February 2025

• 2 absences or less per school term - On track!
• 4 or more absences per school term - Ellis attendance team is available to coordinates meeting with parent/guardian to provide support
  
• 6 or more absences per school term - additional support available from district supervisor of attendance
  

When your student is absent:

Please notify your students teacher via Talking Points
Please provide an attendance excuse note that includes:

• student first and and last name
• date of absence
• reason for absence (absences will be excused in alignment with the BPS district circular - Attendance Policies and Procedures (ACA-18) - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XNOOmnWE4VMQ-I1stRUkAhogGw9t0I5G?usp=drive_link

Questions? Please email ellis-attendance@bostonpublicschools.org

School Terms:

• fall - September 5 to December 6, 2024
• winter - December 9, 2024, to March 21, 2025
• spring - March 24 to June 23, 2025

Arrival:

• Please DO NOT block school bus lane on Walnut Ave
  
• School doors open at 9:15am
• Classroom instruction begins at 9:30am
• Students arriving after 9:30am must enter via front school door
• Students are marked tardy after 9:35am
• Tardy students must be signed in by parent/guardian

Homework Policy

Homework builds on classroom work and encourages the development of self-discipline and personal responsibility. It is also an important means of promoting cooperation between home and school. Homework is used to extend classroom learning and to provide reinforcement, enrichment, and remediation.

• Kindergarten - Recommended average time: 15 minutes per day
• Grades 1-3 - Recommended average time: 30–60 minutes per day
• Grades 4-6 - Recommended average time: 30–60 minutes per day

All grades/All students should read at least 30 minutes

Please view your students reading log

Ellis Family STEAM Exploration Night

Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math

Wednesday April 30th

4:30pm - 6:00pm

We celebrate the power of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in shaping our world. Let's continue to inspire curiosity, innovation and discovery in this field, empowering future generations to solve tomorrow's challenges! All students must be accompanied by an adult throughout the event. Please no drop offs.

The Ellis community came together to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans and the progress made in the fight for racial equity across the African Diaspora!

Students and staff put together an incredible assembly!

Our Springboard Tutoring Program for grades K–3 has been an incredible journey of growth, learning, and community this season! We’re thrilled to share that our Family Workshop Series—a total of 4 engaging sessions—saw 90% student attendance, with enthusiastic participation from both parents and students.

These workshops offered families the chance to explore literacy skills together in fun and meaningful ways, while also building stronger school-home connections. Throughout the series, families had the opportunity to win exciting prizes, and we’re especially proud to celebrate Thiago Levi Castro from Ms. L. Scarlett’s first grade class, who won a brand new Chromebook at our final session!

We’re so grateful for the dedication of our students, families, and staff who made this program such a success. Go team Springboard!

Huskies for Hoops program! Students and coaches have spent weeks strengthening basketball fundamentals while fostering teamwork, discipline, and a passion for the game. They focus on advanced skills such as transition offense, zone and defense, shooting under pressure, special game situations, and more by going through the most commonly used basketball drills. Throughout the program, thy have emphasized good sportsmanship, active communication, and—above all—balancing sports with academic

responsibilities.

LiveSchool is an app that helps our school create a positive learning environment. Teachers can award points to students when engaging in Ellis core values, showing hard work etc. Teachers can also document/comment on student conduct. Families can receive real time updates! Students can use their points when visiting the Ellis school store. Students visit the school store on Fridays. Please view the Ellis family calendar for dates.

Can you find the 100 Photos of Mr. Ivy?

100 photos of Mr. Ivy were hidden around school. Students who fund a photo, added it to the board :)

Ms. Claire from the Egleston Square Library visited the Ellis and brought stories, songs, crafts, and engaging activities to support early learning each week. Through reading and hands-on experiences, students explored new ideas and build essential skills in a fun and interactive way.

Ms. Claire’s visits provide an excellent opportunity for our young learners to develop a love for books, strengthen their language skills, and express their creativity. We are so grateful for this partnership and look forward to many exciting learning adventures!

Students were able to learn about chickens - offering students valuable learning experiences, fostering social-emotional growth, academic engagement, and a love for learning by promoting responsibility, empathy, and a sense of connection to the natural world.

