We are excited to introduce our 2024-2025 school-wide theme: CARES. Our focus will be on fostering a culture of care and compassion, as we believe that a supportive environment is essential for our students to thrive both academically and personally.
Throughout the year, we will be exploring key questions to inspire reflection and dialogue around the importance of care within our school. We’ll consider what it truly means to care for others, how we can embrace the diverse needs and experiences of our community members, and how empathy and understanding can strengthen our bonds. We aim to create a space where every individual feels seen, heard, and valued.
Our goal is to build a joyful and inclusive culture in our classrooms and across the school, one where students, families, and staff work together to extend care beyond our school walls and into the broader community. We believe that by prioritizing care in our daily interactions, we can continue to grow our school/home partnership and create a stronger, more connected community.
We are delighted to introduce the incredible new talent joining our Winthrop Family.
Office Staff
- Eva Perry: Stepping into the role of administrative assistant, Eva is both a former Winthrop student and parent. With experience from Amesbury Public Schools and Futures Behavior Therapy Center, Eva is eager to support our community.
Teaching Staff
- Theresa Guillaume: Our new school adjustment counselor, Theresa brings a wealth of experience from Beverly Middle School and as a psychotherapist. We are thrilled to have her, along with her children, Mihaela and Julien, joining us at Winthrop.
- Christopher “Mac” McCoy: Joining as a Grade 3 Special Education Co-Teacher, Mac is a recent Master of Education graduate and brings experience from the therapeutic learning center in the Hamilton-Wenham School District.
- Zulima Martin-Garcia: While new to Winthrop, Zulima is a familiar face in Ipswich, having taught World Language at Doyon School. We are excited to offer Spanish to our students this year.
Paraeducators
- Annie Gillis: Joining us in Grade 1, Annie is a recent Salem State graduate with a background in Healthcare Studies. A local and a lacrosse coach, she’s ready to make her mark at Winthrop.
- Kate Meaney: A recent UMASS Amherst graduate, Kate is no stranger to our schools having substituted last year. She will be joining the second grade as she pursues her Master’s in Education.
- Tressa Snydeman: Newly relocated to Ipswich, Tressa brings experience from Bowman School in Lexington and a rich educational background. She’ll be working in Grades 3 and 4.
Fellow
- Nora Stauton: Returning to us as a Special Education Teaching Fellow, Nora previously made a great impact in Grade 1 and we’re excited to welcome her back.
Returning from Maternity Leave
- Meghan Hudon and Heather Dennison will be back in their classrooms in Grades 1 and 2, bringing with them lots of baby stories and pictures!
New Roles
- Ysabelle Errico: Moving up to Grade 5, co-teaching with Keith Archung.
- Bianca Kemmer: Moving to Kindergarten Classroom Teacher in Room 16.
- Katie Norris: Transitioning to Winthrop Math Coach in a supportive role for our teachers and students.
- Kerry Zagarella: Supporting Grade 3 until she officially retires in mid-October.
- Christine Zybert: Returning to the position of Grade 4 Classroom Teacher after spending many successful years at the primary level.
We are excited to begin this new chapter with such a talented and diverse group. Welcome to all!
- 8:40 a.m. - 3:05 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays
- 8:40 a.m. - 1:50 p.m. Thursdays
Preschool
- 3 Day Progam (4-year-olds) 9:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
- 2 Day Progam (3-year-olds) 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays
*PK Arrival is from 8:40 -9:00 a.m.
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 will receive an email from School Dismissal Manager prompting you with additional information.
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.
All new families submitted required immunization and health forms when they registered. Returning families are also required to submit updated physicals and immunization records for students in first and fourth grades. Please contact Nurse Jon Stafford at jstafford@ipsk12.net or 978-356-2976 ext. 104. Thank you.
Breakfast is available starting at 8:15 a.m. every morning. There is no sign-up necessary for breakfast. Students may bring lunch, or purchase lunch in the cafeteria. Per the latest guidelines from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, breakfast and lunch are served at no charge. However, if students wish to purchase other items, there may be a cost. Please review the link: “Nutrikids” and “My School Bucks”, to learn more about the debit card method used to send money to school for your child.
Message from EDP Director, Alicia Merry
Happy August!
I hope you all are doing well and enjoying your summer. We are looking forward to a fun and exciting year at EDP.
Enrolled families, please be sure to check your email for important registration updates and first-day-of-school information. If you have yet to receive an email from EDP, please contact me. We look forward to seeing you all soon and cannot wait to hear about your summer adventures!
To inquire about availability, questions, or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out via email or phone. Please note, that a waitlist has been started for the fall.
Alicia Merry
Director of Extended Day Program
978-992-7454
The Winthrop Weekly newsletter is published every Wednesday and is emailed home as well as posted on our website. Please be sure your email address is correct so that you receive these important updates.
Winthrop FRIES (Friends of the Ipswich Elementary Schools) is our parent-teacher group. Every parent is a member of FRIES. Friends of Ipswich Elementary Schools, Inc. is a Massachusetts non-profit corporation organized for charitable purposes for the Ipswich Elementary Schools. Winthrop FRIES serves as the Winthrop School PTO. All families and students get to participate in our events and benefit from our funding. EVERYONE is a member of FRIES.
To stay connected, please join the Winthrop FRIES Facebook page or the Winthrop FRIES Instagram.