
Principal's Corner
November 26th, 2023

Good Evening Killam Families!
My apologies for a later than usual newsletter. I hope you had a peaceful weekend with family and friends and are ready for a great May ahead!
A friendly reminder from Reading Police to not idle your cars on school property. We ask that you please turn them off or come later during dismissal during nice weather to keep our grounds happy and safe.
I also wanted to remind everyone that Teacher Appreciation Week is next week. Our amazing PTO will be spoiling our teachers with lots of goodies, but I highly encourage all families to send an email or handwritten note to their child's teacher as well!
Let's have a great week!
Lindsey Fulton, Principal
MCAS Updates
- MCAS Testing will resume next Wednesday and Thursday for grade 4 students. Please read the memo below to see upcoming May math and science dates!
Learning Fair
The Killam Learning Fair will take place for all K-5 Families from 6-7 PM on May 16th. Please save the date and join us to see your student's work, classroom, and school community come together. More to come!
Thursday, May 16, 2024, 06:00 PM
J.W. Killam Elementary School, Charles Street, Reading, MA, USA
A Note From Our School Nurse
Dear Families,
Spring has brought beautiful days and warmer weather and unfortunately, allergy season as well.
If your student has allergies caused by the environment, please monitor for symptoms. There are many over-the-counter medications that can help alleviate symptoms. You may also want to consult your student’s pediatrician for advice. It is important that any prescribed medications be used daily to keep symptoms to a minimum.
Here is a visual to help you identify the similarities and differences between environmental allergies and common colds:
If you have not already done so, please let me know if your child has seasonal allergies.
Thank you and stay well,
Sharon Grottkau
Field Day- Friday, May 31st!
We are super excited to host our K-5 Field Day on Friday, May 31st, with a rain date of Friday, June 7th!
All K-5 students will participate in stations with their class and we need your help to make this happen! Please sign up for a volunteer slot if you are able to help!
Local Events
Outreach Announcement – April 30th Reading community parent listening sessions to support middle schoolers
The Reading Children's Cabinet is hosting parent listening sessions to discuss best practices to support our middle schoolers so they are empowered to thrive socially and emotionally! Community Listening Sessions will be held on Tuesday, April 30th from 9:30am - 10:30am and 6pm - 7pm at Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Ave, Reading, MA 01867. Please complete this form to RSVP for one of the listening sessions.
RSVP form for Reading Parent Listening Sessions
For additional information, please contact Barbara Best at bbest@gse.harvard.edu.
The RMHS Drama Club presents William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
Ever wondered what swashbuckling pirates, mistaken identities, unrequited love and William Shakespeare have in common? The RMHS Drama club endeavors to find out this spring with its production of Twelfth Night. Set on the remains of a pirate shipwreck, this telling of the beloved comedy is fast paced and wickedly funny. Featuring the performances and technical skills of some of RMHS’ rising stars. You don’t want to miss this final offering of the Drama Club season, so get your tickets! Shows are May 3rd and 4th at 7:30 pm and May 5th at 2 pm in the RMHS William Endslow Performing Arts Center. Be there or you may just have to walk the plank!
Tickets @ RMHSDrama.org - and can also be purchased at the box office starting one hour before the performance.
$15/Adults
$10/Seniors+Students
RMHS Drama Club Spring Raffle.
Enter to win a weekend away in Stowe, Vermont. $20 per entry - details on RMHSDrama.org. Proceeds benefit the RMHS Drama Club activities, scholarships, drama programming and more! Parents Supporting Student Theatre (PSST) in a non-profit 501(c).
RMHS Drama Club Dine for a Cause
Mandarin Reading on May 24 from 5:00-9:00 pm. Details and flyer can be found on RMHSDrama.org. Please present a flyer and have 20% of your order benefit the Drama club activities, scholarships, drama programming and more! Parents Supporting Student Theatre (PSST) in a non-profit 501(c).
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE PERFORMANCE
Promotion code for 25% off the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. They will be performing in Boston at the Wang Theater on the following days.
