Greetings, Lowell Community,

We have successfully wrapped up our first full week of school, and what a fantastic start it has been! I'm thrilled to report that the students have completed their iReady Mid-Year assessments seamlessly, and our schedule flowed without a hitch. A heartfelt thank you to everyone whose hard work and dedication contributed to making this week a resounding success.

As we move through January, we embark on a Month of Service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. This is a time for our community to come together, reflecting on and taking action in the spirit of Dr. King’s vision of equality, justice, and service to others. We encourage everyone to get involved in various service projects and initiatives designed to strengthen our community bonds and promote social responsibility.

Today was an exciting day as we launched the Lowell Leaders Group for our fourth and fifth graders. It was inspiring to see so many enthusiastic students eager to engage with their peers and teachers. They shared a wealth of wonderful ideas on how they can serve our school as civic leaders. Next week, we will utilize the lunch period for them to sign up for specific roles and assignments. This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for students to grow as active members of our community.

A big shoutout goes to Naomi Ward in third grade, who was featured in the news this week! Naomi's achievements have made us incredibly proud, and we invite everyone to read the article linked below. Keep up the amazing work, Naomi!

Earlier today, we held our annual MLK assembly, which was a unique and meaningful experience. We connected the core values that Martin Luther King Jr. championed with those of our school. This year, we introduced a special addition—student interpreters provided translations of a key discussion to the entire school in their home languages. This inclusive new element allowed us to celebrate our diverse community and ensured that every student could fully participate in this important event.

Looking ahead to Monday, we will offer support for Parent Square in our Learning Commons from 8:00 to 9:00 AM. If anyone needs assistance or has questions about using this platform, we welcome you to join us.

Thank you all for an amazing first week, and here's to a month filled with service and learning that will continue to enrich our school community.

With Gratitude,

Stacy & Tara

Lowell Elementary School third grader Naomi Ward is receiving regional recognition for her effort to fight food insecurity.

As a first grader, Naomi was struck by how much food was thrown away at lunch. That began a multi-year effort to launch a schoolwide effort, now known as Lowell Food for All, to support the Watertown Community Fridge.

Naomi and her family used a Go Fund Me page to raise money to purchase a refrigerator for the Lowell cafeteria, where students and staff can place unopened food items. The food is then taken to the Watertown Community Fridge, where it helps people in need of food assistance.

The fridge cost a little over $2,000 and funding was secured in only four days.

The plan required coordination between Naomi, her family, school officials, the WPS food services department, and various state and local officials, including the Watertown Board of Health, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and State Senator William Brownsberger.

Naomi’s efforts have now garnered media attention from multiple news outlets.

“I saw all the food that had been thrown away because we were just eating in our classroom. And my mom was taking me to the Community Fridge … because our family puts stuff in there every once in a while,” Naomi told Watertown News. “I was seeing all the food that was being taken (from the fridge), and then I sort of combined them in my head. And thought about how the food was food that the school was already buying — it wouldn’t be making them pay more money.”

WBZ News also sent a reporter to the Lowell school to interview Naomi and her mom about the community fridge.

”She’s the powerhouse behind it all,” said Erin Ward, Naomi’s mom. “We are so proud of Naomi...Her persistence is amazing. We couldn’t have accomplished this without her persistent spirit.”

Photo credit: Charlie Breitrose, Watertown News

We are very excited to welcome students, parents/families to the Early Steps Early Childhood Center. While our Preschool and PreKindergarten (PreK) share the goal of preparing 3-5 year olds for kindergarten, more importantly, the experience helps shape students’ view of themselves as successful learners and playful partners, and to realize their individual value within our school community. The fine staff at Early Steps have created a thoughtful, student-centered environment. A few documents to help you learn about Early Steps and upcoming important dates include:

1. Here is the Early Steps Mid-Year Updates presentation from the January 6, 2025 School Committee Meeting. We will present and explain details at the January 14th Early Steps PreK & Preschool Virtual Information Night.

2. Please click this link to read our Early Steps most recent newsletter housing Preschool/PreK information for your planning purposes, including:

• Tuesday, January 14 - Early Steps PreK & Preschool Virtual Information Night:

• Pre Kindergarten (PreK) + Plus Extended Day Information 6:00 - 6:30 ~ Click this Link to Join Zoom Meeting; Student turns 4 by August 31, 2025

• *Preschool 6:30 - 7:00 ~ Click this Link to Join Zoom Meeting; Student turns 3 by August 31, 2025; *Some students are identified with needs during the school year as they turn 3.

• Wednesday, January 22 - Early Steps In-Person Visiting Day @1 Concord St. Watertown ~ 2:45 - 3:45 PM (for parents/guardians of prospective students entering Preschool or PreK in the fall of 2025)

3. Please enjoy the Early Steps Brochure providing more information.

After the January 14th Virtual Information Night on Zoom, if you have further questions, please contact my Admin Assistant, Tricia D’Amelio @ tricia.damelio@watertown.k12.ma.us for assistance.

