Children are very aware and pick up on what is going on in our world. We hear our students talking about what is taking place in Israel/Gaza right now and many of them have questions and feelings they need to share. Below is a resource that can help parents/guardians and educators to speak with children about what is happening. We hope you find it helpful. Please remember that the members of our SEL team are available to help any students who need support. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

• Supporting Youth Affected by the Violence in Israel and Gaza: Tips for Families and Educators

This coming week, we will provide an opportunity for students to make cards for children in Israel who attend a school that we have a connection through Mystery Hangouts. Our teacher partner has shared that school is remote right now, so we will scan in cards so we know that they will receive our support. Additionally, we will send a batch of cards to the US Embassy in Jerusalem to be given to children in other parts of Israel.

Students also want to fundraise. If you wish to contribute, we will have a collection to raise money that will be donated to the International Red Cross. The suggestion from students was to send in a dollar a day or five dollars on Friday.

Week of October 16

• October 20
• 4th Grade Field Trip - Ward Pound Ridge- Katz, Gervasi/Saputo, Jones/Lee/Flynn

Week of October 23

• October 23
• Talent Show Auditions

• October 24
• Talent Show Auditions
• Board of Education Meeting- 7:30pm, IMS/IHS Campus- CPR

• October 27
• Schoolwide viewing of Good Night Oppy: Documentary about the Mars Rover Opportunity (See below.)
• Last day of first lunch rotation
• Evacuation Drill
• Student Activities Fees Due
• 4th Grade Letter and Details
• 5th Grade Letter and Details
• Parent/Teacher Conferences Google Sign Up Due
• Click here to complete the form

Week of October 30

• October 30
• First day of second lunch rotation

• October 31
• Halloween

• November 1
• PLRD - Dismissal is at 2:10pm

Week of November 6

• November 7
• Superintendent's Conference Day- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

• November 8
• MSS Parent/Child Book Club- 7pm

• November 10
• Veteran's Day- School Closed

Week of November 13

• November 14
• Giving Retriever at MSS

• November 15
• Giving Retriever at MSS
• MSS PAC Meeting- 11am
• PLRD - Dismissal is at 2:10pm
• Talent Show Dress Rehearsal- 5-7pm

• November 16
• Talent Show - 7pm, MSS Auditorium

• November 17
• American Education Week- Community Breakfast for MSS Students and their Families

On Wednesday, MSS participated in Unity Day. We  all wore our white and orange shirts celebrating kindness, friendship and our community; joining others around the country also wearing orange uniting together against bullying — united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

We strive for a kind, respectful and inclusive environment at Main Street School; it is our hope that our daily efforts to embed character building as well as our special events related to character building will foster a positive environment in which children can learn.

Unfortunately, we ran into technical difficulty and we were not able to stage our photo. Once the issue is fixed, I will communicate which day next week that we will take our photo. We will make sure to remind students to wear their shirts!

So far, we raised $662 to donate to the below organizations. Thank you so much for all of your support! If you forgot to send in your donation- there is still time- please send it in- you can log into MySchoolBucks to donate through Friday!

Pacer: National Bullying Prevention Center

PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change to prevent childhood bullying, so that all youth are safe and supported in their schools, communities and online. PACER provides innovative resources for students, parents, educators, and others, and recognizes bullying as a serious community issue that impacts education, physical and emotional health, and the safety and well-being of students.

https://www.pacer.org/bullying/

Be A Friend Project

Be A Friend brings peer support to young victims of bullying through deliveries of “Friend Mail,” letters of hope and joy from kids to kids, that let them know THEY MATTER and THEY ARE NOT ALONE! The MSS community will participate in this project for the 2023-2024 school year.

https://www.beafriendproject.org/

Please Note: We will wear our Unity Day shirts MANY times this year, and fourth graders should hold onto their shirts to wear next year as fifth graders!