Imagine IM is a problem-based core curriculum designed to address content and practice standards to foster learning for all. Students learn by doing math, solving problems in mathematical and real-world contexts, and constructing arguments using precise language. Here is a great family resource website: https://ilclassroom.com/resources/24002515

Thank you Nurse Ryan for coordinating

• CMHOS dental services
• NEU Audiologists

Students in music and violin class!

Ellis 6th graders toured the libraries Teen Center and interviewed staff who ran it. They explored free resources like graphic design, classes, 3D printers, games and computers. Students not only checked out multiple books but also couldn't wait to return to the library in the future.

Student Physicals : All students MUST have updated health physicals and immunization records submitted to Nurse Ryan. A copy of a recent physical and immunizations is required by our school nurse. Parents/guardians can submit a copy to school or email it to pryan@bostonpublicschools.org

This is of urgency for any students participating in school sports.

Shout out to Ms Ward’s 2nd grade class who attended their first field trip of the school year to the Egleston Library where they saw an awesome story telling and musical performance with local artist Valerie Stephens! Valerie told stories like Stone Soup and taught students the West African Welcome Song - Funga Alafia!

Thanks to the hard work of the Egleston Children’s Librarian, Claire, Ms. Wards class were able to attend this visit free of charge. Students were super engaged in Valerie's work and impressed her so much with their definitions of culture (and other philosophical wonderings!) that she offered to come to the Ellis to read some more stories with their class for free! Amazing work, Ellis 2nd graders!

Janet Costa Bates Author Visit at the Egleston Library with Ms. Petto's & Ms. DellaRocco's 4th Grade Classes!

This group of students actually met with Janet Costa Bates as 2nd graders when she came to visit our Ellis Library two years ago so it was super special to be reunited with her again! Janet Costa Bates is a local Cape Verdean author who has published the Rica Baptista series, which we've been reading together in 4th grade library time. For this visit, we engaged in a character development workshop where students got to learn about the author's process and create their own fictional characters! Janet promised she would sign the students' work if they promised to keep on writing :)

Bilingual Storytelling at the Egleston Library with Ms. Arroyo's K1 & Ms. Scarlett's 1st Grade Classes!

We learned the story of the Chilean national flower, the copihue, drew some pictures depicting the story, did some dancing, and learned a Chilean national chant! Chi chi chi chi! Le le le le!

Speaking of poetry, shoutout to Hazel Agyemang, a retired Roxbury resident and former Ellis student, who came to share her poem about the incredible Elma Lewis with Ms. Perkins's 1st graders this week!

Ellis hosted visiting artists from the Boston Children's Chorus this month. BCC will return to Ellis this spring to work with our Grade 4 students, culminating in a citywide performance at the Strand Theater.

5th grade theater is exploring devising and playwriting for the Citywide Arts Festival in May -- they are writing their own murder mystery story; students travel to an abandoned hospital in search of adventures and investigating what's going on here. But they gotta be careful because when they are looking, people go missing. Keep and eye out for more information as families will be invited to sit in the audience.

4th grade is also exploring playwriting -- each small group is using the vocabulary we've learned and the tools we've practiced to create their own narratives. They are playing with genre and convention while telling individual stories. Ask your 4th grader what the word "cliffhanger" means to find out more.

1-2nd graders are deepening their play with theatrical styles; tableau and pantomime. They are engaging with storytelling and character creation as well as plotting a beginning, middle and end with the style of the pantomime. Ask your 1st or 2nd grader what a "pantomime" is, and if they can "pantomime brushing their teeth".

Kindergarteners are playing with the actors' tools and storytelling -- they get the chance to play pretend and to engage their bodies and minds in the world of imagination. Ask your kindergartener "what are the actors' tools"? (K0/K1 face, body, voice) (K2 face, body, voice, memory, focus, imagination).

What?

Ellis food distribution including fresh produce

When? Upcoming dates

• 4/17, 5/15, 6/5
• After student arrival 9:15-10:30am

Where? Ellis Gym (please enter via back of building)

Kindergarden Arrival: On Ellis distribution days, kindergarten students will

enter via cafeteria door

Items can be heavy please bring a heavy duty bag or rolling cart to help bring items home. Distribution is first come, first serve.

For parents/guardians interested in volunteering, providing feedback/comments, please click on link

https://forms.gle/7Z5qk3byu7kiQCYW9

Boston Public Library Updates!

