Welcome to the Rays of Sunshine. Our weekly newsletter will be posted here. It will include the Principal's message, important updates, and fun things happening around our school.
Most Recent Post:
Rays of Sunshine, September 24, 2023
Rays of Sunshine
September 24, 2023
Important Dates School/District Calendar Link
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September 28th- 2nd Grade Curriculum Night/Open House
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September 29th- Picture Day
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September 30th - Hanover Police Department (HPD) Touch A Truck
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October 4th- 3rd Grade Open House
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October 6th- School Closed for students (Staff In-Service Day)
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October 9th- School Closed
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October 16th - Kindergarten Open House
Walk to School Day
On Wednesday, October 4th, the Ray School will once again be participating in Walk to School Day! Students that ride the bus will have the option of getting off their bus at the Garipay Parking Lot and walking the rest of the way to their respective schools.
We will plan to have adults helping at some of the busier crosswalk areas surrounding our school, but we also ask families to review pedestrian safety ideas at home. If you need a reference for a great video to help facilitate discussions, please click here to watch a short video that every student will be watching in PE before the big day!
Volunteers
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
Please take a minute to fill out the attached volunteer form for the 2023-24 school year. We have a comprehensive selection of volunteer opportunities this year, many of which can be completed on a flexible schedule. Filling out this form does not commit you to any specific task/event, rather it will allow us to tailor any upcoming event updates/emails to your interests. If you have any questions or suggestions for volunteer activities, please reach out to Teal Parker at tealparker@
Nurse Subs
The district is looking for substitute nurses (RN, LPN or LNA). Please apply here if you are interested!
MealTime Balance Notices
Mealtime auto generates low balance warnings, negative balance notifications and more. However, sometimes these notices go directly to junk/spam folders. Please check your folders. You may see notifications from MealTime or Teresa Taylor.
Playground Reminder
Students who are staying to play on school grounds after school must be supervised by an adult.
Arrival Reminder: Stay in your car!
Lately we’ve had some adults exiting the car to help their student(s) out. If you need to exit the car, please park. Otherwise, wait and pull forward to an arrival loop staff member who will open the car door and help your student exit if they need assistance. Students must exit on the curb side (right hand side) of the car for safety. If your family has other drop-off adults that do not receive the Rays of Sunshine, please pass this information along to them.
Nature’s Classroom
Our fifth graders participated in Nature’s Classroom last week, Wednesday through Friday. While down at Storrs, students worked together in small groups to complete community team building challenges and learn about the natural world. Experiential sessions included topics like stream health and bioindicators, matter, basic needs, wilderness survival, ecosystems, and more. Fifth graders ended the week with a whole group predator versus prey food web simulation.
News from the Art Room
Hello! You may hear “MONA” from your students. It’s our way of getting ready to learn art! All students K-5 have been learning about the amazing Quilters of Gee’s Bend, Alabama. This unit was inspired by the book Stitchin’ and Pullin’ A Gee’s Bend Quilt which was included on the new IM math curriculum picture book list. We have created a collaborative art piece that hangs on the walls of the Specials Hallway. It truly demonstrates that we are all connected! And we did a little bit of math as well. Currently, we are making paper quilts inspired designs of the quilts of Gee’s Bend. We are adhering to the concept of “no waste” and using all our paper on our quilt pattern.
Ray School artwork will continue to be featured in two community art shows. In December, a schoolwide show will be on display at the Mascoma Bank in Hanover. It is a main fixture of Hanover’s Celebration of the Season and will be up for the entire month of December. During January and February, artwork will be on display at the Howe Library. So, in case you’re wondering where your student’s artwork is – it’s being held for these upcoming shows. Thanks for your understanding and support!
Robin Henry - Art Teacher
Touch a Truck
Come join the Hanover Police Department on Saturday, September 30th, from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Ray School! HPD is hosting its annual Childhood Cancer Awareness Touch-a-Truck event, rain or shine. This year’s event promises all sorts of interesting vehicles, fun people, good music and the option to learn about how you can participate, donate or volunteer to make a difference in our community. Check out the HPD Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/
Lunch/Milk
The lunch menu can be found by using this link, then clicking “View the Menus” on the right. Please be sure to speak with your student about their lunch plans before school each day. Students sign up for lunch daily in the classroom each morning. If you would like to set up an online payment account, you can do so at MyMealTime. You can find your student(s) ID# in the top right hand corner of their page in your parent portal.
Important: Double Meals
Some students are electing to purchase “double meals," therefore spending money from their Mealtime account more quickly. Please check your student's account balance and speak with your student as needed to be sure your family has a lunch spending plan that works for you all.
Ray PTO Membership
Please join us! The PTO enhances our school by managing the lost and found, transporting food to the Haven, showering our staff with appreciation events, and much more. Our work is supported by membership dues. Annual membership dues are $30 per family.
Ray School Directory
The Directory is a printed booklet with contact information of families who opt to be included, regardless of PTO membership status. PTO member families receive one copy of the Directory. You must input your information to be included.
Use this link to include your contact details and/or become a PTO member. Copy will be exported exactly as entered, so please double check your entry. Deadline for entry is September 30
PTO/Hanover Conservancy Family Hike
10/1, 10 - 11 am
Join us for a bi-lingual (English/Spanish) natural scavenger hunt, geared for families of pre-school and elementary school-aged children. We’ll enjoy exploring “al aire libre en la naturaleza” on an easy hike for legs of all lengths. We may even get the chance to see some gnome and fairy houses along the way! Register Here! (This will help us have materials ready for you)
Meet: Mink Brook Nature Preserve.
Date: Sun., Oct. 1, 10-11am
See you there!
Silvia Holman, PTO Sustainability chair & Spanish teacher
PTO/Howe Library Costume Swap
10/1, 2 - 4 pm
Halloween is not too far away! The PTO is bringing back the Costume Swap. The event will take place on Sunday October 1, from 2 to 4 pm at the Howe Library. It will be in the Children's Programming Room. Please bring used and/or new costumes to Gwyn at the front desk by Friday Noon September 29th or simply bring them to the event at 2 pm. The PTO welcomes any nonperishable food donations for the Haven. Thank you for your support!
PTO Meeting
9/15
Minutes from our Friday meeting can be found by using this link.
Ray School Handbook
Please be sure to read our handbook if you have not done so already. You can access the Family Handbook by using this link.
Lost & Found
We already have some unclaimed and unlabeled items in the Lost and Found. Please be sure to label your student’s items so we can return them!
Archived Posts:
Important Links
- Ray Cafe
- Ray Calendar
- Community Interest
- District Transportation
- District Calendar
- Hanover Board Meetings On Demand
- BOARDDOCS: Remember to select “Hanover School Board” in upper right hand corner after you click “Public Access”
