TIGER TALK

March 17

Top o' the evening to you!  I hope everyone had a great weekend and maybe celebrated with a touch of green and gold?

Parent-Teacher Conferences will happen the last week in March (25-29th).  Be on the lookout for a sign-up from your child's homeroom/classroom teacher.  We also invite you to make an appointment with our specials teachers, interventionists, and SPED case managers as well.

A huge congratulations to Ella and Shreya who absolutely rocked their speeches at the district speech competition at Camp Beech Cliff last Tuesday.  We couldn't be more proud of their amazing oration skills.

Please be mindful of having your student wearing a smartwatches to school.  We do collect cell phones in the morning and are finding more and more students accessing wi-fi on their watches during the school day.  This can become a distraction thus the reason we discourage parents and students from sending smartwatches to school.  Should a student be accessing wi-fi during the school day on a smartwatch, they will need to leave it in the office or with a homeroom teacher during school hours.  We know and understand that cellphones an smartwatches are useful tools for communication and disseminating information, but are not necessary and not allowed during school hours.   Thank you for continued support.  

Check out the pictures from last week below:

• Grade 7th advisory partners worked silently to create drawings in three minutes as both students held a crayon.  They practiced non-verbal communication and knowing when to lead and when to follow.

• On Friday, March 18th, Jolene, Alisha, and Rebecca, along with ms. Rosinski traveled to the state house in Augusta for the 28th annual "Girls' Day at the State House".  This program welcomes 100 8th grade girls and gender expansive youth from the State of Maine.  Students learned how a bill becomes a law, listened to an address by Governor Janet Mills, attended mock public hearings, and participated in a mock debate on the floor of the House of Representatives.  The bill that students debated was LD 2052: " An Act to Provide Additional Moose Hunting Opportunities for Maine Youth Critical Illnesses."

• We have many students that participate in extra-curricular activites outside of school from AYS to Springers to Jujitsu to cheering to MDI Sharks to so much more!!! We want to highlight all the great opportunities that are available to our students other than what is offered at school.  If you have any pictures you'd like to share, please send them my way!  Below we are featuring a some cheer pictures from cheerabilities and the Legend Athletic SuperStars who came home with the Spirit Award.  Congrats!!!

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

March 11

I hope everyone survived another wet and windy weekend and is looking forward to some warmer and drier temps this week.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will happen the last week in March (25-29th).  Be on the lookout for a sign-up from your child's homeroom/classroom teacher.  We also invite you to make an appointment with our specials teachers, interventionists, and SPED case managers as well.

Students will have the day off on Friday, March 15th so that teachers can attend a district professional development training.  We have are excited to learn more about The Responsive Classroom and how we can incorporate their teaching/philosophy into our classroom routines and structures.

Thank you to the army of community readers that joined us this week for the "Business of Reading".  Our students truly love having community members share their love of reading.

Check out the pictures from last week below:

• Fourth grade has been presenting their Changemakers Project.  Ms. Curtis' class has quite the showing on Friday.  Amazing!

• Ropes and Mats in PE has come to an end, but not before lots of smiles and fun.  Thank you Mr. Dionne and Ms. Jolley for making this fun unit happen and hosting the after school sessions.

• A group of middle schoolers headed over to WillowWind on Friday.  The were lucky to have great weather and a great connection with the horses.  We appreciate the work the WillowWind does with the youth on our island and the wonderful programs they offer.

• Buddy Readers is a highlight of the week for both our older and younger students.  

• Mrs. Dyer's students created and built some amazing structures in her K class.

• The PTSA hosted a movie night on Friday in the cafeteria.  They borrowed a popcorn machine from Camden National Bank and had plenty of snacks on hand for a viewing of Spies in Disguise.  A good time had by all!

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

March 3

A lot of great things are happening as we start to close out winter and get ready for spring.  

We are excited to get our 7th and 8th graders more involved and taking ownership in their school.  Did you know that we now have student helpers that change the school sign?  Did you know that we have "building stewards" that help with the lost and found as well as picking up trash between the schools?  And we have office helpers  and Kindergartener helpers?  It has been a great success and we love having our older students feel a great sense of connection to the school, the younger students, and the entire school community.

Are you ready to hear about an epic adventure that happened over the weekend?  The Outdoor Club went on their annual winter yurt camping trip spending two nights a the Lennox Outdoor Leadership Center on Flagstaff Lake.  They had the opportunity to hike, build shelters, campfires, and fairy houses.  Owen, Rankin, and Sam N kept everyone entertained with their musical performances.  Grayson and Sam R build an outrageous snow and stick fort.  Shayla, Harrison, Rankin, and Rita were masters at the game "What do you mean?" as well as playing many intense UNO games over the weekend.  Everyone pitched in with cooking and dishes with several delicious meals cooked by the students.  They can't wait until next year's trip!!!  These trips don't happen by accident so I want to say a huge thank you to Ms. Jolley, Ms. Dubois, Ms. Cuthbertson, Mr. Reddy, and Ms. Parkinson for making this trip such a huge success in addition to our fabulous parent that went.

Below is a summary of the updated CDC recommendations for respiratory viruses.  If you have any questions, please reach out to our school nurses.

Check out the pictures from last week below:

• Great job and huge round of applause to Ms. Berghoff and her awesome Show Choir.  They performed Footloose at the high school and are now heading to the state competition on April 6th!!!  

• Grade 6 was certainly busy this week!  6th grade has finished their college essays and will soon be sending them off to the scholarship review committee with the help of a Bob Stewart visit.  Also, Doug Axtell came and talked to 6th-grade classes about the superpower of writing and Simon Libby came and talked about the Chinese New Year. 

• Ms. Curtis' class was excited to have Simon Libby come in to teach us about Chinese New Year and the students then shared their dragon parade with Kindergarten.  We always appreciate Simon coming in to share with us!!!

• Ms Dority's class completed stem challenges this week to work on cooperation and community building. While they were completing the marshmallow tower and cup stacking challenges, they were laughing, communicating, working together and working with different folks each day. In math, they were also designing their dream bedrooms (some even included a basketball court!). They showed their creativity, while calculating the area for the room and objects in the room!

• Grade 7 Seventh grade is exploring world religions and belief systems. The purpose of teaching world religion is to build respect and understanding for people of all faiths. Each student is researching a world religion of their choice and will share what they learn with their peers.

• Mrs. Mountford and Mrs. Newman's classes are tapping trees for sap. 

• Ms. Keene's class indulged in some Leap Day fun and are diving into geometry.  

