The Starburst

Northern Lights over Barrows (photo credit: Former Barrows Parent Erica Lakin)

Greetings, Barrows Families!

It is hard to believe that in just two weeks, our first-trimester ends! Students are fully engaged in learning, growing, and showing us what they know and can do. We continue to encourage our families to help students build strong reading habits daily at home (for many, this may mean adults reading to their students. Reading to your student models fluency and builds fluency and comprehension skills--and creates lasting memories). This home-school partnership builds stronger, more confident readers in the classroom (and visa-versa)! Be on the lookout for the first Principal Pop-Up Reading challenge of the 2024-25 school year soon! Our upcoming conference days are posted in the calendar section below. Teachers will be reaching out closer to conference week with conference sign-ups. Please be respectful of the dates & times we have set aside to meet with our student's parents/guardians. Families should not request end-of-term conferences outside of this window.

I am so impressed with our student attendance and how many of you make being to school on time a priority! Dr. Hardy, our Learning and Teaching Assistant Superintendant, commented on how impressed she is with so many families arriving well before the bell on a recent early morning visit to Barrows. Thank you for making the effort to arrive a few minutes before our doors open so we can all get started together.

We are just a week away from the highly anticipated Barrows Monster Mash. Please see the PTO section below for more details. Two important things to note are that all students must be accompanied by an adult, and if this event is a hardship, please reach out to me by phone or email! We want all students and families who want to attend to be able to enjoy the afternoon fully!

This week's highlights:

• PTO Updates—check them out! So much is happening this month (the Monster Mash, which is partly made possible by our Fundraisers like Calareso's and Otis Spunkmeyer Fundraiser!
• New SEPAC updates for October
• Friends of RMHS Dance are hosting a Dance Party for Grades 1-5 TONIGHT (info below)
• Lots of pictures of learning throughout the building this week!

Thanks for reading,

Mrs. Gallegos

Monday, October 14th: No School in honor of Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day

Friday, October 18th, 3:30-5:30 pm: Monster Mash (raindate 10/25)

Wednesday, October 23rd: *PTO Meeting, 7pm* (new time) in the Barrows Library

Tuesday, October 29th: Make-up Picture Day (for retakes & absences)

Tuesday, November 5th: No School- Teacher In-Service Day

Monday, November 11th: No School in honor of Veteran's Day

Thursday, November 14th: Early Release- Conference Day

Friday, November 15th: No School- Conference Day

Wednesday, Novermber 27th: 11 AM Dismissal**

Thursday & Friday, November 28 & 29th: Thanksgiving Recess- No School

School Hours:

Monday-Thursday, 8:15 AM - 2:45 PM

Friday, 8:15 AM - 12:45 PM

*Students must be in class by 8:25 to be counted as on-time and present

Reading Public Schools Calendar

All first meals, including breakfast and lunch, are free for all students! If your child would like a second breakfast or lunch, these are available for purchase at $1.50 for breakfast and $2.75 for lunch. Additionally, our cafeterias offer a variety of snacks and a la carte items that can be purchased separately.

Reading Public Schools Food Service/Lunch Menus: http://reading.k12.ma.us/departments/food-services/

It is also important for families that may need financial support including but not limted to our food services to complete the following forms on this page: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=1701802399965&page=lunchapps

We are serving breakfast to at least 80 students each morning! Thank you kitchen staff for starting our mornings off with a smile and a healthy breakfast!

Be sure to ask your students what they learned at our Barrows All-School Assembly this week!

THANK YOU: Thanks to all the parents that volunteered to be Room Parents this year! Where we had more than 2 volunteers we selected randomly. The Room Parent list is included below. You can reach out to them for contact information if you are planning a play date or birthday party.

K: Forestell: Jessica Rogers Lentz: Erin Bonsang & Alanna Bunzel Walcott: Meghan Vooris

1st Grade: LaFrancesca: Kelsey Lawrence, Lanzo: Courtney Lewis, McGrath: Divya Ahuja & Whitney McBride

2nd Grade: Hill: Missy Gontarz & Margo Smith, McClain: Mickey Windsor, Piscia: Tanvi Joginapelly

3rd Grade: Duff: Emily Cullen, Encarnacao: Ashley Lyons & Kristin Foristall, Gargano: Kaley Dee

4th Grade: Baer: Sabrina Ganguli & Stefanie Sweeney, Murphy: Meghan Vooris, Smith: Amanda Ruthbun

5th Grade: Gilchrist: Monica Mehleji & Lauren Kessaris, Kimball: Heather Wicken, Penna: Alex Wittman & Jackie Collins

MONSTER MASH: Friday Oct 18th 3:30 – 5:30pm

VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED: Monster Mash is FAST approaching and we could use your help to pull it off. Please use this signup genius to donate light snacks and water to be available for the kids at the event. Also, we need a few more adult volunteers to help at the event. Please sign up for an available shift if you are able to help us out. If we don’t have enough volunteers we may need to scale back the event. You know you will be there anyway, so may as well volunteer! Thanks!

