Weekly Newsletter

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you for attending our Open House last week. It was wonderful to see so many of you there, showing your commitment to your child’s education and to the Morris Elementary community. I hope you had the chance to meet your child’s teachers and learn more about the exciting year ahead.

During my speech, I touched on several important points that I’d like to review here:

The Importance of Good Attendance

• Consistent attendance is key to your child’s success. Regular attendance helps students stay engaged, perform better academically, and build strong relationships. While absences may sometimes be necessary, we encourage you to prioritize your child’s presence at school to support their lifelong success

• At Morris, we promote a positive learning environment through PBIS. Our ROAR expectations—Rising to the Challenge, Owning actions, Always working together, and Respecting self and others—are at the heart of everything we do. These principles help guide our students in becoming respectful, responsible, and caring individuals.

• When serious behavior issues arise, such as threats, we address them promptly and according to school policy. The safety and well-being of all students is our top priority, and every situation is handled with care and confidentiality.

• One final point I’d like to emphasize is the importance of avoiding gossip when it comes to student behavior. Discussing rumors or sensitive matters outside of school can cause harm and disrupt the positive, supportive community we are all working hard to create. I kindly ask that you trust the processes we have in place, knowing that we are committed to handling each situation professionally and thoughtfully.
  

Thank you for your ongoing support. Together, we can ensure that Morris Elementary continues to be a safe, welcoming, and thriving environment for all students. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Clicking on the photos will enlarge them.

Also, our online store is now open, so don’t miss out on ordering your Morris gear. Remember, Fridays are Spirit Days, and both staff and students proudly wear their Morris gear. The store will be open for the next month. Please click here to place your order. The store will remain open for a month.

I am writing to share an update about early literacy universal screening in grades K-3 at our school. We recently completed assessing our students and soon you will receive a Family Report that explains your child’s results. These actions are included in Massachusetts regulation 603 CMR 28.03(1)(f), which requires all public schools in the state to assess students’ reading skills in grades K-3 at least twice a year.

As a reminder, early literacy universal screening is used to determine a student’s risk for reading difficulty and to guide us in providing reading support. It is not a diagnosis or determination of a disability.

Our School’s Early Literacy Universal Screening Assessment

Our school’s early literacy universal screening assessment is Fastbridge, which is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In grades K and 1 we give the Early Reading assessment and make instructional decisions based on that assessment. The aReading assessment given in grades 2-5 is computer adaptive, so questions are adjusted (made easier or more difficult) based on student responses. For this reason, your child’s report may not include the same information as other children’s reports, even among those at the same grade level.

Important Early Reading Skills

Early literacy universal screening assessments are used to assess skills that may predict future reading difficulties. These skills include alphabetic knowledge, phonemic awareness, word reading, reading comprehension, and rapid automatized naming. Skills are assessed differently depending on the student’s grade level.

Family Communication

If your child scores “significantly below benchmarks,” we will contact you within 30 school days of testing to discuss how we can support your child. Some of you may even receive information about your child joining a Title 1 intervention at the same time you receive your family report. We will offer an opportunity for a discussion of your child’s results which will include next steps..

1. Students in Kindergarten through Second Grade May check out two books
at a time. Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade students may have three books out
at a time.
2. There is a two-week lending period for checked out books. Books may be
renewed as needed.
3. In the event of a lost library book, families are expected to provide a
replacement copy or make a check out to the Morris School Lost Book Fund
so the school may purchase a replacement.

Shannon Gagliardo, Food Service Director is looking for members to join her Wellness Committee. This committee generally meets four times per year. If you have questions regarding the committee or would like to join please reachout to Shannon at sgagliardo@lenoxps.org.

• 9/17 Picture Day
• 10/8 PTO Meeting - Morris LIbrary 6:30 p.m.
• 10/14 No School - Indigenous Peoples Day
• 10/17 Emergency Practice Drills Schedule
• Lockdown
• Relocation
• 10/28 Delayed Start - School Day begins at 10:40 Instructional Time
• Parent Conferences 8:45 - 10:00
• No breakfast served
• Drop begins at 10:30
• 10/29 Parent Conference Evening 4:30 - 7:00
• 11/1 Early Release - Dismissal at 11:45
• Parent Conference