Spring Family Newsletter

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Dear APS Families,

We can hardly believe how fast this school year is flying by! As we move into the final stretch, I’m writing to share some important district updates.

Reminder: there will be no school on Friday, April 18 - Friday, April 25 for the April Break. Classes will resume on Monday, April 28. Central offices will be closed to the public during the break, though staff who are present may still take appointments or respond to email.

As APS enters "hiring season," we welcome you to check out our hiring posts if you or someone you know is looking for an opportunity to engage in meaningful work that supports our community's future. We were pleased to welcome over 60 people to a hiring event at AHS last Saturday! Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. I hope you and your families enjoy the upcoming break and the last two months of the school year!

Warmly,
Dr. Elizabeth C. Homan
Superintendent, Arlington Public Schools

Important District Announcements

The 2025-2026 School Year Calendar has been approved by the School Committee. Families can now view the calendar and note key dates for their own planning. Please download and keep a copy for your records! Important 2025-26 dates include:

• First day of School: Tuesday, September 2nd (split first two days for K)
• Last day of School: Wednesday, June 17th if no snow days
• Winter Break: December 24th-January 5th
• February Break: February 16th-20th
• April Break: April 20th-24th

Each April, following the winter season, we conduct a review of the district calendar to account for any weather-related closures. As a result of the snow day on February 6, 2025, we have made the following updates to the 2024-2025 school year calendar:

• The last day of school for students in Kindergarten and Menotomy Preschool will be Monday, June 16, 2025.

  • Menotomy Preschool’s last day will be an early release at 11:30AM.

  • Kindergarten’s last day will be a full day of school ending at 2:30PM.

• The last day of school for students in grades 1–11 will be Monday, June 23, 2025 and will be an early release day at 11:30AM.

• Senior's Final Week is May 27-30: Schedule can be found here

• The new screening dates for new incoming kindergarteners will be Tuesday, June 17, 2025 and Friday, June 20, 2025. Exact dates for each school will be shared by the building principal later this spring.
  

These updates have been reflected in our 2024 - 2025 district calendar linked here.

The second trimester has come to a close, and elementary report cards are now available through the PowerSchool portal.

We encourage families to log in and review their child’s progress. If you have any questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or school principal.

The Welcome Center strives to provide families with essential resources, and your support will have a direct impact! If you’d like to contribute, please consider donating items from our Amazon Wish List, which helps us stock necessities such as school supplies, clothing, hygiene products, and other essentials for students and families in need.

Donate via the APS Welcome Center Amazon Wish List

Multi-Factor Authentication Now Available in SNAP Health Portal

Families can now enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) in the SNAP Health Portal for an extra layer of security. This optional feature can be activated in your account settings after logging in. View instructions to enable MFA here.

Reminder: Physical Exam Requirements

If you have not already done so, please be sure to send a copy of your 4th grade, 7th grade or 10th grade student’s physical exam to their school nurse (you can also upload it to the Health Portal). Physicals must be from within the last 12 months and must be signed and dated by the health care provider. Physicals from other grades are always welcome!

What You Should Know About Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 Virus

Avian influenza, more commonly known as the bird flu, has been dominating the headlines lately. We understand that the thought of another viral outbreak may cause some alarm or concern, so we wanted to share some current information with our families. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, in consultation and collaboration with state and federal health agencies.

Read the full update here.

Arlington Public Schools values student voices! This spring, all students in grades 3–12 will be invited to participate in the Panorama Student Survey and the SEL & Well-Being Survey. The Panorama student survey is anonymous. The SEL & Well Being Survey is not anonymous and only school-based social workers, counselors, and building leaders will have access to individual student responses. These surveys help us better understand students’ experiences in school and how we can support their academic and social-emotional growth.

Each school will determine its own survey dates, but all surveys will be administered between May 5 and June 6.

Opt-Out and Additional Information

The survey opt-out for students is available for families on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you do not have an account or need assistance logging in, please contact your child’s school. The main page of the Parent Portal has a list of staff members at each building to contact.

Once logged onto the portal, please follow these instructions to complete the opt-out form.

Please complete the opt out form by Friday, May 2nd, if you prefer your student not participate in either survey. If you have previously opted out your student, you will not need to do this again.

Please find a copy of the Student Surveys for grades 3-5 and 6-12 and the SEL & Well-Being surveys for grades 3-5 and 6-12. The Student Survey will take students about 8-20 minutes, and the SEL & Well-Being surveys will take approximately an additional 8-12 minutes.

