Wood End Wildcat News

All students in grades 3-5 will participate in two ELA and two Math sessions and students in grade 5 will participate in two Science sessions. Students will be taking this computer-based assessment at school during regular school hours. If a student is absent on a testing day, the student takes the test on the next available testing day. We do our best to limit the number of transitions and decrease disruptions on our MCAS testing days, and the entire school supports this work. Our students not taking MCAS are practicing their core values by being silent in the hallways, being flexible with their schedules, and sending positive messages to our upper grade students throughout the testing window. If you would like to read or learn more about these assessments, please visit the MA Department of Education website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/

Please be sure your child has appropriate clothing to go outside. Our students will go outside for recess on most days even when it's cold. Students will be sent outside in whatever it is that they are sent to school in for outdoor recess. Please have your child wear appropriate winter clothing and not just sweatshirts! Similarly, arrival will be outside, so dress warm!

We will allow children to play in the snow IF they have snow-pants, gloves/mittens, snow-boots and jackets. If your family is in need of any of the above items, please do not hesitate to reach out and let us know.

You're invited to participate in the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Yard Sign Design Contest!

Each year Wood End partners with SRTS in a variety of ways. Our Walk/Bike to School Days are a part of this program. In addition, this year SRTS instructors will lead lessons focused on Pedestrian Safety for students in grade 2 and Bike Safety for students in grade 4.

Beginning this month, the SRTS program is holding its 9th Annual Yard Sign Contest for students in grades 2-5 in an effort to promote safe roads for cyclists and pedestrians. Families are invited to participate in this optional activity at home. Scan the QR code below to learn more about the contest!

SAFETY in the DRIVEWAY: Please adhere to typical traffic patterns in the driveway. We are a one-way in and one-way out access and with students, staff and families trying to get into the building, we need to be safe. We have observed many drivers not stopping at the crosswalk and passing cars quickly while traffic is coming the other direction. To ensure our students are not hurt, we are asking that families adhere to safety regulations as outlined below:

• Crosswalk: Please be sure to use the crosswalk when crossing the drive way.

• Morning Drop-Off: Staff will be visible beginning at 8:10 a.m. to assist students. All cars will remain in a single-file once they enter Sunset Rock Lane, up the driveway, continuing around the circle at the top of the driveway near the playgrounds, and back down the driveway to exit the school. Drivers will pull into the unloading area along the sidewalk. All students must exit quickly & safely through the passenger side doors closest to the sidewalk. Drivers must stay in cars and remain alert. We will unload several cars at a time, so please pull up and unload as soon as you enter this area. Do not wait to pull up to the front door. Please do not pass cars in the driveway or park in the fire lanes

• Afternoon Placard Pickup: All parents or designated adults will place the placard on the right-hand side of their vehicle’s windshield upon entering the Wood End driveway. Cars will line up along the school driveway and onto Sunset Rock Lane (do not park or idle in the rotary at the end of the driveway blocking in our neighbors). As your car reaches the school, a staff member will radio your name to additional staff stationed where your child will be waiting (under the large wooden awning at the front of the building). Staff will direct your child to the right side of your car as you stop. Please remain in your vehicle while your children get into the car. Once your children are seated and buckled in, you will proceed around the traffic circle and exit back onto Sunset Rock Lane.

• Idling of Motor Vehicles - For the safety of staff and students, school policies restrict operators of school buses and personal motor vehicles, including students, faculty, staff and visitors, from prolonged idling of such vehicles on school grounds and violators may be subject to a fine.

This year, our goal is 98% attendance with ZERO chronically absent students (18 absences).

• Students are marked tardy after 8:25 and marked absent if they are dismissed prior to 11:00am.
• After 5 absences, families will be contacted and invited in for an attendance support meeting

How Families can help!

• Schedule family vacations during school vacation windows. Last year, family vacations were the second leading cause of absences, second to sickness.

• Make a consistent routine with your student every morning.

• Schedule appointments outside of school hours.

Through data analysis, we work to create flexible, differentiated learning groups that allow teachers to meet students where they are, set goals for growth, and provide targeted instruction.

Our tutors, reading specialist and assistant principal will support this work. They will work with small groups of students in classrooms to target student needs in both reading and math. Students may work in their own classroom, in Ms. Foresman's classroom, or they may work in another grade level classroom with grade-level peers. All groups are flexible and will change many times throughout the school year.

We look forward to the year ahead with your children and celebrating their growth along the way. It's one of the best parts of elementary school!

Members of the reading teams from Wakefield and Reading recorded an informational video to share about early literacy screening and how to interpret the DIBELS Home Report that is sent home to families. You can find the recording using this link and password:

• Recording: DIBELS Information for Families
• Passcode: QxDK8E$Y

We respectfully ask you to partner with us by reminding your student that all student smartwatches (GizmoWatch, etc.) & cellphones must be powered off and remain in backpacks or teachers' desks during the entire school day. Students always have access to call home with the permission of their classroom teacher in case of an emergency. We want to help our students learn that we have many caring adults here during the day to help them navigate challenges and solve problems together.

