Week of January 15th, 2024
Important Dates:
January 23rd - FloRo Transition Informational Meeting @ 6:30 pm SU Cafeteria
January 26th - PTO Tiger Twist 6-8 pm
February 19th - 23rd - No School - February Vacation
Highlights
Ti-GRRR Awards
G ~ We believe that one can develop a GROWTH mindset and learn new things.
R ~ A RESPECTFUL school community member is considerate of others.
R ~ A RESPONSIBLE school community member takes care of themselves, others, and their environment.
R ~ A RESILIENT school community member takes on challenges, learns from mistakes, and experiences growth through this process.
Casey Knight (4J) has made amazing Growth in 4th grade this year due to his excitement for learning, his determination to understand something new, and his willingness to apply what he is learning!
Anna Enos (4J) continually demonstrates Resilience during math class. When she is faced with a new, more challenging problem or concept, she works hard, doesn’t give up, and perseveres. Because of this, Anna’s confidence is growing. Keep it up!
Grace Lyons (4F) is always focused, engaged, and on task, especially during lessons and learning. She keeps an organized work space and looks and listens at the speaker giving her full attention. These are the many ways she demonstrates Respect!
Kieran Hughes (4O) demonstrates what it means to be Responsible! While a classmate was out of the room, he made sure their materials (folder, Chromebook, headphones) were cleaned up and put away. He did this on his own and small acts of kindness are the way to be.
Bella Panyanouvong (4F) shows what it means to be Respectful. She is always so flexible with partnerships and groups. As she was walking towards a peer to play a game, another classmate asked if she would be their partner and she happily agreed!
Lylah Walmsley (KO) is one Respectful Ti-GRRR! A classmate forgot their gloves for recess and Lylah let her borrow an extra pair that she had!
Sophie Chum (1A) demonstrates Responsibility in class by coming to school eager to learn new things and giving her best effort every day!
Owen White (1A) showed his Ti-GRRR value of Respect when he helped a teacher and student without being asked. He thought beyond himself to help out a classmate. Well done Owen!
Evangeline Downey (1C) shared her coloring supplies with a classmate who did not have their own one day without hesitation and with such kindness. Ti-GRRR Respect at its best.
Matteo Mariotti (3K) reached out to another student with such kindness. This student felt like he didn't have many friends and Mateo assured him that their whole class was his friends. Showing one another Respect makes an impact that will last a lifetime.
GD Senior Girls Team Captains - Visit Planned to Swallow Union on January 24th, 2024
On January 24th, 20 senior girls' team captains are looking forward to visiting the elementary and middle school classes to talk about their experiences as athletes and the benefits of playing sports. They will also share what playing sports has done for them in life outside of the playing arena, and encourage students and their families to attend the girls' home basketball game on that Friday, January 26th. They will have stickers that the elementary and middle school students can bring/wear to that game and get in for free.
Groton, MA - In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the Groton-Dunstable Athletic Department will host its celebration honoring female athletes from the past, present, and future on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, as the Groton-Dunstable Regional High School girls’ basketball teams host Westborough High School.
Prior to the start of the varsity basketball game, there will be a short presentation for the Girls and Women in Sports Honoree, Rachel McCarron. Rachel is a 2013 graduate of Groton-Dunstable Regional High School. During her years at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School, Rachel played soccer and was a varsity basketball and track & field student-athlete. In basketball, Rachel was a 4-year varsity player, finishing her career as one of only two girls in Groton-Dunstable history to score 1000 career points. She was a three-time league all-star and three-time league MVP (twice unanimously). She continued her basketball playing career at UMass-Lowell and UMass-Dartmouth. In addition to being a senior captain for track & field, Rachel was a state qualifier in the discus and shot put in her junior and senior year, undefeated in the discus and shot put her senior year as well as being a league all-star, and being selected for the team's most valuable athlete award. Rachel is currently an overnight pediatric nurse in Boston, an avid reader, and plays in a women's flag football league.
Also, on Wednesday, Jan. 24, the female senior captains of the high school varsity teams will visit classes at Swallow Union, Florence Roche, and the Middle Schools to promote the Girls and Women in Sports event. The captains will talk with students about the positive impact that participation in athletics has served them, and will distribute commemorative stickers of the event. All students are encouraged to wear Groton-Dunstable apparel to the junior varsity (5:30 pm) and varsity (7 pm) basketball games against Westborough at GDRHS on Friday evening, Jan. 26. Any student wearing one of the commemorative stickers will have free admission to the event.
It is with great pleasure that we recognize Rachel McCarron and all of our female student-athletes on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. It is hoped that this evening of celebration will help to continue to bring a new and expanded audience of young student-athletes to athletic events.
SEPAC Events
G-D Special Education Parent Advisory Council
Groton Dunstable Youth Softball Registration and Open House
Registration for the 2024 Spring Softball season is now open for grades PreK-10.
Registration can be found on our website at http://www.gdysl.com
If you are new to softball or would like to learn more about the game, GDYSL is also hosting an Open House at the Peter Twomey Youth Center on Sunday, Feb 4:
Grades PreK-2: 1:30pm-2:30pm
Grades 3-6: 3pm-4pm
Come join us for softball skills and learn about our league!
Any questions about the Open House or Spring Softball, please contact don@gdysl.com
Message from GDEF ~ Please consider a donation.
The Groton Dunstable Education Foundation (GDEF) is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting innovative and inspiring grants to enhance the quality of our students’ education. In the last academic year, GDEF awarded 12 grants across district schools totaling over $16,000 (information about all funded projects can be found here). If you or any loved ones are looking to make a year-end donation that will have an impact on your children's education, please consider donating to GDEF here. Your donations are directly returned to the hands and minds of students in the form of science, arts, technology, math, literacy, social-emotional learning, and civics programming.
Thank you for your support, The GDEF Board of Directors
The GDEF recently and graciously granted us funding to buy 16 wordless picture books for each of our Kindergarten classrooms. These books are an example of all the ways GDEF supports our students! Thank you for enriching our learning community!
School Start Time
The school day begins right at 8:55 am and both bus and parent drop off areas are completed at this time as well. If you bring your child to school after this time, please park in the parking lot and walk your child into the office to be signed in. Please do not drop your child off at the front door alone and please refrain from parking in the fire lane for safety reasons.
Absences
If your child(ren) will be absent for any reason, parents/guardians are responsible for notifying the school by calling in the absence. All student absences must be reported by 8:55 am by calling (978) 649-7281, choose option #1 and provide your child(rens) name, teacher, and reason for absence. Anyone who calls after this timeframe may receive an automated call regarding your child’s absence from school without notification. This is in place to ensure all students are accounted for either at home or in school.
Wellness Policy
Below please find the District’s Wellness Policy that we follow in order to ensure we are reinforcing healthy habits as well as student allergies. Teachers will be working with their Room Parents, School Administration, School Nurses and our PTO to ensure food that comes into school for school sponsored events (not including PTO sponsored events) such as special classroom events and school-wide gatherings, adhere to this policy. Thank you in advance for helping us with this throughout the school year.
