WELCOME BACK LETTER FROM MRS. BOSWORTH
~Welcome Back to School~
Dear Dewing Families,
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to a new school year! I would like to extend a special welcome to all of our new families entering the Dewing School for the first time. Hopefully, your summer has been filled with sunshine, fun and lots of time spent outside playing.
As we prepare for the new school year, we want to continue to keep you as informed as possible. During the school year, we will send most correspondence through email. We ask that all families check email frequently and make sure that we have your most current information on file.
This year, as we return to school with fewer restrictions, we know it will be a wonderful year! After the December recess, our Grade 2 students and staff will be transitioning to the Center Elementary School. We will always consider this group a part of the Dewing School and will support them through this transition. More information will be coming about this move. In the meantime, our spacing in the building is still tight. Please bear with us as we continue to be creative with spacing. We make it all work, but sometimes it looks a little funny. For example, our Library space will begin the year in the Cafeteria. It will be our goal to return it back to its original home in January or shortly thereafter.
This letter contains important information about your child’s school year and some important changes which will positively impact teaching and learning at the Dewing School.
There are a number of forms we need families to complete prior to the start of school. We ask that all families complete and submit these forms.
Checklist of forms to complete (all listed in this document)
Food and Nutrition Services-Free and Reduced Meals application (if applicable)
Pickup Patrol Parent Login (email will be sent directly to your email address-late this week or early next week)
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Staffing Updates
We are so pleased to introduce our newest Dewing staff members to you. It takes a village to form strong partnerships to help our young learners. We’re thrilled that each one of these talented professionals is joining our staff, as they bring a combined wealth of knowledge and great passion for working with children.
New to Tewksbury:
Mr. Paul Bea - Physical Education Teacher
Ms. Marti Smallidge - Librarian Media Specialist
Ms. Ashley Botelho- Special Education teacher working with the Kindergarten team.
Mrs. Emily Kileen - Grade 1 Teacher
Mrs. Amy Cassidy- Special Education Teacher for Grade 2 DLC-Mrs. Cassidy will work alongside Ms. Palange in B4 for the beginning of the school year and will transition to the Center Elementary School with the Grade 2 students.
Mrs. Meghan Campbell-Reading Support Aide
Ms. Alyson Kazanjian- Educational Support Aide for Ms. Cassidy’s class
New to the Dewing
Mrs. Christine Strickler-Mrs. Strickler will be our newest PK DLC Teacher. She will work alongside Mrs. Smith in C4 until January 2023, when a new classroom will open up.
Mrs. Susan Drum-Preschool Case Manager
Dewing staff who have transferred to new positions at the Dewing
Mrs. Vanessa Chambers-Transitionig to Unified Arts Specialist/Reading Support
Mrs. Valerie Ashe-Transitiong to the role of Reading Support Aide
Mrs. Maggie Madden-Is our COVID support specialist. Mrs. Madden will be helping us throughout the school in various capacities.
Mrs Deborah Guttaduro- Educational Support Aide for Ms. Hines' class
Mrs. Sandy Georgopoulous- Educational Support Aide for Ms. Palange’s class
Ms. Milissa Pasquarosa-Educational Support Aide for Mrs. Strickler’s class
New roles at the Dewing School
Mrs. Maryellen Hirtle-Lead teacher for K-2
Mrs. Jennifer Milligan-Lead Teacher for PK
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Special Education Case Managers
Mrs. Kara Murray-All K-1 Students
TBD-Grade 2 Students
Mrs. Susan Drum-Preschool
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Library
We are pleased to have with us a Librarian, Ms. Smallidge. Ms. Smallidge will be working with us to support the libraries at both the Dewing and Heath Brook Schools. At the Dewing, she will be supported by Mrs. Ashe. Students will now have an opportunity to visit the library on a weekly basis. We are so appreciative of our parent volunteers who have kept our library going over the past few years. We could not have done it without their support.
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Notes from the Nurse
Welcome Back! I hope you all had a wonderful summer and enjoyed time with your family. Just a few reminders as we start the school year.
