The Starburst

Greetings, Barrows Families,

After a VERY COLD 4-day school week, many of us are ready to have a relaxing weekend, and based on our attendance, many students and staff will benefit from a few days to rest and get healthy.

Yesterday marked the 90th day of school (for our 1st-5th graders), which is the halfway point of the year. I want to highlight an important attendance letter we will email home next week to remind our families of the importance of school attendance and being on time. EVERY family will receive this letter- even if your student hasn't been late once or missed a school day. We understand that many absences are beyond your control (Families should keep their students home if they are running a fever (they must be fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours), have diarrhea, or have vomited in the last 24 hours. However, we want to reduce the number of unexcused absences. We see increased academic and/or social concerns for many students with multiple absences. For this reason, we included attendance goals in our School Improvement Plan this year (see goals here):

• 2% reduction in student chronic absenteeism compared to the previous year for our high needs profile (goal 11.8%).
• 2% reduction in student tardies for all students as compared to school year 2023/24.

Please know that beyond the data, we look forward to seeing your student each day and being part of their academic, social, and emotional development! Thank you for making this a priority!

Highlights:

• Attendance letters will be mailed home next week to all families.
• Principal's Pop-Up Reading Challenge READbowl Quarter 2 ends Sunday, and Quarter 3 begins Monday! Students can begin logging their minutes at any point! Let's encourage our students to read at home! Students should turn in their second reading log on Monday. We logged thousands of minutes as a school community during the first quarter!
• The Great Kindness Challenge Week begins Monday at Barrows. See Mrs. Rings's note below for more information!
• See important information from Nurse Adams regarding the Flu & Flu like symptoms below.
• There is still time to sign up for Math Night at Barrows (or be a volunteer) on Wednesday, January 29th. See the PTO section for more details!

Be well,

Alissa

Kindergarten registration is underway. Please remind friends in town that families must register by February 1st for priority placement for their neighborhood school. This is also a perfect time to reach out to building principals if you are unsure if your child is ready for kindergarten, in case you are considering holding a place for preschool as well. Our screening takes place after most preschool 's have completed their registration process.

Reading Public Schools has launched a new online registration platform for kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year! Please use this link to register: https://forms.rediker.com/readingpublicschools.

During January 27 - 31, the Barrow students will participate in the Great Kindness Challenge, otherwise known as The Happiest Week of the Year! This is the second year Barrows has participated in the event. The Great Kindness Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for the students to practice as many acts of kindness as possible. We all know kindness is contagious, so as they practice kindness acts, so do others in the school and the community. Each student will be given a Kindness Checklist, which will go home on or before Friday, January 24. As the students complete their kind acts, they check it off, hoping to complete as many kind acts as possible.

The Great Kindness Challenge was created by Kids for Peace, a California-based global nonprofit that builds a global community of kind, compassionate, and empowered young people who are uplifting the world through love and action. Founded in 2006, the Great Kindness Challenge now has students from all around the world participating. Over 200 million students and over 41,000 schools worldwide participate. Together, we can create over 1 billion acts of kindness.

The students can get started on Friday, January 24, and the event lasts all the way through Friday, January 31. However, let's keep the kindness going. Talk to your child about the event and how it feels to do these acts of kindness. Maybe the whole family can try as well. When the event is over, talk about how you can continue practicing kind acts daily.

The students can return the checklist to school by Friday, February 7.

To learn more, visit this website: https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/

If you have any questions please reach out to Mrs. Ring

Influenza-like illnesses are “very high” in our area. The below graph was taken from the Massachusetts DPH. It was updated today to reflect the week of 1/12/25-1/18/251. My prediction is that when it is updated next Friday, we will remain in the “very high” category. Many students have been out this week due to influenza-like illnesses

There are a number of reasons why influenza-like viruses spread more easily in the winter2:

• Cold, dry air hardens the virus’s outer membrane, making it more stable and easier to spread

• Dry air allows the virus to create smaller particles that travel farther and last longer

• Dried out nasal passages make their job less effective at fighting off viruses

• More time is spent indoors, which limits ventilation and increases risk of transmission

• Inhaling colder air can make it harder for our respiratory tract to respond to viruses

• Some viral illnesses thrive when it is dark and there is less sunlight

Ways to protect yourself and others:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

• Cover your cough and sneeze

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available

• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose

• Try to freshen the air around you - bring in fresh air if appropriate or run an air purifier

• Maintain a relative indoor humidity at 40% and above - this will significantly reduce the infectivity of an aerosolized influenza virus3

Wednesday, January 29th:💙💛School Assembly, wear school colors💙💛and Math Night 6:30pm @ Barrows

Sunday, February 2nd: Please RSVP for Parents Night Out by this date

Wednesday, Febraury 5th: Global Play Day! (Stay tuned for more details)

Friday, February 7th: Parents Night Out 7:30-10 pm @ Cafe Capri

Wednesday, February 26th: Barrows PTO Meeting

School Hours:

Monday-Thursday, 8:15 AM - 2:45 PM

Friday, 8:15 AM - 12:45 PM

*Students must be in class by 8:25 to be counted as on-time and present

Reading Public Schools Calendar

School Drop Off

First Bell 8:15am I Start of Day Bell 8:25am

Students should be sitting at their desks, ready to learn for the 8:25am bell.