• Second grade scientists have continued to explore different states of matter and have worked to experiment with different ways to change states of matter. Before vacation second graders were partnered up and given an ice cube. The challenge was to work together to make a plan to melt the ice cube. Some teams used water, others used warm breath, and one put the ice cube in a boot and covered it with a coat. 

• Mrs. Tripp's class designed and built their own magical wands in connection with their class read aloud, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. 

• Our Civil Rights team led by Ms. Rosinski and Ms. Roths are creating a welcome mural.  We can't wait to see it!

• Ropes and Mats in PE is a hit as always!!!  It is the most amazing thing to see the huge smile of achievement when a child you overcomes an obstacle such as climbing the rope or the rope swing.  

Parent-Teacher Conference Week is coming soon between March 25-29th.  You will be receiving information from your classroom/homeroom teacher on how and when to sign up in the next 2 weeks.  We hope to have 100% participation because we have so much good news to share with you about your child's learning and progress.

We are also excited to have community members coming in to read to our students for the Business of Reading.  Exciting!!!

There are still some spots open for the District Summer School program.  Below the pictures is more information abou the program including a summary, dates, and how to sign-up.  The feedback from the students that attended last year was extremely positive and we hope to have lots of tigers signing up for this great summer opportunity.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

February 23

Whether you left for warmer weather or enjoyed a relaxing stay-cation, we hope you had a great week.  March is always a fun month with unpredictable weather, the hope of Spring, and longer days so we can't wait to get back to it!

Congratulations to two of our CES teachers from being nominated for Hancock County Teacher of the Year: Meryl Sweeney and Lynda Millar!!!

Check out the pictures from last week below:

• Seventh grade shared their Silk Road Travel Brochures with each other and staff last week.  Everyone had a chance to make a "reservation" on their favorite caravan.  Travelers could brave the Taklamakan Desert sandstorms, test their endurance going over the Pamirs Mountains, or look forward to a little relaxation on the Mediterranean Sea.

• Grade 5 woke up bright and early on a chilly Monday morning to catch a charter coach bus (5:45am!!!) and headed to Portland to LabAdventure, an oceanic museum and learning center.  It was a long day, but filled with hands on activities and innovative displays.  Word on the street is that our students had a great time and were amazing CES ambassadors for the day.  Great job!!!

• Grade 5 headed over to Somes Pond for a Frozen Classroom adventure.  They learned to make fires, ice fish, and learn other outdoor/wintery skills all while building community and having a blast.  A huge thank you to Mr. Cote for making these epic ice adventures happen year after year.  8th grade is waiting for a great weather day so they too can experience a Frozen Classroom adventure.

•  Our student v. staff/parent basketball game was epic.  It was a battle royale with the students eeking out a one point victory.  If you want to catch the game, check out the Connors Emerson Athletic page of Facebook.

• The sixth grade had a Lord of the Rings mid-week moving extravaganza in Mr. Newman's room.  

• Last Monday was the 100th day of school.  Students in the primary grades celebrated with lots of counting and sorting.

• MC's room had a Sundae party for Valentine's Day where students got to make and serve treats for their classmates as an act of kindness.  They have also been working on their fine motor skills and are learning to knit (see some of their creations below).

• Ms. Sweeney's room also hosted a Sundae party, but it was for the staff that work with them.  They had a host, menus, servers, bussers, and entertainment for the VIPs they invited.  So fun!

• 7th grade made "peekaboo" pots in Art class with Ms. Maurais.  The artists' goals for this lesson were to demonstrate a hand building technique, excellent craftmanship, and to have a surprise at the bottom that would be revealed as the user drank from it.

• Grade 2 is buidling up a storm in their STEAM classes.  They are given a building challenge and work diligently to meet that challenge.  In addition to legos and magnetic tiles, they have also been learning about programming through using the beebots (world's cutest robotics).

It is every students' favorite time of year...  ROPES AND MATS in PE class and afterschool!  Mr. Dionne and Ms. Jolley have been busy planning and plotting a super fun course for all students over the next two weeks.  We have limited spots open for students in grades K-5 to sign up for an after school session.  These fill up fast and are limited to 20 students per session:  ROPES AND MATS SIGN-UP

All of our Tiger Athletes should be so proud of themselves.  Both our boys and girls basketball teams made an amazing playoff run.  And our cheerleading squad was fantastic this year both with their cheers and their dance performances.  A huge thank you to our awesome coaching staff and our AD Mr. Dionne for making this winter sports season one of sportsmanship and fun.

Birthdays are a special day for all of our students.  We announce birthdays daily and classrooms have their own way of recognizing when one of their students big day falls on a school day.  There are celebrations scattered throughout the year within our all of our classrooms and the school community for festive events, academic achievements, and whole school gatherings which we feel are important in bringing joy and for recognition of hard work.  There are also dietary restrictions and allergies that we consider when planning celebrations with food.  We ask that parents communicate with teachers before dropping off food and/or refrain from sending in treats and sweets on student birthdays.  Thank you for your understanding.

Have a great rest of your vacation and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

February 11

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the warmer temps this weekend.  I know I appreciated that bright sunshine while I was getting snacks ready for the big game tonight (though I am really in it for the commercials...).

A huge congratulations to Ella for winning the school speech contest, to Shreya for second place and a tie for third between Bri and Brooke, and to all of our school speech contest participants for completely blowing the audience away with your informative, thought-provoking, insightful, and sometimes uncomfortable topics/speeches (Ella, Shreya, Kevin, Isla, Jolene, Lilou, Graham, Alden, Charly, Brook, Bri, and Dez).   Ella and Shreya, we wish you good luck at the district speech contest!

Thank you to Gloria Cuthbertson and Will Mossing for hosting the 4-5 basketball clinics.  We appreciate you!!!

Check out the pictures from this week below:

• Seventh grade created brochures to advertise caravan trips across the ancient Silk Road. Students explained the physical geography like deserts with towering sand dunes, ice capped mountains, and lush valleys full of alfalfa, and how it impacted the travellers. These caravan leaders made plans to keep their travelers safe from sandstorms and other extreme weather.  Their brochures also let merchants know what they can expect to trade and visit in the market towns. These trips guarantee that you will learn about the culture of the region as well.  They even calculated the time it would take to make the trip. This week they will share their brochures with other 7th grade travelers and any staff members who would like to make a reservation for a Silk Road tour.

•  Mrs. Maurais helps the Civil Rights team prepare a canvas for a mural that will add to the welcoming environment at Conners Emerson school.

• The Pikachu Tigers were also super detectives solving the math mystery, The Case of The Missing Groundhog. Each day this week, the students used their math skills to solve problems and unlock 1 new secret mystery code. These codes helped them to figure out which suspect kidnapped the Groundhog Chuck. They earned super detective certificates. 

