Principal’s Corner Can you believe there are only 7 more weeks to this school year? I am sure you are looking forward to this challenging year ending and spending your time outdoors (...away from the comput-er)!! Please know we ap-preciate your flexibility and adherence to safety proto-cols all year long. We are also beginning to look ahead to the new school year, so there is LOTS going on each day.

We ask ALL students that attend school IN PERSON to return the district borrowed Chromebook and charger on or before Friday, MAY 21, 2021. If your child’s teach-er no longer requires Chromebook use at home, you may return it at any time before the 21st. Know your child will have access to it in school if/when need-ed. REMOTE ACADEMY stu-dents and families, you should return your borrowed Chromebook and changer to the Columbus on June 22nd, 23rd, OR 24th between the hours of 9:00am and 3:00pm. We ask that ALL Chromebooks are labeled with your child’s name, classroom teach-er, and grade, so that w e can accurately record its return. THANK YOU.

All 5th grade families should now know the Middle School your child will attend in the fall. Any questions should be directed to Dr. Berna-dette Ricciardelli at bric-ciardelli@medford.k12.ma.us.

For families with students presently in grades Kinder-garten through four, as we did last year, your child’s new class assignment will be posted to the website and emailed home in Au-gust. You will need your child’s PIN number. But have no fear, each child’s PIN number will be mailed home to the address we have on record the first week in June. PLEASE DO NOT LOSE THIS LETTER. You will need it in August when we post teacher as-

signments. Therefore, if your home address or email has changed, be sure to let the office know.

I would like you to know that the elementary princi-pals, along with the Assis-tant Superintendent, are working to plan end of year school special events for our schools. Once decided, I will then coordinate with the Columbus PTO. Please read my weekly communi-cation to be sure you are up to date with plans. Please also keep in mind that this year is like none other and while we are try-ing to replicate some sem-blance of past events, they need to be CDC safe; there-fore they may not be exact-ly the same.

Along that line, Dr. Marice Edouard-Vincent, Superin-tendent of Medford Public Schools, has suspended access temporarily to Google Hangouts while she investigates other options that ensure a safe solution for all of our students. I will be sure to share infor-mation with you when a safe solution has been found.

Please be sure to check the calendar inside for our MCAS testing dates. Infor-mation regarding how our remote students will take these assessments will fol-low shortly. All students should attend school on these dates unless they are ill.

Wishing you a marvelous May!

~ Kathleen Kay

Assistant Principal’s Corner It is so excit-

ing to see our stu-dent‘s fac-es, remote-ly and now for those attending in-person, 5 days a week. Yes,

it has been a long road, but please remember the importance of daily school attendance for your child/ren, whether he/she/they attend in-person or remotely.

In accordance with the Massachusetts General Laws, daily attendance is required of every child between the ages of six (6) and sixteen (16). Re-search indicates that one of the major reasons for low achievement in school is poor attendance and/or excessive tardi-ness. Letters are sent home each term to stu-dents’ families where at-tendance is a concern. When a student is exces-sively late for school, they miss important aspects of the day, not only aca-demics, but social and emotional developments as well.

If you call to inform the school that your child is sick, this is not an ex-cused absence. This is to try to avoid an automated phone call stating that your child is not in at-tendance. An excused absence requires a physi-cian’s note or other docu-mentation.

The Medford Public Schools has developed a school attendance proto-col that can answer many of questions around school attendance. This protocol can be found in your Columbus Student handbook. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions.

Have a wonderful month of May.

~ Nancy Sherman-

Hudson

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IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS

* TELEPHONE : 781.393.2177

* FAX : 781.393.2187

* NURSE : 781.393.2175

* ABSENCE LINE: 781-393-2177 ext. 1

May 4 Teacher Appreciation Day

May 5 Cinco de Mayo! Early Dismissal, 1:30pm

May 6 PTO Meeting, 6:30pm. Last meeting this year. LINK: https://bostonu.zoom.us/j/92754316470? pwd=d0U0T3VtT0tvZmZ4VnI4QTcxYWxCdz09 May 11 ELA MCAS – Grade 5 May 12 Nurses’ Day Early Dismissal, 1:30pm May 13 ELA MCAS – Grade 4 May 14 ELA MCAS – Grade 3 May 17 ELA MCAS Make-Ups May 19 O’Connor Studios Photo Day- Outdoors in FRONT OF SCHOOL. In Person/ReTake– 11:00am-12:00pm Remote Academy families—12:00am-2:00pm

Early Dismissal, 1:30pm May 20 MATH MCAS – Grade 5

May 25 MATH MCAS – Grade 4 May 26 Early Dismissal, 1:30pm May 27 MATH MCAS – Grade 3 May 28 MATH MCAS Make-Ups May 31 NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day

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Science, Technology & Engineering Assessment - Grade 5

Testing Date: June 3th

Make Up Date: June 4th

A Common Thirst,

Written by Gary

Boelhower and illus-

trated by Sarah

Brokke.

Ages 3-8

A Common Thirst is

a softly illustrated

picture book that

encourages readers

to see that no mat-

ter how different we are from each other, working

together towards the common good helps us all.

