JK/K's Go Apple Picking!
On Tuesday, October 11th, our four JK/Kindergerten classrooms went on their first field trip! They traveled in a big yellow school bus to Smolak Farm in North Andover. They had a beautiful day to explore the orchards, pick apples, go on a tractor ride, feed the animals, and eat cider donuts! This trip serves as an interactive beginning to the their study of the seasons. Thanks to all the parents who were able to go along as chaperons! Thanks also to the Friends of Haggerty for making this exciting adventure possible! View a slideshow from the day >>

Library Corner
By Sarah Novogrodsky, Library Media Specialist

Thanks to Friends of Haggerty the library was able to purchase the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award titles. This reading initiative encourages students in grades 4-6 to read a minimum of five books (recommended by teachers and librarians) from a list of 20. At the end of February students from all over the state vote on their favorite title. Families are welcome to read books together - an adult reading one of the books aloud counts! Ask your 4th or 5th grader about the MCBA.

Coaches Corner 
By Nili Pearlmutter, Math Coach 

At the recent “Back to School” night, several parents asked for suggestions of websites that contain fun, math-focused games for children. Here are two free websites that have good quality math games that many children enjoy. Both sites include games that practice basic math skills as well as games that encourage players to use logic and careful reasoning to solve problems. Check out these sites >>

Music Corner
By Shelley Irvin-Kent

K-2 Families
We’ve begun a new Secret Song! Secrets revealed next week, so I can’t tell you anything yet, but ask your child about it. Maybe s/he can hum the theme? :)

First Grade Families
After working with long and short sounds and different rhythm patterns, first graders have finally learned their first rhythmic element: TA and TA-DI. TA is what we call one sound on a beat and TA-DI is what we call two sounds on a beat. First graders can now read rhythm patterns like this:


This rhythm matches the song Bounce High, Bounce Low.

Students can also read the rhythm to Cobbler, Cobbler:

Until next time,
Ms. Irvin-Kent

We need your plastic bottles, caps, and lids. All colors, shaped and sizes!
We will be using them for a collaborative art project at the International Potluck on October 27. Please send in bottle caps to school with your child(ren) during the month of October. There will be a collection bin in the front lobby. Students will have a chance to help with sorting the different colors in the coming weeks. Questions? Contact Carroll Magill ([email protected]) Thanks for your help!! 

International Potluck
Thursday, October 27th | 5:30 - 7PM

Thanks for all the yellow potluck forms I have gotten back! Many families are bringing food representing over 30 countries! We also have country tables, I believe!, for the following countries: Lithuania, Sweden/Denmark, Korea, New Zealand/Fiji, Greece, Morocco, Hungary, Ethiopia, Somalia, France/Cape Verde, Isreal, and the Czech Republic. If you would like to help represent one of these country tables please let me know and I will connect families. As of this moment, we have more than enough country tables. Thank you!

We will also need volunteers to help at the welcome table (half hour shifts between 5:30 and 7PM), help with set-up (from 3 - 5PM), help monitor the food tables (half hour shifts from 5:30 to 7PM), and help with clean up (from 6:45 to 7:30PM). If you aren't signed up for a country table, please think about one of these other ways you can pitch in to make the night a big success! I will send home a sign-up for these jobs, and put one in the lobby, on Monday.

Thank you! Lissa 

English as a Second Language (ESL)
By: Kimberly Luizzi (“Ms. Luizzi”)

Who receives ESL services?
Kindergarten through 5th grade students who are tested within the Family Resource Center and, based upon those test results, demonstrate the need for English language support. Junior Kindergarteners are not eligible.
Learn more >>

Haggerty Race Matter: Courageous Conversations
Join us for the first meeting of the Haggerty Race Matters: Courageous Conversations group on November 4, 7:45 - 8:45AM in the Haggerty Library. We will review our goals for the year, vote on speakers to invite for future meetings and discuss establishing affinity groups. We will also be discussing the handout “Developing Positive Racial Attitudes” from the Council on Interracial Books for Children. If you have a chance, please take a look at it before the meeting. Please mark your calendars for our future meeting dates: 

November 4 | 7:45 - 8:45AM
December 2 | 7:45 - 8:45AM
January 10 | 6 - 7:30PM
February 7 | 6 - 7:30PM 

Hope to see you there!

Entertainment at Our International Potluck
By Cambridge Youth Gamelan
The Gamelan Galak Tika are a group of 30 MIT staff, students, and community members - a small subset are coming to our potluck! This group aims to inspire, engage with, and educate youth about traditional Gamelan music and dance of Bali, Indonesia. Their name Gamelan means “to hammer." You can imagine it will be engaging!

Come check them out at the Potluck! For more information, visit our website.

Art Corner
By Laurie Gaines
The Haggerty students have been hard at work learning how to draw faces. Students are trying to draw their features using lines to help them with placement of the eyes, nose, etc. Thank you for your donations! Please keep them coming, still looking for empty Talenti jars, decks of playing cards, collections (caps, buttons etc ) building sets, plastic animals, and newspaper, $1 shower curtains clear for covering table tops & shoe boxes.

Stay Connected
Get up-to-date news, announcements, event information, and school closing information. Follow Haggerty on Facebook today >>

Cambridge Public Health Flu Clinics: 
Oct. 12–Nov. 9
Nasal spray vaccine will not be offered.

The Cambridge Public Health Department will be offering free flu shots (influenza vaccine) to people who live or work in Cambridge at sites throughout the city from Oct. 12 through Nov. 9. 

The flu can be a serious illness, and the best way to protect yourself is to get a flu shot every year. Flu vaccine is considered safe and effective for adults and children over 6 months. While there is no charge to the public for flu shots, people with health insurance are encouraged to bring their cards with them to the clinics.

More Details >> 

Schedules & locations >> 

Or contact Cambridge Public Health Department’s recorded flu information line, 617.665.3855.