Welcome Back to a Year of Caring!
As we embark on the 2024-2025 school year, I’m reminded of the journey my family is about to take—moving our daughter into college in New York City. It’s a big leap, from the familiar comforts of home to the excitement of a new chapter. Reflecting on this transition, I realized how similar it is to what many of you are experiencing as you prepare to send your children to school, whether it’s their first day of kindergarten or their next step in elementary school.
The questions we ask ourselves—Will they make friends? Will they feel safe and supported?—are universal, no matter the age. While the details might change, the underlying concern remains the same: we want our children to thrive in a caring environment.
This brings us to our school-wide theme for the year: CARES. Our focus is on fostering a culture of care and compassion throughout our school community. We believe that when students feel truly cared for, they’re more likely to excel both academically and personally. This year, we’ll be exploring what it means to care for others, embrace our community’s diverse needs, and strengthen our bonds through empathy and understanding.
At Ipswich Public Schools, we pride ourselves on creating a warm, inclusive environment where every student feels seen, heard, and valued. From our dedicated teachers to our support staff, we’re all committed to making sure your children are welcomed with open arms and guided with patience and care.
As we begin this school year together, let’s focus on building strong, caring connections—within our classrooms, our school, and beyond. Welcome back, and here’s to a fantastic year ahead!
Warmly,
Amy B. Sullivan
Principal
Introduction from Mrs. Martin-Garcia, Your Child''s New Spanish Teacher
Dear Families,
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Zulima, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Spanish teacher at our school. With 15 years of experience in teaching, I am committed to creating a positive and engaging learning environment for your children.
I look forward to working together to support their language development and cultural understanding.
Thank you for your support, and I am eager to meet you all soon.
Warm regards,
Zulima Martin-Garcia
We will be using the online program, School Dismissal Manager, again this year to streamline student dismissals.
Our online dismissal management system, School Dismissal Manager (SDM), is dependable, easy to use, and can be updated by parents and guardians from the convenience of their smartphones, tablets, and PCs.
Through the online dismissal management system, you can:
Report student absences and late arrivals
Schedule early departures from school
Schedule after-school activities such as ACE programs., Student Leadership Meetings, and other school-sponsored activities (available later in the year).
Make transportation changes as late as 2:05 PM on regular dismissal days and 12:50 PM on
early release Thursdays.
We will begin using SDM for dismissal on the first day of school- Wednesday, August 26th for Grades 1-5 and Tuesday, September 3rd for Kindergarten. Please note, that we do not use SDM for preschool Dismissal plans.
On Wednesday, August 14th, all families received an email from School Dismissal Manager prompting you with additional information. Please check your inbox, spam/junk and promotional folders if you missed this email.
Returning Families who used the program last year will receive a friendly reminder email on August 14th to log in to their existing accounts using their previous credentials. If you do not receive an email by August 14th, please check your spam, junk, social and/or promotional folders. When signing in, please note that your username is your email address. If you forgot your password, you can click on the forgot my password to have a reset link sent to your email. Once you have logged in, please make updates to your child(ren)'s dismissal plan(s) for the new school year. In order to prepare for the opening of school, please log in to SDM and update dismissal plans by Wednesday, August 21st.
New/Kindergarten Families will receive an email from School Dismissal Manager on August 14th with the following information:
Parent Credentials *only sent to family members who have custody (sole or shared physical custody)
Login information
Directions to go to the School Dismissal Manager Website
A detailed Welcome Letter about how to use the program
Links to setup videos and frequently asked questions
Once you receive your credentials, please use them to log into the new system so that you can begin to familiarize yourself with it and set up your child’s default dismissal and routine. In order to prepare for the opening of school, please log in to SDM and update dismissal plans by Wednesday, August 21st.
Kindly take some time over the next week to acclimate yourself to the program. Of course, you may still call the school to report absences or dismissal changes but we hope you take some time to explore our online system. Please reach out to Jeanne Vlahos at jvlahos@ipsk12.net or 978-356-2976 with any questions.
Children in grades 1-5 who genuinely enjoy reading are invited to register for Ipswich Public Library
Children’s Room after-school monthly book clubs that run from October through May.
- Radical Readers is for children in grades four and five, and meets once a month on a Monday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Children read an assigned chapter book in advance of the meeting and then come together to discuss it, have a snack provided by that month’s host, and socialize. The host also reads aloud the questions and calls on their peers to answer.
- Book Buddies is for third graders, and meets once a month on a Thursday from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Children read a fun age-appropriate chapter book in advance of the meeting and then join with their peers to discuss it, have a snack provided by that month’s host, and socialize.
- Second Grade Junior Great Books is a program designed specifically for second graders using the Great Books curriculum of outstanding stories. Children read a story prior to the group meeting (alone or with a caregiver) and come to the library once a month on a Wednesday from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. to discuss it. A snack is provided by the library.
- First Grade Junior Great Books, which meets one Wednesday a month from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m., is a similar program using excellent picture books, which we read together, and also involves a simple craft. Children do not need to know how to read to participate in this program (but they should enjoy stories!). A snack is provided by the library.
Register for any of these programs at www.ipswichlibrary.org/events by going to the month of October and clicking on the appropriate link. Please note that some programs may have more than one session, depending on enrollment.
Winthrop School
Email: winthrop@ipsk12.net
Website: https://www.ipsk12.net/Domain/185
Location: 65 Central Street, Ipswich, MA, USA
Phone: 9783562976