• Mrs. Y’s Pikachu Tigers are now expert germ fighters! We had a lesson on handwashing and germs with Nurse Melissa. The students watched a short video on how germs spread and the proper steps to washing hands. They then investigated the classroom in search of places where germs are most frequently found using a special blue light. The students got to put their new handwashing skills to practice to see if they were now germ free. Be sure to ask your child about the proper handwashing techniques. 

• On Friday, Ms Dority's 4th grade class learned about Chinese New Year! Simon Libby gave a short presentation on the importance of Chinese New Year, the customs and traditions, how it is celebrated around the world and the difference between Chinese New Year and the Lunar New Year. She helped the students make a lantern. Thank you Simon Libby! 

• Mr. Newman has submitted two pictures from his Social Studies classes.  First one is dissecting hot dogs (mumified hot dogs...). Second one is Simon Libby teaching 6th grade about Chinese New Year.

• Mrs. Craighead's class had a Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year celebrations on Friday.  They made dragon masks and received red envelopes with coins inside.  They also made gold coins for their classmates with kind/nice words written on them.  As a treat, they also tried pork dumplings.

• Ms. Roth's buddy readers had a blast with Mrs. Craighead's students on Monday.  One of our school goals is connections with a specific focus on improving student to student connections.  Buddy readers is just one of the ways we are doing to help build connections.

• Last Friday the 4th grade made Homemade Lemonade and Open-face grilled Cheese Sandwiches in Healthy Bodies Class.   Nurse Michelle teaches this specials class on the importance of hygiene and making healthy choices.

• A group of students in Q's ELA class wrote a student newspaper.  Absolutely amazing, insightful, and informative.  Great job!

• And lots of fun was had in PE classes this week!!!

Ms. Bishop is "wigging out" to raise money for a nonprofit called Little Pink Houses of Hope (LPHH) which helps those affected by cancer find refuge during their fight.  She has dyed part of her hair pink to shine a spotlight on this cause.  If you would like more information on this wonderful charity, please reach out to Ms. Bishop at suzanne.bishop@mdirss.org.  Thank you Ms. Bishop for working to make a difference!

There were a few changes to our district report cards this semester.  We also had a few changes in how we graded students.  If students were working on a year-long standard, our expectation is that they wouldn't have mastered that standard at the end of semester 1 so would be given a 2 or 2.5.  The end of the semester 2 grade will show if a student mastered a standard which could be anywhere between a 3 and a 4.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

Our 8th graders have been randomly selected to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), or sometimes called the Nation's Report Card.  Our students will be taking the Science assessment on February 13th.  Eighth grade parent should be receiving an information letter on this assessment in their grade level newsletter.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

February 4th

There was a lot going on this week at CES!

Congratulations to Poppy and Anthony for qualifying for the Maine Math Counts competition.  Coach Joel and his team have been working hard this year on learning and solving problems so kudos to all of you.  Both our girls and boys basketball teams have advanced to the next round of the playoffs.  Our girls beat Blue Hill in a defensive battle and the boys beat Trenton in a super close game.  Our cheerleaders hosted a clinic on Thursday for students in grades 2-4 which was amazing.  A huge shout out to Coach Gaynor and her cheerleaders that have done a phenomenal job this season which not only cheers, but lifts and a great dance routine at the last game.  

Check out the pictures from this week below:

• 7th and 8th graders are giving their classroom speeches and will know who will move onto the school competition.  Their speeches were based on "someone who has overcome".  I was not only impressed with the content and presentation of the speeches, but also the support from fellow students.

• Ms. Bender's class made fun wands while listening to Harry Potter, made snow tunnels, and had a blast sliding on our small recess sledding hill.  Mrs. Craighead's class got in on some of the snowy fun.

• 8th grade K Game helpers head into Mrs. Newman's class to help them with game play and strategy.  We aslo have a groups of 7th and 8th graders that are buddy readers in the younger classes.

• Ms. Keene's class used markers and shaving cream to take their math lessons to the next level.

• Mrs. Young's first grade concluded their Holidays Around the World unit and learned about the Chinese New Year.  The students made dragon masks and received red envelopes with a special coin inside.  Dragons and red symbolize good luck during this holiday. The students also learned that this holiday can be called the Lunar New Year, there are 12 animals associated with the Lunar New Year, and this is the Year of the Dragon.

• Mr. Newman's 6th grade class is doing a science experiment where they are mummifying hot dogs over the next month and made authentic Egyptian papyrus paper.

• Mme Millar and Georgia were twinsies one day.  Love it!!!

• Amazing things are happening in the art room.  4th graders studied ancient Egypt.  They created hieroglyphic backgrounds using printmaking techniques and created self portraits in the style of ancient Egyptian artwork using the side profile.  However, the eyes face forward as they felt this best represented an eye and was most easily recognizable.  Kindergarteners completed their unit or Peter H. Reynolds book The Dot, Ish, and Sky Color.  Using painting techniques, they created birch tree artwork with beautiful skies.

• Students in Ms. Ryan's "un-plugged" class are taking a part a bicycle to see how it works (and hopefully putting it back together...)

Miss Taylor has been hard at work stuffing and mailing report cards.  You should receive them by the middle of next week.  If you don't get them by Thursday, please let us know.

Our 8th graders have been randomly selected to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), or sometimes called the Nation's Report Card.  Our students will be taking the Science assessment on February 13th.  Eighth grade parent should be receiving an information letter on this assessment in their grade level newsletter.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

January 26

Students will be practicing our Shelter-in-Place/Lockdown drills in their classroom/homerooms this week as well as having conversations about safety in their specials classes and the cafeteria.  We will be sure to use age-appropriate language and scenarios when talking with our students and giving them a chance to ask the questions that might be on their mind.  An example of this is when talking to our youngest learners, we explain that a fire drill is when it is not safe to be in the building, but a Shelt-in-Place/Lockdown means it might not be safe to be outside of the building (ex: a raccoon on the playground).  We want to make sure that parents know that these conversations will be happening at school this week so that the conversations can be continued at home.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

Our fifth graders had a chance to see The Tay before it was reclaimed by the sea over the weekend.  Learning about the history of island is fascinating, but having it appear from under the sand?  Crazy!  The students rotated through three sessions of Weathering and Erosion, the wreck of The Tay, and hydrology.  We are so fortunate to have so many options other than the classroom for student learning!