Thu. May 2, 8:00 PM
Fri. May 3, 8:00 PM
Sat. May 4, 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM
Sun. May 5, 3:00 PM
This is the link to purchase tickets and the promo code is MOVE11 (press the unlock button and enter the code there)
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | Celebrity Series of Boston
TRRFCC Ticket Winners! 🐨
Important Dates/Events
This Week:
- Monday, April 29th- Grade 4 Discovery Museum Enrichment
- Wednesday, May 1st- Kindergarten Field Trip
Next Week:
- Teacher Appreciation Week!
- Tuesday, May 7th- PTO Meeting 7 PM
- Wednesday, May 8th- Grade 4 Math MCAS
- Thursday, May 9th- Grade 4 Math MCAS
Killam School Building Project
- The next outreach meeting will be on May 20, from 4-5PM, at the Pleasant Street Center. We will host a moderated panel conversation with members of the public interested in the project.
Last Week's Enrichment
PTO INFORMATION
SEPAC INFORMATION
The Special Education Parent Advisory Council works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized support). Watch this brief introductory video to learn more!
Follow SEPAC on Facebook or Instagram
The New IEP Presentations:
Reading Public Schools will implement the new IEP in the fall. Please join us for an opportunity to learn what changes to expect and to ask Student Services your questions. The presentation will be held both in person and virtually.
More information about the new IEP can be found here.
If you have a child on an IEP, we recommend that you take a moment to familiarize yourself with what the new IEP form will look like.
Understanding the New IEP Form in Massachusetts: Article Published by Mass General Hospital for Children and Lurie Center
Wednesday, May 8th, 6PM (In Person - location TBD)
This will be a presentation for families to review DESE's NEW IEP Improvement Project to include the school’s timeline for rollout, what the new forms look like and what to expect for any adjustments to the team meeting process. (Please register for this presentation so we can be prepared with how many families will be attending as we need to be sure to accommodate a large crowd if needed).
Please Click Here to Register for the May 8th In-Person Presentation.
Thursday, May 9th, 12PM (Virtual)
This will be a presentation for families to review DESE's NEW IEP Improvement Project to include the school’s timeline for rollout, what the new forms look like and what to expect for any adjustments to the team meeting process. (Registration required to receive the zoom link).
Please Click Here to Register for the May 9th Virtual Presentation.
SEPAC Family Lunch Meetup:
Tuesday, May 14th, 11-1PM (In-person at Northern Bank’s Community room or join virtually)
Come have lunch with other SEPAC families and some members of the Reading SEPAC Board. SEPAC will provide cheese pizza. Feel free to bring optional potluck sides or your own brown bag lunch, especially if you or your loved one has a special diet. Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverages if you will be joining us.
A picnic blanket will be set up with toys for any kids who want to join and don’t need a chair. Feel free to bring other toys your child wouldn’t mind sharing with others.
This will be an informal monthly gathering on the 2nd Tue of the month just to hang out with other SEPAC families.
Space is limited to 8 adult seats in person and unlimited virtually.
Please Click Here to Register for the May SEPAC Lunch Meetup.
We reviewed the survey results at our last meeting. Thank you to everyone who was able to complete the survey. If you did not get a chance yet, it’s not too late to submit as we will use this as a reference point to plan for next year.
Past Events:
Recorded events that’s available on the Reading SEPAC Website:
Transition Presentation
For parents and caregivers whose child has an IEP and will be transitioning (between schools, grades, levels, or are new to the school district)
Extended School Year (ESY) Presentation Recording
MCAS & Students with Disabilities Presentation
Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Presentation Recording Available on the Reading SEPAC Website
Review tiered system of supports and provide examples
Outline effective communication channels with your team and school
***Should you wish to reach out to Reading SEPAC anonymously, please use this form
Join our Killam Facebook Page!
Lindsey Fulton, Principal
Email: lindsey.fulton@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: https://killam.reading.k12.ma.us/en-US
Location: 333 Charles Street, Reading, MA, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JWKillamSchool
Twitter: @smorenewsletter