Placentino School News & Updates

Dear Sam Placentino Families,

Welcome to the new school year! Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for another year, we are excited to have you as part of our school community. At Sam Placentino Elementary, we deeply value the whole child approach to education, where academic growth is nurtured alongside social and emotional development. We believe that fostering strong relationships, resilience, and a positive sense of self are as important as academic skills. This year, we are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where every child feels safe, valued, and ready to learn. We look forward to partnering with you to ensure a successful and joyful year for all our students.

Warm regards,

Dr. Slaney, Mrs. Cordero & Mrs. Robinson

• Thursday, August 22 - PTO Sponsored Kindergarten Playdate
• Saturday, August 24 - PTO Sponsored Kindergarten Playdate
• Monday, August 26 - Open Houses
• 3:00-3:30PM - Grade 2 & Montessori 6-8
• 3:30-4:00PM - Grade 1
• 4:15-5:15PM - Incoming Kindergarten
• Tuesday, August 27 - First Day of School for Grades 1 & 2 - This is a HALF DAY of school
• Tuesday, August 27 - Kindergarten & Montessori 3-6 Orientations
  
• Wednesday, August 28 - Preschool & Kindergarten Orientations
• Thursday, August 29 - First Day of School for Preschool and Kindergarten

• Monday, September 2 - No School, Labor Day
• Friday, September 13 - No School, Teacher Professional Development Day
• Monday, September 16 - PreK & Kindergarten Back to School Night
  
• Tuesday, September 17 - Grades 1 & 2 Back to School Night
  

*Please note: all of these dates and more can be found on the Placentino Family Google Calendar.*

The PTO is hosting two playdates for incoming Kindergarteners and their families on August 22nd from 4-7PM and August 24th from 9AM-12PM - come to one or both! Please note teachers will not be in attendance and the school will not be open. Color-coded name tags will be given so students can easily identify classmates.

Please note the location has changed to the MILLER PLAYGROUND due to construction on the Placentino playgrounds. Proceed down the main drive to Miller and you'll see the Miller playground at the very end of the last parking lot.

Thursday, August 22nd from 4:00pm-7:00pm:

• 4:00-4:40 Montessori: Cebrowski, Dupont, Jackson
• 4:45-5:25 French: McGovern, Sisson
• 5:30-6:10 Traditional: Auger, Bourque
• 6:15-7:00 Traditional: Came, Verbic

Saturday, August 24th from 9:00am-12:00pm:

• 9:00-9:40 Montessori: Cebrowski, Dupont, Jackson
• 9:45-10:25 French: McGovern, Sisson
• 10:30-11:10 Traditional: Auger, Bourque
• 11:15-12 Traditional: Came, Verbic

We are thrilled to invite you to our upcoming Open Houses at Sam Placentino Elementary School! These events are a wonderful opportunity for students and their families to explore our school, meet the dedicated teachers and staff, and get a glimpse of the exciting year ahead. We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is key to a child's success, and the Open House is the perfect time to begin building those connections. By visiting classrooms, engaging with staff, and familiarizing yourselves with the school environment, you'll help set the stage for a positive and productive school year. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to this special event and can't wait to see the excitement and curiosity in their eyes as they discover what awaits them this year!

Monday, August 26th

• 3:00-3:30PM - Grade 2 & Montessori 6-8
• 3:30-4:00PM - Grade 1
• 4:15-5:15PM - Incoming Kindergarten. This visit will be of non-classroom locations (i.e., cafeteria, art, music, science, library, spanish, and an opportunity to board and sit on the bus) . Classroom visits will occur during scheduled orientations.

*Preschool families will visit during scheduled orientations.

• Grades K- 2: 8:55 AM to 3:20 PM
• Students can begin getting dropped off to school at 8:35 AM
• AM Preschool: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
• PM Preschool: 12:50 PM to 3:20 PM
• Full Day Preschool 9:00 AM to 3:20 PM

• Early release for Grades K-2 and Montessori 6-8 will be at 11:55 AM.
• Early release full for day preschool will be at 11:30 AM.