Ms. Ryan's "un-plugged" class is focusing on kindness this rotation.  Two of our students, Jaxson and Maggie, decided to be kind to teachers by creating a coffee cart and offering a free "warm-up" on their morning Joe or a delicious cup of tea.  We love that our students are thinking of others and their important role in creating a positive school community.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

Our middle school band students were invited to play at the Caribou Varsity games last Friday with the MDIHS pep band and other musicians from around our district.  They were absolutely amazing.  I truly hope that some of students continue to play instruments, sing in chorus, or participate in show choir when then get to the high school.  Great job Ms. Berghoff and Mr. Granholm for buidling the music foundations so our students can be lifelong musicians.

Our fifth graders threw Mr. Mann a baby shower this week.  He and his wonderful wife Katherine are expecting their first child and we are so excited for them!!!  Though we will miss him while he is out on leave, we know Mr. Gariepy will do a great job as his long term sub.

Mr. Cote's science class is learning about wind turbines.  It is so much fun to see the students designing their own turbines and then testing them to see if they have created an effective design.  Second graders are working with Bee-Bots in STEAM with Ms. Parkinson.  7th and 8th graders are choosing their topic for the annual speech contest with the prompt this year of "Someone who has overcome".  7th grade is also learning French vocabulary through eating (great way to remember!!!) and had a blast making lemonade last week.  One of our new clubs and classes this quarter is Fencing with Ms. Jolley.  And a huge thank you to our staff Sunshine Club that organized a "Mac and Cheese Throwdown" during our professional day.  We had over 21 entries for lunch and all were delicious.  Congratulations to our top 3: Ms. Gilman, Tina, and Ms. Roth's.  Soooo delicious.

It was wonderful to actual snow falling this week!  It really makes recess that much more fun.  Please make sure to send your children in with the proper winter gear.  We are running low on our lending supplies, but if you need help in getting warm winter clothes for your children, please contact our school nurses.  We want to make sure all of our students can enjoy the winter weather!!!

The PTSA, Jessup Memorial Library, Reel Pizza, and Healthy Acadia are sponsoring a series of movies aimed at educating parents and students on the dangers of social media and excessive technology.  Please see the info below for the dates and times of these three showings.

The CES Cheerleaders are excited to hold a cheer clinic for students in grades 2-4 on Thursday, February 1st from 3-5pm.  If you are interested in having your child attend, please contact Coach Gaynor (text: 207-266-5140 or email: becca_s_g@outlook.com.  The clinic will be a donation-based fundraiser to help with the cost of summer cheer camps.  Last year, the Emerson Cheerleaders took home the "Director's Award" which is chosen by the camp director and given to a team that "exemplifies the spirit of cheerleading" and were "great representatives of themselves, their school, and their community".  Coach Gaynor is excited to return with the same positivity, work ethic, and respect that her team was recognized for last summer.

Our 8th graders have been randomly selected to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), or sometimes called the Nation's Report Card.  Our students will be taking the Science assessment on February 13th.  Eighth grade parent should be receiving an information letter on this assessment in their grade level newsletter.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

January 1

 Happy New Year!!!  We  hoped you have enjoyed this festive holiday break.  I was thinking back to last year when many were out of power and though we didn't have any snow this year, this mild weather was a gift.  

The week before break was a crazy one with us missing Tuesday due to wind, students wrapping up units and assessments, and teachers sprinkling in a little bit of community building fun.  Fifth grade created an affirmation chain to remind each other that they are all connected by writing words of encouragement on each link.  Fourth grade had reading buddies with grade 1.  The top floor had a gingerbread house contest.  Grade 7 had an international feast.  From 4th grade caroling to holiday read alouds to snazzy ugly sweaters to "corny" jokes to a staff breakfast, it was sure a lot of fun.  Not to mention having a giant Gingerbread Man waving the students good-bye.  It is never boring at CES!

Students in Ms. Ryan and Mr. Gariepy's "Un-Plugged" classes are busy planning their independent learning and presenting to their peers.  One group worked with sphero robots and learned how to code their bot on a tricky track (see pic below).  Actually, part of their goal was to teach me how to code!  Thank you Brady, Eric, Dez, and Sam- awesome job!

Tina and her crew have made a few changes to the lunch menu.  You will now see a "Veggie Option" on some days so if a student would like to opt for a meatless meal on that day, we are happy to accommodate.  Peanut butter and jelly will also be offered as an alternative.  We have surveyed our students to find out what meals they love, what meals they'd love to see, and to get their feedback on how we can make improvements.

The first semester comes to an end on January 19th with report cards being mailed out the following week.  Please be mindful of the amount of absences that your child may have.  We understand that there will be sick days and even a vacation day or two, but when students classroom instruction, whole group discussions, and cooperative learning, it  can negatively affect their progress and can create learning gaps.  The State of Maine considers students chronically absent when they have missed 10% or more of the school year (this includes both excused and unexcused absences).  With the halfway point of the school year upon us, chronic absenteeism would be 9 missed school days or 18 for the entire school year.  

Have a great rest of the vacation week and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

December 17

We have a fun and exciting week ahead of us!   Students will be busy wrapping up their learning units before the winter break.  Teachers will be balancing a little fun with all that learning this week so expect to see your children coming home with lots of smiles.

A friendly reminder to contact your classroom/homeroom teacher BEFORE bringing in any celebratory snacks to school.  We ask that our classroom events (author celebrations, birthdays, etc...) stay on the healthy side and take into consideration the dietary needs of all the students within the class.   Popcorn and apple juice are always a great choice!

A big thank you to all that donated cookies and treats last Tuesday.  Wow, we felt so special.  They were absolutely delicious!!!  All 57 dozen!!!

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

December 10

All students in grades K-4 need to bring warm winter clothes with them to school every day.  This includes a winter coat, snow pants, winter boots, hat, and mittens/gloves.  We need every K-4 student to be prepared to be outside everyday, multiple times a day so please send them to school with the appropriate winter wear.

Middle school students...  All middle school students need to bring a warm coat with them when heading outside.  In order to play/be in the snow or fields, they will also need winter boots.  If students are wearing crocs or sneakers out to recess, they will need to stay on the paved areas.  

The winter concert was fantastic!  Thank you to Ms. Berghoff and Mr. Granholm for making this special night happen for our young musicians.  And a shout out to Mr. Newman for taking such amazing pictures and to our middle school musicians that were absolutely amazing while they waited for their turn to perform (great job!!!).

Another fun Friday with Ms. McConomy's homeroom visiting Mrs. Craighead's room for buddy read!  I am really not sure who has more fun with this time, the olders or the youngers?

Ms. Mackay and a few of her students headed to the Bar Harbor Food Pantry to help give back to our community.  We love when our students have the opportunity to participate in service learning projects.  When our students head to the high school, they will have a minimum number of hours of community service required for graduation so getting our students involved in middle school and making connections to organizations that could use volunteers is exciting.

