• i-Ready is an important tool your child should access daily because it provides individualized instruction based on what your child needs.  I know they are in front of a screen A LOT, however dedicating 30 minutes for each reading and math will assist your child in moving toward being on grade level.

• Camera’s on.  Why do we need your child to have their camera on?  There are many times our teachers are looking at the facial expressions of their students to gauge understanding.  When a camera is off, they are unable to know if a child is there and if they are understanding a lesson.  Families who’ve provided medical reasons continue to be excused from this request, but our teachers would greatly appreciate all the rest of  you to support  your child by ensuring they are ‘present’ by keeping their camera on.  Thank you.

• This is a friendly reminder concerning the Flu vaccine, as you all know students will be required to have the flu shot this school year. For your child to attend in person teaching at Sheffield, a copy of their vaccine will need to be on file in the Nurse’s Office by December 31, 2020. Please let Nurse Sue know if you have any questions or concerns at 863-7441 or suzanne.martino@gmrsd.org. If your student has received the vaccine, please bring a copy to the school for their medical record. Thank you to everyone that has already submitted their student’s copy. 

• The Great Greenfield DinoFest

• Local Arts  Local History  Local Lizards (er . . . actually dinos are ancestors of birds :))

2020 Festival: Dinos Go Hybrid on December 5 & 6!

DinoFest, presented by Piti Theatre and PVMA, is (normally) a celebratory in-person day of performances, interactive exhibits and activities for children, dino films with live music and more celebrating our local dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts. Why? Because this is where the first scientific study in the world of dinosaur footprints took place! You can learn more on PVMA's award winning website "Impressions from a Lost World" . . . This year DinoFest will be on Zoom, with Jurassic Roadshow's professional paleontologists and scientific illustrators, local knowledgeable fossil collectors (the "Track Pack"), story time with a children's librarian, an environmentalist/beekeeper from Maine and special videos prepared by local museums!

PLUS on Saturday at 10 we'll have an in-person screening at the Greenfield's Garden Cinema of an original comedy for all ages where emerging fascism meets deep time: "The Mayor of Greenpants: Dino Disaster". The film was created with Piti's Youth Troupe.

With Sheffield Pride,

Melissa Pitrat