Make sure you complete an Accident Illness Form and ALL contact information is correct.
New signed medical orders are needed at the beginning of each school year. An adult must bring in any medications!
● Please make arrangements to drop off any medications such as inhalers or Epi-pens to the school nurse in their original containers, with the physician's orders.
● Make certain you also filled out a parent permission medication form.
Please send any updated physicals with immunization information via fax at 978-640-7868 or you may send it in a PDF format via email at jrobinson@tewksbury.k12.ma.us
Please send something in writing if you chose to opt your child out from using hand sanitizer.
If your child has any changes in their health please do not hesitate to call the nurse at school.
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Home-School Communication
In order to strengthen our home-school communication, the Dewing School is always looking for better ways to stay connected to our students and their families. As a reminder, we do send out much of our information by email. It is important that we have updated information on file.
We encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher first with any questions or concerns. Please allow them 48 hours to respond.
Below are some of the tools the Tewksbury School District implements to make communication easier and more efficient:
Dewing School S’more Newsletter-We will send out a newsletter every two weeks (approx) with updated information from the school.
Tewksbury Public School Website: TPS Website Dewing Page
Dewing North StreetPAC Facebook Page: Please visit PAC Facebook link to stay up to date on the latest information sent out by the Dewing North Street PAC community.
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Critical Information Forms & Links
TPS Accident/Illness Form: In the case of accident, illness, or other emergency, school principals must be able to locate the parent or some other person who will care for the child. We must have on file the names and phone numbers of two other persons who may be called to pick-up the child if the parents cannot be reached. We have provided the form below for you to complete prior to the first day of school. Paper forms may also be available after the first day of school through the office if you are unable to complete them online in advance. Thank you for your cooperation!
Please click here: Dewing School Accident/Illness Form
Student Handbook: Please make sure that both you and your student take the time to review the online student handbook. We make changes to the handbook each year and it is helpful for families to be familiar with the handbook and its contents. All parents must verify they have reviewed the handbook by completing the on-line Elementary Handbook Sign Off by Friday, Sept. 16th, 2022.
Please click here: PreK-Gr.4 Elementary Handbook
Please click here: Elementary Handbook Sign Off Form
Aspen Accounts: Please click here to learn more about Aspen, which is our secure, web-based school information management system that organizes all facets of student data – from attendance to conduct, grades to schedules, transcripts to activities. Tewksbury has been using Aspen for many years with great success. The Student Portal has been implemented and is available to all K-12th grade students. K families will receive access to Aspen within the first couple of weeks of school. Aspen is not yet available for preschool.
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Breakfast and Lunch
We are excited to learn that All students will continue to be eligible for Free Breakfast and Lunch during the 2022-2023 school year. If you believe that your child would have been eligible for free or reduced lunch, we ask that you please complete the form below and return. Food and Nutrition Services-Free and Reduced Meals application
If you wish for your child to have breakfast in the morning, please complete the attached form prior to the beginning of the school year. This will help our staff plan for the correct number of meals.
K-2-When your child arrives, please have your child ask the staff on duty to go to the cafeteria for breakfast. (your child's teacher will assist for the first few days of school until the students have had time to learn their routines).
If your child takes the bus and wants breakfast, they will go straight to the cafeteria and eat there until 8:45. If the bus arrives after 8:40 am accommodations will be made for your child to have access to breakfast. If your child is a drop off, they must arrive prior to 8:40 in order to have breakfast so please plan accordingly.
PK: If your child is in the AM preschool and requires breakfast, please let your child's homeroom teacher know by email.
Dewing School-Breakfast Interest Form (K-2)
Lunch for students with nut allergies: As we are no longer spacing students apart in the cafeteria, there will be a designated nut free table in the cafeteria for students with nut allergies. If your child has a nut allergy and you wish to OPT OUT and have your child sit with their classmates, please email me in writing stating that you would like to opt out of placement at the nut free lunch table (abosworth@tewksbury.k12.ma.us). Please be advised, if your child does sit with their peers at the assigned homeroom table, we will not be able to monitor the presence of nuts or other allergens brought to the table by other students.