If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact Matt Coleman at mcoleman@arlington.k12.ma.us.

As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety and wellbeing, we want to share a reminder about the importance of securely storing firearms at home.

In 2022, the Arlington School Committee passed a resolution emphasizing the role secure gun storage plays in preventing unintentional injuries and deaths. Massachusetts law requires all firearms to be stored securely, and research shows that doing so—locking firearms and storing them unloaded and separate from ammunition—can reduce the risk of injury by up to 85% among children and teens.

You can read Arlington’s full School Committee resolution here and find additional resources on safe storage and public education campaigns like Be SMART. Together, we can continue to create a safer, healthier environment for all students.

The Attorney General’s Office recently released a family-friendly flyer about immigrant students’ right to attend school. The flyer is also available in Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Chinese (Simplified), Spanish, and Portuguese. Other resources from the Attorney General’s Office include a flyer for K-12 schools on protecting students and their information, guidance about K-12 schools’ obligations to protect students and their information, and, in partnership with the state Office for Refugees and Immigrants, Know Your Students’ Rights (download) slides from a presentation for K-12 public schools. Additional information for immigrants is also available on the Attorney General’s website.

Another resource for districts is the Guidance for School Committees and Districts Upholding the Rights of Immigrant Students to Enroll in School, which the Executive Office of Education, DESE, and the Attorney General’s Office previously issued.

• Apr 18 : NO SCHOOL Good Friday
• Apr 18-27 : NO SCHOOL April Break (Central Offices Closed)
• Apr 22: Earth Day
• May 1: Arlington School Committee Hybrid Meeting 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM
• May 10: APS District Wide Pride Celebration 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
• May 13: SEPAC Monthly Meeting 7:30 - 8:30 PM via zoom - This meeting will focus on SLC Overview more details below.
• May 15: Arlington School Committee Hybrid Meeting 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM
• May 26: NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day
• May 27-30: Senior's Final Week - Schedule can be found here
• May 29: Arlington School Committee Hybrid Meeting 6:30 - 10:00 PM
• June 7: AHS Graduation 1:00 PM
• June 16: Last Day of School for Menotomy and Kindergarten
• June 19: NO SCHOOL - Juneteenth
• June 23: Last Day of School for Grades 1-11

Upcoming Events!

APS students in grades 3–12 created banners exploring Arlington’s 250-year journey of revolution and growth. Over 100 designs will be installed along Mass. Ave in Capitol Square, Arlington Heights, and outside AHS.

📍 Look for QR codes at each banner location to read student artist statements or read more about their artwork here.

🖼️ More student art will be showcased at the Arlington Historical Society on May 17.

Special thanks to the Arlington Education Foundation and the Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture for supporting this project!

Announcing our 9th annual APS textile recycling competition!

Please support your school and help reduce waste by bringing your old, worn, torn textiles (clothing, shoes, towels, bedding, stuffed animals) to your school's collection bin from April 30th-May 30th. All donations must be bagged and go into the textile recycling bins located outside your elementary or middle school.

The volume of donated textiles at each school will be tracked by Bay State Textiles to determine the winning school.

For a list of acceptable donations click here. For questions about the competition or to report bin overflow, please contact Rachel Oliveri, APS Sustainability Project Manager at roliveri@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Did you know textiles are banned from disposal in Massachusetts?

Are you curious what happens to your recycled textiles?

Join us for a special screening of “Counted Out,” a new hard-hitting documentary that shines a light on math as the foundation of democracy and economic opportunity. This event is open to all ages, but the film may resonate most with students in Grade 5 and up, and adults alike!

Following the film, we’ll wrap up with a 30–40 minute panel discussion designed to spotlight fresh perspectives on the film's themes. Food will not be served - feel free to bring your own picnic dinner!

Reserve your seat here!

Watch the trailer: Counted Out Film Trailer.

Where: Arlington High School Forum Steps - 869 Mass Ave

When: Monday April 28, 6:00 - 8:30 PM

As part of Arlington’s Sister City Partnership with Nagoakakyo, 16 students from Japan will be visiting us from April 29 to May 8, 2025. Join us for a Red Sox game at Fenway Park!

