Thank you for entrusting us with your children’s education. We are truly honored to be a part of your lives. We hope you have a wonderful and relaxing summer! We look forward to seeing you again in the fall!

June 13 ~ Last Day of School ~ Noon Dismissal

"REMINDER:

END OF YEAR MEDS: Please have an adult pick up any student medications, including inhalers and epipens, from the Nurse's office before Noon on Thursday June 13th. Any medications not retrieved will be disposed of properly."

It is hard to believe that the end of our school year is near! As the year comes to a close and we look forward to summer, it is important to keep in mind that the excitement and fun also bring additional challenges and stressors. Families are often overworked and overwhelmed by schedules and commitments while students are overtired and overstimulated from all of their activities and events. It can be a lot! For this reason, we hope that you can at least find moments as a family to be present, enjoy your time together, and make the best of these milestones knowing they will someday be missed. Be sure to reflect with your student about the achievements they have made and the friendships they have developed over this school year.

These transitions can also be difficult as the structure and routine of day-to-day life changes significantly for most as we move from school year to summer. This may be a hard adjustment and you can expect some changes in behavior from the whole family as a new normal is developed. It might be helpful to consider ongoing social learning throughout your summer break to maintain their skills as well as prepare them for the school year to come.

We wish you all the best over summer break and look forward to seeing you again in the fall!

Your School Counselors,

Ms. Milne and Ms. Rivera

Here are some things you can do as a family over the summer break:

Wow, time goes fast when you are having a blast! This year has been such a fun journey with your children. They have worked so hard, and every student is leaving with some very strong skills.

Our Davis Farm field trip was an amazing end to the school year! Students enjoyed a tour, the play areas, and a picnic lunch.

Over the summer please continue to read, write, draw, and practice math facts with your child. But, most of all enjoy time with each other!

Thank you for your support throughout the year. Without the help from families, we would not be able to do what we do.

Have a great Summer!

With Love,

Kindergarten Team

Happy June!

Just like the flowers outside the first graders are really blossoming! At this point in the year first graders are starting to show proficiency with skills they have been taught throughout the year. It is wonderful to see the progress in academic skills, social skills and the independence they are showing.

With the end of the year in sight there are some things that you could do at home to help solidify skills before second grade. Reviewing coin names/values, counting to 120, and adding 10s and 1s (dimes and pennies) will help reinforce math skills. When reading stories together, you can practice finding the main topic and key details in the text and illustrations.

Last week the children were visited by the librarians from the Forbush Library. The kickoff party for their summer reading is June 15th from 10-2pm. For more information check out their website: Forbush Library

Encouraging your child to pack/unpack their backpacks on their own and learning to tie shoes will help them on their journey to independence.

We appreciate all the support and collaboration you have shown this year. We are looking forward to a fun and successful last few days!!

Second graders have been busy wrapping up an amazing school year! Students have recently enjoyed the Spring band and chorus concert, Camp Learn-A-Lot, and field day. It was heartwarming to see the awe and joy on their faces when they walked into their classrooms that had been transformed into campsites. Thank you so much to all second grade families for such a supportive, fun-filled school year. We hope you all have a fantastic summer!

In the final Mystery Science unit, Stormy Skies, students explored and made predictions about the weather through careful observation of the clouds and wind. Students also learned to distinguish between weather and climate. When you are outside with your child, look up at the sky and ask them if they can identify the clouds. Have a wonderful summer!

In the final Mystery Science unit, Stormy Skies, students explored and made predictions about the weather through careful observation of the clouds and wind. Students also learned to distinguish between weather and climate. When you are outside with your child, look up at the sky and ask them if they can identify the clouds. Have a wonderful summer!

This year has been nothing short of amazing for our Kindergarten through 5th-grade students in the technology and engineering classes. The curriculum was designed to ignite curiosity and foster a love for innovation, and the results have been truly impressive. From building simple circuits to understanding the basics of coding, our young engineers embraced each challenge with enthusiasm. Their ability to grasp complex concepts at such a young age speaks volumes about their potential and the effectiveness of our hands-on learning approach.

Our Kindergarten students started with the basics of understanding how everyday technology equipment works to learning keyboard techniques to learning basic coding. As they moved up to 1st and 2nd grades, they began exploring more intricate tasks, such as using basic coding to program small robots. The joy on their faces when they successfully made their robots move was infectious and demonstrated the tangible impact of integrating technology into early education.

By the time students reached 3rd through 5th grades, they were ready for more advanced projects. They delved into design thinking, participating in projects that required them to identify problems, brainstorm solutions, and build prototypes. These hands-on experiences not only honed their technical skills but also instilled a sense of accomplishment and confidence. Overall, this year has laid a solid foundation in technology and engineering for our students, preparing them for a future where these skills will be indispensable.

