Friday, November 20, 2015

11/20/15

Dear McKelvie Families ~

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I know there is so much to do.  The good news is that there is not a lot to report this week.  I guess we can be collectively thankful for less information going out during this busy time. :)

Polite & Right Raffle Winners
Grade 5 = Maya Rao & Natalie Coulter
Grade 6 = Jared Hummel & Joey Piacentini
Congratulations!

Grade 6 Music Festival
A BIG thank you to Mrs. Coughlin and Mrs. Wickham for taking our 6th grade band students to UNH for the Music Festival.  Click here to see our happy group of band members,

Holiday Gift Idea
Help your student (or faculty!) show their school pride while supporting their school!  BedfordWear offers McKelvie spirit wear from embroidered hoodies and fleece to printed tees and sweats!  There are also rhinestones! (and who doesn’t love a little bling?!). And a portion of EVERY purchase of McKelvie spirit wear is donated right back to McKelvie!  Order by 12/14 to make the holiday break! Click here.

Winter Weather
With the colder weather here, I want to remind families that students are to come to school prepared to go outside.  Our general rule is 20 degrees (including windchill).  Keep in mind this is a guideline and not a hard and fast rule.  

Bill Moeckel Food Drive
We received a thank you letter this week for the first two giant bins of food we donated.  The weight was over 1,000 pounds and will provide over 800 meals.  The second two bins are going out early next week.  I will let you know when we hear. A HUGE thank you to everyone for participating!

In Previous News..

Lost & Found
Our Lost and Found is beginning to look like a clearance rack.  If your child has lost articles of clothing (especially sweatshirts) please stop by and check it out. We also have a wide variety of water bottles - all waiting for a home. All items will be donated to a social service agency over Winter Break.

Homework Club 
If your child participates in Homework Club, please pick up promptly at 4:15pm.  A good safety net is to be registered for the After School Program at our school.  Students being picked up late may be required to register in order to continue participation.

Box Tops for Education
Ever wonder what, if any, value comes from all that clipping?  A BIG thank you to Stephanie Richard for organizing our Box Tops program.  Stephanie's recent submission earned our school $410.20!  AMAZING!  Questions can be sent to Stephanie at spare111778@aol.com.

Have a great weekend,

Michael Fournier
Principal
McKelvie Intermediate School
108 Liberty Hill Road
Bedford, NH 03110
603.472.3951 (W)
603.472.4503 (F)
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Friday, November 13, 2015

11/13/15

Dear McKelvie Families ~

Despite having Wednesday off in observance of Veteran's Day, we still had a very full week here at McKelvie.  Between parent/teacher conferences and jumping into the 2nd quarter, the holidays are well on their way.  As you likely know, these next few weeks go by FAST!  Savor the moments because your kids are terrific.

Move-A-Thon Makes a Difference!
Thanks to all of you, we are already using 60 new Chromebooks as a result of our fundraising efforts.  Click here to see 60 smiling faces and our brand new Chromebooks!  Thanks also to our top fundraising classes, Mr. Boppel's in 6th and Mrs. Ashby's in 5th.

Polite & Right Raffle Winners
Congratulations!

Lost & Found
Our Lost and Found is beginning to look like a clearance rack.  If your child has lost articles of clothing (especially sweatshirts) please stop by and check it out. We also have a wide variety of water bottles - all waiting for a home. All items will be donated to a social service agency over Winter Break.

Move-A-Thon Assembly
We were able to capture pictures of most of the winners last Friday.  If your child won a prize and you would like a copy of their photo, please click here.  Please be cautious of social media due to other students in the background.

Bill Moeckel Food Drive
A BIG thank you to the McKelvie community for participating in our food drive.  Today marked the last day of collections.  We will let you know the grand total next week.  Also, thank you to both Jennifer and Kate for their support. Click here for a pic of Kate's class.

Girls on The Run Contribute BIG
A HUGE thank you to the Girls on the Run for filling 3 big bags of garbage on the McKelvie campus!  This service project was a huge help to our school and community.  Click here to see those smiling faces.

Mathematical Olympiads
Two McKelvie moms are working with the school on a volunteer basis to start a Mathematical Olympiads Club.  This club is in the infancy stages and will be run as a pilot this year.  There will be limited openings.  However, if there are other parents who would like to advise/coach, that may open up room for additional students.  Click here for an information sheet.  To register click here.

Yearbook - NOTICE
Please be aware that the Yearbook Club will be using photos of all students for our 2015/2016 yearbook.  If you do not want your child's photo in the yearbook, please email one of our advisors, Susan MacMillan (macmillans@sau25.net) or Deb Kelly (kellyd@sau25.net). Otherwise, every child gets in the yearbook.

