Senior walk through

   Primrose Hill Elementary School 

Weekly Newsletter

June 2, 2023

Primrose Pandas are Respectful, Responsible and Safe

Dear Primrose Families, 

Another exciting week here at school with the continuation of our ABC countdown, our end of year screenings, and other school events. Today was marked as a special day for our school to welcome our graduating seniors back to Primrose for a high 5 tour and quick visits with their former teachers. The Senior class all visited their primary elementary schools then met up at Hampden Meadows for a walkthrough there before continuing to the middle school. I included some pictures below and am thrilled that we are beginning this special tradition for our students. 

Included below are details on some of our upcoming events. I hope that you can join us here for these, based on your schedule. The list is focused on whole school and grade level events. Please be sure to follow your child’s classroom teacher’s newsletter or Seesaw postings for any additional plans that are specific to their rooms. 

The Reading Challenge is coming into its final decision. Have you voted yet? If not, please do so before June 9th to cast your choice on the winning title. 

Educationally yours,

Coleen Smith 

Protect your family from Lyme Disease and other Tick-borne Diseases. 

Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors in RI. However, it is important to take precautions to prevent Tick-borne disease. I have included helpful tips for safety this season from the RI Department of Health.

Included are links to videos.

  1. How to check for  ticks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PrbC5iClUI

  2. How to remove ticks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1A1bqNWtz0&t=12s

Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks

  • Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.

  • Walk in the center of trails.

Repel Ticks with DEET or Permethrin

  • Use repellents that contain 20 to 30% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) on exposed skin and clothing for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.

  • Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and may provide longer-lasting protection.

  • Other repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be found at Insect Repellents: Use and Effectiveness.

Check for Ticks

  • Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within 2 hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.

  • Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.

  • Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.

  • Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors.

    • If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed.

    • If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks effectively. If the clothes cannot be washed in hot water, tumble dry on low heat for 90 minutes or high heat for 60 minutes. The clothes should be warm and completely dry.

Remove Ticks

To remove an attached tick, grasp with tweezers or forceps as close as possible to attachment (skin) site, and pull upward and out with a firm and steady pressure. If tweezers are not available, use fingers shielded with tissue paper or rubber gloves. Do not handle with bare hands. Be careful not to squeeze, crush or puncture the body of the tick which may contain infectious fluids. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash hands. See or call a physician if there is concern about incomplete tick removal. It is important that a tick be removed as soon as it is discovered. Check after every two or three hours of outdoor activity for ticks attached to clothing or skin.

Keep scrolling-plenty more to come

Attention Incoming Kindergarten Families:

I wanted to be sure that any of our current preschool students who will be attending Kindergarten with us in the fall received the details for our Kindergarten screening. Please see the details below and use the two links included to schedule your appointment and to complete the short questionnaire. This same information will be sent out to new families to our school today as well. 

Welcome to Kindergarten!  We are excited to have your child join us in the upcoming school year, and it will be here before you know it.  In August, you will receive information from us about your child’s classroom placement and Kindergarten Orientation. We need your help to ensure that our placement meets the needs of your child.

We will do our Kindergarten screening on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, July 25 and Wednesday, July 26

  • Monday, August  7 and Tuesday, August 8

  • Thursday, August 10 and Friday, August 11

This screening information will help us to create balanced Kindergarten classes and gather information on students in literacy, numeracy, articulation, and free play. The screening accomplishes two goals: 

  1. To have better information on students entering Kindergarten

  2. To allow teachers to work on classroom routines and make connections during the first few weeks of school instead of assessments. 

Please click on the links below to access two documents.  The first link is a short questionnaire about your child’s learning that would be helpful to get to know your child a bit. The second link is the SignupGenius to pick a sign-up time for the screening. Please know that screening is required. If you cannot attend a session, please email me directly so that we can establish an alternative plan.

Primrose Hill Questionnaire 

Link to sign up genius for screening appointment

Kickball at Primrose School 

Volunteers needed to organize and supervise kickball games during recess.

Get kids excited to join you and their Primrose friends!

TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS

11:45am- 12:45pm

                       If you’re available, please sign up:

                 VOLUNTEERING FOR KICKBALL SIGN UP

We've made it to the FINALS! 

Vote on the book you think deserves to win

Students will be voting during their Reading Week festivities, but all family and community members are encouraged to participate, as well, by clicking on this link: https://forms.gle/Pf9VEuTbxLDYaguv8

FINAL GAME:

Gibberish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc1dsYpYcsw 

VERSUS

Knight Owl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpL1nl3J5FI  

Consider the plot, characters, theme, and illustrations to help you choose your favorite! Vote by 6/9/2023

Field Day at Primrose

Session 1: 8:30-9:00      preschool classes

Session 2: 9:00-10:30   Kindergarten and First Grade

Session 3: 10:40-11:50  Second and Third Grade

We would love to have parents come to volunteer for this fun event. If you are available to help with one of the stations during a session listed below, or even stay through the morning it would be a tremendous help-and a fun experience for you. If you would like to volunteer, please use the sign up link here to choose your time or times to come and play with us!

      1st annual “Primrose Performs”

What is it?

“Primrose Performs” is a school-wide music concert.   All grade levels K-3 will perform a music selection 

   on the stage!

When is it? 

“Primrose Performs” is on Friday June 16, 2023 at   10:30-11:45 AM

Where is it? 

The performance will take place in the back of Primrose Hill School at the Amphitheater stairs.

What to bring? 

Feel free to bring a folding chair or a blanket to sit on, plenty of water & sun screen!

*Parents please sit either on the grass hill, the top grass/hard top or next to the blue slide. Only teachers and their classes will be seated on the amphitheater steps. 

We hope you can come celebrate the final days of the school year with us through music and song! 

Musically yours,

Mark Vadnais

Music director - PHS

Dates to Remember:

Link to BPS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging resource for June

June is: 

  • LGBTQIA Pride month

  • Black Lives Matter Month

  • National Caribbean American Heritage Month

  • African American Music Appreciation Month

  • June 5-9 Whole School Reading Week 

  • June 9 Grade 3 HMS Visit and carousel 

  • June 10-Arts Alive performance

  • June 13-BHS Jazz Band performance at PHS

  • June 14 Field Day (rain date June 15) 8:30-11:50-volunteers needed see sign up link above

  • June 16 Primrose Performs 10:30-11:45

  • June 21: First Grade Portfolio Breakfast

  • June 21-Grade 3 Send Off-10:45-11:30

  • June 23 Last Day of School Celebration

Please be sure to read class newsletters and Seesaw for any classroom events that are planned for your child’s class. This list is focused on whole school and grade level events.

PTO Website: Please take a quick moment to log into the PTO website and opt into the family directory at https://www.primrosehillpto.org/directory. With all they have planned, it is a great idea to visit this site weekly to get updates and see how you can participate in upcoming events.

*************************************************************************************************************

Next PTO meeting on June 7th 5:00pm in person at PHS

Childcare being offered