Family Engagement

Hello GMRSD Families, 

This is the page on our website for YOU: I post resources, school information, and suggestions. Here's more information about my role as our district Family Engagement Coordinator: Family Engagement.

I can be contacted at: 

Stacey Langknecht, Family Engagement Coordinator
Stacey.Langknecht@gmrsd.org  or 413 863-7473

My office is located in the Central Office building at 35 Crocker Avenue, and this past year I have established a mini-lending library for families to borrow books and board games! If you want to come by to check it out, I am usually in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but the best thing to do is contact me beforehand so I can be sure to be here. 

Check out our Virtual Family Engagement Center! Virtual Family Engagement Center

FYI, I work part-time, and am generally in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but I have some flexbility for meetings outside of those days, so don't hesitate to reach out anytime! I do try to check my messages and email on the other days.I also work through the summer!

                                

School & District News

Don't forget that this Thursday and Friday are Parent/Teacher Conferences! They are half-days for the students, and if you were not able to fit an appointment in on one of those 2 days, you can contact your child's teacher(s) to schedule one that you can make. 

Here's an informational document from the Friends of Hillcrest & Sheffield: FOH FOS Infysormation.

Hillcrest & Sheffield once again had their Walk, Bike Roll event! The families met up at one of 2 spots and walked and rolled to school together, along with some awesome volunteers, including the Montague Police, the Turners Falls Fire Dept., and the Franklin County Sheriff's Dept.! Thanks also to school parents & caregivers as well as community members who helped out! Here are some photos from the Greenfield Recorder: WalkBikeRollFall2024   Walk BikeRollFall2024     WalkBike RollFall2024 .

Sheffield is looking for Volunteers to help out with lunch and recess! The details are in here: Sheffield Volunteer Information, and if you are interested, please contact Ms. Heathwaite at kerry.heathwaite@gmrsd.org.

Here is Principal Heathwaite's newest newsletter: Lion's Roar .

I am still happy to talk with Sheffield and Hillcrest parents and volunteers about forming a parent/community run walking school bus; just call or email me at 863-7473 or stacey.langknecht@gmrsd.org. 111

The Gill PTO needs new members this year as several of their active PTO members' kids graduated last year. Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/gillpto. 

If your child started at Great Falls Middle School this fall, we have a new monthly group for new middle school parents & caregivers! This transition can be hard for the kids, but also for the parents, so this is an opportunity to share tips and challenges with others in the same boat! The group will be held on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 5-6, so the next one will be this Thursday 10/10.  It will be online, on Google Meet; here's the link: GFMS New Parent Group. Also, here's a flyer: GFMS Parent Transition Group . Contact me with any questions! (stacey.langknecht@gmrsd.org).

If your middle or high schooler is participating in band/chorus, sports, or theater, we have Booster groups for those programs! These parent groups support the respective programs in many ways, and of course present another opportuniFroty to get to know other parents/guardians in the school. See the sidebar for contact information for each!

The Mean Girls, Jr. musical is coming up! Here's the info: 

11/6/24 - MS STUCO will be showing -Mean GIrls in the TFHS cafeteria- 6:00pm
$5.00 entry p/p
$10.00 per family

11/7 & 8 - Parent Teacher Conference

11/21 - 11/23- 7:00pm  Mean Girls, Jr. the musical
11/24 -2:00 pm - Mean Girls, Jr. The musical
10.00 Adults
8.00 Students & Senior Citizens

SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council): this is a district-wide group of parents/guardians whose children receive special education services in our district. It's a great way to support each other and also is empowered with advising our district on changes that you feel would be helpful in our program. For more information, please contact Corrina Wcislo at either corrina.wcislo@gmrsd.org or 863-7508. 

EL-PAC (English Learners Parent Advisory Council): 

Para obtener más información sobre este grupo, comuníquese con Corrina Wcislo at either corrina.wcislo@gmrsd.org.

For more information about this group, contact Corrina Wcislo at either corrina.wcislo@gmrsd.org.

An update on the Covid stuation from our School Nurses: Fall2024Covid Information .

Tina Mahaney, our amazing Director of Technology, sent this along for parents and caregivers about keeping kids safe online: Family Link.

FYI, here's the link that has the Covid protocols that we follow: COVID Protocols.

Community Resources & Events:

The Parent-Family Program at the Brick House is once again hosting Kyle from Just Roots Farm to help us cook a delicious dinner together, and then we'll enjoy the meal together! This will be on Wednesday 11/6 from 5-7. More information here along with a link to register: JustRoots at the Brick House

The Greenfield Public Library is offering some tech help and classes: here are the flyers with details: Fall Tech Classes & Fall Tech Help .

