Editor November 28th, 2007
The holiday season is approaching, and once again, beginning on November 29th, Bell School will be hosting the Mitten Tree in the Lower and Upper Bell lobbies.
The idea of the Mitten Tree is to teach children — and remind ourselves — how wonderful it feels to reach out and give generously to our neighbors in need.
This year we will have one large Mitten Tree in the Upper Bell lobby and a smaller one in the Lower Bell lobby.
The mittens on the tree are all labeled with the name and age of a child whose family receives support from the Marblehead or Salem food pantry. The Someone Else’s Child Foundation is coordinating this outreach effort in our community.
Here’s how the Mitten Tree works: Visit the Mitten Tree in one of the Bell School lobbies. Choose a mitten/star pair.
- Visit a Mitten Tree at Upper or Lower Bell and choose a mitten/star pair.
- Write your own name on the star attached to a tree branch.
- Take the mitten that has the child’s age and gender on it.
- Purchase an appropriate winter item and an optional “fun” gift. Please do not spend more than $25.00.
- Wrap the gift and return it to the school office with the mitten attached.
All Mitten Tree gifts must be at Bell by the morning of Friday, December 14th.
Thank you for considering a gift to kids in need this holiday season!
Editor November 6th, 2007
Bell School’s annual Holiday Book Fair with Banbury Cross Children’s Book Shop will be held in the Bell School Library on Tuesday, November 13th from 8:30am - 4:00pm and Wednesday, November 14th from 8:30am - 3:30pm.
Paperback book prices range from $4.99 to $9.99. Hardcover books will be available from $15.99 and up. Cash and checks will be accepted. Please make checks out to Banbury Cross with a DO NOT EXCEED amount written in the memo section of the check. No credit cards will be accepted. Please factor in a 5% sales tax. All proceeds from the fair go toward developing and updating our library collection.
Remember: Books make great holiday gifts!
Below is a list of times each class will visit the fair. Parents are most welcome to accompany their children or stop by at any other time.
Tuesday, 11/13
8:40 - Mrs. Preman
9:30 - Mrs. Duffy
10:30 - Mrs. Neilson
11:10 - Mrs Wahtera
12:15 - Mrs. Bosken
12:50 - Ms. Fairbanks
1:40 - Ms. Turcotte
Wednesday, 11/14
8:30 - Mrs. Cronin
9:00 - Ms. Chartier/Ms. Beckman
10:30 - Mr. Bowen
11:30 - Mrs. McMahon
12:00 - Ms. Erikson
12:50 - Mrs. Bert
1:25 - Mrs. Tully
2:00 - Mrs. Geaney
Editor October 25th, 2007
Bell School is participating in the Register Tapes for Education Program. Please help us earn free educational equipment by collecting register tapes from Crosby’s Market. All receipts dated September 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008 will be accepted.
Donation boxes have been placed at Upper and Lower Bell.
Thank you for participating!
Editor October 23rd, 2007
Starting with our November Community Meeting, children and staff will be asked to wear their blue Bell School Community Meeting t-shirts.
Bell School has decided that the t-shirts will be purchased by the school (with the help of the PTO), and will remain at Bell for use by students and staff. This will allow us to use the shirts for years to come, which is good for the environment!
Thanks to those Bell School families that returned their t-shirts at the end of last year. If you have a shirt at home, you can still “recycle” it by sending it in to your child’s classroom teacher. Each class will keep its own set of t-shirts to be worn at Community Meeting, on field trips, etc. The PTO has generously offered to cover the cost of purchasing t-shirts for the remainder of our students. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the PTO presidents.
Editor October 17th, 2007
For our October Community Meeting, we are inviting children and staff to wear the color pink or red on Wednesday to acknowledge October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Since its beginning more than 20 years ago, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues, especially the importance of early detection. Many strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, but even more still needs to be accomplished.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month focuses on encouraging women to take charge of their own breast health by practicing regular self-breast exams, making sure to schedule an annual mammogram, adhering to prescribed treatment, and knowing the facts about recurrence.
(Breast Cancer Awareness Month information from NBCAM web site: www.nbcam.com/about_nbcam.cfm)
Editor October 16th, 2007
This Friday, October 19, Bell School students will enjoy a special program called Meet the Musicians, with Dennis Kobray. The program will acquaint students with the ragtime music of Scott Joplin.
The music of America in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, “ragtime” got its name because the synthesis of European and American melodies and harmonies with rhythmic devices of West African music sounded “raggedy.”
In full period costume and utilizing a first-person storytelling style, Mr. Kobray will capture students’ imaginations through the magic of living history. Portraying a student and friend of Scott Joplin, Kobray will bring the “King of Ragtime” to life in all his syncopated splendor.
Bell’s Cultural Enrichment Committee is excited to bring this program to your children.
Meet the Musicians was fully funded by the Bell School PTO.
Editor October 15th, 2007
Time to clean out your closets! Please set aside any clean, gently worn winter coats, hats, mittens & gloves, scarves, and snow pants. Place them in the marked boxes at both Upper and Lower Bell lobbies anytime between October 24 and November 8.
All winter woolies collected by the Bell School community will be distributed through St. Joseph’s Food Pantry in Salem, and will find good homes with hundreds of children and adults in need.
Thank you for your participation!
Editor October 11th, 2007
Let’s create a more beautiful Bell School together!
If every student brings one spring flower bulb to school by October 17th, Ms. Fairbanks’ class, along with the Gardens and Grounds Committee (and any other classes that would like to join in), will plant them. Then we can look forward to Bell School coming alive this spring with more than 300 beautiful, blooming flowers!
Kindergarteners: Please bring hyacinths
First Graders: Please bring daffodils
Second Graders: Please bring crocuses
Third Graders: Please bring tulips
Parents are encouraged to help plant! Please call for details: 781.639.3170.
Editor September 17th, 2007
Dear Bell School Families,
You are cordially invited to the first Community Meeting of the 2007-2008 school year! It will be held outside at the Upper Bell playground on Wednesday, September 26th, beginning at approximately 8:30 a.m. and ending at about 9:00 a.m.
Families will also be invited to the last Community Meeting of the year in June.
We are asking students NOT to wear their t-shirts to the September 26th meeting. Many of our new students do not have t-shirts yet, and we are still trying to figure out how best to use and redistribute the shirts.
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!
The holiday season is approaching, and once again, beginning on November 29th, Bell School will be hosting the Mitten Tree in the Lower and Upper Bell lobbies.
