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Lowell Bus & Extended Day News
August 26, 2022
Dear Lowell Bus Families,
Riding the school bus can be very exciting. In an effort to ensure all students ride safely, we have some protocols that we could use your help in reinforcing with your child.
Dismissal
To ensure a safe dismissal, each Lowell student has a dismissal plan that’s consistent from week to week. Families may make requests to update their children’s dismissal plan by emailing their teachers and Kara Flynn (kara.flynn@watertown.k12.ma.us) by 9AM the morning of the change. All dismissal change requests must be made by parents / guardians and not students themselves.
Bus Riding Safety
All students are expected to behave in the following ways while riding the bus.
- Students will remain seated with their knees facing the front of the bus for the entire ride.
Students will use an indoor voice while talking with peers who sit on the same bench.
Students will listen to the bus driver’s directions.
Permission to Walk From Bus Stop (Reminder)
Students in grades K-5 must have a parent or guardian waiting for them at the bus stop after school to exit the bus. Otherwise, the child will be brought back to school, and an adult will need to pick up the student from school. The only exception to this requirement is if the parent has filled out a permission form (links below) giving their child permission to walk home from the bus stop. Students must be in grades 3-5 or have an older sibling in grades 3-5 whose parent has permitted them to supervise their sibling on the way home. Please complete the form by Monday 8/29 if you permit your students to walk from the bus stop on their own.
Permission Form - Walk from Bus Stop (SY2022-2023) English
Permission Form - Walk from Bus Stop (SY2022-2023) Spanish
Permission Form - Walk from Bus Stop (SY2022-2023) Portuguese
Boys and Girls Club Registration
Families may register for the Boys & Girls Club using this registration link.
Watertown Public Schools will offer transportation to the Boys & Girls Club as the Club restarts the drop-in programing on September 20. Students who register for the Boys & Girls Club bus are signed up for 5 days a week. When the Boys & Girls Club is CLOSED students who take the bus in the morning will be dropped off at their morning stop in the afternoon. Students who arrive to school as walkers will be dismissed as walkers in the afternoon. WPS will not alert families of the Boys & Girls Club schedule, families must check with the Boys & Girls Club. Students MUST be 7 years of age or older to be members of the Boys & Girls Club drop in Program.
Updates from Debora Cornelius, Director Community Ed.
2022-2023 Before School and Extended Day Program Information for K-5 Students and Families:
The Watertown Community Education Team is excited to welcome students with confirmed enrollment in the Before School and/or Extended Day Program for the 2022-2023 school year. The first day of the program for students in grades 1-5 is Tuesday, September 6th and students entering kindergarten can begin attending the program on their first full day of school, Thursday, September 8th.
Enrolled families can click the following links to view the 2022-2023 Before School Program - Full Program Details and the 2022-2023 Extended Day Program - Full Program Details. These links include the full program calendars, tuition and payment information, drop-off and pick-up instructions, contact information for the programs, and more.
Not enrolled and looking for space? At this time, the Before School and Extended Day Programs at the Cunniff, Hosmer, and Lowell Elementary Schools are enrolled to capacity based on our current staffing. If you would like to register and add your student to the waitlist, click here to visit Watertown Community Education’s Extended Day Program webpage and click the school-specific Google form registration link. Please note, to activate your student’s registration there is a one-time, non-refundable, per-student registration fee of $100.00. While are working hard to increase our staffing to potentially increase our enrollment we are not able to estimate, predict, or guarantee when or if additional space will be available.
If you have additional questions about Watertown Community Education’s Programs, please contact Debi Cornelius at debora.cornelius@watertown.k12.ma.us and Jeff Bodner at jeffrey.bodner@watertown.k12.ma.us.
Important Dates
Coffee with Principal & AP
Friday (8/26) & Monday (8/29)
SEPAC
Back-to-School Picnic
Flillippello Park 5:00-6:30
Popsicle with Principal & AP
4:00-5:00
Wednesday (8/31) Phillips Building Play Yard
DIB Summer Book Club
Wednesday (8/31) 8-9:30
Popsicle with Principal & AP
Thursday (9/1) Lowell West Building Playground
First Day of School for 1-5
8:15 AM
Tuesday (9/6)
First Day of School for K
8:15 AM
Early Release Day
12:00 Dismissal No Busses
Kindergarten Begins Full Day Schedule
8:15-2:30
Bussing Begins
Lowell FTO
Tuesday (9/13) 6:30-7:30
School Site Council Inclusion
Thursday (9/15) 6:30-7:30 PM
i-Ready Fall Benchmark
(9/6 -9/15)
Back-to-School Open House
(9/20) 6:00-8:00 PM
In-Person Event (more detail will follow shortly)
Parent Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council
Tuesday (9/27) 7:00-8:00 PM