We acknowledge the efforts of the fifth graders on the Bullying Prevention Leadership Team. Students led work to plan for Unity Day. Their hard work resulted in spreading kindness and unity at MSS. They created an informative slide show, presented in classrooms, designed posters and hung them around the building, delivered morning announcements and planned for Unity Day. Thank you for your time, dedication and leadership! Also, thank you to everyone who donated through the purchase of a shirt!

4th and 5th graders at Main Street School are reading A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga as part of the annual Global Read Aloud. The Global Read Aloud kicks off each year in early October, and for six weeks, students from all over the world make multiple connections through one book. Students at Main Street School have already had the chance to meet readers from other countries like Canada, as well as from all over the United States! Students are connecting through a myriad of ways such as traditional and digital postcards, video messages using Flip, blogging, responding on Padlet, and using Google Meet to video conference with students all over the world. Mystery Hangouts is an exciting way for students to practice their geography skills while trying to guess the location of another school. Once the school location is guessed, students from Main Street School share information about Irvington and then get to learn about the mystery location. There is even a global Kahoot challenge, where students can test their knowledge of the book against other students across the globe. Thanks to a grant generously funded by the PTSA, students will have the opportunity to meet the author of A Rover's Story in person on December 1. They are already starting to generate the burning questions they want to have answered and will undoubtedly be the highlight of the Global Read Aloud.

The fourth grade will be visiting Ward Pound Ridge in Cross River, New York. This trip enhances our study of Native American life. Students should bring a brown bag lunch and dress for the weather as most of the program takes place outdoors.

Tuesday, October 17: Watkinson, Andrasko

Thursday, October 19: Ginley, O'Neill

Friday, October 20: Jones/Flynn, Gervasi/Saputo, Katz

Please complete and send back permission slips by Friday, October 6.

During the months of October and November, we participate as a school in the Global Read Aloud. This year's read aloud, A Rover's Story, tells the journey of Mars rover named Resilience from the labs at NASA to Mars and back. To support a deeper understanding of the book and to provide a greater understanding of a Mars rover, we plan to watch Good Night Oppy as a school community.

Good Night Oppy tells the inspirational true story of Opportunity, a rover that was sent to Mars for a 90-day mission but ended up surviving for 15 years. The film follows Opportunity’s groundbreaking journey on Mars and the remarkable bond forged between a robot and her humans millions of miles away.

We will screen the documentary on Friday, October 27. The documentary is rated PG for multiple instances of the word d--n. You can read more about rating here. If you do NOT want your child to view the movie due to the PG rating please complete this form by Tuesday, October 24.  We will provide an alternative learning experience for students who are not permitted to view the movie.  

If you give your child permission to view the movie please do NOT complete this form. It is an opt-out form ONLY.

During each grade’s respective lunch period three/four classes eat in the cafeteria while the other three/four are at recess, and then the clusters swap. In order to provide an opportunity for students from all classes to have lunch/recess time with all of their peers across the year, the clustering of classes will change five times during the year. The rotation date will be included in the At-A-Glance section of the Main Street School Scoop. The first day of the second rotation will be Monday, October 30.

On Friday, October 27 the MSS community will engage in an off-site evacuation drill. Evacuations take place when it is determined that it is safer outside than inside the building (fire, explosion, intruder, hazardous material spill) and staff, students and visitors can safely reach the evacuation location without danger. The police will be present during the drill. We will evacuate and return to the building within twenty minutes. The drill provides an opportunity for us to practice and reinforce emergency procedures with students and staff. Should you have any questions please contact me.

Below please find guidelines to help your child to prepare for Halloween. Teachers have some activities planned for students, but regular class instruction will occur for the majority of the day. Since instruction will be the primary focus of the day, it is important that student costumes are comfortable, so that they do not interfere with learning. We appreciate your support in making Halloween an enjoyable and a special day for our MSS students. Participation in Halloween is optional. Students can choose to come in costume, wear pjs, spirit wear or everyday attire.

