Cold Spring Elementary School

10/05/2026

https://app.smore.com/n/ked8r

10.5.26

10/05/2026

This Week's Staff Spotlight: Courtney Abbondanzio

This week, we are shining the spotlight on one of our wonderful kindergarten teachers, Courtney Abbondanzio! Courtney is celebrating her 6th year at CSES, and we are so lucky to have her as part of our school family.

Courtney grew up in Topsfield, MA, and now lives in Pembroke with her husband, Nick. One of her favorite things about CSES is the close-knit feeling of our school community—she loves that everyone knows everyone and that our CSES family truly feels like a family!

This year, Courtney made the transition from 2nd grade to kindergarten, and she is already rocking her kindergarten classroom! We are so grateful for her flexibility, understanding, and willingness to jump in wherever she is needed. She has brought everything she learned and loved about teaching 2nd grade to her kindergarten kiddos—and, of course, a whole lot of pink, too! Her classroom is already filled with her warmth, creativity, and special touch.

One of Courtney’s favorite CSES memories is our Inflatable Run, and when it comes to her favorite subject, she chose reading! Her favorite book is Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw. And if you know Courtney, you might not be surprised to learn that her favorite food is anything chocolate! Her favorite color is light green.

Now for the really fun fact… Courtney used to compete internationally in figure skating! ⛸️ What an amazing accomplishment! If she could have any superpower, she would choose the ability to teleport, allowing her to travel anywhere in the world in an instant.

Courtney’s words of wisdom are something we can all carry with us: “Mistakes are proof you are trying!” What a wonderful message to share with our little learners!

We are so grateful for the flexibility, positive energy, and heart Courtney brings to CSES each and every day. Thank you for embracing a new adventure, bringing your 2nd grade expertise to kindergarten, and helping our littlest learners Shine Bright! ✨💗

10/05/2026

We are excited to invite our CSES families to our 2nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner! Come enjoy a delicious meal prepared by our amazing cafeteria staff, spend some time socializing with other CSES families, and enjoy a fun evening together as a school community.

A very special thank you to our local Stop & Shop community for collecting and donating food to help make our Spaghetti Dinner possible! We are so grateful for their generosity and continued support of our CSES families. 💙

After dinner, our kiddos will head to the library with our wonderful Title I teachers, where they will enjoy a special evening of their own with a fun game, a good book, and a craft! While the children are having fun in the library, grown-ups will have the opportunity to join us for an informative presentation from Close Nit Family.

Close Nit Family will help families learn more about head lice, including how to prevent it, what to look for, how to detect it, and what to do if your child does get lice. Their goal is to help families feel informed, prepared, and confident when it comes to this common childhood issue.

It’s a night filled with good food, good friends, learning, and CSES community spirit! We hope you and your family can join us! 💙

09/29/2026

https://app.smore.com/n/2357x

9.28.26

09/28/2026

What a COLORFUL, FUN-FILLED day we had at CSES! Our kiddos had an absolute blast at our Rainbow Run, getting covered in color, laughing with their friends, and making memories that will last long after the colorful dust settles!

There were smiles, giggles, running, dancing, and LOTS of rainbow-colored faces! It was so much fun watching our little friends cheer each other on and enjoy being together outside of the classroom.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped make the Rainbow Run such a special event — our amazing staff, volunteers, and families who supported it and, of course, our incredible CSES kiddos who brought all of the energy and enthusiasm!

Days like this remind us that school is about so much more than academics. It is about belonging, friendship, joy, and making memories together. 🌈✨

And let’s just say…our school may never be quite the same color again!

09/28/2026

This week, we are excited to spotlight Shannon Connor, our wonderful 4th Grade Classroom Teacher!

Shannon has been a valued member of the Cold Spring Elementary School family for seven years. She grew up in Bridgewater and now lives in Whitman with her husband, Pat, their 6-month-old son, Callum, and their puppy, Harvey.

One of the things Shannon loves most about CSES is the strong sense of community. She appreciates how supportive and welcoming everyone is and how teamwork is such an important part of our school culture. Over the years, Shannon has built wonderful friendships with colleagues and has enjoyed getting to know so many amazing students and families.

As a student, Shannon especially loved Math and Science. As a hands-on and visual learner herself, she brings those same approaches into her classroom whenever possible. Her favorite children's book is The Tale of Despereaux, and her favorite colors are blue and purple. When it comes to snacks, Shannon has some delicious favorites—double-stuffed Oreos and gluten-free pretzels!

If Shannon could have any superpower, she would choose the ability to become invisible. While we may not see her disappearing anytime soon, we certainly see the positive impact she makes on our students and our school community every day!

Shannon's advice to our CSES students and families is simple and powerful: Be yourself! She wants everyone to know that each person is unique and special in their own way, and that there are many caring adults and staff members at CSES who are always here to support them.

We are so grateful to have Shannon as part of our CSES family and appreciate all that she brings to our school community each day! 💙💜

09/28/2026

Our first PTA-sponsored assembly NED’s Mindset was a success! Students enjoyed storytelling, magic, and yo-yo tricks while learning about having a growth mindset: Never give up, Encourage others, and Do your best! 💙

09/24/2026

09/21/2026

https://app.smore.com/n/v2187

9.21.26

09/17/2026

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗝𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗘 𝗗𝗪𝗬𝗘𝗥! 🌟

We are so excited to shine the spotlight on one of our amazing 4th grade teachers, Jolie Dwyer! 💛 This is Jolie’s 6th year at Cold Spring, and she grew up in Wilton, CT. Jolie is married and has two daughters, Kinsley and Scottie, along with a golden retriever named Pippa! 🐶 When asked what she loves most about CSES, Jolie shared that she appreciates how supportive and kind all of her fellow teachers and support staff are. One of her favorite school memories was watching the inflatable race last year! 🎈 Jolie’s favorite subject is Reading, her favorite book is Harry Potter, and her favorite food is popcorn. Her favorite color is blue, and a fun fact about Jolie is that she was a college athlete who ski raced throughout college! ⛷️ If she could have any superpower, she would choose teleportation. Her words of wisdom for our kiddos are simple but powerful: “Be kind! Kindness will get you so far in life!” 🌈 Jolie, thank you for being such a special part of our CSES family and for helping our kiddos Simply Shine Bright! We are so lucky to have you! 💛🌟