Egleston Square Branch Library 2044 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury | 617-445-4340

Located just up the street from the Ellis!

Library hours: Monday 10-6 | Tuesday 10-6 | Wednesday 12-8 | Thursday 10-6 | Friday 9-5 | Sat 9-5

https://www.bpl.org/locations/egleston-square/

Please visit the library website for calendar updates!

Provided by the Bird Street Program in partnership with David A. Ellis

Who: students ages 5-13

When: Monday - Friday

Hours: 7:30am -9:15am

Where: Higginson Lewis School - 131 Walnut Ave. Boston, 02119

Ellis students will walk with staff to the Ellis at 9:00am. (10 minute walk)

Cost and How to enroll: Please contact brfreeman@uphams.org or call (617) 282-6110

Ellis Clubs are an opportunity for staff to lead a group of students in an area of student interest. Clubs include legos, football, digital literacy, chess, jewelry making and more! Ask your student what club they selected!

Students will be in their club of choice 3pm-4pm on club days. If your student has an appointment and must be dismissed earlier, please plan accordingly. Early dismissals will not be available during Ellis Clubs 3pm-4pm.

Next Club Day is Friday April 11th

View link for cafeteria menus: https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/bps-departments/food-and-nutrition-services/about

Youtube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2urvB9n_UQk

Thank you Ms. Kym from The Food Justice Program for sharing about grocery resources available for families!

The Food Justice Program supplies families in the Boston area with hot meals and groceries. Currently providing 300 families with weekly groceries and offering hot meals to members of the community four days a week. This program is volunteer run and it currently impacts over 1,000 individuals!

All are welcome to receive groceries, there are no prerequisites to join our program!

If you would like to apply for our Food Pantry, please fill out the registration form.

Ellis Coffee Hour meets every second Thursday of the month

9:30am - 10:15am

Followed by Ellis Family gathering (SPC):

10:15am - 11:00am

Location: Ellis School Library

Please enter through art room door next to morning drop off entrance. Back part of building.

Interpretation provided in Spanish and Haitian Creole.

FREE coffee, donuts, pastries and books!

Spring is Coming!

With spring just around the corner, students are preparing to head back outside and bring their classroom learning into the garden. In the coming weeks, they’ll begin planting seeds, observing the first signs of new life, and reconnecting with the natural world right outside their school doors. After a winter of indoor discovery, students are eager to dig into the soil and put their hands-on knowledge to work. As the garden wakes up, so does the excitement—setting the stage for a season full of exploration, curiosity, and growth!

A Bean’s Journey: From Seed to Sprout

Tucked inside every bean is a tiny world waiting to unfold—and this winter, students have been discovering that world up close! Garden Educators led interactive lessons where students had the chance to dissect a bean seed, carefully peeling it apart to discover and draw each of its unique parts. From the seed coat to the tiny embryo inside, students explored how a simple bean holds everything it needs to grow into a plant. To keep the learning going, each classroom now has a bean of its own, planted and ready to sprout. Over the coming weeks, students will observe its growth firsthand, watching as roots stretch down and leaves reach up—bringing their seed study to life right before their eyes.

CitySprouts Green Team

The CitySprouts Green Team is back for Summer 2025! This hands-on program gives youth the chance to dive into urban agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community action. Participants will work in school gardens, explore food systems, go on field trips, and build leadership skills—all while making a meaningful impact on their communities. Applications are now live! Apply here and secure your spot for an exciting summer experience.

Click the link for more!

https://go.citysprouts.org/e/988072/WgIfpvNDIEjUAG2aX8JNYEUnQ-copy/226xdx/1081220178/h/QE9_rmTQyrSHjZ3qkw4ok0Yos6NW_uNc3Rf8Cy7S-Ks

We seek to foster a strong and positive home-school connection at the Ellis. Parents/guardians may request a meeting with their child’s teacher by making an appointment via the main office or by reaching out directly to the classroom teacher on the Talking Points app.

https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/Page/8266#:~:text=All%20visitors%20must%20identify%20themselves,with%20the%20individual%20requesting%20access.

All families of students who ride the bus are reminded to download the new Zūm App to see your student’s bus assignment, track their bus, and receive real-time ride updates and delay notifications. You can login using your email address or phone number on file with BPS.

