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Dear LES Families,
A huge shout-out to everyone who participated in the LES Wave Parade! The many smiles, posters, artwork, stuffed bears, music, fire trucks, police cars, school bus, and creativity were priceless. The level of support and appreciation of LES teachers and children was so beautifully expressed. It was truly an honor to participate in and celebrate what makes Leverett such a special community.
A special thank you to Chief Scott Minckler, the Leverett Police and Fire Depts, the Board of Health, Kuzmeskus bus company, and Village Neighbors for their support in organizing and supporting the event. A virtual slide show of the parade is posted on the school website. Thank you Deb and Jay Fritz for so beautifully capturing the event for all to enjoy! Click here to view
I have two special projects that we invite you to participate in:
Children’s Ideas for Self-Care Photo Project
Bethany Politylo, LES School Psychologist, is organizing a collection of photos of what your kids are doing to take care of themselves! See details below including a staff video!
FREE Weekly Food Box Pick Up Program For ALL LES Families
LES Food Service Director, Tom Crocker - “Chef Tom” and I have some wonderful news to share with you! In accordance with state and federal guidelines for distributing FREE and healthy meals to children, during the COVID-19 federally declared public health emergency, Leverett Elementary is positioned to provide FREE breakfasts and lunches to ALL LES families with children under the age of 21. The only requirement is to provide us with the number of children participating in the free meal distribution program. To encourage participation, we will offer a weekly BOX pickup on Thursday mornings between 10:00AM- 12:00PM at the school. To participate in the program you need to RSVP to Kate Rice. See details below.
Food Box Contents*
Breakfast
Milk 1%
Cereal (variety)
Canned and Fresh Fruit
Week 1 Entrees: (Pick up Thu May 14 )
Meatballs, Sauce, Pasta
Cheese Pizza OR Pepperoni Pizza
Chicken Salad and Bread
Stromboli: Ham & Cheese OR Broccoli and Cheese
French Toast Sticks and Sausage
Salad Items: Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, salad dressing
Week 2 Entrees: (Pick Up, Thu May 21)
Meat Taco OR Bean Taco & Chips
Fish Sticks & Oven Fries
Cheese Pizza OR Pepperoni Pizza
Chicken Quesadillas OR Bean Quesadilla & Brown Rice
Turkey, Cheese, Bread & Tomato Soup
Salad Items: Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, salad dressing
*Menu items dependent on supply; quantities determined by number of children in household
If you would like to participate in the program and pick up your first BOX next week, we need families to send the following information to Kate Rice at rice@leverettschool.org no later than Monday, April 11th at 12:00PM.
Number of children, time you can pickup, and request for vegetarian option, if needed. Currently vegetarian options are PBJ, Tuna Sandwich or Cheese Quesadilla.
Note: If you are interested in the program, but the pick up window does not work, please be in contact with Kate. We may be able to accommodate.
We hope to be able to offer this program until June 25. Since LES is fully reimbursed for the program, participation benefits both families and the school. We will publish the menu every two weeks, so that you can sign-up and plan your shopping accordingly. We encourage as many families as possible to participate in the program. Thank you Chef Tom for your leadership and vision for making this program possible.
It is truly an honor to work in a school, town, and community dedicated to the health and well-being of families.
Happy Mother's Day! Have a nice weekend!
Rhonda
Leverett Elementary Principal
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A Message from the School Psychologist
Hello LES Families,
I hope this finds you well! I miss each and every one of your children and hope that you’re all finding ways to cope with the world around us in positive and healthy ways. In thinking about positive ways to cope, I wanted to share a bit of information on a topic that is near and dear to my heart: self-care. Self-care is just as important for kids as it is for adults! Read on to learn more and scroll to the bottom of this post to see photos of LES teachers’ self-care strategies!
What is self-care?
Self-care is any type of activity you purposely engage in in order to take care of your mental, emotional, or physical health. In essence, it’s setting aside time to tend to your own needs and care for your mind, body, and heart.
Why is self-care important for kids?
When kids engage in self-care activities, it can lead to an improved mood, reduced stress, increased self-confidence, and a better ability to cope with challenging situations. Making self-care a regular part of kids’ daily life can ultimately lower their risk of developing conditions such as depression and anxiety in the future, as well.
How do I encourage my child to get started?
Start small! Self-care activities don’t need to be complicated or time consuming, but they do need to be a consistent part of your child’s day. Try incorporating a 5-10 minute self-care activity into your child’s daily schedule. Keep in mind that when kids develop consistent self-care strategies early on, they are more likely to carry these strategies and routines into their teenage and adult lives.
 What are some good self-care activities for kids?
Kids should experiment with different self-care activities that are a good fit for their minds and bodies. Exercise -- from biking to hula hooping and everything in between -- is an excellent way for kids (and adults!) to take care of their physical and mental health. Spending time outdoors, whether it’s playing, doing yardwork, or simply sitting in the sun, can be helpful, as well. Writing a letter to family or friends, poetry, or journaling are also great options. Reading a book, cuddling with a pet, listening to music, playing an instrument, or creating some art are fantastic forms of self-care, too! The possibilities are truly endless -- work with your kids to find what activities feel most restorative and relaxing to them!
Over this next week, I’m inviting all of you to share with me photos of what your kids are doing to take care of themselves! Snap a photo, send it to politylo@leverettschool.org, and we’ll be sure to post it on a future blog article. In the meantime, please check out this slideshow of what the LES teachers are doing to take care of themselves during this time.
Take care,
Bethany
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COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
For More Info Click on Links Below
These are NOT school sponsored events
A Message from the Amherst Survival Center
The Amherst Survival Center is offering FREE To-Go Meals and pre-assembled boxes of food for Leverett families.
We are offering daily To-Go Meals (along with snacks), Fresh Produce, and Bread. Distributed outside. This is pre-packaged and given out one per person. No registration and no residency requirements.
Our Food Pantry is open. New shoppers are welcome and registration is quick and easy. The Food Pantry is distributing pre-assembled boxes of food in the large main dining area, which should be about 7 days worth of food for every member of the family. They’ll receive canned goods, grains, fresh milk, eggs, cheese, meat and produce as well as toiletries/hygiene products and pet food. See Food Pantry for more information on how to register, and for options about how to get groceries (including some options for delivery or alternate pick up).
If families are sick (with anything), they can call the Center at (413) 549-3968 or email pantry@amherstsurvival.org, and we will make arrangements to get food to them in the parking lot or to have someone else pick it up.
A note about safety during preparation: We have extensive sanitation processes in place. All staff and volunteers wash their hands upon entry of the building and wear face coverings throughout their shift. Safe food handling practices are being strictly adhered to. The above changes in our operations help ensure all guests and volunteers maintain the minimum 6 feet of separation while working and while accessing food.
The Amherst Survival Center is located at: 138 Sunderland Road, North Amherst. Hours of Operation: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 11am-3pm. We can be reached by calling (413)549-3968 or emailing info@amherstsurvival.org.
For updated info, please see www.amherstsurvival.org/COVID19
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