Use this link to buy tickets for May 4 at 1:35 Twins at Red Sox game. Our visitors and host families are seated in G29 (Grandstand section 29), rows 11-16, seats 17-26. To sit near us, you'll want to get seats in G29, or across the aisle in 28.

We hope to see you there, cheering alongside our visitors and making them feel right at home!

At the May 13th monthly SEPAC meeting, APS staff will provide an overview of SLCs—what they are, why they exist, and how placement decisions are made. This session will focus on understanding the purpose and structure of SLCs. While we won’t be diving into individual selection criteria, there will be a facilitated Q&A.

When: May 13, 2025 (7:30-8:30pm)

Where: Zoom

Submit your questions here!

Arlington High School’s Filmmaking II students are rolling out the red carpet for the A-Town Film Festival on Tuesday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Regent Theater in Arlington Center. A red carpet welcome begins at 6:30 p.m., and all are invited to attend this celebration of student creativity.

The film festival is a collaboration between AHS, ACMi, the Regent Theater, and the Arlington International Film Festival, and will feature student films from Arlington and other high schools across the region.

Every year, as part of our efforts to encourage intercultural learning, we invite international students to join us at Arlington High School. These students come from all over the globe! They bring so much joy, perspective, and energy to our community and we've had a blast getting to know them.

We're currently looking for host families and we'd love for you to consider opening your home. Past host families often say it's been one of the most rewarding experiences they've had—building meaningful connections that last well beyond the students’ stay.We’re partnering with Educatius Group, who will provide 24/7 support and a monthly stipend for families.

If you would like to learn more about being a host parent, you can contact Maria Ribon from Educatius Group at maria.ribon@educatius.org or call/text her at 617-970-1999.

If you would like to know more about the visiting international student program at Arlington High School please contact International Exchange program Coordinator Judy Duffy at jduffy@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Awesome Arlington Happenings From The Past Month

It’s been an exciting season for sustainability in Arlington Public Schools! Our students and staff are leading the way in environmental education and community action. Here are a few recent accomplishments worth celebrating:

📢 Student Voices at Statewide Environmental Conference

Four AHS students and the APS Sustainability Project Manager presented at the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society (MEES) Conference on March 12, 2025. Their workshop, “Youth Perspectives on Climate Resilient Schools,” was attended by educators and students from across the state and received glowing feedback from conference attendees.

🥕 Hardy Elementary Wins Garden Grant

Hardy Elementary School was awarded a Project Learning Garden Grant from the Captain Planet Foundation! This Grant includes a gift card to a garden center, a Vitamix and hot plate for garden-to-table activities, a garden wagon, gloves, tools, and access to school garden resources. This grant will help students deepen their connection to the natural world through hands-on learning.

🌍 AHS Students Earn Earth Day Boston Grant

A team of Arlington High School students, with support from the APS Sustainability Project Manager, received an Earth Day Boston Grant to support the upcoming environmental summit at Town Hall in April. These student leaders are helping to organize and lead this community-wide event focused on environmental awareness and action.

We’re incredibly proud of the innovation, leadership, and passion our students and educators are bringing to sustainability efforts in APS. Stay tuned for more updates as these projects grow!

On March 19, Ottoson Middle School held its annual Civics Day, marking the official launch of 8th grade civics projects. The began with a performance of the National Anthem by student Tali Zykorie, followed by a keynote address from State Representative Sean Garballey (23rd Middlesex).

Students attended engaging panel discussions on key topics such as climate change, immigration, transportation, mental health, food security, and education. Panelists included APS staff, town officials, Representative Dave Rogers (24th Middlesex), and local nonprofit leaders.

The day concluded with a mock Town Meeting led by Town Moderator Greg Christiana and former School Committee member Bill Hayner, where students debated and voted on a proposed Warrant Article to allow youth under 18 to participate in town committees and commissions.

A big thank you to the 8th grade Civics Team, History Director Michael Kozuch, and the many staff and community members who made this inspiring day possible!

Nine AHS Mandarin 5 students, have been named winners in the 2025 National Chinese Talent Contest! The contest is hosted by the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS)—one of the most prestigious organizations for Mandarin educators across the country.

Congratulations to the following students on this remarkable honor: Anderson Cheung, Jaime Ditore, Benjamin Gregory, Virginia Kyle, Henry Manty, Aqeel Merchant, Maya Sheldon, Piper Siegel and Fisher Williams.

