A Message from the Principal, "Miss Kelty"
Hello ECDC Families!
It was so nice seeing you and your little ones this week as you came in to meet your child's teacher and spend sometime in their classroom. We are so excited for classes to start on Tuesday!
Here at ECDC, each member of our team is committed to building strong relationships with our students and families. Over this next school year, you and your little one will have the opportunity, if you have not already, to work with some of the best early childhood professionals around! Our teaching teams are continually thinking outside the box to ensure that students and families are engaged in joyful learning through high quality, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that align to the Massachusetts standards for pre-kindergarten.
ECDC Important Dates To Remember:
School-based events are listed on Important Dates To Remember. You will find this document also linked below my update each month.
If you are looking for district the district calendar, you can access it here: Franklin Public Schools Calendar.
COVID-19
I am pleased to say that we have come to a point in the pandemic where we have learned how to live with COVID as a reality in our school community. That said, we continue to prioritize strategies to ensure we remain safe and healthy. This is some of what you can continue to expect.
- prioritize frequent handwashing of all students and staff
- ensure consistent cleaning and disinfecting of materials, classrooms and shared spaces
- foster learning in our outdoor spaces
- provide supervised use of hand sanitizer as need when in outdoor spaces
Ongoing Communication
Knowing as much as we can about your child, both before they come to school and throughout the school year, is going to help us better meet their unique needs. We value open and honest lines of communication between home and school.
Email will serve as a primary means of communication throughout this year, so please be sure your updated contact information is on file with our awesome school secretary, Miss Laura (Flanaganla@franklinps.net or 508-541-8166) and your child's classroom teacher!
You can expect a monthly ECDC Newsletter and it will always include updates from:
ECDC School Council
PCC
School Nurse
as well as special updates on initiatives,
special events and resources for families, as appropriate.
Please feel free to reach out to me at Kelleyk@franklinps.net , our school nurse, Suzanne Roma (romas@franklinps.net ), our School Psychologist, Jennifer Curry (curryj@franklinps.net) and/or our team chair, Jillian Swanson swansonj@franklinps.net , as well your child's class room teaching teams for support and guidance through this next transition.
Google Classroom: Your window into your child's day!
The Franklin Public Schools, including ECDC, uses Google Classroom as our central platform to support student learning and home/school connections.
Each child is given a unique email address that they will begin to use independently in Kindergarten. Here at ECDC we ask that you log into to your child's Classroom and set up an account during the first week of school!
Why should I set up a Google Classroom account?
- Families will have access to regular updates, including pictures, from your child’s class, the classroom newsletter, the ECDC Newsletter (monthly), resources and enrichment ideas.
- Google Classroom is set up to support and foster 2 way communication with your child’s teacher. Check in frequently to stay connected!
Remember: GOOGLE CLASSROOM will ONLY work with your child’s Franklinps.net email account and NOT ANY OF YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNTS.
If you have any questions or challenges logging in, please contact your child’s classroom teacher or Jennifer Jacobs, our ECDC Digital Learning Specialist at jacobsj@franklinps.net.
2021-22 ECDC Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
In order to ensure that every student arrives at ECDC safe and ready to learn, please follow the following guidelines. Please share with ANYONE who is transporting your child.
Each teacher has an “assigned” arrival and dismissal time ((click here to see the schedule. Please plan on being ready to drop off or pick up your child at the time indicated on the schedule linked above.
For the safety of all our little ones, please DRIVE SLOWLY and
Only park in the spots indicated for “parent parking” on the attached map.
There is NO PARKING in the van loop, without prior permission from the principal.
HOLD onto your child in the parking lot, ALWAYS!
NEVER leave a child unattended in a vehicle
Notes from Nurse Suzanne
Hello,
I’m Suzanne Roma, the School Nurse here at ECDC. I am looking forward to meeting our new families and welcoming back those who were with us last year!
If you have any questions or if anything has changed regarding your child’s health, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. You can reach me via email (romas@franklinps.net) or phone (508.541.8166). I will get back to you as soon as I am able.
Below you will find some important health information:
Illness:
Let's keep ECDC a healthy place for learning! It takes the efforts of our ECDC staff and ECDC families to do this. Staff is advised to stay home if they are feeling unwell. Please keep your child home if they are showing signs or symptoms of illness. **Due to the ongoing pandemic, even mild symptoms may result in your child being sent home from school. We are unable to test for COVID in the health office, this year.** Refer to the ECDC handbook for guidance and the most up-to-date state guidelines which can be found here. We are all in this together!
Student Emergency Cards:
Yellow emergency cards will be sent home this week. Please complete BOTH sides of them and return them to your child's classroom teacher as soon as possible.
Physicals/Immunizations:
If your child has had a recent physical or immunizations, you can send me a copy via email at: romas@franklinps.net or fax it to: 508.541.8254
Medications/Life Threatening Allergies:
If your child needs to be given medication during the school day or has a life-threatening allergy, please see the Franklin Schools Website for the required forms to bring to your child’s physician. The forms can be found here: Health Office Information. Medications cannot be dispensed without a doctor's order.
ECDC School Council -- Parent Positions Now Open!
The ECDC School Council is a group of educators and parents who work together with the principal to provide guidance and input into such processes as the development of a School Improvement Plan and the articulation of a school budget.
Over the past 4 years we were able to gather input from families, staff and students to help inform the development and adoption of our our ECDC Core Values and Mission.
