Friday, August 26, 2016

Lurgio News for August 26, 2016


LURGIO NEWS
August 26, 2016

Dear Students and Parents,

It was a short, but exciting week at Lurgio Middle School. Now that the students have returned, Lurgio finally feels like a school again. I spoke with your students yesterday, and I highlighted the kind and selfless act of Olympian Abbey D’Agostino. If you missed that portion of the Olympics, I’ve included a link to a clip below. As the school year continues to roll on, I hope that the entire staff and student body of the Lurgio Middle School echo the actions of Abbey D’Agostino and lift up others when they are down. I hope that random acts of kindness will be witnessed throughout the building. And I hope that everyone feels a smile created by the kind act of another this school year.

Thanks,

Ed Joyce
Principal


Important Dates

August 29 (Mon)
Tryouts Begin for Soccer & Girls’ Volleyball 3:30PM
August 31 (Wed)
Tennis Club Information Meeting 3:15PM-3:45PM in Media Center
September 5 (Mon)
Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
September 6 (Tues)
Tryouts Begin for Cross-Country & Field Hockey 3:30PM
September 8 (Thur)
All School Open House 6PM-8PM

All School Open House - September 8
Please save the date for the Lurgio Middle School Open House on Thursday, September 8 from 6PM to 8PM. We look forward to meeting all of you then!

Tryouts Are Upon Us!
If your student is trying out for girls’ volleyball or girls’/boys’ soccer, please take a moment to review the links below. Students must have completed a concussion test and the digital forms in order to participate. If either is missing, the student may observe, but they will NOT be allowed to participate.
Important Athletics Links:

Cell Phone Use During Lunches
Your students may have excitedly told you about a new procedure at Lurgio Middle School: students may now use their cell phones during their lunch period. We ask that the students use their devices responsibly. Please note: State law restricts the use of photography and video recording in the school setting. Because of this and other privacy concerns, we prohibit students from using their cell phones to take pictures or video of themselves or others (students & staff) while in school. Thank you for your support in reinforcing this important practice as we expand student access to personal electronic devices.

PTG Corner:
Bedford PTG would like to welcome back all RAL parents!  You should be getting PTG Membership envelopes and PTG RAL Volunteer forms coming home with your students.  Please consider joining and signing up to help... WE NEED YOU!  

We have our first volunteer opportunity coming up: The Welcome Back Breakfast for our teachers.  We need donations to make this event a success.  If you are interested in donating please email Wendy Emerson at wendyemo@aol.com.  Thank you for all your support!

Wendy Emerson, Kerry Sullivan, Kira Hatem
Your PTG volunteer team at RAL

Voluntary Cross-Country Pre-Season Workouts
All Lurgio students are invited to participate in the Cross-Country pre-season workouts. Workouts began on Monday, August 15 and will continue next week. Workouts will be Monday through Thursday from 3:15PM to 5:00PM. Parent pick-up will be at Lurgio Middle School. Please come with appropriate clothing, water, and THIS permission form. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Milem or Coach Courchesne.

Fall Crew Club
Interested in rowing this fall?  If you’re an 8th grader and you’re interested in learning to row, consider joining Lurgio Crew.  The team will meet on Fridays from 4-6pm at the boathouse in Hooksett. Practice will start September 9 and the season will conclude with a fun race on Saturday, October 29.  For more information, please email Anne Capodilupo at rccaod@hotmail.com. Applications can be found on the website bedfordcrew.org

Yoga Club
Yoga is an ancient form of mental and physical exercise and it’s making an appearance at Lurgio Middle School! In the coming weeks, Dalyne Villeneuve will be offering a Yoga class once a week on Thursday mornings from 7:30am to 8:30am. No prior yoga experience necessary.  Students should dress comfortably and bring a water bottle. More information about a start date and sign-ups will be forthcoming in future editions of the Lurgio News.
Yoga is all about the connection with the body, the breath, and the mind, bringing balance to one’s self.  Through Yoga, we may improve our ability to calm and center ourselves as needed, our ability to focus and concentrate, and manage our emotions.  When we feel balanced, we are better able to tap into our inner joy and peace for ourselves and for others.
In yoga the students will experience: Mindfulness, Relaxation Techniques, and Breathing Exercises.  Students will practice poses that will help increase Flexibility and Strength, and incorporate games that require the use of different senses, develop awareness, and cooperative effort.  Students will also explore Yoga Lifestyle Philosophy and creating Positive Self Talk.  
Dalyne Villeneuve is a Certified Children’s and Teen’s Yoga Teacher through ChildLight Yoga in Dover, NH.  She also a 200 hour RYT at YogaLife Institute in Exeter, NH, and she is currently continuing her practice in their Yoga Therapy program as well.  She is trained in yoga philosophy, asanas, meditation, and relaxation.  She is excited to share the amazing benefits of this practice with the students.

Lurgio Continues Partnership with Family Physical Therapy Services
For the past 5 years, Lurgio has partnered with Family Physical Therapy Services (Bedford) to provide injury assessment services for our student-athletes. Again this year, FPTS will be working with students and coaches to identify and correct weaknesses to prevent injury and improve performance. They’ll also assess student-athletes’ injury complaints and offer guidance in an attempt to keep them on the field, recommend a free screening or evaluation by a physical therapist, or referral to a physician if necessary. Keep a lookout for an email from them about your student-athlete’s early season movement screen or injury updates through the year.

Traffic Pattern for Drop-off and Pick-up
PLEASE NOTE: The link to the traffic pattern contained in previous issues of the Lurgio News was inaccurate. The corrected link is in the news item below.

