MacArthur Notes
September 6, 2024
Principals' Update
Greetings MacArthur Families,
Happy Friday! We excitedly welcomed the Waltham High School Class of 2037, our Kindergarteners, on Tuesday. The smiles and enthusiasm of our newest students were matched by the big feelings of the adults who waved them goodbye on this special day. After we all exhaled and moved forward with the day, we quickly saw routines being built and friendships being made. In our walkthroughs of classrooms this week, we listened to our Kindergarten students describe their first days by sharing how many read aloud books they read as a class and how ecstatic they were to be here learning each day. There is nothing quite like the eagerness of a Kindergarten class to experience something new!
We capped off the week with our first of monthly MacArthur Spirit Days. On the first Friday of each month, MacArthur students, faculty, and staff, wear their blue and yellow best to show their collective school pride. The PTO is currently running their first spirit wear sale of the school year. You can click here for more information for how to order spirit wear for your child. The online shop is open until September 30th. https://macarthur-fall-24.itemorder.com/shop/category/98712/
Speaking of our PTO: We are so appreciative of the tremendous PTO support each school year! So far this year, our PTO has welcomed our faculty and staff (and families!) back to school with their "chalk the walk" display across the MacArthur School entry way. This included our mammoth hopscotch in the crosswalk, which we enjoyed seeing more than a few students and family members taking part in over the first weeks of school. The PTO also generously provided lunch for teachers on our first day. This return to school appreciation was such a treat! Finally, our community came together last night for our annual Back to School PTO Ice Cream Social. Thank you to all family members and staff members who attended, helped scoop, organize, and make this a special event for all! It was wonderful to see new families gather with veteran families on such a beautiful night. We are so proud to be a part of such a wonderful community and look forward to a great year of partnership together!
If you would like to learn more about how you can support the work of the PTO, you can join us for our PTO Meetings every other month virtually. Our first PTO meeting of the year is 7pm on Tuesday, September 17th. The link will be included in next week's MacArthur Notes.
Final Days: The return date for August reading logs has been extended to Monday, September 10th! Send them in with your child's name and classroom on them. Thanks for reading!
School Website: We are so appreciative of our Digital Learning Teacher, Ms. Julia Norman, for her organization and update of our MacArthur School website. Each week, you will find pictures of our Eagle Excellence recipients and photos from events around the school. Take a look at our most recent updates including some pictures of the Class of 2037!
One More Week: Please read this year's MacArthur Welcome Letter to kick off the school year! Take some time to acquaint yourselves to our arrival and dismissal routines, as well as learn more about our volunteer opportunities. Contact kevinkmiec@walthampublicschools.org with any questions.
In conclusion, we want to remind families that safety will continue to be our highest priority each day. We focus on developing and nurturing a learning environment rooted in both physical and psychological safety. This includes practicing safety drills to ensure we are continuously reviewing expectations and prepared in the event we need to evacuate or lockdown. We thank you for your positive communication around these types of drills in support of our school value of “Being Ready.” We will communicate with families as we prepare to discuss these drills with our students to continue to partner with you to ensure the safety of our community.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful weekend!
In Partnership,
Mr. Kmiec - (781) 314-5721 kevinkmiec@walthampublicschools.org
Mr. Howes - (781) 314-5725 roberthowes@walthampublicschools.org
Lunch Menu
Waltham Recreation
Healthy Waltham Food Pantry
Next Dates: September 12 & September 26
MEMBERS WANTED!
Seeking new members for the MacArthur School Council and Equity and Inclusion (E&I) Committees for the 2024/2025 School Year: The MacArthur School Council is a collaborative group of MacArthur educators, family members, and community members who meet monthly for 45 minutes virtually in support of MacArthur School Improvement efforts. For the 2024-2025 school year, we will be looking to expand membership to include representatives from all six grade levels. Our Equity and Inclusion Committee also meets monthly virtually in support of providing students and families with a welcoming, inclusive learning community focused on helping all to feel a deep sense of belonging at MacArthur. Contact kevinkmiec@walthampublicschools.org for more information on either committee.
PTO Notes - 9/6/24
Welcome to our Kindergarten families! A few updates for all of our families this week.
Welcome packets for your student went home on Thursday! Information on how you can sign up for our website (where you can access an online school directory, see a calendar of all school and district events, make a donation, and more) will be in the packet.
Our First Restaurant Night will be at Papa Gino’s on Tuesday , September 10th from 4-6pm. Order online with the code 19 on the payment screen and then click redeem.
Save the Date! Our Trunk or Treat event will be held on Friday, October 25th. More info to come soon!
MacArthur Spiritwear store is now open. You can purchase your items online in 2 easy steps:
Scan the QR code. or go online to https:// macarthurfall-24.itemorder.com/
The online store closes on September 30th.
We look forward to seeing everyone at our first virtual PTO meeting on Tuesday, September 17th at 7:00pm! LINK COMING SOON!
MacArthur Elementary School
Absence Line - (781) 314-5722
Email: kevinkmiec@walthampublicschools.org
Website: walthampublicschools.org/macarthur
Location: 494 Lincoln Street, Waltham, MA, USA
Phone: 781-314-5721