Dear Arlington Public Schools Families,
I can hardly believe it's already March! This school year has been flying by and I'd like to share some of the wonderful things we've been up to this year. I am excited to invite you all to attend a virtual Mid-Year Superintendent's Update on March 27th. Please click on the button below to submit questions of interest to you and your family so I can do my best to address your curiosities. I wish you a wonderful start to the spring season and a productive month of March!
Sincerely,
Dr. Elizabeth C. Homan
Superintendent, Arlington Public Schools
SEPAC Announcements
SEPAC Business Meeting: Join SEPAC on zoom for our monthly business meeting on March 12th at 9:00AM. On the agenda - a discussion with elementary principals Eva Liner (Bishop) and Amy Kelly (Stratton). All are welcome to attend. Use this link to join the meeting: Zoom Link.
ACE Summer Fun 2024
Summer Fun registration is open! SummerFun runs July 8-August 16 at Arlington High School and serves children in grades 1-12. With classes in arts & crafts, cooking, fitness, games, music, theater, dance, STEAM, and more, there is something for everyone. Find out more about SummerFun!
- Half-day or full-day
- One week or up to all six
- Morning & afternoon extended day
- Small class sizes
- Brand new building with A/C!
Registrations must be made online. Please create an account in our registration system, if you have not done so already. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying Arlington families. To be prepared to register on opening day please submit your tuition assistance application by Friday, February 2nd.
Ottoson Middle School Heritage Day
The Ottoson Middle School media center was the heart of the school for a day. OMS community members shared the school community's variety of cultural backgrounds. Teachers brought classes throughout the morning to visit tables set up with materials and presentations prepared by participants excited to share their cultural richness. So much color and pride on display!
Working Groups
Working Groups play a pivotal role in helping us carry out the ideals in our strategic plan so that we are actively working toward our goals. Thank you to everyone who has served on any of the various working groups. Your dedication and commitment to APS is valued and greatly appreciated. You can find the members of our working groups here as well as the facilitators of each group.
March 2nd - All Town String Concert
March 8th - SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Day 2024 & International Women's Day
March 12th - Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meeting
March 13th - APS/Rainbow Commission Community Conversations
March 14th - Pi Day
March 20th - Early Release All Schools
- March 22, 23, 24th - AHS Musical Twelfth Night
- March 28th - AHS Instrumental & Music Tech Collaborative Concert
- March 29th - NO SCHOOL - Good Friday
Supporting Your Student's Attendance
Arlington Public Schools is committed to supporting all families with their student's attendance to school. Families and school collaboration can boost students' attendance significantly. Families can reinforce the importance of regular attendance, set routines, and provide the necessary encouragement. Families can also give their child's school valuable insights into their child's individual needs and challenges, allowing for more tailored support. By working together, families and schools can identify and address attendance issues promptly, promoting a culture where attendance is viewed as a shared responsibility.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Family Engagement web page provides information about numerous resources and supports available to districts, schools, and families. Massachusetts defines chronically absent as missing at least 10 percent of days enrolled (for instance, 18 days absent if enrolled for a typical school year of 180 days), regardless of the reason for the absence. Being chronically absent can have a significant impact on a student's academic progress and their ability to access the variety of academic and non-academic supports that schools provide.
Opportunity to Attend Youth Mental Health First Aid
Last year Arlington Public Schools was awarded a Mental Health Awareness Training Grant to support FREE Youth Mental Health First Aid training to any APS staff member, caregiver, and community member within the Arlington community.
What is Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)?
An evidence- and skills-based training for adults (18+) who frequently interact with youth. YMHFA provides the tools a layperson needs to identify, understand, and respond to an adolescent who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. Upon training completion, participants will be awarded a YMHFA certification.
What will I learn?
- Common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges in adolescents
- Language and skills to talk to youth about suicide
- 5-step action plan to recognize and respond to youth in crisis and non-crisis situations
- How to refer a youth to the appropriate professional support services
- Increase your mental health literacy, become more confident when helping a young person in distress, and act as a valuable link to early intervention
Click here for more information or to register.
MA Partnerships for Youth (MPY)
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth is pleased to announce that, as a benefit of membership, it is offering new programs. They have added a new Parent Solutions Quick Video Library, a useful resource about raising children and teens in these difficult times. Videos have a range of topics and age appropriate resources.
MPY is also offering "Navigating the Cyber World" Parent Workshop
March 5th, 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
This workshop will be remote. Zoom registration link HERE
Workshop Description:
This workshop reviews the challenges and dangerous situations that may arise through use of the internet, social media, and smartphones. It is important for school staff and parents to be aware of the popular apps, social media sites, and programs used by youth online. This workshop explains the issues and possible consequences of cyberbullying, sexting, and revealing identifying information to strangers.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention - A presentation for caregivers and communities
TRAILS invites you to attend an upcoming presentation: Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Caregivers and Communities. The free presentation will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, March 12 5-6:15pm.
Space is limited to the first 500 registrants, click here to register!
School News Edlio App
The School News app by Edlio is an activity feed for alerts, news, and events from APS. It’s a simple way to view the school news feeds and calendars. The app is free to download to your iOS or Android phone and quick to set up:
- Go to the App Store or Google Play and search for “School News by Edlio” to install.
- Open the app and search for Arlington Public Schools; tap “Add School.”
- Enable push notification by going to the Alerts tab and tapping “Enable Notifications.”
Arlington Reads Together 2024: Solito
The library’s annual community read program, Arlington Reads Together (ART), returns in March 2024. This year’s selected title, Solito by Javier Zamora, is a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the Los Angeles Times Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiography. In this book, a young poet tells the unforgettable story of his harrowing migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this moving, page-turning memoir.
Library visitors can pick up copies of Solito at Robbins or Fox Branch libraries, or request a copy online via the MLN catalog. The title is also available as a digital download ebook or audiobook via Libby. Book discussions and other events will take place throughout March. A full schedule of events and programs is available here and at robbinslibrary.org. A reader’s guide is available here.
Robbins Library will host Zamora on Saturday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. for a virtual author talk. Community members are invited to attend in person or via Zoom for a moderated discussion about the book. To register to attend online, please visit http://tinyurl.com/ART-Javier-Zamora. No registration is required to attend in person.