Sign up is now closed. On Wednesday, November 8, we will have the first of our two Parent-Child Book Club events. The Book Club begins at 7pm at MSS. 

Also, please note, that the PTSA will generously cover the cost of one book per family that is participating.

There is no school on Friday, November 10 in honor of Veteran's Day. According to the Department of Veteran's Affairs there are 18.2 million veterans in the United States. This day provides an opportunity for us all to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good . At MSS, individual teachers discuss Veteran's Day within their classrooms. Additionally, it is included in our November character building assembly.

Below are a few Veteran's Day book recommendations:

Picture Books

The Wall by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ronald Himler

A boy and his father visit the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington and find the name of the boy's grandfather, who was killed in the conflict.

Shooting at the Stars : The Christmas Truce of 1914 by John Hendrix

In 1914 France, a British soldier writes to his mother about the strange events of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when German and Allied soldiers met on neutral ground to share songs, food and fun.

Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner and illustrated by Greg Ruth

A boy accompanies his grandfather on the rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom, a motorcycle parade in Washington, DC, on Memorial Day that pays tribute to American veterans.

Half a Man by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Gemma O'Callaghan

Follows the experiences of a young man who after years of being told not to ask his WWII veteran grandfather about his injuries learns how his grandfather survived a torpedo attack on his ship.

Saluting Grandpa:Celebrating Veterans and Honor Flight by Gary Metivier

The mission of the Honor Flight Network is to fly America's veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to honor their sacrifices.

Hero Mom / Hero Dad by Melina Hardin

Children demonstrate that while their mother / father differ from traditional superheroes, as American soldiers they are superheroes of a different kind.

Nonfiction Picture Books

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey

The true story of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial's creator. Maya Lin is a Chinese-American artist and designer.

Tuesday Tucks Me In: The Loyal Bond Between a Soldier and His Service Dog by Luis Carlos Montalvan

Tuesday is a golden retriever service dog and narrates this picture book about how he helped care for a disabled veteran, U.S. Army Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan. Also - Tuesday Takes Me There:The Healing Journey of a Veteran and His Service Dog.

Novels

Wolf Hollow : A Novel  by Lauren Wolk (Newbery Honor, 2017)

Twelve-year-old Annabelle must learn to stand up for what's right in the face of a new bully who targets people Annabelle cares about, including a homeless WWI veteran.

No Slam Dunk  by Mike Lupica

In Annapolis, Maryland, seventh-grader Wes is a good teammate but this basketball season has been challenging because of his ball hog teammate Dinero, who is determined to steal the spotlight and Wes's army veteran who is suffering from PTSD.

Additionally, below is a link to a video about the history of the day. Consider watching it with your child and having a follow up discussion about the importance of the day.

AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK

NOVEMBER 13-17

Together for Safe, Just & Equitable Schools.

On Friday, November 17 we will host our community breakfast in recognition of American Education Week. This year’s theme is "Together for Safe, Just & Equitable Schools."

Great public schools transform the lives of students and their communities and create a more just and inclusive society.

• Unite as one voice for our nation’s students; 
• Stand up for educator rights and safe working conditions; 
• Demand justice and equity for students and educators; 
• Advocate for local, state, and federal policies that guarantee an equal opportunity for all students to succeed; 
• Educate our personal and professional networks about the challenges facing our students, educators, and public schools; and 
• Work together to find solutions for these challenges. 

All MSS students will have breakfast regardless of whether parents/guardians attend. Students who take the bus will go directly from the buses to breakfast upon arrival.

4th Grade meets in the Cafeteria

5th Grade meets in the Auditorium

During outdoor recess, students are permitted to play with the recess equipment provided by the school. Equipment from home should not be brought into school. Students are permitted to bring drawing materials and books to recess. It is recommended that students do not bring anything of value to school, including electronics as these are not permitted during the school day. If your child needs to bring a phone or smart watch to school, it must be turned off and kept in his/her/their backpack within his/her/their locker for the duration of the school day.

