Solar Panels are Online!

Finally, the kinks have been worked out of the solar panel installation. The panels are generating electricity, and the display in the in main lobby is reporting all sorts of data.

Many thanks to Candyce Wainwright, Steve Clifford, and Bob Whiteneck for their persistence in working with the contractor to get this system working.

Also, many thanks to the Town of Boxford for suggesting Spofford Pond School as the place to install the town's first solar panels. We are excited and proud that the panels are installed on our roof.

Please come to the main lobby of the school to see the display. From the main parking lot you can see the panels to the right of the main entrance.










- Larry Fliegelman

Pink and Denim Success

Wow! What a great day. Hundreds of students and staff wore pink and denim and pink ribbon stickers. Please come see the photos of the day posted in the main lobby.

In addition, we raised well over $2200 in just one day!

I am especially thankful to Mrs. Whittaker (Special Educator) and Sarah Scherbak (6th grader) for coming up with the ideas. Also thanks to the PTO and one parent in particular for providing stickers, nail files, and planners.

It was a great community effort to raise awareness of challenging illness and show support for our community members affected by Breast Cancer.

Thank you to all involved.



- Larry Fliegelman

Lost and Found

Dear Parents,

The lost and found shelves are filling up fast. Please come in and look for child's belongings. We will donate the unclaimed items after a reminder in the Spofford Times.

Thank you.






- Larry Fliegelman

Project Adventure

I know that Project Adventure was a few weeks ago, but I also know that it was an experience the students will never forget. When you have a chance, please come to the school to see the many photos posted on the bulletin boards near the sixth grade classrooms. This small sample photo hardly does justice to the experience as you can't really see the the expressions on the children's faces. The determination and motivation to participate in these fantastic challenge-by-choice climbing activities is visible on their faces. Others have the look of sheer joy and accomplishment. Project Adventure is a fantastic component of the sixth grade experience.





Special thanks to the many parents who helped organize and chaperone the two days at Project Adventure. Also thanks to the parent photographers and Bob Sparkes for photographing and creating the hallway displays.

Thanks,

Larry

Spofford Pond Pink & Denim Fundraiser

Download now or preview on posterous

Pink & Denim Flyer.pdf (99 KB)

Dear Spofford Community,
UPDATE

There has been a few questions about pink shirts and boys. First I'd like to advocate for how wonderful a color pink is. I have two pink dress shirts. Second, the PTO will provide pink ribbon stickers that can take the place of pink shirts.

I also want to mention that this fund raiser and event is being presented in a way designed not to alarm the children. We are not teaching details or statistics about the disease. The event will include only general references to Breast Cancer as a disease that affects mostly women; including some in our extended community. I will mention the teacher currently on leave and that others in the community have faced this as well. Finally, I will mention that by engaging in this fund raiser, we are showing support to anyone in our community who is now, or has, any experience with Breast Cancer. 



Please see the attached the flyer about Spofford Pond's first Pink and Denim Fund Raiser to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
--
Larry Fliegelman

Code of Conduct Quick Survey of Families

The survey is now closed. Thank you to all who completed it.

As the Behavior Team completes its work, I will share the results.

If you still have feedback that you would like to share, please email me directly:
lfliegelman@boxfordschools.org

Thanks.

September Blue Slips

80 Blue Slips to 68 different students!

At Spofford Pond School we know the Four BEs and Do The Right Thing.

To read more about the Four BEs and the Code of Conduct, please look here or here.

I an proud that so many Blue Slips were handed out during the first few weeks of school. Keep up the good work.




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Read Naturally

Back in January 2009, we published in The Spofford Times a mention of Read Naturally. Here is that text:

The Special Education teachers are excited about the computer program that is now available called Read Naturally. This research-based program is designed to help students improve their reading fluency (reading rate and accuracy). In the very near future, we will be able to access the program from any computer in the school, which will give us more opportunities to utilize this outstanding program.

Today, I was in a special education classroom and watched some students using Read Naturally. They were excited to work with the teacher to test their reading fluency of a passage that the teacher and the software had chosen for their reading level. What I thought was so fantastic about watching Read Naturally used was that the students were absolutely eager.

The photo I included here shows some of the posters explaining the steps to using Read Naturally. These are on the wall just above the classroom computers.

If you have any questions about Read Naturally or other programs that we use, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Thanks.


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An Astronaut comes to Spofford Pond

We had a fantastic assembly with NASA Astronaut, Captain Steve Bowen. Capt Bowen gave a great presentation about his recent mission aboard the space shuttle. The students seemed to enjoy the sites and sounds, especially the realistic launch sound effects.

At the end of his presentation, Captain Bowen presented the school a fantastic photo collage along with a mission patch and small American flag that accompanied the Captain in space.




Special thanks to the PTO for sponsoring this great opportunity at both Spofford Pond and Harry Lee Cole Schools.

Blue Slips Coming Soon

I am getting ready to post the Blue Slips from September. Check out the main lobby in the next few days to see the many examples of children doing the right thing. I will post again to show the slips on display.



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