Principal's Message

The Principal's Page...
WELCOME TO FISHER-MITCHELL'S WEB SITE

Dr. Rita Perron

Welcome to Fisher-Mitchell Elementary School. We are a grade 3 to grade 5 school located in Bath, Maine - on the banks of the Kennebec River. Our school is located at 597 High Street. Fisher Mitchell School's phone number is (207) 443-8265 and our Fax # is (207) 443-4167.

Our student population at Fisher-Mitchell is 248, with a staff (13 classroom teachers and a support personnel staff of 28) all, sharing a common goal of quality education for our students. Each classroom in our school is wired to the Internet. Many of our staff have e-mail addresses that you can access as you journey through our exciting web site.

If you have any questions about our wonderful school that are not answered by our web site, please e-mail me at:

rperron@bathpublicschools.com

Rita Perron, Ed.D. Principal

NEWS FROM Dr. Perron

Suggestions

Parents are an important part of the Fisher-Mitchell School community. Please play an active role in your child's education. Volunteer at school if you can, attend as many school functions as you can, and always support your child's efforts. If you would like to become a volunteer, please call the office at 443-8265.

The safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance. In an effort to make Fisher-Mitchell as safe as possible for our students and staff, all doors which lead from our classrooms to the outside will be locked. ALL VISITORS must enter through the Main Entrance at the front of the building and check in with the office immediately upon entering the building. If you come to pick up a student, we ask that you wait in the foyer. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Reminders to parents:

Please call the Fisher-Mitchell office if your child will not be in school for the day. If you need to call very early, please leave a message on our answering machine. If we do not hear from parents, we will call you to confirm that your child is safe at home.

We do not have a program for children who don't participate in outside recess. If your child is having a problem with ears, asthma, or has a cold, please be sure that they are adequately dressed with a warm jacket, hat, mittens, etc. If your child is too sick to participate in all of our daily programs, parents may want to consider keeping him/her home for one more day.

We try to keep emergency cards up-to-date at all times. If you have changes in address, phone numbers or emergency contact person, please let the Fisher-Mitchell office know.

When students are going to be out of school for an extended period of time, parents are asked to fill our an Extended Leave form. The form is available in the Fisher-Mitchell office, and must be approved by both Dr. Perron and your child's teacher.

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Helping your child succeed…..

"How to Get Your child to Read," a series of 10 motivational ideas that work---from The Parent Institute

Idea #2: Find Things Your Child Will Want to Read…

If your child is young, which book does she ask you to read over and over again? Look for more like them.
Does your child have any hobbies? There's sure to be a book or magazine on whatever she finds exciting, from drawing to playing video games to taking care of pets.
What is your child's favorite food? Find a recipe for it at the library. Read and follow the directions together.
Are there things that your child collects? Many children like to collect stamps, rocks, dolls, sports cards or other items. Look for books that describe collectibles, where to get them and how to organize them.
What does your child do in her free time? If she likes an activity, chances are good that she'll enjoy reading about it. Find a book about hairstyling, for example, or building soccer skills.
Does your child like computers? Sometimes reading from a screen appeals to children more than reading from a page. Check out Web sites that your child might enjoy.
What is your child's favorite TV shows? Perhaps it was based on a book. Or it may have inspired books and articles. The same goes for movies, too.
Does your child have a good sense of humor? Try reading a joke book. Take turns saying the questions and punch lines. Or let her do a "stand-up" act.

Idea #3: Make Time for Reading…..

Does reading every day feel impossible for your family? You may be overscheduled. Here's a questionnaire to help you find out. Answer yes or no to these questions:

Does your child watch more than 10 hours of TV a week? (Hint: If you're not sure, keep a TV diary. You might be surprised by the results!)
Does your child watch TV shows at random&emdash;Mostly when he's bored?
Does your child do extracurricular activities almost every day?
Does your family's schedule keep you from spending much time together?
Does your child spend all of his free time on activities, chores and homework?
Does your child complain about being too tired?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, review your family's schedule. A few changes can make a big difference. Reduce TV viewing, for example, by planning to see only certain shows. Eliminate extracurricular activities that aren't enjoyed. Eat one meal a day together. Read something aloud at the table, and then discuss it. Set a regular bedtime&emdash;with 15 minutes built in for

Idea #4: Motivate With Mysteries…
There is a reason that mysteries are called "page turners." They keep you reading! Luckily, many kids love "thrillers"---once they try a good one. Here are some types to consider. Ask your librarian to help you find them.

Series. Recurring characters and storylines make these books appealing. Once you start a series, it's hard to stop.
History. There are real-life mysteries about past events and the people involved in them. Ask your librarian for ideas.
Suspense novels. These books may reveal "who done it" early on. But your child will enjoy seeing the main character figure things out.
Solve-it-yourself. Some books such as those in the Encyclopedia Brown series, give clues to help readers solve the mystery.
Choose-the-ending. Books like the Choose Your Own Adventure series let readers make choices .
Nature. The world is full of mysteries. Reading can help your child explain them. Here are some topics to research:

Why is the sky blue?
Where does butter come from?
Why can some animals fly?
Why do ants travel in a line?
Why does popcorn pop?
Why does water expand when it freezes?
When water goes down the drain, which way does it swirl?
Why? Is it the same in all parts of the world?
Where does water go when it evaporates?
What makes a rainbow?
How did butterflies get their name?

Following is a good suggestion from "Home & School Connection": Remember those story hours at the library? Why not bring the idea into your own home? Children are never too old for a good story. Set aside a regular time each week for the "Family Library Hour." In a corner, set up a few chairs or throw some pillows on the floor. Stack an assortment of books, magazines, and newspapers. Each family member can curl up with interesting material and read. Or you can take turns reading aloud. Finish up with some refreshments and a sharing of what each family member read. Try a writing time, for some variety.

Interesting Ideas

Taken from "Report to Parents," National Association of Elementary School Principals.

You wouldn't think that renting a movie or having pizza every Friday night would qualify as a family ritual-but it does, because it's something that parents and children look forward to doing together. It's sort of a celebration marking the end of the work and school week. More importantly, it's the type of activity that helps families stay connected.

Family rituals are important to children. They help build a feeling of stability and safety, and reinforce a sense of family togetherness. While many families have some rituals centered around birthdays and holiday celebrations, you may want to consider adding some more.

Enjoyable routines. Even daily activities can become family rituals. Take the kids along when you walk the dog after dinner. Talk about the comics as you read the morning paper together. A ritual is really nothing more than an activity that a family looks forward to doing together.

Forget the flops. Don't worry if some of your celebrations don't turn out as you expected. By laughing about the flops with your children, you'll find that those moments become memorable ones.

Once you've started a ritual, do everything you can to keep it going. If it's centered on a specific day, like a family dinner out on Saturday night, and you're not able to do it one week, don't let it slip away. Squeeze it in the next day, or as soon as you can. With a little attention, your family rituals may not only survive but still be observed generations from now.

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