Greetings Lowell,

As we welcome the arrival of fall, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the joy and pride we feel at school in celebrating a truly wonderful week. Our dedicated staff has been pouring their hearts and souls into teaching the new Literacy curriculum, Wit and Wisdom, with a great deal of passion and commitment.

Throughout this week, our school has been buzzing with creativity, collaboration, and a genuine love for learning. It's been a pleasure to witness the enthusiasm and hard work that our staff has put into guiding and inspiring our students to embrace knowledge and grow academically.

I am continually impressed by the exceptional efforts of our teaching team and the positive impact they are having on our students. Your children are benefiting immensely from the engaging and supportive learning environment that we are collectively creating.

I am honored to be leading such a dedicated and talented group of individuals who are truly invested in the success and well-being of our students. Thank you for entrusting us with your children's education and for being a crucial part of our school community.

Here's to many more fantastic weeks ahead as we progress through this school year together. Can't wait to see you on Tuesday at Open House.

With sincere appreciation,

Principal Phelan & Assistant Principal Rufo

We are thrilled to extend a warm invitation to you and your children for our upcoming Open House event on Tuesday, October 1st, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM!

Following the success of last year's revamped format, we are excited to offer a unique and engaging experience for families. This year, we invite you to embark on a scavenger hunt journey with your child, allowing you to explore our school building and meet our dedicated teachers in a fun and interactive way.

During the event, your child will take the lead as the guide, leading you through different classrooms and spaces where they learn and grow every day. From the gym to the library, Learning Commons, Cafeteria, Art Room, and Music Room, you will have the opportunity to gain firsthand insights into your child's daily school life. Rest assured, your special tour will be expertly led by your child themselves, making it a truly memorable experience for both of you.

To ensure a smooth and enjoyable event for everyone, we kindly ask that students remain with their parents or guardians at all times and that families stay together throughout the evening. Please note that traditional classroom presentations will not be a part of the program this year.

Instead, families can look forward to participating in two exciting scavenger hunts that are thoughtfully designed to showcase the incredible work being done at Lowell School. The first hunt will encourage exploration within the classrooms, while the second will involve capturing moments around the school premises. The adventure kicks off in your child's homeroom, setting the stage for an enlightening and enjoyable Open House experience.

As an added bonus, completing the school scavenger hunt will earn your child a raffle ticket, giving them the chance to win exciting prizes.

While we encourage your active participation during Open House, we kindly remind you that this event is not the appropriate setting to discuss individual student performances with teachers. For such matters, we recommend scheduling individual conferences to address any concerns or queries you may have. Additionally, in line with student confidentiality policies, teachers will not be able to disclose specific names or information during the Open House event.

We are confident that this engaging format will provide your family with a more interactive and informative experience, bringing you closer to your child's educational journey. Feel free to join us anytime between 6:00 and 7:30 PM for what promises to be an exciting and unforgettable Open House event!

We are eagerly looking forward to welcoming you and your children to Open House for a night of exploration, fun, and community building.

There are numerous benefits to starting each day with a morning meeting in the classroom that make it worth the few extra minutes each morning. It’s important to note that benefits are seen when morning meeting is a regular and consistent part of each day. Come join us and attend the morning meeting with your student. The schedule by grade is below. Please stay and have a cup of coffee with Mrs. Phelan and Mr. Rufo and our SEL team.

Here are a few positive outcomes that morning meeting can support:

• Builds meaningful relationships and establishes the trust (student to student and teacher to student)
• Sets the tone for a positive classroom climate
• Creates a space to highlight and discuss mental health needs
• Promotes the idea that all voices matter and are listened to
• Provides opportunities for teaching social, emotional, and academic skills
• Increases student confidence and self-awareness
• Motivates learners to do their best
• Supports academic learning
• Creates a kinder community

Simply put, morning meetings help all students do their best.

It's that time of year!

When: October 8th

Where: At School

Wear: Clothes You Want to Showcase

Who: Individual Student Pictures

We do not take a class picture. We use the individual pictures to create a class. Because students come and go and attendance is never 100%.

Did you know that SNAP and WIC benefits do not cover diapers? This leaves many families to make difficult decisions between food, diapers, and other needs. The annual Metro-Boston Diaper Drive gives all donated diapers to the Somerville WIC office, which serves Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Watertown, Lexington, Bedford, Lincoln and Belmont. This year’s Drive will run from October 6 - 19. Please visit mbdiapers.org to make a donation, or click directly on the links to the Amazon and Target registries. Please help us get 50,000 diapers onto the babies in the Metro-Boston area who need them! Read more about why diaper drives like the Metro-Boston Diaper Drive are so important HERE.

Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging to hold gatherings with caregivers at

Watertown Free Public Library

WATERTOWN - The Watertown Public Schools Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and

Belonging is inviting members of the community to a series of caregiver “meet and greets” this

fall.

These informal forums will give families and caregivers an opportunity to meet one another and

will be led by Watertown Public Schools’ Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Director Dr. Ceronne Daly.

