Early Steps Updates ~ Summer 2024

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Dear Early Steps Community:

The Early Steps registration process for the 2025 - 2026 school year is on our webpage. Coming up starting tomorrow, the Application Period for the 2025 - 2026 school year opens at 9:00 AM, January 27 through February 28, 2025. It is not on a first-come, first-served basis. The Application Period remains open for 4 weeks. See more details in the newsletter below.

***

Save the Date: the Kindergarten Information Night is run through the elementary schools, and will be in-person on Wednesday, March 5th from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. More details to follow in upcoming newsletters.

Keep each other well,

Dr. Theresa McGuinness

Principal

theresa.mcguinness@watertown.k12.ma.us

Every Child...Every Classroom...Every Day

Quick Resources: Early Steps Website (Under Construction)

WPS 2024 - 2025 School Year Calendar

1 Concord Road

Watertown, MA 02472

We welcomed the District Leadership Team composed of all principals, curriculum coordinators, and district administrators, to enjoy a 'Learning Walk' at Early Steps this week. These are visits from the Leadership Team to a different school each month during the school year. This month at Early Steps, they were focusing on observing our students' engagement and the Year I implementation of our social, emotional, behavioral curriculum, Zones of Regulation. They provided us with thematic feedback of their experience here. An administrator who wasn't able to join us on this Learning Walk texted me that evening stating, "Hearing nothing but rave reviews from the LW at ES today!" It was no surprise from me as I witness it on a daily basis! Below is the ES Staff/Classroom Feedback from Learning Walks that I shared with our staff:

• Themes that surfaced from their time in their classes included: Evidence of many Zones of Regulation visuals, common 'feelings' language, impressed that the young students were mostly adept at naming and talking about their feelings and how they can help themselves to modify them when needed---- with teachers prompting (Ex."What can we do to get out of a difficult mood?"), hugs, and a plethora of strategies/actions at their fingertips.
• They said that it caused them to re-examine their expectations of older students given their observations of our students' abilities that were demonstrated in our classrooms.
• They all LOVED being in our space----the ethos and culture felt warm, welcoming, and productive.
• Learning Opportunities for us as we continue our Zones of Regulation (ZoR) implementation include: Adding visuals in multiple languages based on the students' representation in our classes; and ensuring consistency across classrooms with the main elements of ZoR.

Dear Early Steps Community:

The Application Period for the 2025 - 2026 school year opens on January 27 - February 28, 2025. It is not on a first-come, first-served basis. The application period remains open for 4 weeks.

• A lottery takes place following the application period, only if there are more requests than spaces.

• Returning students and siblings are given first priority.

If you missed the Virtual Information Night on January 14th, or the In-Person Visiting Day for Caregivers of Prospective Students on January 22, you may want to review the information shared below.

• Click the link for the slides presented at the January Early Steps Application/Registration Information Night.

The Early Steps Registration Information/Process for the 2025 - 2026 School Year including the Application Link will be available on the Early Steps registration page tomorrow, January 27th by 9:00 AM. Here is the link to our webpage. The first day of school for all Preschool and PreK students is September 9, 2025. After 9:00 AM tomorrow:

• Click here for the Application for your child to attend Pre Kindergarten (PreK) in the Fall, 2025.

• Click here for the Application for your child to attend Preschool in the Fall, 2025.

For questions, please contact: Tricia D’Amelio, Administrative Assistant to the Principal

tricia.damelio@watertown.k12.ma.us

PreK

Universal PreK in the Watertown Public Schools is free. PreK is available for children who are 4 years old on or before August 31, 2025. The total enrollment of the PreK classes is up to 18 students with a teacher and at least one instructional assistant (IA).

• The Application will allow you to prioritize your order of school/location preference, however, your student may be placed in any of the schools in Watertown depending on space availability.

PreK Available Schedules Include:

1. At Cunniff, Hosmer, Lowell schools (Full-Day) - 5 days/week - 8:30 am - 2:30 pm

2. At Early Steps (Full-Day) 5 days/week - 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

3. At Early Steps (Partial-Day) 5 days/week - 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

***

Preschool

Preschool is available for children who are 3 years old on or before August 31, 2025

• 7 Preschool Classrooms - All at Early Steps; *Tuition-Based (unless student has an IEP)

• The total enrollment of the Preschool classes is up to 15 students with a teacher and at least one instructional assistant (IA).