***

Anyone familiar with the traffic at the BHS/RAL campus knows that things can get a little hectic during the morning and afternoon drop off and pick up. That said, we have made significant improvements over the past year. Please click here to review the drop off and pick up practices at Lurgio.
  • Please note:
    • The direction of the Parent Pick Up and Drop Off Area so parents do not need to make left turns at the two main intersections.
    • The two-way traffic extends to the concession stand ending at the West Parking Lot;  traffic should exit Parent Pick Up and Drop Off making a left to exit the campus.
    • The central loop area is closed during parent pick up and drop off (except for buses and students with special needs).
  • As always, we ask all drivers to do the following:
    • Yield to pedestrians at all times when on campus.
    • Take turns at the main intersections when congestion is high.
    • Be patient.

Before School Program
The Lurgio Middle School Bedford School Program is available to all families from 7:30a.m. to 8:30a.m. daily. A one-time fee of $65.00 entitles your child to attend as often as necessary for the entire school year. Participants will be serviced by school staff in a designated area; arrangements for extra help should still be made directly with your child’s teachers.

If your child plans on attending the Before School Program regularly or only occasionally during this school year, please complete the registration form on the reverse side of this letter and return it, along with your payment to the Lurgio Middle School Main Office or the Lurgio Middle School Before School Program by Tuesday, August 26, 2014.  If there is a financial concern, please call the office at 310-9100 and it will be handled confidentially.  Click here to download the Before School Program registration form.

7th Annual Witch Way to the 5K - Save the Date!
Join us for the 7th annual Witch Way to the 5K  on Saturday, October 29, 2016.   The kids 1K race starts at 9:30am and the adult race begins at 10am at Lurgio Middle School. Stay tuned for more specific race details as well as registration information.

Cardigan Chaperones Needed
We are looking for chaperones for the 42nd annual trip to Mt. Cardigan. If you are interested in an all-expenses paid hiking and camping vacation this Fall, please register to be a volunteer by completing our online volunteer form (click here).  The Cardigan trip is an essential part of the academic experience for our 8th grade students. Taking nearly 400 students up a mountain each year is no mean feat, and we could not do it without the generous support of our parent and community volunteers.

Cardigan Chaperone Background Check
Have you already signed up to join us on the mountain this year? Great! The last step in becoming a Cardigan volunteer is to complete a Criminal Records Check at the Superintendent's Office at 103 County Road. Please contact Mary Cody at 472-3755 to make an appointment. Appointments must be completed by September 16.

Health Office information for 2016-17 School Year
Hello 7th and 8th grade Lurgio Parents!

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer!  Here are just a few important reminders as we start this new school year.  If you have any questions, please send me an email at chessiee@bedfordnhk12.net

For all incoming 7th graders please provide a current physical for your student.  If your  7th or 8th grade student plan on participating in athletics, the physicals are good for two years and must be on file in the Health Office. Please feel free to contact me if you are unsure of your student's status concerning his/her physical.

Please bring all inhalers, epi-pens and daily medications along with MD orders and allergy/asthma action plans prior to the start of school. Health forms can be downloaded from the district website and are found under the Health Services tab.  I will be in the health office 8/22 9am-3pm, 8/23 9am-3pm and8/24 12pm- 2:30pm.  Please let me know if these times are not possible and we can make other arrangements.

Current Diabetes management plans and supplies may also be dropped off on the above days.

I am looking forward to seeing your children on August 25th!  Please contact me with any questions or concerns.  Enjoy the last days of summer,  Evelyn Chessie, RN, School Nurse

Communication
As we begin the new school year, the staff at Lurgio would like to express our fundamental belief that clear and consistent communication is essential to fostering and maintaining strong relationships between the staff and the community.   

We communicate with students and parents/guardians using a variety of tools. From phone calls and emails to our website and Facebook/Twitter, we consistently strive to make all necessary information public and accessible at all times.  Below are links to some of our communication resources.

General Information:

Visit our Website: www.sau25.net/ral
Sign Up for Lurgio News: Register in PowerSchool
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LurgioMiddle
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/LurgioMiddle

Of course, there may always be questions or concerns that we have not anticipated and therefore have not addressed in our public communications. If and when these do arise, we will make every effort to answer and address those questions and concerns quickly and professionally. It is important to understand that it is always best to begin any inquiry at the level of staff most intimately involved with the situation. In order to make any inquiry process as smooth as possible, we ask that you start at the appropriate level of the relevant chain of communication.  Those closest to an issue will be able to give the best information.

For all matters regarding classroom curriculum, instruction, procedures and discipline, please follow the Lurgio Chain of Educational Communications:

  1. Teachers
  2. Guidance Counselors
    1. Students with Last Name A-G: Al Fredette
    2. Students with Last Name H-R: Sue Mullen
    3. Students with Last Name S-Z: Donna LaRue
  3. Assistant Principal
    1. 7th Grade Specific: Nate Fellman
    2. 8th Grade Specific: Bill Demers
  4. Principal
  5. Director of Special Education (when applicable)
  6. Assistant Superintendent
  7. Superintendent of Schools
  8. School Board

For all matters regarding athletics and extracurricular activities, please follow the Lurgio Chain of Extracurricular Communications:

  1. Coaches/Advisors
  2. Athletics Director (Bill Demers)/Activities Director (Nate Fellman)
  3. Principal
  4. Superintendent of Schools
  5. School Board

Guidance Corner
RAL Guidance Counselor, Donna LaRue posts a weekly, helpful parenting newsletter article, as well as other relevant material on her website.  The featured Asset Article this week is Restraint

Click here to learn more about the importance of “restraint".

Check out Ms. LaRue’s webpage for past newsletters by clicking here.