Important Dates
November 11 - Veterans Day - No School
November 15 - Picture Retakes
November 20 - Early Release @ 11:40am - Friday schedule
November 22 - Wednesday schedule
November 27 - Early Release @ 11:40am
November 28-29 - Thanksgiving Break
Safety Drill
Each year we also take steps to make sure that we are all safe in the unlikely event that we would need to lockdown or evacuate the building. We’ve had fire drills during which all students practiced our evacuation procedures. In October staff met with our Belmont Police Chief MacIsaac to discuss procedures related to safety and security. This week we will practice a basic safety drill with our students.
We are sharing the steps taken before, during and after the safety drill with families so you can preview them in preparation for next week's practice drill. How will the safety drill work?
BEFORE the drill: Next week teachers will review these safety drill slides with students. Teachers will point out and have their students practice going to their "safe spot" when reviewing the slides. Classroom teachers will let specialists know when they will be reviewing the slides so they can then share their safe spots in their locations with students, too.
DURING the drill: Ms. Babson will get onto the intercom and say, "Attention Butler Students and Staff: We are having a safety drill." Teachers will then direct students to the safe spot in the room, quickly check the hallway for students to bring into their room and then lock the classroom door. Student Resource Officer Evan Nichols, Ms. Babson, and Butler Emergency Response Team will then walk the building to check for locked doors and visibility. Ms. Babson will then get on the intercom and say, "Attention Butler Students and Staff: the safety drill is now over." This drill is expected to last less than 5 minutes.
AFTER the drill: Ms. Gallo (school psychologist), and Ms. Palmer (inclusion specialist) will be available to support students as needed. An email will be sent to families notifying them of the successful drill completion. Staff will be invited to provide feedback and ask questions to the administration.
Our goal is to practice important safety procedures without causing our students to worry. Some children may want to discuss the drill at home. If your children have questions about school safety this article contains helpful tips to guide that conversation.
Picture Retakes
Picture retakes will be held next Friday, November 15th. Please return the entire original
package to the photographer on retake day. Write the student’s name and the reason for the
retake on the envelope and a new package will be ordered using the retake day photo.
Students who were absent on original picture day and did pre-order will have that order fulfilled
with the retake day photo.
Students who were absent on original picture day and did not pre-order, he or she may be
photographed as well. Please print a copy of the order form that the school initially shared, fill out the bottom in its entirety and send with your cash or check payment into school on retake day.
Stress Awareness Month
November is Stress Awareness Month
This article from the Mayo Clinic provides us with some ideas to effectively address stress in children at school and at home. Mindfulness is an efficient way to teach your child how to manage stress. Mindfulness is often associated with meditation but there are many different ways to practice mindfulness. Developing self-care habits will help our students well into their adulthood. Interested in more information about stress in children? Please follow this link.r
Belmont Cares Drive
Dear Families,
It is time, once again, for the Belmont Cares Drive! We will be collecting gift cards for families in our school community who may need help providing winter clothing or holiday gifts for their children. Gift cards will be distributed confidentially to families who request support. We will be distributing gift cards to families as they are available. Unfortunately, we cannot promise that all requests for support will be able to be fulfilled, but we will do the best we can. We hope to be able to mail gift cards the week of November 18th.
Click here to request a gift card
Click here to donate a gift card (Thank you!)
Deadline to request or donate gift cards is Wednesday, Nov 13th.
Please email Kristin Romig, the school counselor, with any questions: kromig@belmontschools.net
Thank you!
Best,
Kristin Romig
School Counselor
Attendance
At regular intervals throughout the school year – usually at the end of each quarter – the attendance team meets to review attendance records for all enrolled students at the Butler School. One of our goals is to identify students who have been absent, tardy, or dismissed for 5 days or more and communicate this information to parents/guardians. All students who meet one of those criteria are receiving this notification, regardless if previous outreach has been made by the school.
