Pittsfield Elementary School

Last month members of the PES PTO alerted Mr. Kilmister to parents’ concerns about reoccurring  lice problems in certain grade levels at PES. PTO Vice President, Lisa English  met nurse Mary Fiset, Superintendent John Freeman, and Mr. Kilmister to discuss concerns and best practices around controlling this pest.

An outcome of that meeting is a new set of written guidelines for future editions of the PES Family Handbook. We have published these guidelines on the web site.  We are also encouraging staff to report any parent concerns or sightings of lice.

We urge parents to call our nurse with questions or concerns.

Next Tuesday, the Pittsfield School Board will hold a public forum to discuss facility needs at PES and options for addressing these needs.  This discussion will focus on the roof, siding, and windows; building security will also be discussed.  All members of the Pittsfield community are invited to participate in the discussion, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17, in the PES Cafeteria.

Family members are invited to see their students work at our annual Curriculum Fair next Thursday, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Below are descriptions of some of the work you’ll see:

The Pittsfield School District is in the process of conducting position role analyses for several key job roles in the district.  This work, which is part of the district redesign, will bring clarity to the roles and responsibilities for members of the school community. Staff members, students, and community members have recently participated in workshops to analyze the role of the student and the teacher.

On March 20, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the PMHS Media Center, the role of the principal will be analyzed.  Dinner is provided at 5:00.  We invite PES parents interested in attending the workshops to call the office at 435-8432.

On behalf of the Fuel Up To Play 60 team, I am excited to announce that Pittsfield Elementary School has been awarded a grant of $2700 to promote healthy choices in eating and exercise.  Our team of  over 30 students, representing every grade level, worked with Lori Bourgeois and Kevin Crossan to discuss adding a fun option to our lunch menu: SMOOTHIES! We have obtained the funds to purchase a commercial blender and exotic fruits to kick off the experience with an all school taste test. We are hoping to have the smoothie as a lunch option soon.

Also, we received funds to start a jump rope club, and other items to motivate students to keep moving and stay healthy. We will be sending out information regarding the day and time we will be starting  for the students who are interested in joining.

Overall, I am so proud to be part of a school and community who care about having healthy children and look forward to even more new programs to be added.

Sincerely,

Laura Smith

PES Physical Education Teacher

PES Art on the Big Screen in NYC

Fourth grader Abigail Cote will have her art displayed next week outdoors in the Big Apple.  In conjunction with Artsonia, the online school art gallery accessible on our PES web site, BigScreenPlaza.com will feature a slideshow of children’s artwork on an outdoor 30′x16′ LED screen located in the heart of Manhattan in New York City on March 1-4, 2012. This coinsides with the National Art Education Association’s (NAEA) annual convention.  PES art teacher Lisa Stevens, an active member of the NAEA, was asked to submit one piece of artwork to represent our school and region.  She selected Abby’s colorful, imaginative work because it reflects New England and will display well on the big screen. Congratulations to Abigail on this honor.

PES Art at the Manchester City Hall

As part of Youth Art Month this March, three Pittsfield Elementary Students have had artwork selected for an exhibit in Manchester entitled “Art on the Wall at City Hall.”  The students are Natasha Marrero, Madeline Kelley (absent on the day of the photo), and Kira Wood.  The opening reception for the exhibition is at Manchester City Hall on  March 7th,  from 6:00-8:00 pm.  The public is invited

This week PES teachers who wrote grant applications to the E. P. Sanderson Trust Fund received letters announcing awards for our school.  Music teacher Melissa Davis learned that the fund would support the return of popular Artist in Residence Sowah Mensa, who has worked with PES two other years, and will be able to return to PES in the spring of 2013.  Mrs. Davis also received funding for additional sound and lighting equipment that can be used for concerts and drama performances. 

Art teacher Lisa Steven’s request for art display boards was also funded.  These are portable six-foot display boards that can be used in hallways and the lobbies of our buildings.  We are grateful to the E.P. Sanderson Trust and the Town of Pittsfield for funding these requests that will enrich the lives of our students and the community.

The Pittsfield School District is in the process of conducting position role analyses for several key job roles in the district. This work, which is part of the district redesign, will bring clarity to the roles and responsibili-ties for members of the school community.

Last spring several community members were involved in a workshop for the superintendent’s role. This past Tuesday, four PES sixth-graders and eight students from PMHS came together with teachers, principals, and a few parents and community members to analyze the role of the student.

Two upcoming role analyses will be looking at the roles of principal and teacher. On March 6, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the PMHS Media Center, the role of teachers will be analyzed. The principal role analysis will be on March 20, at the same times and location, Dinner will be served at each workshop.

We invite PES parents interested in attending these workshops to call the office at 435-8432.

On February 3rd, 2012 the students and staff of PES will kick off our 8th annual Jump Rope for Heart event with a whole school morning meeting in the PES gym. The assembly will highlight the importance of heart health. The students will be participating by sharing personal stories or by demonstrating basic or higher level jump roping skills. We will be asking students to participate in raising money for the American Heart Association. There are many families that are impacted by heart disease and as a school community we want to show our support by giving to this very important cause.

Students can raise money in two ways: going online and joining the PES team, or by asking friends and family to support them. The students will participate in a culminating event in their physical education class the week of February 20th. At that time we ask them to turn in any money they have collected. This is always a very fun event and we hope that everyone can participate!

Adults want to work in a job where they feel safe, respected, and supported. Kids are no different.

At Pittsfield Elementary School our staff prides itself on a school climate characterized by our three overriding values: respect, responsibility, and safety.

We believe our school is a welcoming place for children and families. As principal I enjoy introducing new children and families to our school. When a new family arrives, I personally meet with family members and give a tour of the building, introducing the child to his or her teacher, if possible. After a month or so I check in with the children and parents to see how they like our school. I almost always hear stories of how happy children are with teachers, new friends, and our school’s welcoming climate. But a positive school climate doesn’t just happen. We work at it.

This issue of the PES News focuses on our efforts to build and maintain a positive school climate where children can learn academic and social skills that will last them a lifetime.

Doug Kilmister

PES Principal