Here's the November calendar for the Greenfield Family Resource Center: November FRC Calendar

There is a suicide loss support group every Tuesday evening in Greenfield; here are the details: Suicide Loss Support Group.

The Salasin Center offers a weekly Nurturing Program for Families in Recovery Program; here are the details: Nurturing Program for Families in Recovery. They also have an ongoing group called Survivor Support Space every Wednesday from 1-2; here's the flyer: Survivor Support Space . 

Here are some flyers about regular weekly programs at the Brick House's Parent&Family program: Drop-In Hours for Assistance (now includes a Food Pantry!),  Hygiene Supplies Available ,  Spanish-English Gatherings , Coffee Hour .

Here is the October calendar for The Brick House Teen Center: BrickHouseTeenCenter.

Here's the latest Connections Newsletter: Connections Newsletter - of particular note is the upcoming webinar on Depression & ADHD in adolescents, the results of the most recent school health surveys, and information about nicotine pouches which are being marketed to our youth :(

The ARC in Turners Falls has a Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Group: Grandparents Raising Grandkids Group. 

Helpful Websites and Benefits Information: 

This website can be helpful for families who want to apply for Section 8 (subsidized) housing or are on the waiting list already: Section 8 Housing Info. Also if you have a Section 8 voucher and are looking for housing, this program may help: SUN Program for Section 8.

This website offers resources and tips for keeping children away from guns in the home: GunSafetyInfo.

If your family receives SNAP benefits, you should check out this info about the Health Incentive Program (HIP): HIP. 

Important reminders about SNAP and P-EBT: 

Based on federal rules, students attending school in-person are not eligible for Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT), but the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) encourages students and families to keep their P-EBT cards. More information can be found at MAp-EBT.org.
 
 If students received P-EBT, they may be eligible for SNAP. Please encourage families who received P-EBT to sign up for SNAP. It is fast and easy to apply, and the monthly SNAP amount is now higher than ever ($658 for a family of three and $835 for a family of four!). The following resources can help spread the word: 

 

The Importance of Being Involved

In the weeks after my oldest child started kindergarten, I joined the school's PTO and never looked back. In addition to helping enhance the school's resources and programs, I got to know some of the other parents, which made it easier to meet others. When you get to know your kid(s)'s parent(s), you learn their values and they learn yours; this is good for the kids and your peace of mind. Plus, when your kids know you know many of the other parents, they soon learn that other eyes are on them, helping to keep them safe and out of trouble!

There's also evidence that parent involvement increases the chances of overall success for students; this is from the CDC website: 

  • Research shows that parent engagement in schools is closely linked to better student behavior, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills.
  • Parent engagement also makes it more likely that children and adolescents will avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as sexual risk behaviors and substance use.
  • Efforts to improve child and adolescent health have typically addressed specific health risk behaviors, such as tobacco use or violence.

Lean more at Centers for Disease Control

Resource of the Month

Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority

241 Millers Falls Road,Turners Falls

413-863-9781

The FCRHRA is the place to contact if you need subsidized housing, financial help moving, and more. They have lots of programs which you can learn about on their website at https://fcrhra.org/ .

 
 

The GMRSD Internet Safety Task Force invited the Northwestern District Attorney's office to do a zoom presentation for our parents & guardians on, well, internet safety. The presentation was done by them and the Children's Advocacy Center in March, and for those of you who missed it, here's the link to the Power Point: 

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1634jmPqCPrkF6vszKilR7oDvkyXyZ7LQ/view?usp=sharing.

Please take a look at it; it has lots of great information and websites that may help you learn how to protect your kids from online dangers!

More Community Resources for Students and Families             

Local Resources Updated Sept2022                                                       

Local Food Resources                                                                           

Community Action of the Pioneer Valley                                               

Pandemic-EBT- Help for Families During Covid                                     

413Cares                   

Montague Catholic Social Ministries 

The Brick House

The United Arc

https://franklinareasurvivalcenter.org/

Center for New Americans

Massachusetts Migrant Education Program: https://www.collaborative.org/programs/migrant-education-program

Helpful Websites for Parenting

https://handholdma.org/ 

http://https://www.onetoughjob.org/ 

http:// https://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/school-and-learning-issues/supporting-school-success/

https://www.strong4life.com/en/emotional-wellness/coping/healthy-coping-strategies-for-kids

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/