Correction, the vestibule project is still in progress, once it is completed we will have an additional layer of safety. When you come to MSS, you will buzz the front door and Anthony will buzz you in through the first set of doors. The inner doors will be locked. Once you enter the first set of doors, you will put your ID into the ID reader. Anthony will confirm your identity and then buzz you through the second set of doors. Please be patient as finalize the construction. We are so grateful that we will have this additional layer of security in place.

Throughout the course of the school year, the curriculum is enhanced and enriched by providing our students with hands-on learning experiences. There are costs associated with providing enrichment experiences for students across the year. In an effort to simplify the process of collecting funds we have calculated the cost of the assignment pad, trips, bus transportation, etc. These funds make our participation in these opportunities possible.    We are able to provide these extension opportunities for students because of the generous support of all of you.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support. We are looking forward to a fabulous 2023-2024 school year!

A note about the funds collected- any leftover funds move with the students from grade level to grade level and building to building.

4th Grade Letter and Details

5th Grade Letter and Details

Please submit payment by October 27.

Parent/Teacher conferences will be in person and remote this December. Parents/Guardians have the option.

Please complete the Google Form by October 27.

Teachers will review responses and reach out to you with a confirmation of date and time. At that time they will share details about the Meet, if you opt for remote.

The Main Street School Library invites you to join our Birthday Book Club. Commemorate your child's birthday in a lasting way while helping our library grow. Participation in the Birthday Book Club requires a $20 donation for the book your child selects. Each child will be invited to the library on their birthday to select a new book from the wonderful titles ordered by our librarian just for the Birthday Book Club. After your child chooses a birthday book, we will place a permanent bookplate in it to acknowledge your gift. Each student's donation will be celebrated on the Main Street School announcements and a special bulletin board. Participants will also have the honor of being the first to check out their special book. The books you buy will be a source of enjoyment and learning for your child and other students for years to come. It's a wonderful way to emphasize reading, generosity and community! If you are interested in participating, please complete this Google Form and submit payment through My School Bucks. Please complete one form per child.  

Thank you.

Ms. Reilly

Library Teacher

It's Flu Season-Let's All Take Responsible Steps

Flu vaccination is more important than ever because the flu, RSV, and the virus that causes COVID-19 may all be spreading. Flu vaccination will help reduce the spread of flu, ease the burden on our health care system, and reduce the number of illnesses that interrupt education and lead to absences.

Each of us plays a role in protecting one another from getting sick by staying home when ill, seeking medical attention, and practicing proper hygiene related to illness.  Parents are asked to review this resource on the flu, which was published by the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH).  

 The NYSDOH recommends the following practices to ward off health concerns this fall and winter season: 

1. Staying up to date on vaccines, including Flu and COVID-19.
2. Wash your hands often with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds.
3. Not coughing or sneezing into your hands; sneeze or cough into your elbow.
4. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. That's how germs spread.
5. Staying home when sick or symptomatic.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping a safe and healthy school environment.

On Unity Day, we held our October Character Building Assembly, which was planned and presented by fifth-grade students in    Ms. Holand's class and Ms. Fisk's class.  

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. The assembly focused on Main Street School's essential questions    What defines who we are?    and    How is inaction action? to take a closer look at the power we all have to put an end to bullying. It is our hope that this assembly encourages acceptance, kindness and empathy...and that students realize the importance of being an ally and a friend!  Additionally, we are sending the message to respect all of our many identities and consider humanity. Remember to Makers of Change

Please watch the video and ask your child about it.  These are a few questions to spark a follow-up discussion:

• Describe the presentation from the assembly...
• What is an ally?
• What defines who we are?
• What is community?
• How is inaction action?
• What is ownership?
• What is humanity?
• What does it mean to be a Maker of Change?

The video for the assembly can be found here.