Homework Club - NOTICE
If your child participates in Homework Club, please pick up promptly at 4:15pm.  A good safety net is to be registered for the After School Program at our school.  Students being picked up late may be required to register in order to continue participation.

Box Tops for Education
Ever wonder what, if any, value comes from all that clipping?  A BIG thank you to Stephanie Richard for organizing our Box Tops program.  Stephanie's recent submission earned our school $410.20!  AMAZING!  Questions can be sent to Stephanie at spare111778@aol.com.

Social Studies In Action
As a culminating activity for the Social Studies unit on Early People, the Burke/Boppel/Thornton  and Crowell/Geddes/Steere pods brought their students outside to experience life as an early person. They became part of a nomadic tribe passing through the Kelvian Forest to encounter the struggles of survival in prehistoric times. Students built shelters, found sources of food and water, encountered danger (Mr. Boppel in full camo gear), and worked together to survive. It was a wonderful experience and one that the teachers and students will remember for many years to come. Click here for some great photos!

Star Wars night with the Manchester Monarchs
Is there a Star Wars fan in your home?  Grab your family & friends and get ready for episode VII, The Force Awakens, by joining the PTG for a fun night out at "Star Wars night with the Manchester Monarchs” on Saturday, December 5th @ 7p.m.  All your favorite characters will be there too! The PTG is offering discounted tickets for adults and children $20/$15 (normally from $17 - $34) AND an opportunity for any student to participate in the  "HIGH-FIVE tunnel”. *Though the PTG will be receiving a small portion of the ticket price we hope this will be a fun community event for our families.  Click here to download and print an order form (please return to your school office by December 1st). 

PTG ANNUAL SKI & SKATE SALE EVENT SATURDAY, NOV. 21st
Get ready for the PTG’s biggest fundraiser and stock up on all your winter sports gear needs for the entire family! Proceeds from this tremendous consignment sale fundraiser provide a variety of wonderful programs supporting Bedford students across all six schools. Please consider supporting this important event in any way that you can by selling your used equipment, purchasing equipment, donating, or volunteering!
Go to www.bedfordptg.org for all the details and add your equipment to the sale using our easy online scanning system!
(Drop off for selling your equipment is Friday, November 20, 2015 between 5:00pm – 8:00pm at BHS.)
Have a great weekend,

Michael Fournier
Principal
McKelvie Intermediate School
108 Liberty Hill Road
Bedford, NH 03110
603.472.3951 (W)
603.472.4503 (F)
"Like" us on Facebook!

Friday, November 6, 2015

11/6/15

Dear McKelvie Families ~

The BIG REVEAL happened today!  During our annual Move-A-Thon Assembly, we showed a video with not only me jumping from a plane, but 8 other McKelvie staff members! Click here to watch yourself (video courtesy of Mrs. Ramsey).

As promised, I am also including my personal video so that you can see the fear on my face prior to taking a dive from 10,000 feet!  Also - we raised over $40,000 to make this jump happen (so much for the $39,999 plan).

Move-A-Thon Prize Winners
Congratulations to all of the students who won prizes this year!  Click here to check out the winners.  Also - a special thank you to Mr. Dave Waldman of Treasured Memory Video for making a student video for our assembly.

NO SCHOOL
In observance of Veteran's Day, there will be NO SCHOOL on Wednesday, November 11th.

The Bill Moeckel Food Drive - ACTION ITEM
Monday - Mac & Cheese
Tuesday - Peanut Butter
Wednesday - NO SCHOOL
Thursday - Personal Care Items
Friday - Juice

Yearbook Cover Contest
The Yearbook Club is holding a cover design contest for the front and back cover of the 2015/16 yearbook!  All submissions will be published in the yearbook; however, one sixth and one fifth grade design will be selected for the front and back covers. Students and faculty will vote for their two favorite designs and each winner will receive a free yearbook and their artwork will appear on the front and back covers.  Click here for the rules.

School Supply Survey
The PTG is looking for feedback on this past fall's school supply offering. Whether you bought your supplies through the PTG or not, please consider taking this quick survey. Click here to participate.  We value your feedback.  Thank you!
 
Bedford PTG Holiday Gift Card Fundraiser
Don't forget to get your Gift Card order form turned in by Monday, November 9th, for Pre-Thanksgiving and Hanukkah delivery and by Friday, December 4th, for Pre-Christmas delivery.  Click here to download an order form.
 
