Wampatuck Wave

Happy New Year 2025!

Happy New Year to all our Wampatuck families and friends.  This is the perfect time to reset and settle in for terms 2 and 3 of the academic year.  We have a lot of learning to do in the next few weeks and months.  The best way for students to learn is to be present in school everyday.  Sometimes that can be tricky given the amount of sickness that spreads during the winter months. Thank you for reviewing the health protocols Mrs. Bennett has provided in this newsletter and for supporting your child(ren) in their educational journey.  As always if you have any questions or concerns please reach out to a staff member, we are happy to help. 

Mrs. Riordan, Principal  

December 2024 Spirit Week

Read For People In Need

The students and staff at Wampatuck had the opportunity to support those who are less fortunate and to make a difference in our community.  They combined their love of reading with their desire to help others by participating in Read For People in Need.  All children read up to 60 minutes on Monday December 17, 2024 and collected pledges either in a flat donation or a pledge per reading minute.  I am proud to report we collected $2,166 that was given to the Patriot Ledger Lend a Hand fundraiser.  Thank you to all the families who supported this wonderful cause.

Grade1 students participating in Read For People in Need.

Grade 1 students participating in Read For People in Need.

First grade students reading for the Patriot Ledger Lend a Hand fundraiser.

First grade students reading for the Patriot Ledger Lend a Hand fundraiser.

Car Drop Off and Dismissal:

• A gentle reminder that children do not enter the building until 8:40 a.m., so no early drop offs, please. 
• With the weather getting colder we have more and more parents/caregivers dropping off and picking up students in vehicles.  In an effort to keep all our students safe, please do not let your child out of the car while on Tilden Road.  All children are welcome to leave their cars once they are safely in the gym parking lot.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Safe Routes to School 

As mentioned in our December issue of the Wampatuck Wave, Scituate Public Schools has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in the Safe Routes to Schools program to assess the safety of students who walk or ride bikes to Jenkins and Wampatuck Elementary Schools. 

• The main goal of this collaboration is to ensure all students' safety. 
• The team will observe dismissal on Tuesday, January 14th, and arrival on Wednesday, January 15th and provide a comprehensive report to Scituate Public Schools. 
• This report will recommend improvements to current procedures to ensure the safety of students who walk or ride their bikes to school.

3D Printing: Learning About Now and the Future

3rd graders read about “futurists” and what they predict life will be like one hundred years from now. One prediction is that we will be able to make our food using 3D printers. After a lot of great discussions and wondering how this would look we asked 5th grader Max Goodrich to bring in his 3d printer. He was an expert at explaining how the device works and showed the 3rd grade how to make dice and dragons. While watching the printer work its magic we began to imagine making a pizza.

A Message from Nurse Bennett

• Health Records: Please be sure that your child’s health/immunization record is up to date by sending Nurse Bennett the most recent copy of your child’s physical exam.  
• All students in kindergarten and 3rd grade are required to provide this documentation.  
• Kindergarten families, if your child has had a more recent physical exam since registration please send in the updated health form.  

WHEN TO KEEP YOUR STUDENT HOME FROM SCHOOL WITH ILLNESS 

Sometimes it can be difficult for caregivers to decide whether to send children to school when they wake up with symptoms of an illness or complaints that they do not feel well.  Here is a general guideline to follow for keeping your child home for a day to rest or to arrange for an appointment with your healthcare provider.  

The following are situations that warrant watching, keeping your student home, and/or calling your healthcare provider: 

• Vomiting and diarrhea 
• A fever 100°F or higher should not attend school and should not return until they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• Heavy cold symptoms such as a deep uncontrollable cough or significant lack of energy.
• Severe sore throat with or without a fever.
• Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth; an unidentified rash OR a significant rash accompanied by other symptoms of illness such as fever.
• Red, runny eyes that distract the child from learning.
• A large amount of discolored nasal discharge, especially if accompanied by facial pain, fever, or headache. 
• Severe ear pain or drainage from the ear. 
• Headache if accompanied by fever.
• Any condition that you think may be serious or contagious to others. 

Please keep your child home for 24 hours after a fever, vomiting, or diarrheal illness, and/or after contagious illnesses such as strep throat to avoid infecting others.  

Wampatuck Absentee Email-If your student is going to be absent or late to school for any reason, email us at wampabsentee@scit.org.  

MLK Celebration: All Are Welcome

February Dates to Remember

• 5th: Early Release. Professional Development-Dismissal at 11:25 for K-5,11:40 for morning PreK. There is no afternoon PreK class. 
• 10th: Kindergarten Information Night
• 12th: Kindergarten/Early Childhood Center Registration portal opens
• 17th:  No School Presidents Day - Winter Recess begins - Staff and students return on February 24.

REMINDER 

Please remember to label all clothing and other items to avoid them being left in the Lost and Found. Our 5th grade Ambassadors are hard at work to return all labeled items to your child’s classroom. Items left in the Lost and Found will be donated in June.