“Turtle Talk” for the Week of September 28th

Posted Date: 9/28/25 (9:00 AM)

JCS "Turtle Talk"

Week of September 28th

Hello JCS families,

This week marks the beginning of October and our school continues to expand the ways that we communicate important information to families and celebrate the wonderful learning activities that take place at JCS! Please take a moment to visit our school’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/jcsolmonese and click “Like” to follow us and stay up to date on what’s happening at JCS. Also, please check out our new Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/jcsolmonese/. We will continue to post and distribute information using ParentSquare which provides a more private method for families to communicate with the school.

Attendance Matters

One of our school’s most important goals this year is to improve daily attendance for all students. Regular and punctual attendance is essential to the overall academic, personal and social development of students. Our school is looking to partner with families to help all students be successful at school, beginning with consistent, on-time daily attendance.

A preliminary study of data in California showed that students who had good attendance in Kindergarten and 1st grade were significantly more likely to read proficiently in 3rd grade than students whose attendance was at risk (missed more than 9 days per school year) or were chronically absent (missed 18 or more days per school year).

“Tasty Tidbits” Initiative

As part of one of our district’s wellness committee initiatives, all three elementary schools are kicking off including a “Tasty Tidbits” segment of our daily announcements. Each Monday and Friday we will be sharing information about healthy foods with all students. The goal is to get students excited to explore and try new foods, specifically fruits and vegetables. Ask your JCS sea turtle about what “Tasty Tidbit” they learned about each Monday and Friday!

Thursday Ice Cream Schedule

We know that the Thursday ice cream service during lunches is popular for many of our students. Here is the schedule for October:

There WILL be ice cream service on 10/2, 10/16, and 10/30

There will NOT be ice cream service on 9/25, 10/9, and 10/23

Invitation to Join the Norton Public Schools Combined Elementary School Council

Are you interested in getting involved with your child’s education in another way besides the SPO or fundraising? Would you like to be more engaged in the academic aspects and decision-making that shape your child’s school experience at the elementary level? If so, we encourage you to consider joining the Norton Public Schools Combined Elementary School Council (also called a School Improvement Council).

What is a School Council?

According to Massachusetts law, every public school is required to have a School Council made up of parents, teachers, the principal, and community members. The law outlines four major areas of responsibility:

Adopting educational goals for the school that align with district policies and state performance standards.
Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school.
Reviewing the annual school building budget.
Formulating and monitoring the School Improvement Plan.

What does the Council do?

The Elementary School Council will focus on school improvement rather than fundraising. Together, we will:

Develop the Combined Elementary School Improvement Plan aligned with the new District Improvement Plan.
Review student learning data, including MCAS results, and discuss strategies to support growth.
Explore ways to strengthen teaching and learning across the three elementary schools (J.C. Solomonese, L.G. Nourse, and H.A. Yelle).
Discuss curriculum ideas, parent involvement opportunities, and ways to improve school climate and student success.

Meeting Details

First Meeting: Tuesday, October 21, at 6:00 PM (held virtually)

Ongoing Schedule: Every other month, with additional meetings as needed

Who Can Join: Parents, teachers, and at least one community member — all voices are welcome!

Whether you’re ready to commit as a representative or would simply like to attend and learn more, we’d love to have you. To express interest or join the first meeting, please email Mr. Barrette at pbarrette@norton.k12.ma.us.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to play a direct role in shaping the future of our Norton three elementary schools.

SPO Meeting on Thursday, 10/2

The Solmonese Parent Organization (SPO) is holding a monthly meeting on Thursday, 10/2 at 6PM at J.C. Solmonese School in the 2nd floor Library/Media Center. All parents, guardians, caregivers, teachers, and staff are welcome to attend! Our friends at Champions will be offering childcare for any parents that would like to attend and also need to bring their child.

We encourage parents/guardians to attend SPO meetings in-person, but we also understand that's not an option for everyone. We will also be streaming the meeting live on Google Meet via the link below.

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cjr-dnqp-njp

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 413-276-7282‬ PIN: ‪227 620 617‬#

Upcoming Dates and Events

View and subscribe to the JCS Public Events Calendar at https://bit.ly/jcspubliceventscalendar. Click on the "Add to Google Calendar" button in the lower right corner to subscribe to the calendar using your own calendar app. Events from the JCS Public Events Calendar also appear on the JCS website.

JCS SPO Meeting, Thursday October 2nd at 6pm

NO SCHOOL (Columbus Day), Monday October 13th

First Combined Elementary School Council Meeting, Tuesday October 21st at 6pm

Early Release, Teacher Conferences, Thursday October 23rd

JCS Website