January 20 - MLK Day - No School
January 24 - PTA STEM Night
February 3 - School Counselor Appreciation Week
February 5 - PTA Board Meeting (virtual)
February 7 - Report Cards available on Plus Portal
February 7 - Coffee with the Principal @ 8:45am in the Butler cafeteria
Third grade is the first year students take the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) where they will be participating in two English Language Arts sessions and two Math sessions. The information we gather from these assessments helps the school and district determine what is going well and areas of improvement with curriculum and instruction. More information will be shared later this winter/spring, but please mark your calendar for the dates below to ensure your child will be at school.
ELA - April 7 & 10
Math - May 12 & 15
As a reminder, Butler School’s start time is 8:35AM with a late bell at 8:40AM when students are expected to be in their classrooms and learning has begun. If your child is arriving at school at 8:40am, they are getting a late start to their day as their classmates are already in the classroom starting the day. We all share the same goal to ensure that children are successful in school. Consistent, on-time attendance is key to making that happen. If you have any questions, please reach out to Principal Babson.
FBE STAR & Community Awards
Thank a teacher, staff member, crossing guard, coach, or anyone who has made an impact, with a FBE STAR and Community award. These awards make the perfect Holiday gift, and are a Thank You that gives back - funds raised from award purchases go to support educational enrichment programs funded by the FBE. You can view our latest round of grants awarded here.
Tuesday, December 17th, is the last day to purchase awards and guarantee delivery before school gets out for winter break. Purchase STAR awards here! To learn more about our STAR & Community Awards please visit our website here.
Illness Guidelines
Cold and flu season is in full swing. Respiratory illness is extremely common this time of year. Symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache among others.
Our current protocol for those that test positive for all respiratory viruses including COVID-19, influenza (Flu) and RSV includes staying home until you have been fever free for 24 hours (less than 100.0 without the use of fever reducing medications) AND until your symptoms have significantly improved overall. Wearing a well fitting mask for 5 days after staying home is also encouraged to help prevent the spread of the virus.
A complete look at the guidance can be found here. If your child has been sick and is still requiring frequent over the counter medications for cough, fever, or other symptoms, they are not well enough to return to school. Please be sure to keep them home until they are able to make it through the day without medication.
Head Lice Information
Head lice are always in the community, and routine inspection of children’s heads by parents is ESSENTIAL to combat the spread. Vacations, holidays, and visits with friends and relatives invite the sustained head contact necessary to share head lice. Regular inspection keeps this from spreading to friends .
Please take a moment at home to check your child’s hair for head lice and their eggs (also called nits). Work under good light, such as the natural sunlight from sitting by a window or going outdoors. If eyesight is a problem, have a magnifying glass on hand. Use a bright light and magnifier as you methodically check your child.
Use a white hair conditioner, and a good lice comb to detect lice or nits. I have more information and written materials regarding this treatment.
Regular checking at home (monthly) dramatically decreases transmission. Please make checking for head lice a part of your routine hygiene just like brushing one’s teeth.
If your child is found to have head lice at school, you will be called and advised to seek treatment. After treatment, have your child check in with the school nurse for a quick exam. No extra precautions are needed at home or in class, as research has shown this is spread through behavior, not objects. An article detailing evidence based practice from the American Academy of Pediatrics can be found HERE
Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If your child is planning to bring Valentines to school, please keep in mind our no food policy and avoid sending in any candy or food items.. This is for the health and safety of all students and staff at the Butler School, including those with life threatening food allergies and other health conditions. Thank you for your attention to this and for keeping our students healthy and safe every day!
Clothing Donations
Accidents happen. Along with accidents, wet winter weather has found many students requiring dry clothes on many occasions. While I have a limited amount of clothing in the clinic, I am running very low on size small and medium gently used elastic waist pants. Anyone willing to donate these items to the clinic is much appreciated!
Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy new year. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns
Lisa Harteveldt BSN, RN
Butler School Nurse
lharteveldt@belmontschools.net
Now that winter has set in, we want to ensure all of our students stay warm and safe during recess while enjoying the fresh air. Students will go outside for recess as long as the temperature and wind chill remain safe. The decision about if students will be going outside for recess is based on the temperature and wind chill using this chart. It is important that students come to school dressed appropriately for the cold weather. Students who are wearing shorts or do not have the appropriate outdoor clothing (jacket, hood/hat, gloves/mittens) will stay inside. When there is snow on the ground, students are only allowed to play on the field if they are wearing snow boots and snow pants. If a student forgets an item, we have a limited supply of extra gear, but it's best if everyone comes prepared. Families are also encourage to look through the lost and found to claim any missing items. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe, warm, and ready to enjoy recess during these colder months. Your partnership makes a big difference!
We want to remind you of the various ways you can find out about school delays and closings. As always, Belmont Public Schools will put out an automated call and email to parents and staff. School closing or delay decisions are made with the support of the other town departments as we consider the safety of our staff and students traveling to school. As usual, any snow days are made up at the end of the school year.
Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the various ways you can find out about an unexpected school closing or delay due to weather:
WBZ Radio (1030 AM) and TV (Channel 4) http://boston.cbslocal.com/closings/
WRKO Radio (680 AM) and WHDH TV (Channel 7) http://whdh.com/storm-closings-delays/
WCVB TV (Channel 5) http://www.wcvb.com/weather/closings
The BPS Website