PTG ANNUAL SKI & SKATE SALE EVENT SATURDAY, NOV. 21st
Get ready for the PTG’s biggest fundraiser and stock up on all your winter sports gear needs for the entire family! Proceeds from this tremendous consignment sale fundraiser provide a variety of wonderful programs supporting Bedford students across all six schools. Please consider supporting this important event in any way that you can by selling your used equipment, purchasing equipment, donating, or volunteering! 

Go to www.bedfordptg.org for all the details and add your equipment to the sale using our easy online scanning system!

Drop off for selling your equipment is Friday, November 20, 2015 between 5:00pm – 8:00pm at BHS and the sale runs 9:00am-2:00pm on Saturday the 21st.
 
Stand By Me Volunteers Needed
Stand By Me, it is a program for Ross A. Lurgio 7th grade students and their parents.  It is run by parent volunteers with support from the Lurgio Middle School staff and the Bedford community.   This day long off campus event, set for May 20th, offers a variety of workshops given by community leaders, motivational speakers, educators, authors and more for students and parents to participate in.
Volunteers (especially those without 7th graders) are needed to help plan this hugely successful event.  If you're interested in learning how you can help, please join us at the next Stand By Me committee meeting on Thursday, November 19th, at 9:15 at Lurgio. For more information you can visit www.sau25.net/standbyme or email Lisa Nash at lisa@eight-stars.com  or Sue Jennato at sjennato@comcast.net

Bedford Substance Abuse Summit
In response to the threat posed to our community by the substance abuse epidemic, the Bedford Police Department in conjunction with the Bedford School District will host a community-wide meeting on Tuesday, November 10th from 7P to 10P at the Manchester Christian Church, 56 Old Bedford Road, Bedford (across from Memorial School).  We want to thank Manchester Christian Church for graciously donating the use of their facility for this important endeavor.

The goal is to involve individuals and groups from throughout our community.  The focus is to first de-stigmatize this issue to encourage parent(s), student(s), loved one(s), friends and family to seek assistance for not only those suffering from substance abuse but also for guidance in education and treatment (agenda).  To accomplish this, we plan to have some gallant members of the community discuss their struggle with abuse in their families followed by a panel discussion and, most importantly, community engagement that we hope will lead to an action plan.

Anyone seeking more information about the meeting may contact the Police Department or the Superintendent's Office in person, by telephone or email.  On behalf of the Bedford Police Department and the Bedford School District, we want to thank you all for your assistance and whatever level of participation you are able to offer.

Smarter Balanced Assessment Results
Last spring, schools throughout New Hampshire (and in many other states around the country) administered a new test known as "Smarter Balanced."  The tests, in language arts and math, were taken by students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11.  Smarter Balanced Assessments are computer-based tests that replaced the annual NECAP assessment, although the Science NECAP remains.

Next week, the New Hampshire Department of Education will release the results.  You can expect to see summary results by school district on the news and in the local papers.  Our schools will mail home individual student results by the end of next week. Parents of students in grades 4 through 9 and grade 12 will receive individual score reports and letters from NH Education Commissioner Barry and the principal of your child's current school. Questions can be sent to the current school principal.​

Parent Forum on ​
Cyberbullying & Unwise Social Networking
​As a part of the annual NH Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference, 
Sameer Hinduja, the co-director of the Cyberbulling Research Center, is presenting a FREE Parent Forum titled 
​​
Cyberbullying & Unwise Social Networking: The Role of Parents.

Date:  Monday, November 30, 2015
Time:  6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Salon A, Radisson Hotel, Manchester, NH

Designed for parents and community partners, this presentation provides a broad overview of adolescent technological concerns, including cyberbullying and social networking sites.  Foundational information on the way adolescents use the Internet and cell phones is provided first before examining cyberbullying, sexting, and unwise social networking in detail.  Strategies for identification, prevention, and response are then discussed in a conversational format to allow for input and Q&A from the audience.  Attendees leave equipped with an increased ability to promote safe and responsible participation in cyberspace among the youth they care for and with numerous resources to assist them towards those ends.
​ ​
Parents are asked to RSVP for this FREE event at www.nhcmtc.org by Friday, November 20th.

Jags Adaptive Cheer Program
Click here to support their efforts to attend Nationals.

In Previous News...

Report Cards
A quick reminder that the quarter ended on Friday 10/30.  Report Cards will be sent home this coming Friday, November 6th.  Note: McKelvie is exploring the option of moving to electronic report cards.  More information to come. 