SKIP THE LINE and buy your raffle tickets and entry tickets in advance at the below links! We will also sell for cash or via link at the event.

Raffle Ticket Pre-Sale ends on October 15th: https://givebutter.com/7bhnWA

Monster Mash Admission: $10 per family - https://givebutter.com/3nxg7a

CALARESO’S FUNDRAISER: This fundraiser will end on Friday October 18th so get your orders in to school by Friday the 18th! Order form went home with kids and also attached. Barrows receives 25% of the sale. So many great things to buy at Calareso’s this time of year – Fall landscaping, holiday decorations and groceries too!

OTIS SPUNKMEYER FUNDRAISER: Oct 2 – Oct 16

Our Otis-Spunkmeyer fundraiser will end on October 16th. Help us reach our fundraising goal by placing an order. The kids receive small prizes when you register and order. If they sell 10 items they are entered into a raffle for an E-SCOOTER! Besides for the Otis items they also have some great non-perishables for sale. Purchase some cookies and muffins for your freezer, a pie for Thanksgiving, frozen desserts for Christmas as well as tissue paper, wrapping paper and cookie boxes for the Holidays. All great ways to support Barrows and get ready for the holidays! Some items have the option to ship home and/to friends/family otherwise items will be shipped to Barrows and be available for pick up on Friday, November 15th, 9:30-12:30pm (conference day, no school).

The brochure was sent home with your kids or you can click this link to register right now!

www.shopfund.com

SAVE THE DATE – Link to PTO calendar

- Next PTO Meeting: Wednesday Oct 23rd

- Winter Craft Fair: Saturday December 7th

Many thanks,

PTO Board

Lori Barcikowski, Co-President (LoriBarcikowski@yahoo.com)

Meghan Dribin, Co-President (MegDribin@gmail.com)

Jen Barsotti, Treasurer

Alicia Curtin, Secretary

Alison Ethier, Social Media Coordinator

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook:

@barrowselementarypto & https://www.facebook.com/BarrowsPTO/

YEARLONG FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

Minted Fundraiser

Do you need to order graduation announcements, birthday, or anniversary invitations? Order from Minted and use our promo code FUNDRAISEBARROWS to help support the Barrows Elementary PTO. You'll get 20% OFF your ORDER and 15% of every purchase made using our code will be donated back to Barrows. Make sure to spread the word to family who can also use the code and support Barrows from afar.

Box Tops

Did you know you no longer need to clip Box Tops and send them into school? Box Tops now offers an app where you scan your receipts! Doing online grocery delivery these days? No problem! Box Tops also offers a way to email your online orders for credit. Find it in the app store or google play store today!

Helpsy Bin

Finally, have you been in purge mode lately? Getting rid of old, stained or ripped clothing? Drop it off in the Helpsy box in the Barrows staff parking lot (after school hours of course) and Barrows will receive a small donation for your items. Clothing, shoes and accessories are all accepted!

RMHS Dance Team is hosting a Dancey Party for students in Grades 1-5 on Ocotber 11th from 5 -7:30 pm at Coolidge Middle School. For more information and to sign up, please fill out the link above. Space is Limited. $20/child

SEPAC works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized support). Watch this brief introductory video to learn more!

Visit the SEPAC WEBPAGE

Sign up for our mailing list

Follow SEPAC on Facebook or Instagram

To learn more about Reading SEPAC, please visit our website: Reading SEPAC Website

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.

The Right to Read Film Screening and Discussion:

"Reading is at the core of our democracy. Our future depends on ensuring all students are equipped with the skills to build an equitable society for us all.”

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.

Sarah Ward: 360 Thinking Model:

Wednesday, Oct 23, 6pm (Virtual; Registration information forthcoming)

The 360 Thinking Model: Breakthrough Strategies to Develop Independent to Executive Function Skills

• Is your child disorganized and may not have the materials they need or even turn in the homework they have completed?