We had technical difficulty while recording so the sound begins at 6 minutes.

At the end of our character building assembly, we recognize students with leaves, which is followed by sharing book recommendations. The recommendations come from our reading recommendation wall, which is in our cafeteria.  The two books recommended at this month’s assembly are: 

Egor Mrinskil - I Survived- the Nazi Invasion by Lauren Tarshis

Aria Arinella- Rashid - Hooky by Miriam Banaste

Click here to watch our book video.

Jack O'Hanlon, one of our 5th graders, played the piano during the school song.

As part of raising awareness for National Bullying Prevention Month, as a school we will participate in the Be A Friend Project. The Be A Friend Project brings peer support to young victims of bullying through deliveries of “Friend Mail,” letters of hope and joy from kids to kids, that let them know THEY MATTER and THEY ARE NOT ALONE! Our students will write cards to show off their kindness, flex their empathy muscles and make a difference! A featured student is the recipient of the friend mail. "Friend Mail" deliveries are truly a one-time injection of transformational peer support to help a young bullying victim STAY STRONG as they heal and recover. We will support this project for the duration of the school year. You can read more about the project by  clicking here.

The first student that we will support this school year is "Logan", from Pennsylvania.  Click here to view a student made video about our next friend mail recipient.

This year, we are continuing our partnership with HRC's Welcoming Schools. Human Rights Campaign's Welcoming Schools is the nation's premier professional development program providing training and resources to elementary school educators to embrace family diversity, create LGBTQ and gender inclusive schools, prevent bias-based bullying, and support transgender and non-binary students.

With the support of Gina Menendez (K-5 social worker), Cristina Fiol (K-5 school counselor) and Meg Ferrera (MSS school psychologist), our classroom teachers are providing direct instruction lessons as well as incorporating key concepts and vocabulary into their lessons.

Additionally, we continue to diversify our classroom libraries and have selected titles from the Welcoming Schools recommended book list.

During the month of October, your child will engage in the My Many Identities lesson.

We hope that your child will come home to share his/her/their experience engaging in the My Many Identities lesson, which is our first Welcoming Schools Lesson this year.  Through this lesson, students will:

• see how a person has multiple identities that make up who they are
• look at how different identities can shape the way a person experiences the world
• look at how different identities can shape the way a person may be seen or treated by others

We will feature the book:

Wings by Christopher Myers

If you are experiencing anxiety or stress about returning to school in September and you feel you need support, please reach out to a member of the Main Street School SEL staff. They are available to support our students once school begins; however, if you have an immediate need you can contact Ms. Chapnick.

Our SEL team includes:

Meg Ferrera, School Psychologist 4-5- on leave

Cristina Fiol, School Counselor 4-5

Gina Menendez, Social Worker K-5

Joyce Chapnick, Principal 4-5

Heather Shaughnessy, Director of Special Projects

Mrs. Fiol will begin her Character Strong: PurposeFULL People lessons with all classes this week. This month’s focus will be on RESPECT. 

Please check out these Family Connection newsletters to learn more about what your children will be learning about and how you can help support this learning at home. 

4th Grade

5th Grade

Over the last several years, rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide have increased among our youth, adolescents and adults. Students may express a desire to die or not want to be alive anymore. They may express this verbally, through written statements, or draw pictures. In the event this occurs outside of the school day (Monday through Friday 8:05am-3:15pm), it is important that you reach out to local resources for support. While the school and support staff are here as a resource and support for you and your child, emails or calls sent outside of school hours may not be seen for days. Below are local resources that can support you and your family immediately should the need arise.

If you or your child or someone who know is suicidal, get help immediately by calling 911.

If you would like to speak with someone about a person experiencing or at risk for a psychiatric crisis, contact The St. Vincent’s Crisis and Response Team- they are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone: 914 925-5959.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.

If your child is currently under the care of a therapist, contact them.