Parent/Teacher Conferences
Conferences run from 11/9 to 11/20.  However, teachers and parents typically find mutually convenient times.  If you have not had the opportunity to schedule a time, feel free to email the teacher directly.  

McKelvie Jazz Band Auditions
Jazz Band Audition Music and audition sign up information will be available to students beginning Monday, November 2nd. Students who are involved in band are welcome to audition. In addition, students who privately study guitar, bass guitar, upright bass and piano are welcome to audition. Please email Mrs. Wickham at wickhamc@sau25.net with any questions. 

Have a great weekend,

Michael Fournier
Principal
McKelvie Intermediate School
108 Liberty Hill Road
Bedford, NH 03110
603.472.3951 (W)
603.472.4503 (F)
"Like" us on Facebook!

Sunday, November 1, 2015

10/30/15

Dear McKelvie Families ~

Thank you for your patience in receiving this week's note a couple of days late.  This week's is absolutely packed with information, so you might want easy access to your calendar and a cup of coffee.

The kids did it!  They exceeded the goal of $40K and the jump became a reality! Joining me in jumping out of a plane were: Mr. ChapmanMrs. CleghornMrs. RamseyMrs. GouldMrs. BeyerMrs. BergeronMiss Robinson, & Mrs. Parnell. The kids will view the video during an Assembly on Friday (they get prizes that day too) and I will add the video to Friday's notes as well.  In the meantime, click here to see my life-altering world view!

NO SCHOOL
On Tuesday, November 3rd, there is NO SCHOOL for students.  The teachers, however, will participate in a Teacher Workshop Day.

Polite & Right Raffle Winners
Grade 5: Seth Berry and Emily Walsworth
Grade 6: Sydney Ellis and Nick Purnell
Congratulations!  Picture next week!

Report Cards
A quick reminder that the quarter ended on Friday 10/30.  Report Cards will be sent home this coming Friday, November 6th.  Note: McKelvie is exploring the option of moving to electronic report cards.  More information to come. 

Parent/Teacher Conferences
Conferences run from 11/9 to 11/20.  However, teachers and parents typically find mutually convenient times.  If you have not had the opportunity to schedule a time, feel free to email the teacher directly.  

Student Council Theme Days - ACTION ITEM
Friday, November 6th = Move-A-Thon t-shirts
Friday, November 13th = Dress like your future career, "What do I want to be when I grow up?"

The Bill Moeckel Food Drive - ACTION ITEM
To honor the life of Bill Moeckel, Kate (daughter) and Jennifer (spouse) Moeckel are partnering with McKelvie and the NH Food Bank to give to others.  Please join our entire McKelvie family with a drive that helps others and honors the memory and life of Bill Moeckel.  Click here for the participation flyer.

McKelvie Jazz Band Auditions
Jazz Band Audition Music and audition sign up information will be available to students beginning Monday, November 2nd. Students who are involved in band are welcome to audition. In addition, students who privately study guitar, bass guitar, upright bass and piano are welcome to audition. Please email Mrs. Wickham at wickhamc@sau25.net with any questions. 

Real World Learning in 5th grade
A BIG thank you to 5th grade student Emma Spector and her dad, Dr. Andrew Spector for teaching a lesson on "Ear Anatomy."  Click here to see Dr. Spector in action.  Click here to see Emma and her dad.  Way to go, Mrs. Kelly for having a featured guest speaker!

Q2 Intramural Offerings - ACTION ITEM
November 9th – January 22nd, 2016
Sign-ups for second quarter intramurals will be held from October 30 at 4 PM - November 8th at 3 PM.  You will be able to sign up on the McKelvie website under the intramural tab.  Space is limited so be sure to sign up.  Any questions, please contact geddesa@sau25.net.

McKelvie Snack Shop
Starting on Wednesday, November 4th, the snack line at McKelvie will open.  I have listed the guidelines below.  Questions can be directed to Cyndi Blinn at blinnc@sau25.net or 472-3961 ext. 2218
* Snack Shop will open each day after the lunches have been served, providing there is enough time.
* Purchases are LIMITED to ONE item only, however they can purchase both an ice cream and a Fruit Roll-Up, as the Fruit Roll-Up is an item they can bring home if they do not have enough time to eat it before heading to class/recess.
* ALL purchase are CASH ONLY!!  Also...NO bills over $5, as we will not be able to make change.

Keeping Safe on the Internet
On Thursday November 5 from 11:00 to 12:30 in the Bedford Public Library there will be apresentation for parents on how to keep your kids safe on the internet.  It will be put on my Nate Lindstad of the Manchester Police Department.

