Parker Post

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying Labor Day weekend.

It was wonderful to welcome students back into the building this past week. Whether it was getting to know their teachers, reconnecting with friends, or discovering what they'll be learning about this year, students demonstrated enthusiasm and excitement at Parker!

I am incredibly appreciative of your support during the back to school transition. Your encouragement and preparation at home have played a crucial role in helping our students feel confident and ready for the new school year. With the initial nervousness behind us, we look forward to settling into predictable routines in the days ahead.

In partnership,

Jill Story

Principal

While a majority of student schedules for Quarter 1 have been finalized, small updates to schedules may continue through this week. If a student's schedule needs to be changed for some reason, an updated copy will be distributed during homeroom.

If students wish to change their elective (7th & 8th grade only), they must wait until after the first six-day cycle of classes. Course Change Request forms will be available in the main office beginning on Monday, September 9th. If a student wishes to change an elective, they may pick up a Course Change Request Form and have a parent/guardian sign it and turn it in to Ms. Simpson. Course changes can only occur during the second six-day cycle.

On Wednesdays, students will have Advisory. During Advisory, students meet in smaller groups with an assigned Advisory teacher. The goal is to foster a sense of belonging for all students through the implementation of curriculum that is designed to reinforce Parker's core values of kindness, community, and personal best.

Parker Service is an organized group of 6th - 8th grade student leaders who exemplify the values of kindness, community, and personal best both at Parker Middle School and throughout the community. Parker Service members model our school’s core values by volunteering their time and effort throughout the school year by participating in several events that focus on making a positive difference in the community.

Parker Service is a community outreach group of student volunteers who meet regularly as well as participate in a variety of school and non-school based activities.

If you need to connect with your child's teachers, please reach out to the Team Leader as the primary point of contact. Team Leaders will be communicating regularly with families throughout the year.

TEAM LEADERS:

Team Synergy - Jane Costa (jane.costa@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Unity - Elisabeth Bean (elisabeth.bean@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Justice - Andrew Spinali (andrew.spinali@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Integrity - Steve Olivo (steve.olivo@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Inspire - Julie Merrill (julie.merrill@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Endeavor - Brian James (brian.james@reading.k12.ma.us)

During the school year, the building is open to students beginning at 7:15 a.m. each day. From 7:15 a.m. to 7:40 a.m. students will report to the cafeteria. At 7:40, they will be allowed into the corridors of the school. If a student needs to see a teacher prior to 7:40, they may do so by signing in at the main office desk (if the teacher is available). All students should be in homeroom by 7:50 each morning and will be considered tardy if not present in homeroom at that time.

Drop off will occur both on Temple and King Streets starting at 7:35 a.m. Only staff may enter the school parking lots, so please do not pull into either of the school parking lots to drop off or pick up students. Stay right and allow traffic to keep moving on the left (both Temple and King Streets). Students may enter or dismiss through the main doors in the front of the building or the cafeteria doors in the back of the building.

The school day ends at 2:30 p.m. Students exit via the front, side, or rear doors of the building and may be picked up on Temple Street or King Street.

📌 WELCOME BACK! Please see our Welcome Letter for all things related to PTO!

📌 PTO MEETING: Join us for our first PTO meeting of the year, Monday, September 9 at 7 p.m. at Parker Middle School and via zoom. Take a sneak peek at our upcoming agenda. All are welcome! Zoom link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/4164851110

📌 SUPPORT THE PTO: Check out what the Parker PTO accomplished last year! All of this was entirely made possible because of family donations.

To make this a successful year, the PTO is asking for a donation of $100 per family. We are sensitive that this may pose a financial burden, so please contribute as you are able to do so. Your support is greatly appreciated!

📌 PARKER FAMILY FUN NIGHT: We hope to see you at our Parker Family Fun night this Friday, September 6 from 6-7:30pm on the King Street Lawn. There will be pizza, cotton candy, snacks, lawn games, four square and music. Bring a picnic and come celebrate the start of the school year together! Free! Open to the whole Parker community and families.

📌 PTO MEETING DATES: Mark your calendar for this year’s PTO meetings (subject to change due to school events). Please check the newsletter and PTO page for the most up-to-date information.

📌 SAVE THE DATE!

• FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024: Parker Family Fun Night, 6-7:30pm
• MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2024: PTO Meeting, 7pm. In person and zoom.
• FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024: Restaurant Night at Dandilyons, 3-9pm.

📌 WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED:

• Email: parkerptopres@gmail.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ParkerPTO
• Instagram: @ParkerMSPTO, www.instagram.com/parkermspto
• Parker PTO webpage: tinyurl.com/ParkerPTOpage

Parker Family Fun Night - 9/6, 6:00 p.m.

PTO Meeting - 9/9, 7:00 p.m.

Nature's Classroom Information Night - 9/10, 6:30 p.m.

Back to School Night - 9/19, 6:45 p.m.

Welcome back from the health office! Please be aware that any medication must be brought in by parents and signed in with a nurse, with the exception of epipens and inhalers which may be brought in by students. Please note that all medications require a physician order and parent consent. You may upload any medical documentation, including copies of orders and physicals, privately through the health portal here. Please see illness guidelines here. If you have any medical questions that you would like to discuss with the nurse prior to the first day of school, please contact mary.giuliana@reading.k12.ma.us

For students who are new to the school, you should have received a separate email with an activation link to set up your portal account.

The portal will be used as a primary resource and method of communication. It includes the calendar, Parker News, school resources, your child’s schedule, grades, homework and report cards. Also, any email I send, is saved in your parent portal for future reference. When you access the portal, please make sure you go to the header that says forms and fill out the forms that are under that tab.

• The Technology Agreement is necessary for both a parent and the student to fill out in order for students to then be assigned a personal 1:1 computer to use for the year (students must be logged into the Portal to see their agreement; they will be guided in this process once back at school). Computer use will be limited until both the parent and the student have signed this contract.

• NEW THIS YEAR is the Reading Public Schools Laptop Insurance Program. This optional insurance is highly encouraged to safeguard against any damages that may occur to student laptops. Program Details: Laptop Issuance: Each student will receive a laptop for school use only. Quality Assurance: Our IT team has thoroughly inspected and configured these laptops to guarantee they are in good working condition. Action Required: If your child notices any damage upon receiving the laptop, they/you must report it to IT Department within 24 hours. Failure to report damage within this timeframe means you will be responsible to pay for the repairs.

• Repair Costs with the RPS Insurance Policy: FREE for up to two damage incidents per year. $100 if laptop is lost or stolen (one incident per year).
• Repair Costs without the RPS Insurance Policy: Display Repair/Replacement: $200 Keyboard Damage/Missing Keys: $150 Laptop Exterior Damage: $100 Replacement Power Adapter: $50 Replacement Laptop: $600

• The primary parent should fill out the Pupil Information Form.

• All adult-type contacts should update the Contact Form. If you don't see a Pupil Information Form or the Technology agreement, that just means you aren't the Primary Parent (but make sure the Primary Parent fills out the proper forms!)
  

Access to the portal can be found on the Parker website (https://parker.reading.k12.ma.us/en-US) by clicking on the PlusPortals button. Your username should be your personal email. If you have questions about your account, please contact Meg Powers: meg.powers@reading.k12.ma.us.

Jill Story, Principal

Email: jill.story@reading.k12.ma.us

Beth Simpson, Assistant Principal

Email: beth.simpson@reading.k12.ma.us

Website: Walter S. Parker Middle School
Location: 45 Temple Street