Their winning submission, a beautifully written poem titled “Chinese Language,” was first presented at the town-wide Lunar New Year celebration earlier this year. This continues a proud tradition of excellence— these students have brought home CLASS awards for three years, with past wins in the Writing Contest in both 2022 and 2023.

We're incredibly proud of these students for their creativity, dedication, and hard work. Their accomplishment brings great pride to our school and the wider Arlington community. We also want to recognize Xiaohui Cao, AHS Mandarin teacher, for her inspiring guidance and continued dedication to fostering a love of language and culture in the classroom.

Students in Arlington High School’s new Community Work Program enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour at Breadboard Bakery in East Arlington. Owner Daisy Chow, an Arlington resident, gave a tour of the kitchen—including 50-pound bags of flour, an industrial mixer, and some surprising ingredients (like potatoes for her signature potato bread!).

Daisy answered their questions and shared favorites like Wacky Cake and best-of-Boston baguettes—which each student got to bring home. A huge thanks to Daisy for the cookies and the warm welcome! The Community Work Program launched in last fall and connects students with special needs to local workplaces. Current partners include the Mill Café and Brightview Arlington Assisted Living.

Interested in getting involved? Contact Transition Coordinator Annalise Abdelnour at aabdelnour@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Our beloved Community Resource Dog, Officer Roger, has been busy spreading joy and making connections all around Arlington!

Over the past few weeks, Officer Roger has:

• 🐶 Spent more time visiting students across Arlington schools—though he may have eaten a student’s homework!

• 🐾 Brightened days at the police station, where he’s known for popping into offices, lounging on laps, and making friends wherever he goes

Whether he’s attending community events or offering comfort at the police station, Officer Roger continues to make a positive impact everywhere he goes.

Want to see more of Officer Roger’s adventures?
Follow the Arlington Police Department’s Facebook page for Officer Roger’s Monthly Highlights.

The District invites you to complete the APS Family Support Request Form. It is designed to give families an avenue to request support and helps the District and schools understand the needs and concerns of families in order to provide the most effective support and resources. Once you complete this form we will share your responses with school social workers and with the family engagement department to support your child(ren)/ family.

Join Arlington Community Education for one of their April VacationFun! Programs!

When: Tuesday–Friday, April 22–25, 2025

Time: Full- and half-day classes are available from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. AM classes run 9:00 am–12:00 pm; PM classes run 12:30–3:30 pm.

Location: Arlington High School, 869 Massachusetts Avenue.

Age: VacationFun! serves students in grades K-8

Classes include:

• Creative, hands-on arts and crafts classes including, painting, collage, printmaking, and clay
• STEM programs in programming, electronics, architecture, Minecraft, and movie making
• High-energy sports and games, such as parkour and karate
• Outdoor hiking adventures

Register Here!

Kid Care Preschool is now enrolling for the 2025–2026 school year! Located at 17 Irving St., this play-based preschool for children ages 2.9 to 5 years offers hands-on learning, creative play, outdoor adventures, and a warm, nurturing environment.

🕒 Program options include early drop-off, half-day, and extended day.
📅 Open House: Friday, April 26 | 9:30–11:30 AM

📞 Contact Kim Grubb at 781-953-9005 / 781-316-3890 or kgrubb@town.arlington.ma.us

Upcoming Events in the Town of Arlington

Arlington 250 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution which began in our very own community. Join one of the many events across the community to honor Arlington’s history.

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, the Arlington Disability Commission will be hosting a free community screening of the documentary "In a Different Key" at the Regent Theatre. The story follows a mother who tracks down the first person ever diagnosed with autism, now an elderly man in rural Mississippi, to learn if his life story holds promise for her own autistic son. Her journey exposes a startling record of cruelty and kindness alike, framed by forces like race, money and privilege – but leads to hope that more of us are learning to have the backs of those who are "different." Snacks and refreshments provided, followed by a Q&A session with audience participation. All are welcome. RSVP here!

Please email tross@town.arlington.ma.us with dietary restrictions/allergies or for accessibility info or assistance to attend this event.

Who do I contact with questions and concerns?

Refer to our APS Communication Process Flier! This is your go-to resource designed to help you navigate any questions or concerns you may have regarding district matters. Clear communication is key to fostering a strong educational community, and this flier provides a straightforward guide for addressing specific needs. Whether your inquiries relate to curriculum, student services, or other district-related topics, this resource will direct you to the right person or department.