Growing by Leaps and Bounds
Martha Jones School - Westwood, MA
Matt Kuklentz, Principal
Martha Jones Motto:
Be Kind. Be Curious. Be Courageous.
Westwood Public Schools | Martha Jones School | Martha Jones PTO
Principals Message
MJ Community,
It sure feels like Fall is here this week, the frost to start the morning and the leaves are changing. While the weather turns cooler, the learning continues to heat up here at MJ. I wanted to highlight the images below. In the first, Mrs. O'Connell, MJ Adjustment Counselor is teaching a lesson on self-regulation and understanding their zones of emotional and physical regulation. The next picture is from a 3rd grade classroom. As part of learning about the water cycle, they are making predictions about what will happen to containers of exposed water over long periods of time in a classroom. In physical education, students have been learning about pathways to move their bodies. Additionally, this week marks the beginning of our Fall parent teacher conferences. During these conferences you can expect to hear about your child's transition and progress this year.
Finally, as the weather turns cooler and children start to wear more layers, please, please, please label all clothing (sweatshirts, outerwear, winter hats, gloves, etc) with their name. It greatly helps students keep track of their materials.
Matt Kuklentz
Martha Jones School
Principal
Math League
Join Math League at MJS!
Who:
· Math League is open to 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders of all math abilities!!
· In order for the program to run, parent/guardian volunteers are needed. We ask that parents/guardians sign-up to volunteer for at least 3 sessions.
· Please let us know if this is not possible for your family, and we will do our best to accommodate. Parents/guardians must have an active CORI to volunteer.
What:
· Students meet before school and practice solving math problems in teams. Although the types of problems are often new, children learn how to tackle them by applying the skills they have already learned in school.
· The goal is to make math fun and accessible by showing kids they have the ability to successfully take on new math challenges.
· There is no cost to participate in MJ Math League.
When & Where:
· Math League will meet roughly every other Friday morning before school at Martha Jones School from 7:50-8:40 AM.
· Math league begins November 8, 2024 and runs through April 4, 2025. In the Spring, each grade will compete in a Math Meet against the other Westwood elementary schools
Why:
· It’s fun!! Kids enjoy working with their friends and develop both curiosity and confidence.
· Math League is a good opportunity for students with strong math skills to try something new and for students who find math a challenge to work in a fun setting.
How:
· Registration is open from Thursday October 10 through Friday October 18, 2024.. To register, please complete: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlQpZOEKHgPPOjaewjvco3VUeJ7JyU5OxtgDfiNdjSKTdn_w/viewform?usp=sf_link
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
Important Upcoming Events
Fri, Oct 25 - PTO "Haunted Hallway" event
Tues, Oct 29 - Westwood SEPAC Speaker Meeting, 7:00-8:30pm, virtual
Wed, Oct. 30 - Early Release/Parent Teacher Conferences, 12:00pm, Nighttime Conferences
Tues, Nov. 5 - No School - Professional Development
Thur, Nov 7 - Picture Retake Day (morning)
Mon, Nov. 11 - No School - Holiday
Wed, Nov. 13 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Fri, Nov. 15 - Westwood SEPAC Parent Night Out, 5:30-8:30, Wild Blossom
Wed, Nov. 27 - Early Dismissal
Thur, Nov. 28 - No School - Holiday
Fri, Nov. 29 - No School - Holiday
Wed, Dec. 11 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Fri, Dec. 20 - Early Dismissal
Mon, Dec 23-Wed. Jan. 1, 2025 - No School - Vacation
Thur, Jan. 2 - School Resumes
Wed, Jan 8 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Wed, Jan 15 - Westwood SEPAC Community Meeting, Westwood Public Library/Zoom, 7:30-8:30pm
Mon, Jan 20 - No School - Holiday
Wed, Jan 22 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Wed, Feb 5 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Wed, Feb 12 - Westwood SEPAC Coffee Meet Up - Muffin House, 10:00-11:00am
Mon, Feb 17-21 - No School - Vacation
Wed, Feb 26 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Wed, Mar 12 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Wed, Mar 26 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Tues, Apr 8 - MCAS ELA (Gr. 3, 4, 5)
Wed, Apr 9 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Thurs, Apr 10 - MCAS ELA (Gr. 3, 4, 5)
Tues, Apr 15& Thurs, Apr 17 - MCAS ELA Make-up Dates