Zum app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zum-student-transportation/id1076430968

Zum video: https://vimeo.com/1001454820

*Ellis bus students were provided bus labels for their backpacks. Parents/guardians please confirm that backpack tags are attached everyday. If your student does not have a bus tag, please reach out to your student teacher.

Reminder to Ellis parents/guardians - please refrain from parking/stopping your vehicle in front of the school building 9:00 - 9:30am. It is of importance that the front of the building remain free of congestion to allow school buses to stop and staff to get students safely off the bus. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

• Home for little Wonderers and Franciscans - supports delivering services to students and families each year through community-based and direct care services and advocacy.

• Boston University and Harvard University interns: connect/support students and families with community resources, facilitating crisis intervention, and helping to develop and implement support plans.

If you have not returned your students school forms packet, please do so as soon as possible. Back to school forms are incredibly important to update student information, keep Ellis school updated around student health information, dismissal plans etc.

If you have not received a packet, please reach out to your students teacher.

A copy of a recent physical and immunizations is required by our school nurse. Parents/guardians can submit a copy to school or email it to pryan@bostonpublicschools.org

TalkingPoints is a two-way multilingual family engagement platform that allows teachers and schools to communicate via text message with families. Translates into over 100 languages!

Tutorial in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hd_gjUQqv8

Tutorial in Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyg9BmFLmQ8

If you have not received messages from your students teacher, please email: gchew@bostonpublicschools.org

The MBTA’s income-eligible reduced fare program offers reduced fares to riders between the ages of 18 – 64 who are enrolled in an approved state assistance program.

Income-eligible CharlieCards can be loaded with:

• Cash value for roughly 50% reduced one-way fares
• $10 7-Day LinkPasses
• $30 monthly LinkPasses

Your card can also be used to purchase reduced one-way fares and monthly passes for Commuter Rail, Ferry, and Express Bus.

To view eligibility and how to apply visit: https://www.mbta.com/fares/reduced/income-eligible#:~:text=The%20MBTA's%20income%2Deligible%20reduced,50%25%20reduced%20one%2Dway%20fares

Is your student interested in learning Afro-Latin performing arts?

Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) has an expansion of Artes Culturales (AC) program. AC program offers small group lessons for youth ages 6-18 in Afro-Latin Dance, Music, and Theatre.

Please view AC website for details.

Artes Culturales application link: https://airtable.com/appePdAe6QT9jHpHD/pagpSHP2akjaxWcQT/form

Parent University was launched in 2009 as the district's primary strategy to build the capacity of parents to be actively engaged in their children's education. The goal of the program is to educate and empower parents/guardians as our partners, advocates, leaders, lifelong learners and their children's first teachers. Parent University does this work through a variety of educational courses and leadership training opportunities offered throughout the school year. Please visit the link to view their calendar and more information. https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/parentuniversity#calendar26762/20241114/month

• After-school programming is currently FULL. Communication will go out to families next school term if openings become available.
• After school programming is not available on half days, school vacation days or teacher professional development days - 1/22, 3/26, 4/30.
• After school dismissal is at 6pm. Early dismissal is available ONLY on Fridays.
• If your student is not going to after-school programming, please notify your student's teacher on Talking Points before 2:30pm. Any communication made after 2:30pm does not guarantee dismissal change. This is extremely important for bus students.
• After school students will receive an after school backpack tag when enrolled in the program. Please do not remove tag from your students backpack.
• ALL paperwork must be submitted before a student is able to begin after school programming.
• After school uses ClassDojo for communication. Please be sure to download the app to communicate with after school staff.
• For additional questions please contact after school Director Ms. Lily -
• lily@highergroundboston.org (617) 833-6734
• Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qxtMB7Pc3k

Boston Saves is a children’s savings account program that helps families of BPS students save and plan for their children’s college or career training from K2 kindergarten onward.

Through Boston Saves, every K2 kindergartner in BPS gets an account with $50 for their future college or career training. Families can get even more money for their child, called Boston Saves Dollars, and track those savings in the Boston Saves Savings Center. Along the way, students and families can learn more about how to make the most of their money to plan for the future!

Currently, all K2, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade student in BPS have Boston Saves accounts.

Families, start saving and planning for your child with Boston Saves.

Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhRyphkNitM&t=6s

We have many children with food allergies. If a student with a food allergy eats even a small amount of the allergen, it can cause a mild to a very serious, even life-threatening reaction. Students are not permitted to share food in school.

All BPS schools are Nut safe- no nuts or nut products are served by Nutrition Services
"All school dining areas are peanut aware. No school kitchens will serve peanuts or tree nuts". Superintendent’s Circular; FNS-06”

Please do not send any food to school with nuts, or nut butters in it. This includes birthday cakes, cupcakes etc. Parents/guardians are reminded to connect with their students' teachers before bringing any type of food to their students' classroom. Food must be store sealed.
As we celebrate our students, our cultures and our holidays, please remember to check if a food contains nuts or is made in a facility that uses nuts. Thank you

• Accidents happen. Please keep an extra set of clothing in your students backpack.
• Students are encouraged to bring a labeled water bottle to school to stay hydrated. Water filters are installed around the school.
• Please remind your student(s) to keep track of their items. Labeling items is encouraged. The lost and found can be found near the front entrance. The lost and found area is cleared out at the end of every month. As colder weather starts, students are reminded to wear their coats outside at recess.

Monthly meetings - please view Ellis calendar for upcoming meeting dates

• Ellis Coffee Hour / ERT
• School Parent Council
• School Site Council
• Ellis Grocery Distributions
• The Inclusion Planning Team (IPT) is looking for a parent to join the team to discuss preparing for next year's grades 1 and 2 becoming inclusion and looking at this year's K0/K1-K2 role out of inclusion. The time commitment is for 10-12 hours for the school year. The team meets Tuesday mornings 8-9am once per month. If you are interested please Ms. Mulhern email cmulhern@bostonpublicschools.org

Starting in January 2025 and running through December 2026, Boston Family Days will offer free admission on the first and second Sundays of each month to beloved Boston landmarks, including: Boston Children's Museum. Franklin Park Zoo. Institute of Contemporary Art.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/arts-and-culture/boston-family-days

• We have a beautiful new playground that is designed with safety and and your child's enjoyment in mind.
  Playground safety:
  No jumping or ejecting while the swing is in motion.
  While it may seem like fun to a swinging child, jumping off a swing is a sure way to sprain a wrist, an ankle or worse.
  We want to make sure no one ejects themselves from a swing in motion to avoid serious injuries.
  Please also remind your child that students should not be pushing a swing after the initial momentum.

• In order to keep students safe, we do not accept telephone calls to change dismissal procedures for students. Any changes to dismissal must be in writing - there are no exceptions to this rule. This is for the safety and protection of all students. Any documented dismissal changes MUST be provided to the Main Office no later than 2:30 PM. Notification made after 2:30 PM do not guarantee dismissal change.

• In an attempt to be prepared for any emergency that may arise, please be sure to list the names of people your child can be released to on the Emergency Form. Also, anyone picking up students must show picture identification and must be 18 years old - even if you are known to our staff. This rule will be enforced every day. There are no exceptions to this rule as it is in place to ensure student safety.

• Please make every effort to refrain from early dismissals for student. Early dismissal is disruptive to the entire community and to your child. When students leave early they are missing instruction and may not get the homework assignments. The teacher cannot stop teaching the class to give homework to one student.

• In the event parents/guardians must pick their child up early and to maintain a smooth, safe and orderly dismissal, parents/guardians must pick their child up by 3:30pm. It is respectfully asked that parents/guardians arrive at the Ellis no later than 3:30pm to pick up their child. Any families that come after 3:30pm will have to wait at the gym door (in back of school) to pick students up. Students will not be released after 3:30pm until the start of dismissal at 4:10pm. Parents/guardians will have to wait until 4:10pm for the walker dismissal to begin. This will allow all staff and students to complete the academic period and arrive at dismissal locations in our building. As a reminder, the instructional day does not end until 4:05pm. Please give your child the opportunity to engage in a full day of learning.

• Requests for students to be “ready for pick up” in the Main Office for early dismissal will not be honored.

• We will continue our policy regarding the safe pick-up of all learners. The adult picking up a student must show picture identification and they must be listed on the emergency form. We understand that while this process may take a little longer, the safe dismissal of students is a priority and expectation at the Ellis. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.