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 76, section 1, mandates that all students between the ages of 6 and 16 attend school. In accordance with this regulation, school districts are required to regularly monitor attendance. While the Department of Education does collect attendance information for all students in Massachusetts, we are not planning to report any of this information to other government agencies.
We know there are many reasons why children need to miss school, but missing school frequently can make it hard for children to catch up with their classmates and learn the new material at the same time. We are contacting you because we hope we can:
Check to see if any of these absences/tardies are a mistake or should be excused
Learn if there are ongoing difficulties that make it hard for your child to come to school
Talk with you about any supports or changes we can make that might help your child be in school more often
Our intention is to work with parents to help children be in school as often as possible.
Notes from the Nurse
Illness Reminder
Cold and flu season is upon us. It is important that sick individuals continue to follow the illness policy and stay home to reduce the spread of illness to others.
When to keep your child home
A cold or COVID-like illness, in the early contagious stages (frequent sneezing, coughing, stuffy or runny nose, child feels ill)
A temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher. Students should not return to school until their temperature is normal for 24 hours without fever reducing medications (Tylenol, Motrin etc.).
Vomiting or diarrhea. Be sure to keep your child home for 24 hours after the last episode.
An undiagnosed skin rash.
Infections such as strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink eye), ringworm, or impetigo. Keep your child home until they have been on prescribed treatment medication for 24 hours.
Call the absence line at 617-993- 5552 to report your child’s absence (messages can be left 24 hours a day). If your child has been diagnosed with an illness or is prescribed antibiotics it is helpful to let me know so that I can help you plan a safe return for your child and keep track of potential trends and outbreaks in school.
Returning to school Following Illness
Your child may return to school when symptoms are improving, they have been fever free for 24 hours (less than 100.0 without the use of fever reducing medication), symptoms have improved, and they feel well enough to make it through the school day. 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.
Staying up to date with annual flu vaccines and COVID boosters is highly recommended. Take advantage of the upcoming Belmont Health Department vaccine clinics (updated covid, flu, RSV, pneumonia, Tetanus/Whooping cough (TDAP), and shingles vaccines are available for those eligible. Pre registration is recommended using the registration link or find other vaccine sites through vaccine finder
Diabetes Awareness Month
Did you know that November is diabetes awareness month? Diabetes is a chronic health condition where the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin the way it should. Diabetes can affect infants, children, adults, and pregnant women.The symptoms of diabetes can come on suddenly or gradually and range from severe to mild, making them go unnoticed. Symptoms can include increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, fatigue, blurry vision, slow healing of cuts/bruises, and unexplained weight loss. Early detection and treatment can help to prevent complications from diabetes.There is not currently a cure for diabetes. Find out more to support those living with diabetes and help to spread awareness at diabetes.org
As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Lisa Harteveldt BSN, RN
Butler School Nurse
617-993-5556
lharteveldt@belmontschools.net
PREVIOUS NEWS
Playground Use and Policies
Students on the Playground Before School Begins:
Students cannot be left on the playground before or after school without adult supervision for any length of time or for any reason. We understand, though, that some parents/guardians prefer for their children to play outside before school. Individual parents/guardians who choose to supervise their own children or children they are authorized to supervise through pre-arranged communications, before school, may do so. To keep all children safe, we ask that all adults please respect this policy. If you notice an unattended child joining the play being supervised by you, please check-in with that child in order to determine that they are not being supervised and then direct that child into the school.
Students on the Playground After School is Over:
We understand, though, that parents/guardians often want to stay and play with their children at the end of the day. Just as with the arrival process, individual parents/guardians who choose to stay may supervise their own children or children they are authorized to supervise through pre-arranged communications, no longer than one hour past dismissal or until: 3:50 PM Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; 2:30 PM on most Wednesdays; and 12:40 PM on Early Release Wednesdays. Again, if you notice an unattended child joining the play being supervised by you, please check-in with them to determine that they are not being supervised and then direct them to return inside the school. One hour after school dismisses (see above times) until 6:00 PM each day, the Butler Elementary School playground is reserved ONLY for children enrolled in the Butler Extended Day Program.
