Monday, December 18, 2023

Dates to Remember:

Dec. 19:  Solstice Stroll, 4:30-5:30
Dec. 22:  Early Release, 11:15 Dismissal
Dec. 25-Jan. 1:  Winter Holiday

From the Principal: 

Dear Cutler Families,


It’s especially cozy here at Cutler School today, as it’s currently warm inside as we look out at the wind and rain. I hope everyone has power this evening!


It’s a bustling week ahead. We were all greeted this morning with homemade cookies from your kitchens. Thank you for sharing the holiday love with all of us. It’s truly wonderful to be appreciated by all of you!


Tomorrow, Tuesday, is the Solstice Stroll from 4:30 - 5:30. Please come and enjoy some hot cocoa and witness the magic of the lanterns. It’s one of the longest nights of the year, and it’s a joy to spread the light!


On Wednesday we will have community groups where students meet in small, multi-age groups of about 8-10 students throughout the school. In our community groups we will read a story together, as well as create individual and group snowflakes. This is a wonderful way to build culture and community across our school. Ask your child about this on Wednesday evening.


On Friday, we will have our annual holiday sing-along in the morning.  Classrooms will play games with their buddy classes, and everyone is invited to wear their PJS. It’s an all school PJ day! Friday we dismiss at 11:15, and we will not be serving lunch.


I hope that everyone has a beautiful holiday, restful vacation and a festive new year! It’s always exciting to reflect on the wonderful and difficult moments of the past year while setting new goals for the coming one. Wishing you all peace and love this holiday season!


Warmly,

Juliana



From the Office:

Please check (or have your children check) Lost and Found; we are overflowing with coats, sweatshirts, hats, mittens, and gloves, and are running out of space for them.  Please remember to label your children's clothing. 

If you haven't already done so, please update your information in Aspen.

UPDATING INFORMATION IN ASPEN:

Below are the steps to follow. It is very important we have accurate and updated information. Thank you!

In order to review, edit and sign off on the documents please follow these steps:Login to your Aspen account through the parent portal. If you need assistance with logging in, please email aspenhelp@hwschools.net
Once you login, click the Initiate button in the Start a new Student and Contact Information Update box.Error! Filename not specified.
Click on Each Tab and Review/Update the information.

***Some fields are required and you will not be able to submit until they are completed.***

In order to confirm your child’s Aspen and medical information, the Digital Signature box requires a Yes answer before signing your name. No updates will be made without your digital signature, even if you “finish” completing the form.If you start to fill out the form and need to finish it at a later time, you may click on the Save & close button at the bottom of the form. To resume filling out the form, click on the green check mark next to your student’s name under Resume working on any Student and Contact Information Update that has already been started. Error! Filename not specified.
When the information is entered how you want, click on Submit.
The information will be sent to the main office for review before being updated in Aspen.

**Please ensure all information is as you would like. Once it is submitted, it cannot be edited until after review has been completed.**

The student handbook and relevant policies are linked in Aspen and require your review and signature and are included in this process of updating information.

Please contact us at aspenhelp@hwschools.net if you need assistance.

From the Adjustment Counselor:  

While this is an exciting time of year for many, we understand that some families are experiencing financial hardship this season. We are fortunate this year to be able to offer some of our families gift cards for holiday needs. Please reach out to me directly at acreilson@hwschools.net if you are in need of assistance. We are also collecting gift cards to distribute to families, please see the attached flyer, Gift Card Donation, for how you may do that. In addition, below are some resources you may find helpful.


Acord Food Pantry

Acord serves clients in Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester, Topsfield, and Wenham. They offer weekly food distributions, holiday meal programs, school vacation lunch bags, nutrition education and outreach, and emergency meal assistance. They also partner with local farms to provide fresh produce to their clients every week. They can be reached at 978-468-7424 or acord.director@gmail.com.

 

The Hamilton Foundation 

The Hamilton Foundation was created to help meet unexpected, urgent, and short-term needs of Hamilton residents due to job loss, death, divorce, or catastrophic illness. It also maintains a directory of over 60 regional social service agencies and refers people to those programs when appropriate. 

Please call 978-233-1816 and leave a message and someone will return your call.

 

WISSH  

WISSH assists Wenham residents in need of temporary financial or social service assistance. Their mission is to identify the social service needs of Wenham residents and to coordinate and implement appropriate immediate unmet financial assistance to those in need. You may call WISSH at a confidentially maintained phone number, 978-468-5520 Ext. 9.  

 

Beverly Bootstraps 

Beverly Bootstraps provides critical resources to families and individuals so that they may achieve self-sufficiency. They offer emergency and long-term assistance including access to food, housing stability, adult and youth education, counseling and advocacy. The best way to contact them is to fill out this form and a case manager will reach out to you. You may also call them at 978-927-1561 and a message will be relayed to a case manager for you.  

 

I maintain connections with all of the above organizations. If you need any help accessing them or if there are other supports that I might assist you with, please do not hesitate to reach out.  

 

Warmly,

 

Ann Creilson

978-626-8575

 

From the Health Office:

Guidelines for Dismissal or Reasons to Keep Your Child Home from School:

In an effort to minimize the spread of contagious illness, the Hamilton Wenham Regional School District has developed the following guidelines for determining whether your child needs to be sent home or stay home from school: Fever (elevated temperature of 100.0 or higher). Must remain home until fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines, such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil).
Vomiting or diarrhea. May return to school 24 hours after the last episode.
Generalized rash of unknown origin. Must be evaluated by a doctor and provide a note for re-entry into school.
Live head lice. Must be treated at home, and then re-checked by the school nurse, preferably with a parent/guardian present, upon return to school.
Red or pink itchy eyes with crusty and/or green/yellow drainage. May return to school when there is no drainage and/or on medication for 24 hours.
Strep throat. May return 12-24 hours after beginning antibiotic treatment and feeling better.
Uncontrollable cough or symptoms that make your child unable to function in the classroom.

Please refer to the mass.gov website for COVID guidelines:   


This list is a guideline. The School Nurse reserves the right to dismiss students who, in their professional opinion, are possibly contagious or are too ill to be in school.

Dr. Michael Yoon, School Physician
Lea Tabenkin, BSN, RN, NCSN, District Nurse Leader and HWRHS Nurse
Darlene Budds MSN, RN, NCSN, Cutler School Nurse
Jessica Baker, BSN, RN, NCSN, Winthrop School Nurse
Lisa Druskat, BSN, RN, NCSN, Buker School Nurse
Lynne Nardella, LPN, District Float Nurse
Maribeth Ting, MSN, RN, NCSN, MRMS Nurse


From the Cafeteria:
Lunch Menus:
Here is the link to access the lunch menu:  Elementary Lunch Menu

 



Friends of Cutler is looking forward to a busy, fun-filled December!  Check out the highlights below, and be sure to check our Facebook page to stay up to date and see photos from the various enrichment events that FoC Supports -- Mass Audubon field trips, Learnin' the Ropes assembly, and more!   
  • Save the Date for one of our favorite new Cutler traditions, the Winter Solstice Stroll on December 19th from 4:30 - 5:30!  Bundle up and bring your whole family as we bring light and good cheer to the year ahead!