A friendly reminder to contact your classroom/homeroom teacher BEFORE bringing in any celebratory snacks to school.  We ask that our classroom events (author celebrations, birthdays, etc...) stay on the healthy side and take into consideration the dietary needs of all the students within the class.   Popcorn and apple juice are always a great choice!

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

December 3rd

We are excited for our Winter Concert for grades 1-4 and our middle school chorus, band, and orchestra.  It will be a tight squeeze in our parking lot, but we will have some helpers out there.  We ask that the students "dress to impress" (avoid ripped jeans, etc...) and come ready to amaze the audience with their musical talents.

Ms. McConomy's homeroom is buddy reading with some of our younger classrooms on Fridays.  We also have Emerson volunteers helping with some of our primary classes at the end of the day during their Clubs and Classes times.  It is so amazing to see our olders and youngers working together!

The OmniBall was a huge hit in PE classes this week.  This enormous ball brings out all the laugh and giggles as our students are learning new movement skills.  We have also had a class of high school students joining the Kindergarten PE classes recently.

Joining Ms. Berghoff's 5th grade general music class was a blast.  Students are learning to strum on the ukulele to contemporary songs like Hey Ho and Shakira's Waka Waka.  

Ms. Dority's class had visitors come in to see their Biome project recently.  It was amazing to hear the students talk about their biomes and the consumers and producers.  Wow!

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

November 12

Please send your children to school with a warm coat, winter boots, a hat, and mittens every day.  Students in K-4 will need snow pants also (optional gr. 5-8).  The weather is not going to warm up for months and the temps are only getting colder.  All students are outside in the morning when they arrive, during their recess breaks, and walking between the buildings.  It is important that they have appropriate winter clothing to keep them warm.  If you are in need of assistance, please contact our school nurses.

For years, the Conners Emerson School has been an important community partner in donating food items to those in need over the holidays.  Please look at the suggested donation list for your child's grade and have them bring in items over the next week.  We will be having an assembly on Friday to talk about the importance of giving back to our community and working in school-wide groups to decorate Thanksgiving Baskets that will be dispersed next week.  If any middle school students would like to help bring the donated items to the Congregrational Church on Friday from 12:30-1:30, please email hwebster@mdirss.org.  We would love 8 student volunteers if possible!

Grade six took a trip to UMaine to visit the planetarium.  They also had a chance to meet with the school's engineering department and see a 3-D printed house.  How amazing!!!

Our fifth graders headed to COA last week to participate in community interviews.  They have been working hard to learn about interviews, why they are important, what information you can gather from this format, and how best to conduct an interview.  Great job grade 5!!!

School attendance is so important to student growth and learning.  We appreciate your help in both getting your children to school each day, ready to learn, and also contacting us when your student will be absent.  Per the State of Maine, students are considered chronically absent if they miss 10% of the days they are enrolled in school.  Students are considered truant if have more than 7 unexcused absences or 5 consecutive unexcused absences.  CES is required to submit truancy and chronic absenteeism to the state as well as make of plan to improve attendance with families so please make sure to contact the office if your child is sick or will be out of school for an extended period of time. 

Thank you to all of you supported our 8th grade Pie Sale at the Pajama Day events.  And a congrats goes out to the bed winners: Dean and Henry!!!  

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

November 5

Thank you to the community for coming out to support our students and check out all the creative costumes for the CES Halloween Parade.  Mr. Granholm and the band sounded amazing.  And a shout out to the 7th and 8th graders who walked with our youngers.  Even the weather cooperated!!!

Coach Bender took her team all the way to the island finals in soccer on Friday.  It was a crazy close match with MDES pulling out a win after double overtime under the lights at Alumni Field.  Heartbreaking loss to an unbelievable season.  Great job tigers.

First graders did pumpkin investigations this week.  They investigated the size and shape of pumpkins, counted the lines on the outside of the pumpkin, and estimated the number of seeds on the inside.  The next day students reached in and scooped out the inside of their pumpkins.  On the third day students were able to talk about how to sort and count the seeds efficiently, deciding that counting by 10s was their best strategy.  Once all the seeds were sorted, each group counted their total number of seeds.  They quickly determined that counting by 100s was an easier way to count than just by 10s.  Students learned that the size of the pumpkin does not dictated the number of seeds, but how long they were on the vine and the number of lines on the outside of pumpkin were better indicators.

The Science Olympiad team led by Ms. Mackay has been busy.  Some meet during the clubs and class times at the end of the day.  We even have a group that meets one Sunday a month!

Fifth grade is heading to COA later this week to conduct interview on "a time someone has shown up for you".  This amazing unit is helping our students really work on their listening skills as well as their writing skills.  I can't wait to read the final product.  Ms. Jolley's 7th grade health class practiced their first aid skills as part of their focus on community wellness.   8th graders are political scientists at work!  They determined that voter turn-out in the State of Maine will be 39% this year.

A reminder that the weather is getting cold and probably not warming back up for quite a while.  Your children are outside first thing in the morning, for recesses, and walking between the buildings.  Please make sure that they are dressed in layers and have warm clothes when they are outside.  When the snow starts to fall, students will need winter boots or they will not be allowed on the snowier parts of the playground.  Students in K-4 will need to have snowpants (optional for grades 5-8).

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

October 29

The events of last week touched every Mainer, including our children.  I want to thank our amazing staff at CES for working through their own feelings of sadness and unease while also taking care of the needs of our students.  We know that it will take time for us all to heal from this tragedy in our state and if your child needs help processing what has happened, but do not hesitate to reach out to us.

The CES  Halloween Parade will be held on Tuesday afternoon at 1:45.  Thank you for your flexibility in the change in day.  With Tuesday being Halloween, feel free to dress as a spooky shadow (wear black) until gr. 1-8 changes into costumes later in the afternoon.

If you were unable to schedule a time to meet with teachers for your child's Parent-Teacher Conference, please feel free to reach out to their classroom/homeroom teacher.  We really want all parents to hear about the great things happenings here at CES and the progress their child is making.

If you are unsure what to cook for dinner on November 2nd, we suggest heading over to the Side Street Cafe as part of their Family Give Back from 5:00-7:30pm.  There will be a live Tiger Raffle drawing and Tiger Gear for sale.  There will also be a raffle for 2 CAT tickets (plus a car), no purchase necessary for all that attend.  Hope to see you there!!!

Our 8th graders in Ms. Ryan's "Un-plugged" class shared altered classic stories such as Goldilocks being retold as The Little Reindeer and the 3 Penguins and Cinderella on felt story boards to some of our younger classrooms.  The felt characters and settings they designed were amazing.  Great job!

