Each year, hundreds of eye injuries related to using costumes and masks require treatment in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. We can take action to ensure our kid(s) enjoy a safe Halloween and prevent a night of treats from turning into a night of tragedy. Here are guidelines from Prevent Blindness, the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Costumes and Safety
- Avoid costumes with masks, wigs, floppy hats or eye patches that block vision.
- Tie hats and scarves securely so they don’t slip over children’s eyes.
- Avoid costumes that drag on the ground to prevent tripping or falling.
- Avoid pointed props such as spears, swords or wands that may harm other children’s eyes.
- Wear bright, reflective clothing or decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape/patches.
- Carry a bright flashlight to improve visibility.
- Do not ride a bike/scooter/skateboard or roller blade while wearing a costume.
- Obey all traffic signals—pedestrian and driver.
- Younger children should go with an adult while trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Older children should trick-or-treat in groups.
- Instruct your kids to use common sense. Never dart out between parked cars or hidden corners such as alleys. Avoid streets under construction.
- Don’t trick or-treat in busy commercial areas or where there is heavy traffic.
Cosmetics and Contacts Lenses
- Use hypoallergenic makeup. An adult should apply the makeup and remove it with cold cream instead of soap. Use makeup in place of masks.
- Cosmetic contacts that make your eyes look like cat’s eyes may seem like fun, especially at Halloween. However, improper use of cosmetic lenses can lead to serious eye complications, including bacterial infections, swelling, eye pain, sensitivity to light, conjunctivitis (pink eye), corneal scratches, corneal ulceration and even permanent loss of sight.
Treats
- Inspect all trick-or-treat items for signs of tampering before allowing children to eat them.
- Carefully inspect any toys or novelty items received by kids age 3 and younger since these may pose a choking hazard. Avoid giving young kids lollipops as the sticks can cause eye injuries.
Decorations
- Be sure your lawn, steps, porch and front door are well lit and free from obstacles.
- Keep candles and jack-o’-lanterns away from steps and porches outside, as costumes could brush against them and ignite. Inside, keep them away from curtains and other decorations to avoid causing a fire. Battery-operated candles are a safe alternative. Wishing Everyone a Happy and Safe Halloween, Sharon
Speaking of Halloween, I’d like to offer this guideline for the Sprague parade. Please be sure your child’s costume is appropriate for a K-5 school audience, including props that are non-violent. Fake or toy weapons of any kind are not allowed at our Halloween parade. Thank you for your support. Mark you calendars: October 22: Parent conferences October 28, 29, 30: Book Fair October 29: Parent conferences October 31: Halloween Parade (line up at 8:45, parade to begin at 9:00) Nov. 3: Internet safety program for grades 4 and 5 @ 8:45 in the cafeteria Nov. 4: Election Day Nov. 4: Walk to School Day Nov. 4: PTO meeting—There will be presentation about Sprague’s MCAS scores. Nov. 4: Early release…parent conferences Nov. 5: Parent conferences Nov. 7: Green assembly Nov. 14: Give Back Day
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