School Council Meeting Schedule
All meetings will be held virtually or in person at 1:45-2:45
October 17th
November 28th
January 24th
March 20th
May 22nd
School Council Members for 22-23 School Year
Elizabeth Reynard (Classroom Teacher) reynarde@franklinps.net
Linda Cournoyer (Speech/Language Pathologist) cournoyerl@franklinps.net
Suzanne Roma (School Nurse) romas@franklinps.net
Kelty Kelley (Principal) kelleyk@franklinps.net
Vacant PARENT positions:
Please let Kelty or one of the school-based members above know you are
interested in joining our Council!
Meetings are about an hour and can be in person or virtual.
Melissa Hennemuth, PCC Chair
Amanda Kucinski, PCC Treasurer
This is my second year as PCC treasurer. I have a 4 year old son, Jeffrey, who is in his third year at ECDC. I also have a 12yo stepdaughter, Molly. I grew up in Norfolk, attended Wake Forest University for my undergrad and went to Wheelock College to obtain my Master of Social Work. I currently work for Steward Healthcare in the psychiatric admissions department and as a clinician for the emergency departments. My family moved back to Franklin in 2020, after residing in Plainville from 2014-2020. I’m looking forward to meeting you at upcoming PCC meetings and events.
Lindsay Bisson, PCC Secretary
This is actually my third year in this position. I have a 6 year old son named Andrew who is an ECDC alum and is currently going into 1st grade at Oak St. Elementary. I also have 2 daughters. My daughter, Lily will be 5 in 2 weeks and is in Ms. Marylin’s class. My daughter, Abby is 3 and is in Ms. Sarah’s Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I grew up in Wayland, MA, went to Wheaton College for undergrad, and attended Simmons College for my masters. My husband and I got married in 2010 and lived in our first house in Upton before moving here to Franklin in 2015. I taught first grade here in Franklin from 2004 through 2019. I worked at Parmenter for 2 of those years and the rest were at Keller. I ended up resigning after having Abby in order to stay home with my kids. I am looking forward to meeting many of you at upcoming PCC meetings and events this year!
Volunteering at ECDC
Here at ECDC we have traditionally offered LOTS of ways to have parents and guardians to be involved our school and in your student's learning. We know your lives are busy, but our ECDC is committed to finding ways for you to volunteer and be a part of you student's pre-kindergarten experience, and to be a part of our school community.
Here are some ideas for getting involved!
- Talk to your teacher about volunteering in the classroom; she will find the "just right" way for you to volunteer that works for her classroom and your child
- Share a passion, a talent or a tradition with the students at ECDC (this is how we learn about each of our families--please consider sharing)!
- Consider joining our PCC (Parent Communication Council), our School Council, or attending our Connections for Parents of Children with Special Needs. Even if you are working, we can get creative and find a way for you to be involved!
- Help with our ECDC Community Garden...We always need help with garden clean up in both the fall and spring and help with the planting as well!
In order to volunteer at ECDC, each volunteer must attend a volunteer training here at ECDC (just once) and pass a CORI each school year. These are quick, but important!
Volunteer Trainings:
- September 14th @ 6:40pm (just before our first PCC meeting at 7)
- September 22nd @ 9:30am
- September 27th @ 12:45pm
- October 4th @ 6:40pm (just before the October PCC meeting at 7)
Coffee and Conversation with Miss Kelty
Please join Principal Kelty Kelley for a conversation about all things ECDC.
You can connect with other families,
as well as share your thoughts, joys and concerns.
All meetings will be offered in person and virtually.
Do you have a topic you wish to discuss such as transitions, curriculum, kindergarten, anxiety, etc.?
Please email your ideas to kelleyk@franklinps.net.
Thursday, October 27 @ 9:30
Wednesday, November 30 @ 12:45
Wednesday, January 25 @ 9:30
Thursday March 29 @ 9:30
Wednesday, May 10@12:45
Google Meet Link:
Please RSVP to Laura in the main office by calling
508-541-8166
or by emailing flanaganla@franklinps.net
Connections for Parents of Children with Special Needs
We are looking for some parents of children with special physical, medical, social-emotional or educational needs to join a small group of ECDC staff to help re-invent our Connections for Parents of Children with Special Needs!
In the past this group has come together to support each other with such issues such as:
- having challenging conversations with family members about your child's needs,
- finding a sensory safe space for play outside of school,
- finding babysitters
- potty training
- building strong routines at home
- and more!
Please let Miss Kelty know if you would like to join us or just learn more!
Weekend Food Program Available
All children in the Franklin Elementary Schools and ECDC are eligible, all you have to do is sign up.
For more information or to sign up, please contact Nurse Suzanne at Romas@franklinps.net .
ECDC Spirit Wear Available
The ECDC PCC has gone fully digital with our Spirit Wear this year. Looking to sport some ECDC Spirit Wear?!? You can now purchase shirts, sweatshirt, blankets, and even masks with the ECDC Logo here! Items ship directly to you. The store is always open!
F.X. O'Regan Early Childhood Development Center
Kelty Kelley, Principal, M.Ed.
"There is no hand so small that it cannot leave an imprint on the world!" Klub Kidz
Visit our YouTube Channel @FranklinECDC
Email: kelleyk@franklinps.net
Website: https://www.franklinps.net/ecdc
Location: 224 Oak Street, Franklin, MA, USA
Phone: 508-541-8166
Twitter: @FranklinECDC