PickUp Patrol Attendance and Dismissal Tracking for grades PK-2 for 2022-2023 School Year-IMPORTANT
All families are asked to login to the program below and check to be sure your child’s dismissal information is correct. If it is not, you may change the information directly in the system.
We have begun using a system called PickUp Patrol to help us track dismissals for our K-2 students. PickUp Patrol (PUP) saves us a great deal of time here in the office and reduces interruptions in our classroom. It also provides parents/guardians with a convenient way to make changes to your children’s dismissal plans.
Most importantly, helps us ensure that our students are safely dismissed to their correct after-school destinations.
Use the PUP web app for:
ATTENDANCE: Notify the school office when your child will be absent, arriving late or leaving early. You no longer need to call the office phone if you use this system.
DISMISSAL CHANGES: Submit changes to your child’s regular dismissal plans. For example:
A student normally rides the bus, but is getting picked up today.
A student usually goes to aftercare, but is leaving early for an appointment.
How it works:
Your child will be assigned a dismissal plan based on dismissal information in ASPEN. This is the plan they regularly follow on normal days. We call this the Default Plan.
Whenever you have a change to the Default Plan, you’ll submit a change through the PUP website. When the plan is submitted, the school and your child’s teacher will be notified and PUP will relay the change to them. You will also receive a change notification.
All plan changes will now be entered in PickUp Patrol. We will no longer accept handwritten notes with dismissal changes or phone calls to the office, unless it is a true emergency.
Cut off time to make any changes to dismissal is 1:00 PM daily and 10 am on early dismissal days. You will not be able to make changes after that time.
Getting started with PUP: (emails from Pickup Patrol will be sent after the bus has been updated in ASPEN).
REGISTER: You will receive a registration email from PickUp Patrol with a link to set up your account.The PUP web app is free to parents and you can use it from your smartphone or computer. PUP is not accessed through the app stores. Instead, for easy access, follow the instructions in your registration email for how to add it to your phone’s home screen.
Review DEFAULT PLANS: Once you register, log into your PickUp Patrol account to confirm your child’s default dismissal plan. If the information is incorrect, you may change the default plan directly on your child’s page.
Thank you for using PUP to make safety a priority and to ensure our dismissal process is efficient for all our students.
If you have any questions, please first check the https://www.pickuppatrol.net/faq page. If you still need help, please contact or PickUp Patrol at support@pickuppatrol.net.
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Arrival and Dismissal Procedures-see attachment below
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Opportunities to Get Involved
We actively encourage our families to get involved in their child’s school experience! Keep an eye out for upcoming information on ways to participate as a volunteer or as a member of a council. Consider joining the Dewing Community by:
Serving on the Dewing School Council - focus this year will be decided by the members of the Council.
Becoming a member of our PAC (Parent Advisory Council) See their Facebook Page, or contact Chair Molly Ginsburg dewingnorthstpac@gmail.com
Lending a hand at a PAC organized event
Volunteer to support your child’s classroom
*If you are interested in volunteering at the school, a CORI is required every year. Please complete these at the beginning of the year to secure the potential to volunteer when the opportunity arises.
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We are so excited for a great start to the school year. Thank you for everything you have done to help prepare your child for school.
Alexis Bosworth
Principal
Important Dates:
August 22-3 PM-Building tour for NEW to Dewing- grade 1 and 2 students
August 22nd-PAC Playground Social for Grade 1 (4:30-5:30) and Grade 2 (5:30-6:00)
August 29-Kindergarten Orientation/Open House/PAC Playground Social (flyer below)
August 30-Preschool Orientation/Open House/PAC Playground Social (flyer below)
August 31-First Day of School for ALL students
September 2 and September 5-No School-Labor Day Recess
September 13-Grade 1 and 2 Open House
Dewing School
Website: www.tewksbury.k12.ma.us
Location: 1469 Andover Street, Tewksbury, MA, USA
Phone: 978-640-7858