Any student that comes into the school building after 8:25am will be marked as tardy.

Breakfast is available for students in the cafeteria between 8:15am-8:30am.

Why is prompt arrival important?

Arriving at school on time demonstrates a commitment to a student's education, allows students to fully participate in lessons from the beginning, minimizes disruptions to the classroom, and fosters a positive learning environment by showing respect for teachers and peers.

Tips to arriving on time:

• Establish a morning routine that is followed regularly

• Set multiple alarms, if needed

• Place the alarm across the room to make sure you physically get up out of bed before turning it off

• Pick out your clothing the night before, this includes shoes and accessories

• Pack your backpack and ensure everything is packed the night before

• Do not wait until last minute to complete any school assignments

• Pack and prepare breakfast, snack and lunch the night prior so it can be a “grab and go”

• Try to minimize distractions

• Have a consistent bedtime and routine

• Establish back-up transportation if needed

• Always plan some extra time into the routine incase things come up

Please reach out to us if you have any concerns about getting your student to school on time.

All first meals, including breakfast and lunch, are free for all students! If your child would like a second breakfast or lunch, these are available for purchase at $1.50 for breakfast and $2.75 for lunch. Additionally, our cafeterias offer a variety of snacks and a la carte items that can be purchased separately.

Reading Public Schools Food Service/Lunch Menus: http://reading.k12.ma.us/departments/food-services/

It is also important for families that may need financial support including but not limted to our food services to complete the following forms on this page: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=1701802399965&page=lunchapps

SAVE THE DATE – Link to PTO calendar

• Math Night - January 29th at 6:30pm @ Barrows – Flyer attached – Please RSVP
• Parents Night Out – Friday February 7th at 7:30pm – Please RSVP
• PTO Meeting- Wednesday, February 26th at 7 pm

MATH NIGHT – Wednesday January 29th, 6:30 – 7:30pm

We are excited to partner with Mathnasium to bring Math Night to Barrows! Students and families will be able to engage in fun, age appropriate math games and activities earning stars in your Passport for each station completed. Complete all stations and trade your passport for a goody bag at the Rewards Table! Games will be divided into grades K-2 and grades 3-5.

In order to help us plan please RSVP for Math Night using this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedznjwqjbvtk9qSpmO7IDq13HfnNkWAFv5lz4XkqmxzEj6tw/viewform

Math Night Volunteers Needed!

In order to have support at each station we are looking for quite a few volunteers. Volunteers can be middle/high school students who are good at math as well as parents. No experience is necessary! Instruction will be provided to volunteers that night prior to Math Nigh beginning. All volunteers receive a free I heart Math t-shirt! Please use this link to sign up to volunteer - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B49ACA628A0FC1-54301178-barrows#/

PARENTS NIGHT OUT – Friday February 7th, 7:30pm – Café Capri

Join us for a fun-filled evening with drinks, delicious food and great conversation at Café Capri. Pizza and light snacks will be provided by the PTO. Cash Bar available. And as usual we will have our silent auction of fantastic teacher experiences to bid on. Come alone or grab a Barrows friends and stop by for a quick visit or stay and hang out all night! Please RSVP by Feb 2nd so we can plan the food appropriately - https://forms.gle/HJ4iAxyuaQBFrDsK8

LUNCH VOLUNTEERS: We welcome our parents/guardians as lunch helpers by signing up. Volunteers are expected to help for all lunch periods (11:10 am-12:35 pm, not just their students' lunch. Volunteers will be asked to help wipe down tables between lunches, help students open food packaging, etc. Volunteers must have an up-to-date CORI check (please be sure this is done at least one week before volunteering). Thanks!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094FA8AD2EA2FC1-parentguardian

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For your information, our School Year 2024-2025 PTO Agendas/Minutes are on this public Google Drive. Reach out with any questions.

