Dear Families,

We are excited to invite you to Lowell School's Annual CultureFest, a celebration of the diverse cultures that make up our vibrant community. The event will take place on Thursday, March 27th, at 6:00 PM, and promises to be an evening full of educational and cultural experiences for everyone.

During CultureFest, students will embark on an immersive "journey around the world," exploring the countries and cultures from which their friends, classmates, and teachers hail. Each student will receive their very own passport to track their fascinating discoveries and adventures.

In addition to the cultural exploration, attendees will have the opportunity to sample a variety of delicious foods representing different countries. We are thrilled to present exciting live performances, including a West African drumming ensemble, a lively Mariachi group, and the captivating Indian dance troupe, Natya.

We encourage you to participate in making this event a success! We are still seeking contributions of dishes from your culture and volunteers to help with various aspects of the event. If you're interested in contributing or volunteering, please reach out to Sandra Quesada at sandra.quesada@watertown.k12.ma.us.

We Hope to See You All There!

With gratitude,

Stacy

New student registration for the 2025-2026 K-5 Before School Program and PreK-5 Extended Day Program opens at 8:00 AM on Thursday, May 1, 2025 and closes at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. There will be a lottery for enrollment. Please click here to view Watertown Community Education's Smore Newsletter for full details including the registration process, lottery details, and links to the online registration forms. Direct Smore Link: https://secure.smore.com/n/ux7sb

If you have any questions regarding Watertown Community Education's Before School and/or Extended Day Programs, please contact Debi Cornelius at debora.cornelius@watertown.k12.ma.us and Jeff Bodner at jeffrey.bodner@watertown.k12.ma.us or visit the Watertown Community Education webpage at https://www.watertown.k12.ma.us/communityed.

Thank you,

Debi

Hi everyone, I’m Brady! I’m beyond excited to share that I’ve officially passed the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Test, which means I’m ready to start my journey as a facility dog at Lowell Elementary School! 🐾 I can’t wait to meet all of you and spread lots of love and happiness around the school. A big thank you to @gofidog training and my wonderful foster parents for helping me get here! I’m ready to be your official Lowell Leopard!

Follow Brady's Instagram account @bradythefacilitydog

This week, our amazing fifth-grade students celebrated the completion of their second module in Wit & Wisdom. The culminated the unit by showcasing their talents and hard work. Classroom teachers organized a special event where guests were invited to participate in a gallery walk through the students' classrooms. This event provided an opportunity for everyone to admire the amazing stories our students created inspired by the book The Phantom Tollbooth. Attendees had the chance to read each narrative, engage with the young authors, and gain insight into the inspirations and ideas behind their storytelling. This celebration not only highlighted the students’ accomplishments but also fostered a sense of community and shared learning within our school.

Here are some photos of the Lowell School Playground Construction from Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The estimated completion date is this summer.

Learn more about the project here: https://watertown-ma.gov/.../Lowell-School-Playground...

[Image description: four photos, three of the park under construction, one photo of the sign with the project drawing.]

Next week we have an exciting program: Wee the People is bringing Everywhere and Nowhere to the library!

It's Tuesday March 11 at 4pm (early release day!), and best for students in K-2 although we will happily accept older kids if they're interested.

Wee the People is a Boston based social justice project for kids and the adults in their lives.

The Everywhere and Nowhere program explores immigrant and indigenous stories of home, migration, displacement, and belonging.

I asked for this program to focus on Haiti, and we will also briefly talk about the library's 'You Belong' campaign.

On April 3rd, student in grades four and five will participate in a 90 minute unstander training. This training is being funded through our DEIB Department.

As we return back from February break and perhaps start to notice the days getting longer once

again, I’d like to share some information from the Watertown Department of Public Health

regarding Bird Flu, or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1.

Massachusetts is currently experiencing a widespread outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian

Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus – more commonly referred to as bird flu – which is being closely

monitored by state environmental and health officials.

Watertown has seen an increase in dead bird sightings over the course of this winter. While the

state has not yet confirmed the presence of bird flu in Watertown, they have said that bird flu is

widespread in Massachusetts and is likely present even in communities where there has not

been a confirmed positive.

As of the end of January, the Watertown Health Department had received about 25 calls related

to dead or dying birds, almost all of which have been geese. More than 20 dead geese have

been identified on Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) property,

and the Watertown Health Department had picked up two dead birds on City property.

Humans are rarely infected with avian influenza viruses. Humans that have direct contact with

animals infected with bird flu are the most at risk of becoming infected. If you have questions

about the public health impact of bird flu, visit DPH’s webpage or call the Division of

Epidemiology 24/7 at 617-983-6800.

To keep our community safe and healthy, please follow these precautions:

1. Keep Your Distance: Avoid interacting with or approaching wild birds, including feeding

them. Do not touch any sick or dead birds or other animals.

2. Avoid Contaminated Areas: Steer clear of surfaces that may be contaminated with bird

saliva, mucus, or feces.

3. Wash Your Hands: Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after any

potential contact with birds.

4. Protect Your Pets: Dogs and other pets should always be leashed and kept away from

wildlife. Cats are susceptible to bird flu and may die from an infection, so keep your cats

indoors to prevent exposure to infected wildlife.

5. For Owners of Domestic Poultry or Birds: Prevent shared food or water sources

between your birds and wild birds. Report sick or dead poultry or other domestic birds by

calling MDAR’s Division of Animal Health at 617-626-1795 or through

mass.gov/reportpoultry.

6. Reports sightings: Contact the Watertown Health Department at 617-972-6446 to

report observations of sick or deceased birds. If you are walking on the Charles River

path and find deceased birds, you can contact DCR at their main office line at

617-626-1250 or by email at mass.parks@mass.gov. Five or more sick or deceased

wild birds noted at a single location, or a deceased bald eagle, peregrine falcon, or

snowy owl should also be reported to DPH here.

More information about Bird Flu can be found at cdc.gov/bird-flu/about/index.html.

Together, our community can continue to stay safe and healthy this winter!

Cheers to your Health,

Jennifer Thermenos

Nurse Coordinator

Watertown Public Schools

Watertown residents are invited to apply for the City of Watertown’s inaugural Civics Academy – a 6-week course giving residents an inside look into how their local government works, with presentations and activities delivered directly by City staff! The applications close on March 21, 2025, and the program begins on May 8, 2025. Learn more about the schedule, application details, the program’s goals, and much more at: Watertown-ma.gov/civicsacademy

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