Lowell Family Newsletter
April 3, 2022
Phillips/Lowell West Pool Testing Will Take Place Monday, April 4th
Table of Contents
Reminder- Early Release Thursday, March 24th
Message from Mrs. Phelan
Student Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council Meets this week
Walk-A-Thon
Arab American Month
Ramadan
Message from
Spanish Newsletter
Scenes from Lowell
What's Happening Around Town
Mark Your Calendar
Upcoming Events and Save the Dates
INCOMING KINDERGARTENERS/2022-23
Online Kindergarten Registration is now open. Click on this link to register your child for Kindergarten for the 2022-23 school year.
Message from Principal Phelan
Dear Families,
We had a delightful week! The highlight of my week was spending time with the Student Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging councils. Last year, our student DIB councils started as two small groups, divided by grade level (k-2) and (3-5). Our councils have expanded to include four groups broken down by grade levels k-1, 2-3, 4, and 5. Each month more and more students attend our meetings, which is heartwarming. As our councils grow, it becomes more evident that we may need to carve out a space for this work in new ways next year. I will be working with Lowell's ILT (Instructional Leadership Team) and Parent DIB Council to figure out how to expand and adapt our work next year.
This month we used the book Lubna and Pebble to discuss the topic of the war and the unintended consequence of creating a refugee crisis during times of political conflict. We discussed how we could show empathy and caring toward people experiencing tremendous turmoil in their lives as they flee their home countries for refuge.
Each meeting began with a brief discussion of the war in Ukraine; we then expanded the conversation to explore what it is to be a refugee. We also spoke more broadly about our American story and how many of us can relate to this story. We then read the story Lubna and Pebble. After our reading, we briefly discussed the importance Pebble played on Lubna and Amir's experience as a refugee.
The book tells an unforgettable story that subtly addresses the refugee crisis. A young girl must decide if friendship means giving up the one item that brings her comfort during a time of utter uncertainty.
Lubna's best friend is a pebble. Pebble always listens to her stories. Pebble always smiles when she feels scared. But when a lost little boy arrives in the World of Tents, Lubna realizes that he needs Pebble even more than she does.
This emotionally stirring and stunningly illustrated picture book explores one girl's powerful act of friendship in the midst of an unknown situation.
At the end of the meeting, each student was given a pebble to take home. We discussed taking care of their pebble just as Lubna and Amir did in the story. The conversations were rich and insightful. I was amazed by how much students know and understand the Ukraine conflict. I was also moved by their empathy and desire to help make the lives of refugees better.
Lowell school will move our discussion about the refugee crisis in Ukraine into action with the support of our FTO. As we kick off our annual walk-a-thon, we will be donating 50% of our walk-a-thon proceeds to UNICEF. Our students were excited by the idea that they could do something to make a difference.
Please join us in a fantastic opportunity to raise money for Lowell student enrichment and UNICEF.
With a grateful heart,
Stacy
Mrs. Phelan presenting at the Student Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Assembly for kindergarten and first grade at the Phillips on Friday morning.
Our fourth and fifth grade DIB Council.
Each student received their very own pebble to take care of and maybe pass along to someone special to they love.
Ramadan
If you wish for your child to have an alternative space to fast during the scheduled lunch please let us know. You may email Mrs. Phelan at stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma.us or Mr. Chen at Qi.chen@watertown.k12.ma.us
Tentatively, students who choose to fast will go to the Curriculum Office during lunch and will be supported by designated staff.
Message from Ms. Quesada & Ms. Mitchell
Hola families,
We hope you have a great start to Spring!
We are starting the Spring with the culmination of projects from Unit 2. In kindergarten, we finish clothing, and we start with family. In first grade, students completed a project with emotions and hobbies. In second grade, we are finishing Unit 2 about the house and what families do in the house. In third grade, we did a mini-unit about the alphabet and are completing a unit about describing houses and what families do at home. In fourth grade, students finished a project about their daily routine. In fifth grade, we are wrapping up unit 2 about health.
We look forward to continuing learning and practicing Spanish with your child(ren)!