Have an amazing summer and see you next year!!!

Mrs. Breen

On Saturday, June 9th our WES Concert and Jazz bands traveled to the Methuen Music Hall to compete in the Great East Music Festival. They both won GOLD!

Saturday, June 9th was a big weekend for Mr. Lucander. After the Great East Festival, he traveled to a special reception where he was named The Massachusetts VFW Teacher of Year for his work with our students in our schools and out in the community. Teachers who are eligible for this award promote civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism.

The Forbush Memorial Library is conducting a community survey for its 2025-2030 strategic plan. We would love MHS and WES parents, teachers, and staff to be a part of the process! Help us envision the future of this community destination and resource by completing this brief online survey: https://bit.ly/Forbush-Plan-Survey. Thank you!

Please reach out with any questions you may have. We are happy to help!

• MHS - Kathi McCarthy 978-874-0163 ext. 0
• WES - Liz Maillet 978-874-2043 ext. 0

NEW PARENTING SOLUTIONS LIBRARY

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new, free MPY Parenting Solutions Library. To date, over 2,200 videos have been borrowed. MPY is offering the MPY Parenting Solutions Library in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. When parents grasp the interconnection between the brain, body, and behavior, they experience reduced stress levels, resulting in less stress for their children.

The Peace At Home Parenting Solutions team, comprised of experts with advanced degrees, stays abreast of the latest advancements in child development. With more than 30 specialists focused on child and adolescent development, including specific issues such as difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, handling racism, navigating grief, and other matters parents and our partners identify. These experts present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.

Parents can watch or just listen to experts who get right to the point solving big and small challenges. The 24 library presentations focus on the topics below. Each presentation includes a 10-minute videos and handouts.

· Inspire School Success for Elementary, Middle and High School Students

· Parenting Principles for Progress Not Perfection

· Mental Health Knowledge and Skills

· Support Your Anxious Child Library

· ADHD and Autism: How to Help Your Child Thrive

The Home Parenting Library may easily be accessed using the link: https://peaceathomeparenting.com/mpy-solution-libraries/ No log in or passcode is needed.

REMINDER: Please take a look at how the PM pick up line at WES and MHS works. It is important that everyone follows these directions.

FOR WES Student Pick up: Please drive up Academy Hill Road and come down, park on the right hand side of Academy Hill Road and enter the parking lot on your left. Westminster Police have asked to NOT enter the parking lot when coming in from Main Street on your right because it starts a back up on Main Street. See map below.

For questions regarding your child's health, please use the following emails for our nurses.

MHS - MHSnurse@awrsd.org

WES - WESnurse@awrsd.org

We are seeking substitute nurses (RN’s/ LPN’s/ BSN’s) If interested, please email your resume to Ally Law: alaw@awrsd.org.

General Ashburnham-Westminster Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) membership is open to all AWRSD parents/guardians of children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans and other interested parties. We need volunteers to help plan workshops, staff tables at local school and community events, become future leaders, assist other parents, and plan new activities and projects. Learn more about us and our work on our website https://sites.google.com/view/ashburnham-westminster-sepac. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashwestsepac.

ARRIVAL

8:20 - 8:30 AM

DISMISSAL

2:55 PM

HALF DAYS - DISMISSAL

12:00 PM

We discourage early dismissals from school and urge you to schedule doctor, dentist or other appointments outside of school hours, on school holidays, or during vacation time. Extra-curricular activities should also be scheduled to allow students to complete the school day. We will send a written reminder if the number of early dismissals becomes unreasonable or excessive.

On the day of a dismissal, the parent or guardian must send a note to school stating the time of dismissal and who will pick up the student. No student will be dismissed to anyone but a parent/guardian or authorized adult, who must report to the office to meet the student.

Dismissals prior to 11:30 am will be considered an absence.

Any changes to dismissal plans must be made in writing on or before the day of dismissal. In the event of an emergency, a phone call to the school office will need to be followed up by an e-mail or fax.

Written notes from parents/ guardians are required (in addition to excused absences), when your student will be:

1. Picked up by someone other than the parent/ guardian.
2. Dismissed during the school day.
3. Picked up at school rather than taking the bus home, or other similar change in routine.
4. Following a standing appointment one day per week such as Brownies, Boy Scouts, etc. One note at the start of the school year will suffice. If there is any change in the schedule, another note is needed.
5. Given permission to independently ride a bike to school. (Grades 4 – 5 only)
6. Cared for after school by a baby-sitter or family day care provider. Please provide the school with the names and phone numbers of all after-school care providers at the beginning of the school year..

Written notes are essential to insure your child’s safety. We would prefer notes over phone calls as it helps us to document your child's individual dismissal plan. (We have 611 students.) Thank you for your help.