November 17, 2023
Dear NHS Families,
We had a safety drill this morning that was a bit different than a regular fire drill. It was a planned “Meeting Place Drill.” Students have been taught that there could be scenarios where they may need to leave the building faster than a typical fire drill and meet a little further away from the school building than their fire drill line up location. The idea of a meeting place is just that–a place where students know to meet their teacher. They were told they didn’t need to walk in a line or wait for the teacher while getting out of the building as quickly as they could. Teachers stressed the importance of stopping, looking, and listening for directions as they could be told to use a door or go to a spot that is not their typical one. They stressed that they are trained in how to respond to all kinds of emergency situations and it is our job to keep kids safe. In a real life emergency situation, the meeting place serves as a place to organize and prepare to move to another safe location or return to the building. We work collaboratively with the North Hampton Police and Fire Departments on safety planning and drills. Each year, teachers and staff participate in specific training sessions to be prepared for emergency situations.
Gratitude and honor–these are two words we think of often during the month of November. You can view our Veteran’s Day assembly video by clicking the link below.
There is a good deal of research on the value of having a grateful mindset. Here are some excerpts from an article titled, “The Surprising Benefits of Gratitude Everyone Should Know About,” by David DeSteno. I found it on Edweek.org.
“Gratitude is a super virtue. It’s an idea that dates back to Cicero, who said that gratitude is not only a great virtue but the parent of all other virtues. When you feel gratitude, you become more honest. It cuts rates of cheating dramatically. When you feel gratitude, it makes you more generous. You give more resources to other people. It also gives you more patience and perseverance. When you feel gratitude, you put more weight on future gains. So you’re more willing to put in time and effort in the moment, even if it’s difficult.Also, when you feel grateful, your moral compass becomes stronger. When you see other people commit transgressions, you hold them to higher moral standards. Your expectations rise.”
“What’s one thing we can do to help kids feel more grateful on their own? You can model how to savor gratitude. Say a neighbor drops off cookies. Take 30 seconds to focus on how this little act of kindness makes you feel. Share with your kids what a difference it made to stop and fully pay attention to that feeling of gratitude. “Wow, that was just the nicest thing. It makes me feel great knowing how thoughtful our neighbor is and how much they care about us!” Eventually, savoring moments of gratitude throughout the day becomes a habit.”
At NHS, we are grateful to be able to work with our students and their families each day. We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving next week!
Grade 8
As 8th graders begin to think about High School, Winnacunnet High School offers information and resources for parents and students. At a recent evening event, the attached presentation was shown. Look for information from our school counselor, Liz Fiore, about other upcoming events and information.
More Baby News
Congratulations to Middle School Social Studies Teacher Elliot Pope and his wife on the birth of their son, Dylan on Nov. 9th, 2023.
NHS Talent Show
Our annual Talent Show will take place on Nov. 17th at 6 PM in the school cafeteria. There will be singing, dancing, and even a video highlighting some staff talents! Even if your child didn’t sign up to be in the show, families are welcome to attend. Elementary students (K-5) who attend must be accompanied by an adult family member.
Dates to remember:
Nov. 17: Talent Show at 6 PM
Nov. 22-24: Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 30: Last day of trimester 1
Dec. 1: No school–Staff Professional Day
Dec. 6: Choral Concert at 6:30 PM–Grades 5-8
Dec. 7: North Hampton School Board Meeting at 6:30 PM at Town Hall
Dec. 11: Report cards available for parents to view in Powerschool Parent Portal
Dec. 14: Band Concert at 6 PM –Grades 5-8
Cook Center Resources Available to Parents
This year, we have partnered with the Cook Center to offer parenting support for any families that may wish to take advantage of online parent coaching. Please see the flyer below. All services are confidential and the Cook Center will not share any information about which families take advantage of the service.