“We are so excited to launch this series of meet and greets,” said Dr. Daly. “We are hoping

these sessions will give us an opportunity to connect in an authentic way with our families and

caregivers. It is critical for families and caregivers to know they have access to Watertown

Public Schools and they see the district as partners in the education of their children.”

These gatherings are born out of the Office of DEIB’s goal to plan, execute, and attend events

that engage staff, families, students and the community in the work of DEIB. The office aims to

enable opportunities to build and sustain strong and substantive relationships in the WPS

community.

Two key Watertown Public Schools district priorities will also serve as a guiding principle for

these sessions. These priorities are outlined in the district’s Strategy for Success and include:

Cultivating belonging and social-emotional wellness

Watertown Public Schools recognizes the role that schools play in the social-emotional

development and well-being of students. We are more than just academics. As such, WPS

strives to create learning communities where all students, staff, and families feel a sense of

belonging by creating safe, brave spaces in our schools; by proactively engaging all families;

and by staffing our schools with faculty and staff that represent our families and the global

community.

Creating a learning community that provides authentic, relevant, and engaging

opportunities

Watertown Public Schools create inclusive, safe learning environments where students want to

be in school by providing a wide variety of opportunities for students to explore content,

demonstrate understanding, and tap into their interests; employing culturally responsive

practices; and ensuring we meet all students where they are and provide them the support

they need to thrive. Students will feel the freedom to bring their authentic selves to school by

adopting inclusive curriculum and instructional practices

The meet and greets will be held at the Watertown Free Public Library. The goal of these

sessions is to bring together groups of families who may have some shared experiences.

September 2024 (meet and greets will be held from 5:30-7 p.m.)

● Wednesday September 18, 2024 - Caregivers of Incoming 6th graders

● Tuesday September 24, 2024 - Latino/a Caregivers

● Wednesday September 25 , 2024 - Caregivers of LGBTQ+ Children

October 2024 (meet and greets will be held from 5:30-7 p.m.)

● Tuesday October 1, 2024 - Single Caregivers

● Wednesday October 2, 2024 - Asian-American/Pacific Islander Caregivers

● Thursday October 3 2024 - Black Caregivers

● Wednesday October 16, 2024 - Caregivers of Multi-Racial Children

● Thursday October 17, 2024 - Intergenerational caregivers

● Tuesday October 22, 2024 - Caregivers of Adopted Children

● Wednesday October 23, 2024 - Caregivers Whose First Language is not English &

Caregivers of Newcomers

● Tuesday October 29, 2024 - Caregivers committed to raising Anti Bias Anti Racist

children

Announcing Watertown's Got Talent, a partnership between Arsenal Yards and the Watertown Community Foundation, is BACK for a third year! Please save-the-date for a fun-filled evening of talent, entertainment & more.

Open to all ages, and Talents must be family-friendly.

When: Thursday, October 10th

Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Where: The River Green at Arsenal Yards

Applications are due no later than Friday, September 27th.

All proceeds from this event benefit the Watertown Community Foundation.

For more information and to sign up, visit https://www.arsenalyards.com/events/29144/watertowns-got-talent-2024/

Dear Lowell Parents & Guardians,

The Department of Children and Families is seeking to keep Watertown children in their

schools and communities. In order to accomplish this, DCF is looking for Watertown parents

who would consider opening their homes and hearts to a student in need for short-term

care.

Please complete this brief survey if you are interested in opening your home and your

heart to a student in need.

We are so appreciative of your support. We’re hoping that with your help, we can reduce disruption for

children and school communities, mitigate traumatic experiences for children entering care, and reduce

transportation costs to school districts this school year.

If you have any questions you would like to ask before doing so, please reach out to:

Katheryn Butterfield, Area Clinical Manager

Katheryn.butterfield@mass.gov

• Tuesday, October 1st Back to School Night 6:00-7:30 pm
• Tuesday, October 8th - FTO Meeting 6:30-7:30 over Zoom
• Monday, October 14th - NO SCHOOL - Indigenous Peoples Day Observed
• Tuesday, October 22nd Day Adult & Teacher Conferences 1:00-2:30 pm
• Thursday, October 24th - Night Adult & Teacher Conferences 5:00-7:00 pm
• Friday, October 25th - Trunk or Treat 6:00-7:30 pm
• Tuesday, October 29th - Night Adult & Teacher Conferences 4:30-6:30 pm
• Friday, November 1st - Day Adult & Teacher Conferences 1:00-2:30 pm
• Tuesday, November 5th - No School (Election Day & Teacher's Professional Development)
• 
  

Other events will be added as the dates become finalized. We will be adding Parent Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Council to this list shortly. We are trying to coordinate with the other schools.

Announcing Watertown's Got Talent, a partnership between Arsenal Yards and the Watertown Community Foundation, is BACK for a third year! Please save-the-date for a fun-filled evening of talent, entertainment & more.

Open to all ages, and Talents must be family-friendly.

When: Thursday, October 10th

Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Where: The River Green at Arsenal Yards

Applications are due no later than Friday, September 27th.

All proceeds from this event benefit the Watertown Community Foundation.

For more information and to sign up, visit https://www.arsenalyards.com/events/29144/watertowns-got-talent-2024/

Contact Us

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