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November 29, 2023

 
Good Afternoon Jacques Families! 
 
With the falling temperatures and snowflakes drifting in the air, it is obvious…Winter is on its way! 
 
The decision to delay or cancel school is made early in the morning by the Superintendent and town road agents. We know that snow days and delayed starts are a major inconvenience for working parents, but the decisions are made reflecting our district’s concern to keep all children and staff safe. 
 
Mrs. Michaud, Superintendent of Schools, will be employing our automated broadcast system. This system will send a phone message to all families that school is either delayed or canceled. It is important that you provide us with current phone numbers and email addresses.  It is also a good time to get in the habit of checking the television or radio in the mornings when the weather is not cooperating.
 
If school is delayed, the buses will be later than usual to pick up the students. During a delayed opening, our doors will open at 10:15 am at JMS.  If school is dismissed early we will also use our automated system to inform parents.  We will have your child  follow the dismissal plan on the Unanticipated Early Release Form that you shared with us earlier in the school year. We will make every effort to be sure the students have a safe place to go. Take the time now to review with your child your family’s plan for early release or delayed opening due to inclement weather. 
 
First Trimester Report Cards: The first trimester ends this Friday, December 1st. Report cards will be sent home with students to parents/guardians on Friday, December 8th.  Our report card is a standards-based report card.  It provides information about your son/daughter's level of proficiency in relation to end-of-year grade-level learning standards. Please look for this important document. 
 
You will also find several other important reports enclosed. Each student will receive an Acadience benchmark report. The purpose of Acadience Reading is to monitor your child’s development in reading,  identify students who need additional help, and guide the teacher’s instruction. Also, for first-grade students, an additional report will be included.  This is the NWEA-MAP benchmark report.  This measures student proficiency and progress in both math and reading. These additional benchmark reports will be sent home at the end of each trimester with every report card. Please sign and return the report card envelope to the school.  Please connect with your child’s teacher if you have any questions about the report card or the other enclosed student assessment reports. 
 
Winter Recess Reminder: With the snow and frigid temperatures, please remember to dress your child appropriately.  Recess is outside every day and the “feels like” temperature is above 12 degrees.  During the winter months, the following outerwear is expected for our students during recess:
  • Students are expected to wear all outerwear that comes from home (hats, gloves, mittens, snow pants, boots, etc.)
  • In order to play in the snow, children must be dressed from “head to toe”. Students are expected to wear snow pants and boots if they intend to play in any snow-covered area during recess.  This includes the blacktop when it is snow-covered or wet.  In the event that the black top is completely clear of snow and slush, students then may be at this location in their "everyday" shoes.
  • Students who do not have the appropriate outerwear during snow-covered recess times will be asked to stay on the blacktop. 
  • When conditions allow for it, sledding and snow toys are available for students to use on the playground. 
Thank you for your support with this.  These expectations limit the wet pants, shoes, and socks that students get when not dressed appropriately, and help them avoid having those wet clothes for the duration of the school day.  We also ask you to label their clothing.  If clothing is labeled, we make every attempt to match it to its owner. 
 
School Calendar Update: Please find a copy of the revised 2023-24 Milford School District School Calendar attached to this email.  The school board voted to approve the revision to reflect the setting of the NH Primary date of Tuesday, January 23, 2023.  There will be no school for students or staff on this day. This revision also changes the last day of school for Kindergarten which is now June 11 and the last day for all students which is now June 13.
 
December MES PTO Meeting: Please join us for the monthly MES PTO meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 5th @ 6:30 PM in the JMS Library.  Please come and help support Milford Elementary Schools! If you cannot attend in person, please join us virtually.
 
 
Please find attached to this email the December School Lunch Menu from the Food Service Department.
 
I want to express my gratitude to our parents, teachers and staff for your continued support. Thanks for being an essential part of the Jacques Memorial School Community. Together we create a nurturing environment where every child can thrive and reach their full potential.
 
Sincerely,
Tim O’Connell
JMS Principal
 
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