Monday, August 26th

• Open Houses
• 3:00-3:30PM - Grade 2 & Montessori 6-8
• 3:30-4:00PM - Grade 1
• 4:15-5:15PM - Incoming Kindergarten

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

• The first day of school for 1st and 2nd grade students is Tuesday, 8/27/24 and will be a half-day for students. School begins at 8:55AM and ends at 11:55AM. Breakfast and lunch will not be available to students on the first day of school.
• Kindergarten and Montessori 3-6 Orientation

• 9:30-10:15AM - children whose last names begin A - C
• 10:45-11:30AM - children whose last names begin D - G

Wednesday, August 28, 2024:

• Wednesday is the first full day of school for 1st and 2nd grade students. The school day begins at 8:55AM and ends at 3:20PM. Breakfast and lunch will be available to students beginning on this day.
• Kindergarten and Montessori 3-6 Orientation
• 9:30-10:15AM - children whose last names begin H - L
  
• 10:45-11:30AM - children whose last names begin M - P
• 12:00-12:45PM - children whose last names begin R - S
• 1:00-1:45PM - children whose last names begin T - Z
• AM and Full Day Integrated Preschool
• 9:30-10:15AM - children whose last names begin A - L
• 10:45-11:30AM - children whose last names begin M - Z
• PM and Full Day Integrated Preschool
• 12:00-12:45PM - children whose last names begin A - L
• 1:00-1:45PM - children whose last names begin M - Z

Thursday, August 29, 2024:

• Thursday is the first day of school for preschool and kindergarten students.
• The kindergarten through second grade school day is from 8:55AM and ends at 3:20PM.
• The morning session of preschool begins at 9:00AM and ends at 11:30AM.
• The afternoon session of preschool begins at 12:50PM and ends at 3:20PM.
• Full day of school for all kindergarten through grade 2 students.

Friday, August 30, 2024:

• Full day of school for all kindergarten through grade 2 students.
  

Monday, September 2, 2024

• There is no school on Monday, September 2nd in observance of Labor Day.

K-2 Bus Arrival

• Buses arrive in the middle loop in front of the cafeteria. Routines will be taught and modeled the first few weeks of school so that students know where to enter the building

K-2 Car Arrival at Placentino

• From 8:35-8:50:
• Families can begin to drop off students for early drop off at the Placentino school site. Families will enter the main entrance of the elementary complex. A staff member/police officer will direct you to the appropriate drop off loop. Students should wait in the car until an adult opens the car door. Students will then exit the car out of the passenger side door. Staff cannot assist with car seats or boosters. Parents must remain in the car reaching over to assist.

• From 8:50-8:55:
• Kindergarten students walk to the kindergarten entrance and go directly to their classroom.
• Grade 1 & 2 students walk to the main front entrance and go directly to their classroom.

Preschool Arrival

• Preschool Families can drop off their preschooler for AM preschool between 8:50-9:00 and for PM preschool between 12:40-12:50.
• Preschool families will enter the Middle School entrance that is directly across from Twice Upon a Time.
• Families will drive, keeping the middle school on their left, then turn right and proceed down the Access Road to Placentino (the preschool playground will be on your left and Damigella field will be on your right).
• Please follow adult directions and pull up to the furthest spot available in front of the preschool entrance, exit your vehicle, remove your child/children from your vehicle, and have your child go with one of the PreK staff members into the building. Students will be brought to their classroom by an school staff member.

K-2 Bus Dismissal

• Buses will be loaded at 3:20 and will depart from Placentino shortly after.