"The Health Office is running low on our supply of spare clothing. I am reaching out to our community to request donations of gently used clothing that your kids have outgrown. Students are occasionally in need of extra clothing after falls at recess, spills, etc. Our greatest need is for sweatpants or jogger type pants for boys, sizes 4t-10. If you have any items you'd like to donate, please feel free to drop them off at the Health Office. Your kindness and support are deeply appreciated by our students, staff, and families!"

School Medical Policies below!

We have some amazing parents who have taken on leadership roles to keep our very active PTO up & running. We are so grateful for their willingness to provide our community with many opportunities to volunteer and support our students and families. Our PTO has been involved in coordinating fundraising events, book fairs, enrichment programs, school supplies, teacher appreciation events, flamingo flocking, and restaurant nights, just to name a few, to make Wood End the special community it is today. If you are interested in becoming more involved in our PTO, please reach out to any of our board members.

• Lauren Brandt - President
• Dave Scannell, Cristina Naranjo Ortiz, Shana Lyons - Events and Fundraising Coordinators
• Steff Keilty - Room Parent Coordinator
• Sarah Henic - Enrichment Coordinator
• Linda Liang - Treasurer
• Lindsay Baker - Secretary

PTO General Meeting Schedule

• March 12 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• May 14 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• June 4 @ 8:15 (In Person)

Last updated 1/21/25

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.

Building Literacy Success for Every Student:

Feb 26 (Wed), 7pm (Online; Registration is required)

As a follow-up to the movie screening of “The Right to Read,” Dr. Sarah Hardy (Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching) and Renee Limauro (District Special Ed Literacy Coach) from RPS will continue the literacy discussion on February 26. This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about reading disabilities, literacy screening in our schools, literacy programs, and updates on the new literacy program (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.

To Register:

• Register for the Building Literacy Success for Every Student Presentation using this link; you can also use this link to pre-submit general questions for presenters to address.

The Right to Read - Award Winning Documentary:

• The Right to Read Film: The Right to Read video is now available for free on Youtube

• The Right to Read Panel Discussion Moderated by Thomas Wise (Chairperson, Reading School Committee): Available on RCTV Youtube page

Past Relevant Presentations:

• So You Think Your Child Has Dyslexia

• Understanding Reading Strand By Strand

• Tiered Support for Students Presentation

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."

On Saturday November 23, 2024 from 4:00pm-6:00pm, we will be hosting a family fall event at V! Healthy in Boston. We will be providing activities such as pumpkin and apple decorating, arts and crafts, games, food, and drinks. Details and address will be included on the above flyer.

Reading METCO is excited to announce that we will be hosting a roller-skating event for our elementary, middle and high school students and parents at Roller World in Saugus on Thursday March 20th, from 5:00pm-7:00pm. This event is free! This will be a fun opportunity for students to hangout and mingle after school hours. This allows space Reading and Boston resident parents to meet and engage with one another. Pizza and drinks will be provided. If you are a parent unable to attend, please feel free to send your child with money to buy any additional items that they may want. Please also keep in mind that we are not responsible for your child's money if they do bring it.

You must register for this event as it is on a first come first serve basis. Here is the link to register for this event- Roller World Registration Link

Details for Roller World--

Date: Thursday March 20th, 2025

Time: 5:00pm-7:00pm

Where: Roller World, Saugus, MA- 425R Broadway, Saugus, MA, 01906

BOSTON RESIDENT PARENTS/STUDENTS- this next message is for you-

If you would like your child to attend this event, you must sign your child up through the link provided in this email. If you do not want/signup your child for this event, the school bus will still be taking your child home at the regular afterschool time of 2:30pm. Additionally, if your child will be attending this event and you're unable to pick your child up by 7:00pm, METCO will be providing transportation back to Boston. However, as their parents/guardians, if you're able to come join the event, we would love that!

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

February

12: Coding for a Cause event

17 - 21 - Presidents Day/February Vacation. NO SCHOOL

26: SEPAC Presents - Building Literacy Success

March:

Reading Public Schools Calendar 2024-2025

• https://readingpl.org/healing-kits/

• At the Reading Public Library, there are 10 different kits that address different needs that people in the community may experience (e.g. Grief, anxiety, trauma, etc.). You can request a kit through the online library catalog or check it out in person. Kits contain a variety of materials that are accessible to kids, teens, and/or adults, as well as a resource packet with lists of community resources and activities. Each kit also contains a notebook where others who have used the kit can leave words of support.

Please save my email address and reach out with questions, comments or thoughts. My door is always open!

Email: nicole.schwartz@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/woodend/
Location: 85 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA, United States
Phone: 781-942-5420

Wood End Resource Guide/Handbook