Saludos,
Señora Quesada & Señora Mitchell
MCAS Dates Spring 2022
ELA: April 12th & 14th
Math: May 15th & 17th
Science: May 24th & 25th
* Some students may test on alternative dates depending on their 504 or IEP Accommodations
Menu for the Week of April 4th-8th
Phillip Building K-1
Lowell West 2-5
Scenes From Around Lowell
Mark Your Calendar
Facutly Meeting
April 6th 2:45-4:05
FTO Meeting
April 12th 6:30 PM
ELA MCAS Grades 3, 4, and 5
April 12th
Climate Panel Grade 5 Hosmer School
April 13th 12:30 PM
School Base PD 2:45-4:05
ELA MCAS Grades 3, 4, and 5
April 14th
School Site Council
Proposed SIP Goals for 2022/2023 SY
April 14th at 6:00 PM
Walk-A-Thon
During Grade Level Specials Block
April 15th
Early Release Day
April 15th Students Dismissed at 12:15
April Vacation
April 16th- April 24th
MCAS Dates for Spring 2022
ELA: April 12th & 14th Grades 3, 4, & 5
Math: May 16th & 17th Grades 3, 4, & 5
Science: May 24th & 25 Grade 5 Only
What's Happening Around Town
Watertown Race Reels
We hope you are all doing well and enjoying the longer days as we creep slowly but surely toward warmer months. We are thrilled to be holding our rescheduled January Watertown Race Reels event on April 27th. In honor of Armenian Genocide Remberance Day, Watertown Race Reels, in collaboration with the Watertown Free Public Library, will be screening, What Will Become of Us (see attached flyer for details).
This month one of our guest speakers will be Stephanie Ayanian, the producer and director of this month's featured documentary . Her documentary, What Will Become of Us, focuses on a small ethnic group grappling with how to maintain their cultural identities in the melting pot of America 100 years after genocide. She is currently in post production on her next film, No Difference Between Us, that shares the story of Father Armenag, an Armenian-Catholic priest in Los Angeles who works tirelessly to aid Christian and Muslim refugees escaping the atrocities in Syria to secure their lives in America. Ayanian co-owns storyshop, an independent production house for creative media. Before starting storyshop, Ayanian worked as a Senior Producer/Director for Penn State Public Broadcasting where she was the producer and co-director of Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure, for which she received the American Association of Engineering Societies Award for Journalism. The feature documentary was shown on 717 public television stations with a total of 1800 broadcasts in a 12-month period. She also produced and co-directed the Geospatial Revolution Project, which was released episodically on the web and has screened worldwide. She holds an MFA in Film and Media Arts from Temple University and a BA in Film and Video from the Pennsylvania State University.
Stephanie is a third-generation Armenian American. Her grandparents survived the Armenian Genocide of 1915 as children, grew up in the Armenian ghettos of Marseille, France, and came to reestablish their community in Fresno, California. Her bedtime stories were often of her grandmother’s childhood—the Genocide, the kidnapping of her family members, the reuniting, and the refugee camps.
Joining Stephanie will be our own Watertown resident Stepan Piligian. Stepan is a NASSR (National Association for Armenian Studies & Research) board member who is also a columnist for the Armenian Weekly newspaper in Watertown. We are honored Stephanie and Stepan will be joining us to present and facilitate discussion.
We hope you can join us and will help us spread the word of the event/event details/flyer with your circles within Watertown and beyond.
In Solidarity,
Kara and Teo (Watertown Race Reels Co-collaborators)
Parents' Recreational Softball League
A group of parents is trying to put together a recreational softball league for parents of kids in the Watertown schools. The idea is for it to be super relaxed and open to people of all skill levels. Teams would be school-based to give parents a fun opportunity to socialize and build community with other parents at their kid’s school.
If you might be interested in participating (or, even better, helping to organize!), please fill out the Google Doc below
Virtual Family Program
Virtual Family Program
Wednesday, April 6, 4:00–4:45 pm ET
Free
Afterschool Animal Encounters: Super Skeletons
How do animals change as they grow? What do skeletons have to do with how an animal moves? How do animals today compare with their ancient ancestors? Get the answers to these questions and more with human museum staffers Javier and Arielle. Each month we will discuss a different theme while sharing specimens from the museum collections and interacting with some of the museum’s incredible live animals!
Do snakes have bones? Can a turtle crawl out of its shell? How far could you jump if you were a frog? Looking at skeletons can help us answer these questions! Comparing the skeletons of different animals can help us learn more about how they live and move. Join human museum staffers Arielle and Javier as they lead you in a 45-minute program with live animals and specimens from the museum collections. This event will be fun for the whole family so bring your questions and sense of wonder.
Upcoming Programs for Kids and Families
Now Register for Summer Science Weeks
5/4 Afterschool Animal Encounters: Ancient Ancestors
5/15 In-person Family Workshop: Colossal Heads of Mexico
Lowell Elementary
30 Common Street
Watertown, Ma 02742
Telephone: 617-926-7770
Lowell West Location
175 Main Street
Waltham, Ma 02451
Telephone: 781-899-3701
Email: stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma
Website: http://watertownjrlowell.ss19.sharpschool.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRLowellElementary