Miller Memo
March 8, 2024
Rita E. Miller School
Email: Mboylan@westfordk12.us
Website: www.westfordk12.us/ms
Location: 1 Mitchell Way, Westford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-392-4476
Facebook: facebook.com/millerschoolrocks
Dear Families,
A lot of great things happened at Miller School this week. On our professional development day, staff participated in a variety of trainings dependent on their job. Our classroom teachers and ESPs spent some time learning about our new EL curriculum that will be implemented next year. Our special education staff learned about the new IEP that will be implemented next school year.
On Wednesday, we held our Preschool Lottery. All applicants should have received an email sharing the acceptance or wait list status. If you did not, please reach out to Miller School. We also held our Kindergarten registration. It was exciting meeting some of our new families and the younger members of current families.
Our students have also worked hard. I had the pleasure of having Mrs. Nair's class write persuasive letters to me. These students had some great ideas from bring your pet to school day, a field trip every week and free desserts on Fridays. I really enjoyed reading these and wrote each student a little note back. While we won't be able to have recess all day on Fridays, or install a swimming pool, the kids creativity and supporting arguments were strong.
Have a wonderful weekend!
With gratitude,
Melissa Boylan
Family Folk Song Project
K-2 music teachers are collaborating on a district-wide Family Folk Song Project. All students were given a paper copy, though you can also access the document here. We're excited to hear about your singing at home!
Ramadan
If you have a child that is fasting during Ramadan, we have an alternate space set up in the office instead of the lunch room. We will have drawing supplies or they can bring a book or game. Please reach out to your child's teacher if this is something that you would like your child to access.
No School for Kindergarten Students
As we begin to prepare for the 2024-25 school year, we are formally announcing that there will be NO school for your student on Monday, April 22, 2024. Please note that this additional day off following April vacation is for Kindergarten students ONLY; grades 1-12 will continue to follow the regular school calendar.
Monday, April 22, 2024 will be used for our professional staff to conduct state mandated screenings for all new K students.
Please mark your calendars for this day off as there will be no supervised coverage available at the schools on this day. Transportation will be notified, but we are relying on families to not send your Kindergarten student to school on this day.
March is Reading Month!
Don't forget! March 15th is dress like your favorite book character!
Town Meeting
Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for Saturday March 23, 2024 at Westford Academy starting at 9:00 am. More information regarding logistics, the timeline of the day, as well as the articles on the warrant can be found on this webpage: https://www.westfordma.gov/393/Town-Meeting The Recreation Department will once again be providing childcare for families who register in advance using this link: TM Childcare Signup
Optional Parent / Caregiver Conferences
Our spring conferences are now optional. We know our teachers are in communication with our families. They will take place on 3/18 and 3/19 which are half days for students. Teachers will be sharing out sign ups if you wish to sign up for a time.
WA LAST NIGHT
Westford Academy Last Night 2024 will be on June 7th starting at 10pm. Last Night is a fun celebration for the Class of 2024 to spend a night at Westford Academy with their friends. Last Night is possible due to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and the generous donations from our community. Please check out the pages here for more details and information on how you can help!
All links can be found on the Last Night Event page here:
- Last Night Volunteers Needed - https://bit.ly/49MDORF
- Last Night Photo Wall - https://walastnight.org/for-parents
- Last Night Wish List - https://amzn.to/48Mp6Jd
- Last Night VIP Raffle - https://bit.ly/4c1UbLD
Message from the SEPAC
Please join the SEPAC on March 13th @ 7pm for our biennial Move Up Fair, at the Blanchard Middle School. Do you have a child on an IEP who is entering Kindergarten, 3rd grade, 6th grade, or 9th grade in September 2024 or September 2025? If so, you may be anxious about this move and curious to understand what services and special education will look like in your child’s new school. The Westford SEPAC in collaboration with the Office of Special Education and SEL invites you to attend our biennial Move Up Fair. The event begins with a brief presentation from our school psychologist on change and how children adapt to changes in their daily routines. Following the presentation, members of Westford’s Student Services will be available to answer your questions and discuss common transition issues for students at their grade levels. Please see this FLYER for more information. RSVP is not required but greatly appreciated so we can ensure adequate seating.
Dates to remember:
3/12 PTO Meeting - Virtual 7:30pm
3/15 Dress like your favorite book character
3/18-3/22 District Neurodiversity Week
3/27- Early Release- PD
3/29 - Early Release