Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we have worked to navigate the disruptions to our email communication system. At this time, Zoom, RedRover, Clever, copier scan-to-email, and fax functionalities have been restored. All students and staff can now send and receive email, and the restoration of files through OneDrive and previous email messages is in progress. Please note that student and staff email should be accessed only through Outlook Web Access (OWA) for now. Thank you to the RPS IT Team for their continued support in this restoration effort.

The loss of access to Microsoft 365 prevented some students from completing their iReady benchmark math and reading testing. Teams will work with students to complete the testing this week, with results to be released to families shortly thereafter. Instructions for how to access these results will be shared in next week's newsletter.

As the sun sets on the first month of school, there is much to look forward to in the month ahead. A reminder that there is no school next Monday (10/14) due to Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day. Eighth graders will be assembling Kindness Kits on October 16th, to be donated to the residents of Boston's Pine Street Inn. On October 17th, grade 8 students head to Boston for a Scavenger Hunt and Spirit of Boston lunch cruise. Seventh graders will be off to Nature's Classroom the following week from October 23rd-25th. Please read ahead for additional details about each of these events, and more!

In Partnership,
Jill Story

Principal

Last week, homerooms began collecting donations for Kindness Kits, which are assembled each year by Parker students and donated to the homeless community of Boston through the help of the Pine Street Inn, the city’s largest shelter and homeless outreach team. These kits have consistently been the greatest donation by a single school that the organization receives, and the success of these donations is because of your help with this great cause.

Each grade will collect specific, travel-sized items that will be assembled by the eighth grade class as a service project. Collections will continue in student homerooms up until October 16, 2024. We are grateful for any donations you can provide. Please see the list below for each grade level.

Thank you in advance for any contributions to this great cause!

6th Grade Teams: Health related donations including band aids, first aid kits, sunscreen, wet wipes/tissue packs, deodorant, chapstick, disposable razors, shaving cream, baby powder

7th Grade Teams: Personal hygiene items including toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, body lotion, combs and brushes, washcloths

8th Grade Teams: Adult socks, disposable ponchos, mini bottles of water, snacks including jerky, trail mix, granola bars

Items Not Accepted: Mouthwash

**travel size items are best since they can fit nicely in our kindness bags :)

You may have received an attendance letter on October 1st if your child has exceeded five absences so far this year. We will be continuing to send these letters to families via the portal on the first of the month to communicate about student attendance. Assistant Principal Simpson will reach out to families directly to set up attendance meetings if your child has exceeded 10 absences.

Grade 8 Boston Field Trip: October 17, 2024

Students will head to Boston for a scavenger hunt followed by a lunch cruise on the Spirit of Boston. At this time, we have enough staff to chaperone the trip and will not need parent chaperones.

Grade 7 Nature's Classroom Field Trip: October 23-25, 2024

There will be a Zoom Family Presentation hosted by the Nature's Classroom Program Coordinator for parents and students on October 8th at 6:30 p.m. This presentation will be recorded for those families who are unable to attend. Presentation Zoom link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/4164851110

Medication drop off for students attending Nature's Classroom will be Monday, October 21st, and Tuesday, October 22nd, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. If you have questions or are unable to drop off during this window, please contact Nurse Kate Shmulsky (kate.shmulsky@reading.k12.ma.us)

What is the Children’s Cabinet?

The Children’s Cabinet is a group of about 25 community stakeholders (including school staff, town and community leaders, parents, and students) who work together to brainstorm solutions and leverage existing resources to address challenges that our youth are facing.

What would my role be as a student?

Your role would be to represent the student body as a whole. This requires the ability to take a broad view and consider all perspectives and experiences. We are looking for innovative and out of the box ideas!

What is the time commitment?

1. Three in person meetings. These meetings will be held at the Reading Public Library and are zoom optional. The dates are as follows:

• November 6th, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
• February 5th, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
• May 7th, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

2. Additionally, 2-3 Hours per Month. Outside of the meetings, we estimate that you would be committing 2-3 hours per month to the Children’s Cabinet. Specifically, here is what the commitment entails:

• Responding to emails from the Children’s Cabinet. Email is how we often gather crucial input between meetings.
• Working on a specific task related to Children’s Cabinet priorities.
• Attending 2-3 zoom working group meetings (no more than one hour long)
• Disseminating information out to your networks and serving as an ambassador to the broader community as needed. Being willing to help educate the broader community about the role of the Children’s Cabinet

How do I apply to be a student voice on the 2024-25 Reading Children’s Cabinet?