Grade two took an amazing field trip down to the shore last week.  Thank you to our parent voluteers that helped make our trip a success!  And speaking of volunteers, our fifth grade class has been learning about interviews using volunteers to talk about a time someone shown up for them.  If you see a fifth grader, asking them what they have learned about what makes a good interview.

Spirit days last week were so much fun!  From hats to favorite t-shirts to spooky outfits, it was great.  I the day that I liked the best was "Double Vision".  Check out some of the twinning we saw around the school in the pictures below.  Loved it!  But hat day was pretty awesome too!!!

Great job Cross-country runners!  (and Coach Murphy & Coach Newman!!!)  Last week's district meet at MDIHS was amazing.  I love all of your courage and sportsmanship.  Our soccer team is still waiting to see who we will play in the soccer finals after a victorious battle v. Blue Hill last Monday.  Check out Demitri's summary of the game below.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

October 22

Parent-Teacher Conference Week starts tomorrow!  We would love to have 100% participation from our CES families.  Please also consider signing up with our specialists, interventionists, and SPED teachers.  If you are unable to schedule a time this week, you can reach out to your child's classroom/homeroom teacher to find another time that might work.  We have so much learning and progress to share with you!!!

A huge thank you to the Bar Harbor Fire Department for coming to the school and talking to our younger classes about fire safety.  

Seventh graders participated in the island-wide 7th Grade Read at Camp Beech Cliff last Friday.  In coordination with the Island Readers and Writers group, all 7th grade students read Greetings from Witness Protection from Jake Burt..  Students were then able to meet the author and participate in themed activities around the book.

Grade three headed to Thompson's Island last week to learn about what it takes to be a ranger and the activities they perform on Junior Ranger Day.

The 7th and 8th graders participate in Clubs and Classes at the end of each day.  Some students go to band, orchestra, and chorus, while others have study halls and options such as cooking, polymer clay, spheroes, papercutting, sports/games, yoga, office helpers, Kindergarten/first grade helpers, building stewards, Science Olympiad, Math Counts, and woodburning to name a few.  At CES, there is something for everyone!

Whoa... the talent show.   Great job to all of our students who participated in this awesome event and to Miss Sonia and Mr. Granholm for making it happen.  So amazing!!!!

Friday is the Halloween Parade.  You are welcome to join the fun by cheering us on either on Main Street or on Cottage Street.  Students in grades 1-8 should bring their costume, not wear their costume to school.  If you have any questions about the appropriateness of a costume or your child needs a costume, don't hesitate to contact us at hwebster@mdirss.org.  If you are going to pick your child up after the parade (approximately 11:30am), please let both their teacher and the office know by email.  It is a crazy time between the end of the parade and students eating lunch so we want to make sure we know where all students are going.

The 8th graders are holding a Fall Festival on Friday afternoon from 2-5pm at the school.  This fun event will help them fundraise for their classtrip.  We hope to see you all there!!!  Here is a sneak peak of some of the fun: 

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

October 16

Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-ups are on the homepage of the website.  We still have a few teachers adding their availibilities so please check back in a few days.  We would love for parents to sign up not only with their classroom/homeroom teachers, but also our specials teachers (art, music, band, technology, French, guidance, Social Worker, librarian, etc...), our reading and math interventionists, and Special Education teachers.

Grades seven and eight headed to Camp Beech Cliff last week for a day of team and community building.  Students and teachers worked on strengthening relationships while taking stepping outside of their comfort zones and participating in activities such as high ropes, low ropes, and trust work.

Grade three met with ANP Park Rangers last week to talk about the different jobs that rangers do.  Tuesday they are headed to Thompson Island to participate in Junior Ranger Day.

Looking for some fall fun and support our 8th grade class trip?  Well have we got an event for you!  The 8th Grade Student Committee is hosting a Fall Festival on Oct 27 2-5 pm. They will have face painting, pumpkin painting, corn maze, gym games, snacks/drinks and more.  Hope to see you there!

Soccer Update:  We had two hard fought battles against MDES this week, coming up short 1-3 on Wednesday and 0-3 on Friday. Wyatt Braun overcame an injury to score the lone goal in Wednesday’s contest.  We played Pemetic on Thursday and Hat Trick Henri Hansen scored 4 goals before putting up a solid performance as goalie the rest of the game. Garrett Umphrey played goalie the first half and then came out to score a goal in the second half! Eric Sinquefield scored a goal in his A team debut. Griffin Winer scored two goals to make the final score 8-2 Conners Emerson!  We also had a mini tiger visit us against MDES. 

Our CES Golf team played in Bucksport earlier last week.  Coach Granholm has taken them to the Northeast Harbor Club as well so that our golfers get a chance to try different holes and experience different courses.  Though I must say that have Kebo as our home course has us spoiled.  A huge thank you to Kebo for their continued support of our young golfers.

The talent show is this week on Friday at 6pm with a bake sale supporting show choir!  The CES Talent Show is an amazing night where we get to see the hidden talents of our students (and Mrs. Nicholson).  Please join us to cheer on our brave tigers and they amaze and astonish us!!!

Ms. Mackay, Mrs. Umphrey, and Ms. Blank joined several other teachers from AOS91 to attend the ATOMIM (Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Maine) conference in Portland last week with about 1100 other teachers from New England. Below is a picture of Ms. Mackay with Dr. Liljedahl who has changed the world of mathematics education with his groundbreaking, research based method of teaching. 

The PTSA is selling raffle tickets for our Second Annual TigerRAffle benefiting the Teacher Grant Fund for the Conners Emerson PTSA!  Sell as many Tiger Raffle entries as you wish to friends, family, and neighbors.  Return the entry tickets with collected money in the provided envelope to your homeroom teacher no later than Friday, October 21st!  And thank you for your continued support!

October 9

The annual CES Halloween Parade will be held on Friday, October 27th.  This is an early release day so the parade will be held in the morning as it was last year.  Kindergartners watch the parade and should not bring a costume to school.  If you or your child have a question on the appropriateness of a costume, please don't hesitate to reach out to me (hwebster@mdirss.org).  More information on the parade will be coming, but we wanted families to have enough time to order or make costumes.  If your child does not have a costume, we can help!!!  Email me and I am more than happy to help them create a look they will be excited about wearing.

Sixth grade had a great time at SEA Camp last week.  Students had a 3 day/2 night learning experience at the Schoodic Educational Research Center.  A huge thank you to the teachers and parent chaperones that helped make this trip possible.  