Kind regards,

Dr. Theresa McGuinness

Principal

(If you want to include the Smore as an image in your newsletter, here is the link to the 2025 February Vacation Program Smore.)

2025 February Vacation Week Program Registration Opens on Tuesday, January 14th!

Online registration for Watertown Community Education's 2025 February Vacation Program - Detective Week, being held at the Hosmer Elementary School, opens at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 14th! Spaces are limited, please register early. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Click the link to the 2025 February Vacation Week Program Smore Flyer for full details including cost, dates, daily sub-themes, and to access the online Google Form registration link https://secure.smore.com/n/q6cfuz.

Please reach out to Debi Cornelius at debora.cornelius@watertown.k12.ma.us and Jeff Bodner at jeffrey.bodner@watertown.k12.ma.us with any questions regarding the 2025 February Vacation Program.

Thank you,

Debi

The Watertown Free Public Library is seeking community input to guide their 2026–28 Strategic Plan, and all community members are invited to participate in the Library's 2025 user survey! The Watertown Library would love to hear from you and your input is greatly valued! The survey is made available online in English, Portguguese, and Spanish. Paper surveys in English, Español, Português, Kreyol Ayisyen, Русский, 中文, and العربية are available at the Library’s first floor Circulation Desk. The Library appreciates your participation in helping guide its future!

Find the survey at watertownlib.org/survey.

Dear Families,

We hope this message finds you well! We understand that navigating new technology can sometimes be challenging, and we are here to help. On Monday, January 13th, we are offering dedicated support to families who need assistance with setting up and using the ParentSquare App.

Our support session will be held in the Learning Commons, where our team will be ready to guide you through the setup process and answer any questions you may have. To ensure effective communication, we will have interpreters available for both Spanish and English. If you require interpretation in other languages, please let us know in advance, and we will arrange for additional language support as needed.

We are committed to ensuring that every family feels comfortable and confident using the ParentSquare App, as it is a vital tool for staying connected with our school community.

Thank you, and we look forward to assisting you.

NEW STUDENT 2025-2026 Kindergarten info night will take place on Wednesday, March 5th, from 6:30-7:30 pm. It will be an in person event. Caregivers should attend the information session at their respective neighborhood school. Lowell will host in the Learning Commons. All are welcome to attend. More information will follow.

Reserve Now for the 25th Annual Watertown Unity Breakfast!

Get your ticket at https://watertownunitybreakfast.eventbrite.com

World in Watertown is thrilled to invite you to the 25th annual Watertown Unity Breakfast on January 20, 2025 from 8:30-11am!

This year will be in-person at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave, Watertown.

A hot breakfast from Wicked Bagel will be served at 8:30 am followed by music, roundtable conversations, student essays, and the presentation of the Unity Award.

Every year, the community in Watertown, Massachusetts, comes together on Martin Luther King Day to honor his life and civil right legacy by recommitting to foundational principles of racial, social and economic justice.

All ages are welcome to attend the event! The suggested donation for adult attendees is $10-$25. Youth 18 and under and those experiencing financial difficulty are welcome to attend for free.

Childcare is available for children 2-10 years of age. Please register for childcare as an "add-on." Children are also welcome to attend the main program.

ASL interpretation and CART will be available, sponsored by the Watertown Disability Commission. To request additional accommodations, email worldinwatertowncity@gmail.com.

The Watertown Unity Breakfast is run by World in Watertown and sponsors this year include the Watertown Community Foundation, Watertown Savings Bank, and Point32Health Foundation. Special thanks to the Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church for the use of their community space and to Wicked Bagel for providing breakfast.

We are excited to be gathering together and celebrating our community. Get more information and watch videos of previous year’s at unitybreakfast.org.

J.R. Lowell Elementary School

123 Lowell Ave.

Watertown, Ma 02472

Phone: 1-617-926-7770

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRLowellElementary

Website: https://watertownjrlowell.ss19.sharpschool.com/

Principal: Stacy Phelan

stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma.us

Assistant Principal: Tara Rufo

tara.rufo@watertown.k12.ma.us

Administrative Assistant: Kara Flynn

kara.flynn@watertown.k12.ma.us

Receptionist: Jim Swift

james.swift@watertown.k12.ma.us

Nurse: Kristen Thibodeau

kristen.thibodeau@watertown.k12.ma.us

Guidance Pre-K - 2: Melina Jacovides

melina.jacovides@watertown.k12.ma.us

Guidance 3-5: Brian Connors

brian.connors@watertown.k12.ma.us

School Psychologist: Kelley Starrett

kelley.cochrane@watertown.k12.ma.us

Special Education Team Chair: Greg Roberts

gregory.roberts@watertown.k12.ma.us

LEDP Site Coordinator: Adam Vachon

adam.vachon@watertown.k12.ma.us

stacy phelan

stacy is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Lowell Elementary School Principal