Please fill out this application by October 21st. Thanks in advance for your interest!

We are pleased to announce that we have officially hired Mr. Phil Littlehale as the Interim Director of Finance and Operations and he will begin in the role on October 15th. Phil currently serves as the Business Manager for Newburyport Public Schools and brings over 14 years of experience as a business manager and CFO in public school districts. His background also includes various roles in the private finance sector. With over a decade as a CFO in Massachusetts public school districts, Phil's extensive experience will be especially valuable as we prepare for the FY26 budget process. We are thrilled to add a leader of his experience and caliber to our team.

Hi! I’m Dhanya Bhola, a junior at RMHS and a former student at Parker. I’m offering tutoring for middle school students who need help with their classwork and homework. I can also assist with test and quiz preparation, as well as organizational skills. I believe that learning effective study habits in middle school sets the foundation for success in high school. I would be available Monday and Wednesdays 3:30PM-5:00PM at the Reading Public Library.

If you’re interested, please email me at dhanya.bhola@rdgstudent.com. Thank you!

Pathways to Restorative Communities is offering a workshop in Restorative Practices for Caregivers this fall in person at the Worklery, 441 Main Street, Third Floor, Melrose, MA

Wednesdays from 7-9 PM: October 9, 16, 23, 30, 2024

Go to: https://bit.ly/3X7cWGK to learn more and register

📌 DONATION REQUEST: 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!

📌 THANK YOU: We appreciate the Parker families that have submitted their PTO donations for matching gifts through their companies! Please consider checking with your employer as to whether your PTO donation can be matched as this provides extra funds that the PTO can put towards enrichment and activities for this school year.

📌 SAVE THE DATE!

• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2024: PTO Meeting, 7pm. In person and zoom.
• COMING SOON: Parker apparel sale!
• COMING SOON: Holiday pie sale!

📌 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

Nature's Classroom Family Presentation - 10/8, 6:30 p.m.

Middle School Jazz Band Auditions - 10/9

Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day: No School - 10/14

School Site Council - 10/15, 5:30 p.m.

PTO Meeting - 10/15, 7:00 p.m.

8th Grade Boston Field Trip - 10/17

Math Meet - 10/17

7th Grade Nature's Classroom Field Trip - 10/23-10/25

Early Release Day (dismissal at 12:30 p.m.) - 10/25

The Right to Read Film Screening and Discussion:

Come join us at the in-person screening of the award winning documentary, The Right to Read, to learn about the impact of literacy programs and their historic and persistent inequities on October 15th at 6pm.

Location: Performing Arts Center at Reading Memorial High School

The screening will be followed by a lively discussion with a panel of experts, moderated by Thomas Wise (Chairperson, Reading School Committee).

This event will be followed up with a presentation in November (by Dr. Sarah Hardy and Renee Limauro from RPS) where we will continue the discussion. This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about reading disabilities, literacy screening in our schools and hear updates on the new literacy program, named ARC Core, that was adopted by the Reading Public Schools in 2022 that is in keeping with the science of reading as discussed in The Right to Read.

Click here to register for The Right to Read Screening.

Should you wish to receive our monthly newsletter, please send an email to SEPACReading@gmail.com

Please note that Reading SEPAC IS OPEN TO ALL parents/caregivers and not only families who have a child with special needs as we offer various opportunities to connect with other families and provide learning experiences.

Past Events:

Recorded events that are available on the Reading SEPAC Website:

The New IEP Presentation

MCAS & Students with Disabilities Presentation

Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Presentation

• 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

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)

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.

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, please contact kate.shmulsky@reading.k12.ma.us.

Health Services Updates: The Health Services Department would like to share some important reminders. Parents/guardians/caregivers should review the RPS illness guidelines here. If your child requires medication at school, including an Epipen or inhaler, ensure you complete and submit this form. Reading Public Schools utilizes the SNAP Health Portal for electronic health records, allowing secure uploading of medical documents and private messaging with school nurses; an email has been sent to parents with login details and the portal can be accessed here.

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 Linnea Frye: linnea.frye@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