If you take action with any of the above steps, please follow up with the school. Our SEL Team Members are:

Cristina Fiol, School Counselor 4-5

Gina Menendez, Social Worker K-5

Joyce Chapnick, Principal 4-5

Link to additional resources.

We are so fortunate to have so much support from the PTSA. This year our MSS VPs are Shannon Weber and Heidi Rhodes. Our grade parents are Heather Goodman (4th) and Marianne Chafizadeh (5th). Thank you to all of our PTSA volunteers. We are looking forward to a wonderful 2023-2024 school year!

The Irvington Education Foundation is a board of parent volunteers representing students at each of our schools. Every year the IEF raises and distributes funds for programs that enrich the educational experience of the district's children above and beyond the limits of the school budget.  To continue supporting the wonderful programming our teachers and students have come to appreciate and love, we are kicking off our 2023-24 capital campaign. Please visit iefny.org to learn more about our organization. We would love your financial support as part of our annual Capital Campaign. You can make a donation at this link.  We depend on the generosity of the community to be able to support great programs in our schools, like the ones below.

Addy & Uno

Child's Play Residency

Dovie Thomason, Storyteller

Giving Retriever Project

History's Alive!

Random Farms: #JustBeYou

ATHLETIC SCHOOL OF DISTINCTION AWARD

The Irvington Athletic Department is proud to announce that Irvington was named an Athletic School of Distinction by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association for the 2022-23 school year. Irvington was one of only six schools in Section 1 to receive this tremendous honor, which is awarded only when 100% of a school's varsity teams qualify for the Scholar-Athlete Team Award - meaning each and every one of Irvington’s varsity sports teams had an average GPA of 90.00 or above for 75% of their roster.   To succeed at this level, both on the field and in the classroom, across 27 different varsity sports, is a truly impressive accomplishment, as recognized by John Buonamano, Irvington's Director of Athletics.  "This year's recognition is a testament to the exceptional work on and off the field by our student-athletes, with the support of their coaches and teachers, who prepare them day in and day out to be their very best."  

IRVINGTON ATHLETIC AND TEAM MERCH

Big news Bulldog fans - we are so excited to share our new online merch store for ALL FALL SPORTS TEAMS - full of fabulous Bulldog gear!! TEAM SPECIFIC GEAR as well as IRVINGTON ATHLETICS.  PERFECT for the holidays so order soon!!! 

https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/irvington-bulldogs-fall-sports

Winter and spring sports merch will be available in the coming weeks - well in time for the holiday shopping season - so check back often.  A portion of the proceeds benefit the IBBC so shop away!

BULLDOG MAGNETS

We continue to have our NEW BULLDOG BUMPER MAGNETS for sale - they cost $15/each (or $20 for 2) and can be purchased at this link - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQtcEqIqzqzIqhyqu_YZizhuAiM0VrNmD3uLmDUnp_jk2IUg/viewform.  Get your magnets today and represent BULLDOG STRONG!

DISCOUNT CARDS

ALSO for sale in support of our athletes are the fan favorite DISCOUNT CARDS.  They cost just $20 each and provide significant discounts on goods and services from so many of our favorite local restaurants and establishments.  You can support local businesses AND our athletes at the same time!  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQtcEqIqzqzIqhyqu_YZizhuAiM0VrNmD3uLmDUnp_jk2IUg/viewform. 

From NYSED:

• We are pleased to announce that the New York State Education Department will sponsor an exhibition in recognition of the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• As in years past, we honor Dr. King’s memory by inviting schools to submit student art and essays that reflect Dr. King’s teachings.
• We encourage all schools to join in this initiative and all submissions will be exhibited.
• A maximum of one piece of artwork and one essay entry may be submitted per student.
• All entries must be submitted digitally via dropbox by Friday, December 8, 2023.
• All information is here.

Please send in your submissions to Ms. Chapnick by

Wednesday, December 8, so we can upload in time to meet the deadline.