Preschool Available Schedules Include: (Tuition below is based on the present 24-25 school year, but will likely change.)

1. 3-days/week - 8:00 am - 12:00 pm ($413/month)

2. 5-days/week - 8:00 am - 1:00 pm ($860/month)

3. 5-days/week - 8:00 am - 12:00 pm ($688/month)

*The Superintendent will share the updated Tuition Rates for the 2025 - 2026 school year by the end of February, and I will post the information on our webpage and in my newsletter.

Given this time of year and the historical uptick in respiratory illnesses in particular, it's important to reduce the spread among students and staff members by following the Wellness Policy guidelines below.

Staying Home When Sick

Staying home when sick can lower the risk of spreading infections. Under routine circumstances, some illness spread among school communities is expected. In general, children with improving symptoms should be able to participate in school.

If a child’s needs while sick with an infectious illness would interfere with school staff’s ability to teach and care for other students, the child should stay home. Schools must balance the risk of infectious disease spread with educational, social, and mental health needs of children when determining when students should stay home. Schools, parents, and caregivers often do not know what specific illness a child may have; rather, children present with symptoms. If someone has the following symptoms, they should stay home because their illness could affect their ability to participate in school and there is concern that they might spread an infection to staff and students.

• Fever, including a fever with a new rash.
• Vomiting more than twice in the preceding 24 hours
• Diarrhea that causes ‘accidents’, is bloody, or results in greater than two bowel movements above what the child normally experiences in a 24-hour period
• Skin sores that are draining fluid on an uncovered part of the body and are unable to be covered with a bandage.
• Respiratory virus symptoms that are worsening or not improving and not better explained by another cause such as seasonal allergies

The above list describes symptoms of common illnesses experienced in school-aged children and can also apply to school staff.

Return to School

When a person can return to school depends on the nature of the illness. In general, a child returning to school should be well enough to participate in school (e.g., can adequately manage improving cough and congestion on own, not overly fatigued), and care of the returning child should not interfere with the school staff’s ability to teach or care for other students. Students and staff returning to school following an illness may still be contagious, but are likely to be less contagious as symptoms improve, depending on factors like duration and severity of illness. Parents and caregivers should consult their child’s health care providers with specific questions about their child’s condition or recovery.

For the general symptoms described in the stay at home when sick section of this guidance, policies can allow return to the school setting when:

• The child has not had a fever (and is not using fever-reducing medicine) for at least 24 hours
• Fever with a new rash has been evaluated by a healthcare provider and fever has resolved
• Uncovered skin sores are crusting, and the child is under treatment from a provider
• Vomiting has resolved overnight and the child can hold down food / liquids in the morning
• Diarrhea has improved, the child is no longer having accidents or is having bowel movements no more than 2 above normal per 24-hour period for the child. Bloody diarrhea should be evaluated by a healthcare provider prior to return
• Respiratory virus symptoms are getting better overall for at least 24 hours. Students and staff returning after a respiratory illness can consider additional actions to reduce spread

Student Objectives for Development & Learning ~On January 31st caregivers will receive the mid-year Report Card for all early learners and an additional Progress Report for our students on individual education plans, from their teachers.

Another opportunity for connection with your child's teachers is during our spring parent conferences. Teachers will send caretakers information to sign up for one of these dates as we get closer to March:

• 3/6 Early Steps and Elementary Evening Parent Conferences
• 3/7 Early Release Early Steps and Elementary Parent Conferences
• 3/10 Early Steps and Elementary Evening Parent Conferences
• 3/11 Early Release Early Steps and Elementary Parent Conferences

• January 31- Send Mid-Year Student Reports Home

• February 17 - 21, 2025 - NO SCHOOL February Break

• February 26 - Early Release at 11:45 AM for Professional Development

• March 5 - Kindergarten Information Night 6:30 - 7:30 PM @elementary schools

• Principal Updates 1 - August 12, 2024
  
• Principal Updates 2 - August 29, 2024
• Principal Updates 3 - September 15, 2024

• Principal Updates 4 - September 27, 2024

• Principal Updates 5 - October 9, 2024

• Principal Updates 6 - October 21, 2024

• Principal Updates 7 - November 1, 2024

• Principal Updates 8 - November 15, 2024

• Principal Updates 9 - December 12, 2024

• Principal Updates 10 - December 20, 2024

• Principal Updates 11 - January 7, 2025