Raymond C. LaPerche Elementary School

If you ask LaPerche kids to list their favorite days of school, Field Day would be close to the top for most. This year we had to host field day virtually. Each LaPerche faculty member partnered up and created an online station. The kids traveled as a class to each station and from the looks of the pictures, had a blast! Thank you to all the staff for bringing the energy and to the families for jumping into field day with the students! Virtual Field Day was a smashing success! To see all the field day photos, please check out this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xm1HME8AvMhFGUjF8 If you have more field day photos to share, send them to Mrs. Dorsey at jdorsey@smithfield-ps.org

Yesterday, LaPerche families picked up summer packages and dropped off Chromebooks and other materials. It was great to see so many families and students who we have missed desperately!! The pick up line was a great place to celebrate some of our students with perfect attendance and to reconnect with so many families!! We miss you and can’t wait to see you in the fall! Congratulations to all of our students who achieved perfect attendance. It is an outstanding accomplishment!!

Smithfield's Return to School committee began its work to plan for schooling for the 2020-2021 school year. An important part of that work is to reach out to parents and staff to better understand your concerns and expectations for the fall. Please watch for an invitation to join a focus group and for surveys that will be sent over the next week or so. Today, at 1pm, the governor and commissioner outlined their expectations for the fall . A statewide school calendar for 2020-2021 has also been posted https://bit.ly/3hgh3L6 . Guidelines for reopening will not be out until June 19th and districts will have until July 17th to submit a plan for 3 different scenarios. Our goal is to develop a plan that best meets the needs of our families and staff here in Smithfield. We will be communicating with you often this summer as our plans are developed. Judy Paolucci, Superintendent

Can you dance? Sing? Tell a joke? Juggle? Play an instrument? Have another amazing talent? It's almost time for the LaPerche Virtual Talent Show! Gather your family and put together an act. All videos need to be submitted by Friday, May 22 and will be combined into one amazing show! Don't miss out! Check out this document for all the details: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XK70BzjpkFnISkXnXFCBSujvcIbChGO5JWFBBj_hi-g/edit

LaPerche Families celebrated the faculty in so many different ways during Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. Check out these amazing videos created by all of YOU! Thank you! https://docs.google.com/document/d/12ayIxMKJGgazqMsTr8KKGatNlD81-SANRzLqevmeZ1I/edit

LaPerche students worked with their families to clean up the earth on Earth Day 2020! Thank you to all for teaching your children about the importance of taking care of our environment. For more Earth Day clean up photos, check out this album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/N7SvmAPTMKY5aCUs8

LaPerche celebrated Reading Week April 27-May 1. We had an awesome week which included Mad Hatter Monday, Tropical Tuesday, Wild Wednesday, Thankful Thursday and Funny Friday! Mrs. Clapprood, our amazing librarian, led a daily read around and craft time and we ended the week with a performance by Keith Munslow. LaPerche kids love Reading Week and the faculty do too! Check out the rest of the photos from Reading Week! https://photos.app.goo.gl/Q72L2JsFVFqj7Jqf8

Meme Challenge There is no doubt memes are a current social media trend so why not do some art history with a modern twist? Last week 5th grade students at LaPerche and McCabe were challenged to make their own memes using images from art history. They interpreted the art work and added a humorous phrase as if to narrate the image. Their clever phrases gave these old masterpieces new life, and will put a smile on your face! Thank you, Miss Miller, for your creativity! Check them out by clicking the link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jdtgM8eBCAymXvtt8

Today, Mrs. Martel's first graders discussed and shared who and what they are thankful for! Using white boards to share your work is a great way to engage all students in class or during virtual learning! Check out what our first graders value.

Nominate a LaPerche Educator for Teacher of the Year! Do you know an educator who embodies the values of our school community? Consider nominating a teacher for this year’s Teacher of the Year. To nominate a Smithfield educator, provide their name and school as well as an explanation for what makes them worthy of this year’s award (300 words or less) in an email or through the mail to Dr. Paolucci (put TOY in subject line) by April 28th. Nominations will be reviewed by a committee and an awardee will be announced in May. If there's a year when educators deserve as much recognition as possible, it's this one! jpaolucci@smithfield-ps.org

Today, Mr. Mederios’s class did real life math while they were working on conversions. The students took a guess about how much his daughter weighed and then converted it from pounds to ounces. The guesses were anywhere from 7 to 20 pounds. The answer is 10.5lbs which is 165 ounces! It was great to show the kids how they will use math in their daily lives!

LaPerche is so thankful for all of our healthcare workers! For Spirit Day #6, LaPerche students decorated their doors to honor and thank the amazing healthcare workers. If you are a first responder, please share your picture below and tell us what you want our students to understand about your role! For more pictures of Spirit Day #6, check out this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FEWLfg9wkaNV5Wf88

Smithfield High School's National Honor Society is hosting a Live Stream Story Time each weeknight beginning Monday, April 13 at 7 P.M.. This event is appropriate for children of any age level. Each night a SHS National Honor Society student, SHS students and local community members will read a bedtime story that lasts approximately 15 minutes. A repeat of that night's story will live stream 5 minutes after the first reading ends. This live stream event is open to the public and we encourage all families and friends who have elementary age kids or younger to join us! If you have any questions please email either Vin Zibelli vzibelli@smithfield-ps.org or co-advisory Derek Snow dsnow@smithfield-ps.org Happy Reading! https://stream.meet.google.com/stream/dd26b2ae-e90c-4a1d-8d5d-35185b2d148f

So proud of our teachers and district for the ways they are supporting students and families during virtual learning. We miss the interactions with our students and can't wait to be back together as a school unit! Check out what some of them had to say in this Valley Breeze article: https://www.valleybreeze.com/2020-04-08/observer-smithfield-west/smithfield-teachers-talk-distance-learning#.XpCjushKjZs

Rhode Island Parent Information Network is an excellent resource for Rhode Island families. Check out the site for a variety of items including "Resources and Information about COVID-19 as it pertains to Health Insurance, Education, Individuals with disabilities, older adults, and basic needs..." https://ripin.org/

Check out this awesome opportunity from the Smithfield Fire and Smithfield Police Departments! WE ARE HERE, AND WE CARE! We know things are tough right now but we still want to celebrate the day you were born! We would like to send a fire truck, rescue, and police cruiser to you on your special day to wish you a Happy Birthday. Of course, we will be using our social distancing procedures! Submit address and contact information and we will drive to your home, turn on our lights and sirens, and give you Happy, Happy Birthday wishes! Email jpotenza@smithfieldfire.com or log onto www.Smithfieldfire.com and go under Fire Prevention. All ages are welcome!!!!

LaPerche students are active students day in and day out! Students are enjoying P.E. class at home and still connect with Mr. Connell via google hangouts meet! Don't forget to get moving everyday! For more photos of students exercising their bodies, check out the album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LvnTEe56JnkXDar47

Virtual Spirit Day #3 at LaPerche was Outside Fun Day! And when it rained that day, for many it became indoor board game fun! Love to see so many families enjoying time together! For all the Day 3 Photos, visit this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QhWSLwGWZfaBPEhJ9

Virtual Spirit Day #2 at LaPerche was Fort Day! LaPerche students showed off their creativity with this challenge. For all the Fort Day photos, visit this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vr6Ny58kcn3aKw4g8

One way LaPerche students have been staying connected is through virtual spirit days! Day 1 was pictures of your at home Learning Station! Check out this link to see all of the organized learning stations! https://photos.app.goo.gl/euQHJzojx9fbd9ng8