Many thanks,

The PTO Board

Lori Barcikowski, Co-President (LoriBarcikowski@yahoo.com)

Meghan Dribin, Co-President (MegDribin@gmail.com)

Jen Barsotti, Treasurer

Alicia Curtin, Secretary

Alison Ethier, Social Media Coordinator

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook:

@barrowselementarypto & https://www.facebook.com/BarrowsPTO/

YEARLONG FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

Minted Fundraiser

Do you need to order graduation announcements, birthday, or anniversary invitations? Order from Minted and use our promo code FUNDRAISEBARROWS to help support the Barrows Elementary PTO. You'll get 20% OFF your ORDER and 15% of every purchase made using our code will be donated back to Barrows. Make sure to spread the word to family who can also use the code and support Barrows from afar.

Box Tops

Did you know you no longer need to clip Box Tops and send them into school? Box Tops now offers an app where you scan your receipts! Doing online grocery delivery these days? No problem! Box Tops also offers a way to email your online orders for credit. Find it in the app store or google play store today!

Helpsy Bin

Finally, have you been in purge mode lately? Getting rid of old, stained or ripped clothing? Drop it off in the Helpsy box in the Barrows staff parking lot (after school hours of course) and Barrows will receive a small donation for your items. Clothing, shoes and accessories are all accepted!

SEPAC works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized support). Watch this brief introductory video to learn more!

Visit the SEPAC WEBPAGE

Sign up for our mailing list

Follow SEPAC on Facebook or Instagram

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

Reading SEPAC Board members for the 2024/25 school year:

Amanda Fitzgerald

Dilly Wilson

Eunice Kenyon

Jacyln Lee

Patricia Kiely

Zea Lennard

Should you wish to reach out to Reading SEPAC anonymously, please use this form

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."

Arrival

• Please drive slowly up Edgemont to keep everyone safe; remember, it is a ONE-WAY during the school day.
• Do not park in the indented section by the gym. This is the "kiss & go" area for a quick drop-off.
• Doors open at 8:15 and close at 8:25. Your child needs to be in their seat by 8:25 AM. If your child arrives to school after the doors have closed, they must come to the front door and be marked tardy.
• The Staff Parking Lot is for staff only and off limits to all pedestrians from arrival-dismissal for the safety of all. Please respect this important aspect of our campus.

Dismissal:

• At dismissal time, there is no live pick-up in the driveway except for students who take the bus. Kindergarteners exit the building at 2:40 PM. The rest of the students dismiss at 2:45 PM from the same doors they enter in the morning.

As a safety reminder, the staff parking lot is staff-only. We respectfully ask that caregivers park along the streets. With our students exiting from their external doors in the parking lot, having cars drive in and out is not safe. You need to walk around the school on the blacktop to the back. Thanks for helping us out.

Ready to Play the Best Way

Please do not have your children wear flip-flops. Sneakers are best, but flip-flops are dangerous when running at recess (and Crocs aren't great).

Dogs and Puppies on School Grounds

School Committee policy prohibits dogs on school grounds as much as we all love dogs and puppies and as much fun as it is walking them. If you'd like to walk your dog as part of your pick-up routine, the dog has to stay off school property. If you'd like your child to walk to you on the sidewalk or to the driveway entrances at dismissal so you can wait with your dog, please make that plan with them.

Dear Barrows Families,

This is a friendly reminder that kids should wear sneakers on the days that they have Physical Education. I love Crocs too, but they don’t count as sneakers…even when they’re worn in sport mode! Thanks so much for your support with this safety matter.

Sarah Atwood

You must request to follow these private accounts. We post images, reels and stories that give you a quick glimpse into your child’s day during these Special class times. Mrs. Hurley for Art can be found here @mrs.hurley_art and Mrs. Atwood for Physical Education can be found here @barrowspe

*If your Instagram name does not easily identify you, please send us a separate email so we know it’s you! For safety, we are careful about who we accept.*

Dear Barrows Families,

Another way you can support your child’s art is to join Artsonia. Artsonia is the world's largest collection of student art, published by teachers and students from around the world. Through Artsonia families can view student art online and leave comments. If you would like to join Artsonia keep your eye on your inbox; email invitations will be going out shortly! Thank you! Beth Hurley

The Town of Reading contracts with William James College to offer a special service for our residents. The William James INTERFACE Referral Service maintains a mental health and wellness referral help line Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, at 888-244-6843 (toll free). This is a free, confidential referral service for individuals across the lifespan living in Reading. Callers are matched with licensed mental health providers from our extensive database. Each referral meets the location, insurance, and specialty needs of the caller. Click here to learn more!

PTO Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/BarrowsPTO/

Follow us on Instagram: @barrowselementarypto

Barrows Homepage: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/barrows/

Reading Public Schools: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us