Wed, Apr 16 - Westwood SEPAC Coffee Meet Up - Muffin House, 10:00-11:00am
Mon, 18-25 - No School - Vacation
Wed, Apr 30 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Tues, May 13 - MCAS Math (Gr. 3, 4, 5)
Wed, May 14 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Wed, May 14 - Westwood SEPAC Community Meeting, Westwood Public Library/Zoom, 7:30-8:30
Thurs, May 15 - MCAS Math (Gr. 3, 4, 5)
Fri, May 16 - MCAS Math Make-up (Gr. 3, 4, 5)
Mon, May 19 & Tues, May 20 - MCAS Science (Gr. 5)
Thurs. May 22 - MCAS Science Make-up (Gr.5)
Wed, May 28 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Wed, June 4 - Early Release, 12:00pm
Mon, June 16 - Student Last Day (no snow days)
News from the Front Office
CORI Forms
Thank you to all our wonderful MJ Community Members for volunteering. Please note all volunteers must have a completed CORI background check before volunteering or chaperoning of any kind. Once cleared, the CORI is good for 3 years. Parents who have completed a CORI through another town department (ex. Parks & Rec) must still complete a CORI through the school department. If you are unsure if your CORI form is current, please contact the office and we can look it up on the district database.
Please note the CORI form submission is not considered complete until it is also accompanied with a copy of your current picture ID. Thank you.
News from the MJ Classroom's
News from 2H (Ms. Hartwell)
The wonders of crafts.
News from 1D (Mrs. Dunn)
First grade writers are engaging in all of the steps of the writing process, just as published authors do. They enjoy planning out their small moment stories with support from their writing partners, and are especially eager to share their finished pieces with their "audience" to get feedback from their peers. First graders have recently learned about the important step of revision and are working hard to improve their initial versions of their stories by adding more to the words or pictures. We have learned to live by the writing motto, "When you're done, you've just begun!"
News from Ms. Wyler
The kindergartners have been hard at work building their early literacy skills!
These kindergartners are building their phonemic awareness by isolating the first sound they hear in words.
These kindergartners are developing their upper and lowercase letter identification by sorting and matching letters.
PTO News
Big thank you to…
All of you who contributed to the walk-a-thon! It was a huge success. We are so thankful for the supportive community of caregivers and educators at the Martha Jones of our fundraising efforts.
WEBSITE & DIRECTORY INFORMATION
The Martha Jones PTO is a non-profit organization that takes great pride in supporting our teachers and students. We do this by offering valuable programs, organizing exciting events, and providing essential resources that enhance the educational experience of every student.
Log in or register on the PTO website to stay updated on all PTO events, receive important PTO emails, and stay connected with Room Parent communications. You will also be able to update your information, contribute to our Annual Contribution Drive, purchase Birthday Books, and volunteer for various PTO committees or in the Library! Many of our committees are still looking for volunteers. Sign-up today!
ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION DRIVE
We aim to raise $7,500 from our annual PTO drive and are halfway to this goal! Every donation, no matter the amount, is appreciated and important in helping us continue to fund enrichment and community activities. Please consider making a contribution today! As a reminder, we also have a Corporate Match option. Many Employers offer matching donations because MJS PTO is a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
MATH LEAGUE
Grade 2-5 can register now for MJ’s math league! Students of all math abilities can sign up. Registration is open until Friday, October 18, 2024.
Students meet before school and practice solving math problems in teams. The goal is to make math fun and accessible by showing students they have the ability to take on new math challenges successfully.
There is no cost to participate in the MJ Math League.
Parent/caregiver volunteers are required for at least 3 sessions. Please let the committee chairs know if this is not possible for your family, and we will do our best to accommodate. If you volunteer please be sure that you fill out a CORI form or have one filed with the school within the last year.
Math League will meet at Martha Jones every other Friday morning before school from 7:50- 8:40 AM. Math league begins November 8, 2024 and runs through April 4, 2025.