The second grade plant adventures unit is in full swing.  Second graders have learned about the parts of a seed through a seed dissection, germinating seeds, and most recently they experimented with seed dispersal.  This past week we made models of sheep and seeds with different structures to see how animals help seeds travel! 

First grade students enjoyed a fabulous fall day with ANP rangers on Friday at Ship Harbor.    They learned the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees.   They discussed wild vs. non-wild animals.  The rangers asked them to make observation and record data using tally marks.  For example, how many coniferous vs. deciduous trees they could count in one minute.  They looked for plants larger and smaller than themselves.  They learned about different plants including lichen, moss, bushes, and trees.  They also learned about counting and classifying nature items using counting wands. First Grade students counted trees with needles, trees with flat leaves, mushrooms, rocks bigger/smaller than 1 inch and more. In addition, the students learned how to measure rocks using standard and non-standard units of measure. 

With the great weather we've had, more of our classes took advantage of this and headed into ANP and local destinations to hike, work on community building, and learn about the environment around us.  Kindergarten visited a local farm and seventh grade climbed Champlain Mountain.  Fifth grade also took a scientific walking field trip to the Sand Bar.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

P.S.  Thank you anonymous parent for the delicious donut donations!!!  And thank you Alicia for taking care of our flag!

October 1

Students in grades 3-8 will be taking their NWEA tests over the course of the next few weeks.  We ask that you make sure they are well rested and well fed so they can do their best.  We know that our students are so much more that a snapshot of one assessment, but this test helps us to assess their growth over the school year and monitor their progress.

Parent-teacher conferences will be held at the end of the month.  Be on the lookout for a sign-up sheet from your child's classroom/homeroom teacher next week.  Conferences will be offered in-person (prefered) or virtual.  And don't forget our specials teachers and interventionists!!!  They spend a lot of time students and have great insights into their progress, strengths, and goals for improvement.

What are great weather week we had.  Perfect for a few class hikes in ANP like fifth grade heading up Champlain Mountain.  It looks like the weather going into this week will be fantastic as well which is great because we have several grades headed into the park and around the area.

Nurse Melissa and Nurse Michelle will be offering a flu clinic for students on Friday, October 13th.  Forms should be returned by this Friday, October 6th so we know the count of vaccines needed.  If you have any questions, please either call or email (mbishop@mdirss.org /mdupuis@mdirss.org).  

Flu Shot Consent Form 

Vaccine Information Statement

Show Choir/Show Stoppers are starting up again, woohoo!  The first rehearsal will be this Thursday from 3:30-4:30 with regular rehearsals staring the follow week on Tuesdays 7:15-8:00am and Thursday 3:30-4:30pm.  We know that our students are involved with may things so if you have a conflict such as a sport or another group, please reach out to Ms. Sonia (sonia.berghoff@mdirss.org).

Math Counts is also getting underway with Coach Joel.  This group will meet in the library conference room on Thursdays 2:20-3:45.  If your child is interested in learning more, please reach out to Mrs. Webster.  This group is for students that love a challenge, want to expand their math knowledge, hang out with a great group of kids, and just have fun!

We  seriously have the BEST Outing Club in the world thanks to Ms. Jolley.  Last week this group hiked Sargeant Mountain.  If your child is interested in learning more about all things outdoors, please contact Ms. Jolley and join the fun (hjolley@mdirss.org).

A huge thank you to Mr. Newman for being our "unofficial" school photographer.  Below are some pictures from the soccer and cross-country meets in Lamoine.  Our runners look like absolute warriors as they trudge through the muddy trail, love it!!!

The annual CES Halloween Parade will be held on Friday, October 27th.  This is an early release day so the parade will be held in the morning as it was last year.  Kindergartners watch the parade and should not bring a costume to school.  When deciding on a costume for the parade (gr. 1-8), there are a few things to keep in mind: NO masks, NO weapons of any kind (including katana swords), NO inflatable costumes, and costumes can be spooky but not scary (no blood or gore, save it for Ledgelawn...).  Students should bring their costumes to school and not wear them to school.  The costumes should be easy for the student to put on themselves (no make-up or face paint applied at school).  We are walking through town so comfortable footwear is important.  If you or your child have a question on the appropriateness of a costume, please don't hesitate to reach out to me (hwebster@mdirss.org).  More information on the parade will be coming, but we wanted families to have enough time to order or make costumes.  If your child does not have a costume, we can help!!!  Email me and I am more than happy to help them create a look they will be excited about wearing.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

September 24

A huge thank you to everyone that attended our CES Open House.  The weather was perfect, the 8th grade snacks were tasty, and who doesn't love a free hotdog.  The most important part was for your child to feel pride in their school and show you where they learn everyday and to meet their teachers.  Old friends and new, it was great to see all of you!

The 8th graders spent two beautiful days at Somes Pond learning about water quality.  The "Floating Classroom" teaches our students the scientific process while canoeing in MDI.  This is an exceptional program that we are so grateful to be a part of and thank Ms. Hanna for organizing these trips.

Fourth grade headed to Sand Beach on Friday for a day of connections, community building, and ranger led Science stations learning about chemical weathering, the impact of glaciers on landformations, and erosion (different sizes of sediment moving at different rates).  

Second grade has been very busy with a pajama day, applesauce making, weather observations, and just plain fun!  Kindergarten art class was held outside to do their leaf rubbings.  

We are so fortunate to live in an area where the community values education and priorizites quality learning experiences for all of our CES students.  Thank you to the Jackson Lab, Acadia National Park, the Abbe Museum, Somes-Meynell, MDI Bio Lab, Camp Beech Cliff, Volta, Sound School house, Jesup Library, Bar Harbor Historical Society, YMCA, and so many, many more ( I know I have forgotten a few more).  It is truly amazing the hands-on learning and place-based activities that students in all grades are able to experience here on MDI.

Got talent?  Show it off at the CES talent show in the gym on Friday, October 20th at 6pm.  There will also be a bake sale to support the show choir.  Hope to see you there!!!  For more info, email our awesome new music teacher at sonia.berghoff@mdirss.org.

Have a great rest of your weekend and we can't wait to see you tomorrow!!!

Dr. Webster

September 17th 

  Our first full month of school was fantastic.  It feels so good to get into the groove and back into a regular schedule.  (Even with a few inside recesses...)  We look forward to sharing all what our days look like, your child's learning space, and so much more at our CES Open House on Thursday, September 21st from 4:30-5:30 (8th grade parent/student meeting at 5:30-6:00 in cafeteria).

Our soccer squad had the opportunity to work out and skill build with the boys and girls varsity soccer teams.  It was so exciting to see our tiger athletes learning and growing, being cheered on by former tigers.  Tomorrow is the first cross-country meet and we wish all of our runner good luck!