The goats, who live in the mountains, are provided

with all the water they need by the snow that

melts into streams. The sheep, who live on the

planes, enjoy water from creeks fed by the falling

rain. The goats and sheep live separately until one

year there is no snow or rain, and they meet while

looking for water. While the king of the goats and

the queen of the sheep immediately mistrust each

other, the kids and the lambs wander off to ex-

plore together and discover water! Both the goats

and the sheep want to claim the water for them-

selves until the youngest kid demands that they all

share because “We all have stories and dreams and

thirst.” It is then that the goats and sheep learn

that sharing the water will quench their common

thirst.

By using language that is accessible to younger

children and strong descriptive words to convey

feelings, the author delivers a clear message for

his readers, both young and old, to take away. In

addition to expressive writing, A Common

Thirst provides vivid illustrations to help highlight

the story. The use of soft colors and a sketch-like

feel to the captivating illustrations lend lushness

to this classic storyline.

~ Reviewed at https://

www.thechildrensbookreview.com/2021/04/a-most

-common-thirst-dedicated-review

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BOOK REVIEWS

Milo Imagines the World , written by Matt de la Peña and

illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Ages 4-8 years

The team behind the Newbery Medal winner and Caldecott

Honor book Last Stop on Market Street and the award-

winning New York Times bestseller Carmela Full of Wish-

es once again delivers a poignant and timely picture book

that’s sure to become an instant classic.

Milo is on a long subway ride with his older sister. To pass

the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. There’s the whiskered man

with the crossword puzzle; Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets.

There’s the wedding-dressed woman with a little dog peeking out of her handbag; Milo imagines her in a

grand cathedral ceremony. And then there’s the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo

imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit

gets off on the same stop as Milo–walking the same path, going to the exact same place–Milo realizes

that you can’t really know anyone just by looking at them.

~ Reviewed at https://www.amazon.com/Milo-Imagines-World-Matt-Pe%C3%B1a/dp/0399549080

When you’re a parent, self-care often slips to the bottom of the list. But taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury. It’s essential. And during this difficult time, when children are home and stress is running high, it’s more important than ever. Here are five tips from our clinicians that can help.

Make time for yourself The pandemic has been long, and even though the end is in sight, we’re all struggling to maintain our mental health. Even now, much of the personal time that was part of daily routines pre-pandemic — com-mutes, time alone at home or at the store, social time with friends, sitting in a restaurant — is not availa-ble for folks with kids at home. Without it, we have to be intentional about creating space to recharge and decompress. This could look like taking a shower or bath, walking around the block alone (or with your dog), or designating time to read or simply zone out after the kids have gone to bed.

Prioritize healthy choices The colder weather and ongoing stress can make it easy to slip into habits that feel good in the moment but can be detrimental in the long term. “Make sure you’re eating properly, try to get enough sleep (but not too much!), and create a routine that includes physical activity,” recommends Jill Emanuele, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. This doesn’t mean pressuring yourself to get into tip-top shape, or not eating ice cream or binging your favorite shows. It does mean being thoughtful and intentional about how you’re treating yourself and your body. Small changes like making time to take a walk, do a short exercise routine, or choosing to go to bed a little earlier than usual can reduce stress and help you feel more relaxed and resilient.

Be realistic “Perfectionism and the coronavirus don’t mix,” says David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. “It’s time to be exceedingly re-alistic, both at work and as a parent.” Avoid burn-out by setting realistic expectations and giving your-self grace if you can’t meet them. “Practice for-giveness and self-compassion,” says Dr. Anderson. Parents should remind themselves that these are un-precedented times. “There’s no playbook for this.

Remember you’re doing your best during a very diffi-cult time. Cut yourself some slack.”

Set boundaries It’s been long (long, long, long) year and anxiety is, understandably, rampant. With so much worry and uncertainty floating around it can be easy to absorb other people’s fears and concerns without even real-izing it. If you have a friend or family member who’s in the habit of sending worst-case-scenario news or is prone to sending anxiety-provoking text messages, practice a little emotional distancing. Let them know you sympathize but that you’re taking a break from worrying news, or simply hit the Do Not Disturb but-ton. You can always reconnect when things are calm-er.

Reconnect with things you enjoy Self-care can be as simple as taking a shower, but it doesn’t have to be. Finding time to get back in touch with hobbies or activities you enjoy or making the choice to learn a new skill can be a great way to prac-tice self-care. Maybe there’s a knitting project you’ve always wanted to try, or you’ve been meaning to learn how to needlepoint. If young children at home make solo activities unrealistic, seek out activities you can enjoy together, like baking bread, or making art.

Finally, remember, being kind to yourself will not only help you stay calm during this difficult time, it will help ensure that you have the bandwidth you need to take good care of your family. When you’re run-ning on fumes, caring for others can tax your already depleted resources to breaking point. But when you prioritize your needs, you’re filling the tank, emotion-ally and physically, and that means you’ll be in a posi-tion to offer comfort and care to others when they need it most.

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Self-Care in the Time of Coronavirus by Rae Jacobson https://childmind.org/article/self-care-in-the-time-of-coronavirus/