• Is their desk, room or locker a ‘black hole’ for papers and materials?

• Do you observe a student who struggles to “stop and read the room” and meet the demands of the situation?

• Or do you see students who struggle to initiate complex academic assignments, procrastinate and then run out of time to do their ‘best work’?

• Is your child constantly multitasking, so tasks/assignments take twice as long as they should? Are you looking for some solutions to digital distractions?

• Do you wish your child had a sense of urgency when it comes to time so that tasks are completed, and routines to get out the door or to the next activity or class happen on time?

• Does it seem that they have an inability to breakdown the demands of an assignment and have a sense of how to start?

• Do students seem prompt dependent? Are you constantly reminding them of the materials they need and the steps to take?

This presentation will help you to teach your children how to manage their time, space, and materials (and keep their emotions in check). Learn powerful strategies to help children develop independent executive function skills.

Past Events:

Recorded events that’s 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

This week our MLL Coach, Karen Hall and our MLL teachers welcomed over many of our newest Reading families at the Reading Public Library to share what our district is doing to help support our multi-language learners and their families!

METCO unites suburban towns with Boston to engage in a reciprocal learning partnership in support of all students. Because of this, every child who attends school in Reading Public Schools is a METCO student and every parent or guardian who has a student in RPS is a part of the METCO community.

"Since its founding during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, the METCO program has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students of color in predominately white school districts, creating the opportunity for those districts to experience the advantages of learning and working in a racially and ethnically diverse setting."

Arrival

• Please drive slowly up Edgemont to keep everyone safe; remember, it is a ONE-WAY during the school day.
• Do not park in the indented section by the gym. This is the "kiss & go" area for a quick drop-off.
• Doors open at 8:15 and close at 8:25. Your child needs to be in their seat by 8:25 AM. If your child arrives to school after the doors have closed, they must come to the front door and be marked tardy.
• The Staff Parking Lot is for staff only and off limits to all pedestrians from arrival-dismissal for the safety of all. Please respect this important aspect of our campus.

Dismissal:

• At dismissal time, there is no live pick-up in the driveway except for students who take the bus. Kindergarteners exit the building at 2:40 PM. The rest of the students dismiss at 2:45 PM from the same doors they enter in the morning.

As a safety reminder, the staff parking lot is staff-only. We respectfully ask that caregivers park along the streets. With our students exiting from their external doors in the parking lot, having cars drive in and out is not safe. You need to walk around the school on the blacktop to the back. Thanks for helping us out.

Ready to Play the Best Way

Please do not have your children wear flip-flops. Sneakers are best, but flip-flops are dangerous when running at recess (and Crocs aren't great).

Dogs and Puppies on School Grounds

School Committee policy prohibits dogs on school grounds as much as we all love dogs and puppies and as much fun as it is walking them. If you'd like to walk your dog as part of your pick-up routine, the dog has to stay off school property. If you'd like your child to walk to you on the sidewalk or to the driveway entrances at dismissal so you can wait with your dog, please make that plan with them.

Dear Barrows Families,

This is a friendly reminder that kids should wear sneakers on the days that they have Physical Education. I love Crocs too, but they don’t count as sneakers…even when they’re worn in sport mode! Thanks so much for your support with this safety matter.

Sarah Atwood

You must request to follow these private accounts. We post images, reels and stories that give you a quick glimpse into your child’s day during these Special class times. Mrs. Hurley for Art can be found here @mrs.hurley_art and Mrs. Atwood for Physical Education can be found here @barrowspe

*If your Instagram name does not easily identify you, please send us a separate email so we know it’s you! For safety, we are careful about who we accept.*

Dear Barrows Families,

Another way you can support your child’s art is to join Artsonia. Artsonia is the world's largest collection of student art, published by teachers and students from around the world. Through Artsonia families can view student art online and leave comments. If you would like to join Artsonia keep your eye on your inbox; email invitations will be going out shortly! Thank you! Beth Hurley

The Town of Reading contracts with William James College to offer a special service for our residents. The William James INTERFACE Referral Service maintains a mental health and wellness referral help line Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, at 888-244-6843 (toll free). This is a free, confidential referral service for individuals across the lifespan living in Reading. Callers are matched with licensed mental health providers from our extensive database. Each referral meets the location, insurance, and specialty needs of the caller. Click here to learn more!

PTO Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/BarrowsPTO/

Follow us on Instagram: @barrowselementarypto

Barrows Homepage: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/barrows/

Reading Public Schools: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us