MJS Halloween Party
The MJS HAUNTED Halloween Party will be on Friday, October 25th at 6-8pm! This is a fun outdoor event with a DJ, haunted alley, food, and photo booth! It’s a great chance to meet new families, caregivers, and come together as a community! The first half hour (6-6:30pm) will be sensory friendly with no lights, smoke, and music. Please bring a donation for the Westwood Food Pantry, and if you can, sign-up as a volunteer!
Westwood Gear
Exciting news! The 2024 Westwood Gear store is now open! All Westwood Schools have joined forces to create one Westwood Gear store for everyone. It's the perfect place to find gifts for the whole family this holiday season. It's also perfect timing to load up on Westwood merchandise for the upcoming Martha Jones Spirit Days. Orders are expected to arrive by early December. Gear up and show your Westwood spirit!
Store is open until Thursday, November 7th.
Check out the items here:
BIRTHDAY BOOKS & LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS
- Participate in the PTO Birthday Book Program! Ms. Swinning has selected some fantastic books that students have requested, but the Martha Jones library does not currently have. During their birthday month, participating children are invited to the library to pick a brand new book from this collection. A bookplate commemorating your child’s birthday will be placed inside the front cover and they will be the very first student to borrow this book! Once they’ve finished reading it, the book will be returned to the library’s collection, where it can be enjoyed for years to come. The cost of this program is $15 per student.
- Sign-up as a Library Volunteer! Mrs. Swinning needs one parent per class to help check-in, shelve, and check-out books. This is a great opportunity to get into the school, interact with your child’s class, and support the library program!
MARTHA JONES PTO FACEBOOK GROUP AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
Join the Facebook group and follow us on Instagram to get the latest PTO news and updates delivered right to your news feed! Join our Facebook group or follow us on Instagram @marthajonespto.
Martha Jones PTO Meeting Dates SY 2024-2025
September 24, 2024, 7pm
November 19, 2024, 7pm
March 4, 2025, 7pm
May 6, 2025, 7pm
PTO CONTACT FOR EVENTS, NOTICES:
If you have an event or notice for our PTO update, please email it to:
PTO Co-Secretary - Priscilla Stephan, Jenn Katsilieris
Martha Jones PTO Board 2024-2025
Kristen Donahue, Co-President
Ally Pavlic, Co-President
Kristen Gautreau, Co-Treasurer
Abbe Lynch, Co-Treasurer
Priscilla Stephen, Co-Secretary
Jenn Katsilieris, Co-Secretary
Katie Collins, Co-Social Media
Priya Sharma, Co-Social Media
District & Community News You Can Use
Westwood SEPAC
The Westwood Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is a state-mandated, parent-run group working to promote a network of parents, guardians, and caregivers of children with special needs.
Information about SEPAC and events can be found at https://www.westwoodsepac.org/events.
Westwood Youth and Family Services
We hope you all have had a wonderful summer! WYFS is reaching out to share our Fall group programming for Kindergarten-5th graders through Westwood Youth and Family Services.
Below are the links and program flyers:
Social Smarts for Kindergarten / 1st Graders
Calm & Cope: Anxiety Coping Group for Kids
Please let us know if we can answer any questions. If you would like to learn more about the services we provide to Westwood children and families please visit our website: https://www.townhall.westwood.ma.us/departments/youth-family-services or follow us on Instagram and Facebook @westwoodyfs.
School Calendar
Westwood Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, or sexual orientation.
If you need this document translated, please call the Westwood Public Schools’ Student Services Department at 781-326-7500 ext. 1346 or email your request to lplouffe@westwood.k12.ma.us. Thank you.
如果您需要翻译本文档,请致电Westwood的公立学校的学生服务部在781 326-7500 ext. 1346 或电子邮件您的要求 lplouffe@westwood.k12.ma.us 谢谢你。
اذا بحاجة الى هذه الوثيقة المترجمة ، يرجى الاتصال على إدارة المدارس العامة ويستوود 'الخدمات الطلابية في 781 326-7500 ext. 1346 أو على البريد الالكتروني الخاص بك lplouffe@westwood.k12.ma.usلك. لطلب كنتشكرا
Если вам нужен этот документ переводится, пожалуйста, позвоните Вествудгосударственных школах "Студенческие службы Департамента по 781 326-7500 ext. 1346 или по электронной почте запрос на lplouffe@westwood.k12.ma.us Спасибо.