PTSA UPDATE: 

The next PTSA meeting will be Tuesday October 3, 3:30-4:30pm in the school library (alternate location: Mrs. Nicholson's room in the 5/6 hallway). Everyone is welcome (parents/guardians, teachers, staff, & students), and children are welcome as well (childcare provided by CES 8th graders).

If you'd like to be a part of the PTSA, please sign up here (it's quick & easy!): PTSA 2023/2024 Membership Sign-up Form

Wondering what the PTSA is all about? The PTSA is a group of parents/guardians, teachers, staff, and students working together to support and enrich our school community. We plan events such as the Science Fair and Family Movie Nights, fundraise to sponsor Teacher Grant awards, celebrate our fabulous teachers & staff during Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week, and we are always open to new ideas about how to support our wonderful CES community. 

PTSA is a great way to get involved and meet other CES families, and you can be involved as much or as little as your schedule allows. 

PTSA meets monthly during the school year (the first Tuesday of each month, 3:30-4:30pm), and childcare is provided by CES 8th graders (PTSA donates money to the 8th grade class trip in exchange for childcare at our meetings - Win-Win!). 

Can’t make it to meetings? No problem! - there are plenty of opportunities for members to stay connected and be involved throughout the year.

Members receive emails with the monthly meeting minutes, important PTSA reminders, and occasional requests for volunteers (don’t worry - usually only 1-3 emails per month!).  

Like us on Facebook (Conners Emerson PTSA) for helpful school reminders & information, as well as PTSA news & updates.

Tiger Cafe: We are so fortunate to have a wonderful cafeteria crew that feeds our students every day.  A reminder that breakfast and lunch are free this year and there is always an alternative lunch option of an uncrustable PB&J sandwich.  We are scheduled to have our kitchen hood worked on so if we have a change in our menu, we will let you know.

Calendar Change:  The AOS Board has made a change to the school calendar.  Here is the updated school calendar: MDIRSS 23-24 School Calendar.  Friday, October 6th will now be an early release day.  Friday, October 20th will now be a full day of school.  This change was made to accommodate the 7th grade read learning experience.  Thank you for your flexibility.

Dr. Webster

September 10th

The first six weeks of school are crucial to setting the tone for learning within our classrooms.  Teachers are establishing routines, setting expectations, and building community which will carry on throughout the year, creating a positive classroom environment.  We encourage you to ask your children what activities they are doing in these first weeks to learn about their classmates, collaborate on classroom norms, and establishing a connection to their school.

Fifth grade took a walking field trip to the Sand Bar this week.  I know that six grade did this last week because they took a funny video from my front lawn as they were walking by (thank you Mrs. Nicholson)!  Grade four teamed up to problem solve on team building tasks.  Third grade did a "Save Fred" activity (can't wait to hear more about this!).

The temperatures last week certainly didn't feel like September.  It was hot and humid, but a perfect excuse for a school-wide popsicle party.  Students and staff were treated to music, popsicles, and an impromptu Conga Line at the end of the day on Friday.

FALL SPORTS: Fall sports have begun.  If your child is playing a fall sport, but you have not received the weekly emails from Mr. Dionne, please send him an email (bdionne@mdirss.org).  We can't wait to start cheering on our tiger athletes at their games, meets, and matches!

PTSA SCHOOL DIRECTORY: The PTSA is compiling a Student Directory again this year so that CES students & families who would like to participate can easily get connected for carpooling, playdates, study dates, etc!

• SIGN-UP your student to be included in the PTSA Student Directory (it's quick & easy!):

SIGN-UP link to be included in the PTSA Student Directory

• Participation in the PTSA Student Directory is optional.

• You may include as much or as little contact info as you'd like (email, phone, etc).

• If you have multiple students, please fill out and submit a separate form for each student.

• Please note: This is different from the information forms that the school collects - the information filled out for the school cannot be shared. The PTSA separately collects contact information from families who wish to be a part of the PTSA Student Directory and have their contact info shared with other CES families.

• If you’d like your student(s) to be included in the PTSA Student Directory, you must sign up each year as we cannot carry over information from past school years. 

FREE/REDUCED LUNCH: Breakfast and school lunches are free again this year (woohoo), but we will still need your help with our free/reduced lunch forms.  We receive federal and state funding based upon the free/reduced lunch information that parent provide so it is crucial that we have as many parents fill out these forms as possible (even if you don't think your family would qualify).  We will be sending these home with your child this week.

Dr. Webster

FIELD TRIPS:  With location of our school close to so many educational experiences such as the Sand Bar, COA, the Abbe Museum, the list goes on and on, you can expect your child and their class to take full advantage.  Your teacher will notify you by email or class newsletter when these will take place.  Permission slips will be sent home for longer field trips that require bus transportation. 

FALL SPORTS: Fall sports will be kicking off soon.  Please sign your student up here FALL SPORTS SIGN-UP so that Mr. Dionne can you send you the information about sports meetings.  CES offers cross-country, golf, and soccer for our middle school students (and we can't wait to start!!!).

MDI BACKPACK PROGRAM: The MDI Backpack Program provides food bags on Fridays for any family in need or experiencing food insecurity.  If you would like more information or to be have your family included in this amazing program, please contact our school nurses (mbishop@mdirss.org/mdupuis@mdirss.org).

Cell phones...  Students are allowed to use their cellphones on the bus and outside of the building before/after school.  Cell phone use is not allowed within the school.  If you need to contact your child during the day, please call the office and we will forward your message.  If your child needs to contact you, they can use their classroom phones or the office.  We appreciate your support in keeping our school-day cell phone free.

Morning Drop-off:  Morning arrivals are a tricky time at CES.  If you are dropping your child off in the morning, please do not arrive on campus before 7:55 am.  We need to make sure our staff are able to access the parking lots.  Students are to wait at the ramp or in vehicles until 8:00 am (unless they have a morning club/activity).   

Attendance:  If your child is going to be absent from school please call or email the office.  If we have not heard from you, we will be calling around 9ish to check-in.  If you email your teachers, please cc Miss Taylor or our nurses also.  

Extended Absences:  We know that working in a seasonal community makes finding family time a challenge.  If your family is planning a trip outside of the scheduled school vacations, please let the office and their teachers know as soon as possible.  Teachers are not required to prepare work for students to take with them, but we do encourage families to have their children read (or be read to) and write (dictate if younger grades) in a journal or about their trip.  When students are absent, we will do our best to help them catch on what was missed when they return, but are unable to recreate the learning that happens within a classroom setting such as activities and discussions.

Dr. Webster