Parker Post

I hope everyone had a fun and restful winter break. It was exciting to welcome the students back to the building last Thursday.

By this point in the school year, we have hit a solid stride; students know the routines and expectations and are often the most engaged and motivated during these next few months. During the next couple of weeks, we will be administering the mid-year i-Ready math and reading assessments. Students will take the reading i-Ready on Tuesday, January 7th, and the math i-Ready on Tuesday, January 14th. It is important that students come to school those mornings with fully charged computers and headphones (if available). Students should also bring a book of their choice to school with them on those days so they can read silently if they finish before testing is completed. We will run an abbreviated full day schedule following testing on those mornings.

Students in all grades will also be participating in health lessons during the month of January. The health lessons will take place during their scheduled P.E. classes. A letter providing an overview of the curriculum at each grade level was sent out to families on December 30th. Please reach out to me or Ms. Esdra if you have any questions.

We are looking forward to having 8th grade students once again participate in Challenge Day at the end of the month. Please check out the Challenge Day website for more information about this valuable experiential learning opportunity.

Quarter 2 ends on January 24th. During the next couple of weeks, students should communicate with teachers if they have any questions about their academic progress in any of their classes. The new quarter begins on January 27th.

Have a wonderful week!

In Partnership,
Jill Story

Principal

The 6th and 7th grade concerts took place on December 17th. Congratulations to the band, chorus, and Parkapella students who participated. We are so fortunate to have a community that invests in the arts. Thank you to Mr. Norton and Ms. DiMuzio for their work preparing students for these extraordinary performances!

Students had so much fun participating in Spirit Week to foster our sense of community the week before vacation. Staff took part in an "underground" Spirit Week and kept students guessing on each day's theme!

THE WEEK AHEAD:

i-Ready ELA testing - 1/7

Math Team Meet (Lynnfield) - 1/9

Early Release @12:30pm - 1/10

ON THE HORIZON:

School Site Council Meeting - 1/13, 5:30pm

PTO Meeting - 1/13, 7pm

i-Ready Math testing - 1/14

No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - 1/20

S1/Q2 Grades Close - 1/24

Hi! I’m Dhanya Bhola, a junior at RMHS and a former student at Parker. I’m offering tutoring for middle school students who need help with their classwork and homework. I can also assist with test and quiz preparation, as well as organizational skills. I believe that learning effective study habits in middle school sets the foundation for success in high school. I would be available Monday and Wednesdays 3:30PM-5:00PM at the Reading Public Library.

If you’re interested, please email me at dhanya.bhola@rdgstudent.com. Thank you!

📌 WELCOME BACK! Wishing our Parker PTO community a wonderful 2025 ahead!

📌 PTO MEETING: Please join us for our next PTO meeting, Monday, January 13 at 7 p.m. via zoom. Take a sneak peek at our upcoming agenda. All are welcome!

📌 STOCK THE STAFF ROOM: The PTO will be Stocking the Staff Room with fun and healthy treats on Thursday, January 9 at 9:30am. Email if you’d like to help! parkerptopres@gmail.com

SAVE THE DATE!

• TH, 1/9: Stock the Staff Room
• M, 1/13: PTO Meeting, 7pm. Via zoom.

WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED:

• Email: parkerptopres@gmail.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ParkerPTO
• Instagram: @ParkerMSPTO, www.instagram.com/parkermspto
• Parker PTO webpage: tinyurl.com/ParkerPTOpage

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.

FCSN Workshop - Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP

Jan 22 (Wed), 7-9pm (Online; Registration is required)

Presenter: Lynne Hanley is a former Special Education teacher in the Lowell Public School System. She also worked as an advocate previously and is currently a frequent presenter of Basic Rights workshops for the Federation for Children with Special Needs.

Join us for an informative online workshop with The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN). This presentation will delve into the Individual Education Program (IEP) document, its development, the breakdown of each section and understanding how the document will support a student.

Workshop Topics:

• Why the IEP is important, who is eligible for an IEP, and how is it developed

• Student/Parent Concerns

• Student/Team Vision and Student Profile

• Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

• Postsecondary Transition Planning

• Accommodations and Modifications

• Goals & Service Delivery

• Response, Placement, and Procedural Safeguards

Click here to register for the Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP Workshop.

Registration required to receive the zoom link for the workshop.

Past Events:

Recorded events that are available on the Reading SEPAC Website:

• The Right to Read Panel Discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw_oIuqkUt0

• 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

Friends of Reading METCO is a volunteer group of Boston and Reading parents, working together to make connections between families and support the METCO program in our District. Contact ilka@ilkawalkley.com if you’d like to know more.

If you need to connect with your child's teachers, please reach out to the Team Leader as the primary point of contact. Team Leaders will be communicating regularly with families throughout the year.

TEAM LEADERS:

Team Synergy - Jane Costa (jane.costa@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Unity - Elisabeth Bean (elisabeth.bean@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Justice - Andrew Spinali (andrew.spinali@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Integrity - Steve Olivo (steve.olivo@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Inspire - Julie Merrill (julie.merrill@reading.k12.ma.us)

Team Endeavor - Brian James (brian.james@reading.k12.ma.us)

On Wednesdays, students will have Advisory. During Advisory, students meet in smaller groups with an assigned Advisory teacher. The goal is to foster a sense of belonging for all students through the implementation of curriculum that is designed to reinforce Parker's core values of kindness, community, and personal best.

Please be aware that any medication must be brought in by parents and signed in with a nurse, with the exception of epipens and inhalers which may be brought in by students. Please note that all medications require a physician order and parent consent. You may upload any medical documentation, including copies of orders and physicals, privately through the health portal here. Please see illness guidelines here. If you have any medical questions that you would like to discuss with the nurse, please contact kate.shmulsky@reading.k12.ma.us.

Health Services Updates: The Health Services Department would like to share some important reminders. Parents/guardians/caregivers should review the RPS illness guidelines here. If your child requires medication at school, including an Epipen or inhaler, ensure you complete and submit this form. Reading Public Schools utilizes the SNAP Health Portal for electronic health records, allowing secure uploading of medical documents and private messaging with school nurses; an email has been sent to parents with login details and the portal can be accessed here.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should isolate from others while you are ill.

You may begin to resume normal activities with precautions if:

1. You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicines; AND
2. Your other symptoms are improving

You may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better.

For at least the first 5 days after you resume normal activities, take these extra precautions:

• Avoid crowded indoor spaces. Wear a mask anytime you are indoors around other people

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

Avoid spending time with people who are at increased risk for severe disease

Here is more information about COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.

Here's a link to the Massachusetts DPH Respiratory Illness Dashboard

Respiratory illness reporting | Mass.gov

Please see the attached document for information about how to request transcripts and letters of recommendation if your child is applying to private or technical schools.

Access to the portal can be found on the Parker website (https://parker.reading.k12.ma.us/en-US) by clicking on the PlusPortals button. Your username should be your personal email. If you have questions about your account, please contact Linnea Frye: linnea.frye@reading.k12.ma.us

Jill Story, Principal

Email: jill.story@reading.k12.ma.us

Beth Simpson, Assistant Principal

Email: beth.simpson@reading.k12.ma.us

Website: Walter S. Parker Middle School
Location: 45 Temple Street