Epi-Pen Recall
Parents - As a courtesy, our school nurses have asked all principals to pass this announcement along to parents. S
anofi US is voluntarily recalling ALL Auvi‑Q® (epinephrine injection, USP)
​  The​
 products have been found to potentially have inaccurate dosage delivery.
​  More details can be found here.​

Make Life Sweeter Candy Drive
Beginning the Monday after Halloween (November 2) until the end of the school day on Friday (November 6) with the help of a BHS student, we will be conducting a week-long post-Halloween candy drive. All of the collections will be donated to the New Horizons Soup Kitchen in Manchester. New Horizons gratefully uses these donations as dessert when they serve the homeless, and they also pass it along as a night-time treat to those homeless guests staying in the shelter. The goal of the drive is to make life a little sweeter for those less fortunate. All donations can be placed in the marked box outside the office which will be collected at the end of the school day on Friday, November 6th.

Move-A-Thon Pictures
A BIG thank you to Jo Smith (Headshots Photography) for taking pictures at our 9th Annual Move-A-Thon.  If you were not able to attend and want to check out some pictures, click here.  The password is move.

School Supply Survey
The PTG is looking for feedback on offering families the option of purchasing school supplies online.  The survey will take approximately 3 - 5 minutes to complete.  Click here to participate.  We value your feedback.  Thank you!

The Southern NH Skating Club 
is starting Session 2 of 3 November 7th for their  Learn To Skate Program! It is for all ages and all levels of skating. These lessons are offered 3 days -Sat, Sun, & Mon each week at 2 locations (JFK Coliseum & St. Anselms College). Join in the fun of this wonderful New England activity and be a part of a Christmas show as well as a March Skate Review! It is fun for the entire family! For information and details:
Visit: www.snhsc.com
Email: snhsc@yahoo.com
Call: 485-6144 

Shorty's Fundraiser 
Join the PTG at Shorty’s in Bedford throughout the day on Thursday, November 5th to celebrate “Half Way to Cinco de Mayo”.  Shorty’s will be offering happy hour prices all day long. Let your server know you support the PTG and drop your receipt at the hostess stand. The PTG will receive a portion of the proceeds on all take out and eat in orders (alcoholic beverages excluded) that get put into the box. ole!
 
State of the District
The PTG is hosting “The State of the District with Superintendent Chip McGee” on Thursday, November 5th from 6:30-8p.m. at BCTV. This informative presentation will be followed by a Q&A from the audience. If you have a question you’d like answered feel free to send an email to Greg Girard at bedfordnhptg@gmail.com, all responses will be anonymous.
 
Bedford PTG Holiday Gift Card Fundraiser
The holidays are just around the corner, are you looking for the perfect gift for a friend, neighbor or teacher?  The PTG Gift Card sale is now underway.  We have lots of retailers including local businesses such as The Purple Finch, Canvas Roadshow, T-Bones, Zin Zen Yoga, Copper Door and Wicked Good Butcha!  How does it work? For every gift card you buy, a percentage of the value of the card is donated by the sponsoring retailer to our schools while 100% of the value of the card that you purchased is available for you to spend!  Click here to download an order form today. ORDERS DUE: Monday, November 9, 2015 for Pre-Thanksgiving/Hanukkah Delivery. ORDERS DUE: Friday, December 4, 2015 for Pre-Christmas Delivery.

 Stand By Me at Lurgio is about to celebrate it's 27th year
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Stand By Me, it is a program for Ross A. Lurgio 7th grade students and their parents.  It is run by parent volunteers with support from the Lurgio Middle School staff and the Bedford community.   This day long off campus event, set for May 20th, offers a variety of workshops given by community leaders, motivational speakers, educators, authors and more for students and parents to participate in.
Volunteers (especially those without 7th graders) are needed to help plan this hugely successful event.  If you're interested in learning how you can help, please join us at the next Stand By Me committee meeting on Thursday, November 19th, at 9:15 at Lurgio. For more information you can visit www.sau25.net/standbyme or email Lisa Nash at lisa@eight-stars.com  or Sue Jennato at sjennato@comcast.net.
  
Save the Date: Annual Bedford Ski and Skate Sale
Sale event-Saturday, November 21 from 9:00am-2:00pm
Equipment Drop off-Friday, November 20 from 5:00pm-8:00pm
Check out www.bedfordptg.org for more details.

Have a great night!

Michael Fournier
Principal
McKelvie Intermediate School
108 Liberty Hill Road
Bedford, NH 03110
603.472.3951 (W)
603.472.4503 (F)
"Like" us on Facebook!