K-2 Car Dismissal

• Beginning at 3:05 (PLEASE DO NOT ENTER PRIOR TO THIS TIME) all families who are picking up their students will enter through the main entrance of the elementary complex and proceed to the Miller and loop through their parking lot, to begin cueing for car pick up in the middle loop in front of the of the cafeteria. Students will begin to dismiss at 3:25 after the last bus has left the parking lot
• Families must have a Placentino name placard with a QR code for each student you are picking up (3 copies will be given to each student on the first day of school) posted on the front passenger window of the vehicle (please follow this template for the first day of school).
• Students will be brought to your cars in a timely manner. Live pick-up is when drivers remain in their cars. Placentino staff will be on duty to assist and will direct you. A staff member will be available to assist in helping students, when necessary into the car, but in most cases, children can get into their car and close the door unassisted. This is a good skill to practice. You will need to secure your child into the booster seat/seat belt.
• All cars should remain stationary until a Placentino staff member waves you out. This is EXTREMELY important for the safety of our students.

Preschool Dismissal:

• Please post your school issued placard in the drivers side window (please follow this template for the first day of school).
• AM Preschool Students dismiss at 11:30 and PM preschool will dismiss at 3:20
• Families can begin lining up for AM dismissal at 11:20 pick up and PM pick up at 3:10
• Families will enter the Robert Adams Middle School entrance that is directly across from Twice Upon a Time.
• Families will drive, keeping the middle school on their left, then turn right and proceed down the Access Road to Placentino (the preschool playground will be on your left and Damigella field will be on your right).
• Please follow the staff members directions and line up in the road adjacent to the preschool dismissal door. Please stand next to your car and your child will walk to you
• Preschool Walker (no car on campus) Dismissal
• Families who are walking can walk to the preschool dismissal door and present your school issued placard or an ID between 3:10 and 3:20

Notification of Change of Dismissal Plans

• If you are changing your dismissal plan from your typical schedule (i.e., walker, bus rider, car pick up), families must send an email to pesattendance@holliston.k12.ma.us AND their classroom teacher by NOON time (12:00PM). If you email AFTER noon, we can not guarantee the email will be received. It is extremely important that you email both email addresses so that both the office and the teacher is aware of the change in dismissal plans. Please DO NOT send a written note.

Early Dismissal

• PK-2 early dismissal MUST OCCUR prior to 2:45. Due to the complexity of our dismissal process and in order to ensure the safety of our students, we are unable to accommodate any early dismissals between 2:45 and 3:20. We ask that families plan accordingly.
• Please park your car in a parking spot and walk to the front door. Once you arrive at the front door, please ring the bell and communicate with the office staff member, your name, your child’s name, and their classroom teacher’s name. We will then escort your child to you. Please have your ID ready to share.

We are so excited to share that both of our playgrounds will be getting an updated look! We were able to utilize resources that have been part of the plan for a number of years to update the playgrounds without needing additional taxpayer resources.

For the Prek-K playground, the slide structure and the swings will be removed and replaced and rubberized flooring will be put under them. On the other side of the playground, the broken equipment is being replaced and new mulch is being put in.

On the Grade 1 and 2 playground, the current structure and swings are being removed and replaced. The whole area is going to be regraded and terracing will be added to help with erosion. A rubberized surface will be poured under all the equipment. After that work is complete, we are working on securing soccer goal areas for the students to play on the field.

The new and improved playground areas will not be ready for the first week of school so we will have alternative recess locations until the playground is ready.

Stay tuned for an email within the next week regarding "Annual Student Verification Forms" to update contact and medical information and sign off on various forms (general procedures, handbook, acceptable use, etc.) The form will be emailed to the first contact for your student(s). Only one contact should complete the form. You may use this form to notify us of any health changes and update contact and emergency contact info. The form will come from the following email address: noreply@noreply.powerschool.com. This must be completed at the start of the school year.

Any families who are dropping off medication with the school nurse should do so during the first week of the school year. Please reach out to Catherine Harkin at harkinc@holliston.k12.ma.us if you have any questions. Any controlled substances must be dropped off to the nurse by a parent/guardian.

While school lunch and breakfast are free for all, any students that are eligible for free or reduced lunch may qualify for other types of assistance programs. Families can apply for benefits at any point during the school year using the following form.

Sincerely,

Dr. Slaney, Mrs. Cordero, and Mrs. Robinson