Birch Meadow Newsflash

Happy Holidays from the Birch Meadow Front Office!

Turkey Trot Update: After much discussion and planning the Turkey Trot has been rescheduled to Wednesday January 8 and will be renamed the Winter Walk! The day of logistics will remain the same as they originally were, but we wanted to share that information again. To keep things moving smoothly, below will be the timing by grade level. Please see the schedule below. In addition, please see the attached SIGN-UP GENIUS for volunteers. We thank you again for your patience with the rescheduling of our event!

Winter Walk Schedule:

• Kindergarten and 1st Grade:
• Call to the track: 8:40 am
• Arrival: 9:00 am
• End time: 9:30 am

• 2nd and 3rd Grade:
• Call to the track: 9:25 am
• Arrival: 9:45 am
• End time: 10:15 am

• 4th and 5th Grade:
• Call to the track: 10:00 am
• Arrival: 10:15 am
• End time: 10:45 am

Water Bottle Reminder:

We kindly ask that students bring their water bottles to the track. We will have some bottled water in case your child forgets their bottle that day!

Attire:

Between the walk to the track, warm-ups and the actual event the kids will be outdoors for approx. 45 min/1hr. Please dress them accordingly for the weather, hats and mittens/gloves are encouraged and winter themed or heck even your Turkey themed attire is welcome and encouraged! Please no masks.

Volunteers:

Due to the event schedule we understand that you may or may not want to arrive prior and/or stay past your child's time frame. Please check the Sign-Up Genius for available slots! Please note: Classroom volunteers will be assisting teachers in walking the students to the track as well as handing out medals to each student in your class. **You must have a current CORI form up to date and on file in the office

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F4DAAA92BA6F85-53364198-turkey

Spectators:

We invite anyone and everyone who would like to come cheer on the kiddos to please feel free to come for all or just your child's time frame. Noise makers, signs, blow horn, megaphones etc. will make this extra special for all! If you plan to attend, entrance will be at the Main Gate of the Hal Croft Track (by the ticket window). We hope to see you there!

If you have any questions or concerns about the Winter Walk or the schedule, please don't hesitate to reach out. Your cooperation and enthusiasm are greatly appreciated as we look forward to a fun event for our Birch Meadow students.

My thanks to our event coordinators Amanda Haley, Timna Serino, and Patrick McCracken!

*School Improvement Plan Presentation - I'm excited to present our 2024-2025 Birch Meadow Elementary School School Improvement Plan at our upcoming PTO General Assembly on January 28th at 8:30 AM in the cafeteria. My thanks to parents Amanda Haley, Kate Hersman, and Cerise Rabb, as well as staff members Leana Gagnon, Cindy Marte, and Lisa Azzarito for assisting create the plan as members of School Council. We will update you with the date of the presentation soon.

*Our "Parent Community Building Circles With The Principal" series will kick off this month with a circle for 5th grade parents on 1/24. I will send out information and a link to sign up directly to 5th grade families. Circles will focus on different grades each month through the winter and spring of 2025.

Breakfast Links:

KINDERGARTEN BREAKFAST

FIRST GRADE BREAKFAST

-Dr. B

Thanks to YOUR fundraising efforts, our students enjoyed several educational and fun-filled Enrichment Programs this Fall. Thanks to Tiffany Lynch, Meghan O'Leary and their Enrichment volunteer crew for organizing and overseeing! Link for photos!

In October, kindergarten, first, and second grade enjoyed a program by yo-yo extraordinaire Ooch, who spoke about seeing the positive side in negative situations. Our students laughed, they danced, and they practiced important life skills such as viewing things from different perspectives and taking a moment to step back and reset so they can think before they react.

First graders were visited by the Plimoth Patuxet Museum for a program on Wampanoag Pottery. Students were taught about how archaeology and oral tradition help us understand how Wompanoag People lived in the 1600s, and how they continue to carry on traditions. They learned the importance of pottery to Wampanoag families and made their own pot to bring home using traditional methods.

In November, the second grade enjoyed a visit that was all about Bats! They learned about bat species from all around the world and got to look at different bat species and museum artifacts. A favorite was the “Baby Yoda” bat!

Our third graders enjoyed the Magnet Workshop put on by the Discovery Museum. They learned about the magnetic field, magnetic force and attraction and repulsion and were shown demonstrations. After the lecture kids were divided into small groups and allowed to try hands-on activities to see which items attracted each other and which repelled. Students even made and took home magnets!

Third grade classes had an engaging visit from the Plimoth Patuxet Museum for a program entitled People of the Dawnland featuring stories of the Wampanoag people many years ago. Students got to hold handmade tools, explore photos of what homes looked like, and feel the different animal skins used in clothing. The presentation opened with children sharing all they had learned in their classroom with our presenter and wrapped up with many thoughtful questions.

Wingmasters, a licensed raptor rehabilitator and wildlife education program, came to visit our fifth graders in October. They brought five birds of prey, all species that can be found in Reading! The kids enjoyed learning about the birds and seeing them up close and personal, including a hawk, falcon, and owl!

Teachers and Staff enjoyed an Après Ski Lounge on Wednesday, December 18th featuring a waffle station and hot chocolate bar! Thanks to Erin Brown for creating the theme, shopping, and decorating. We are so appreciative of our teachers and staff and grateful to the Birch Meadow community for helping us to make it happen for them! Without your help raising funds, these things couldn't happen!

Pictures of the set up below - no pics of the event itself, we were too busy celebrating! 🧇☕

After much discussion and planning on Dr. Burnham and Mr. McCracken's part, the Turkey Trot is now a Winter Walk set for January 8th. Please sign up if you would like to volunteer to support this event.

Our fundraising totals are in and you guys ROCK!!! The kids all won: Silly Sock Day, Board Game Day, Dance Party, Movie Day, Pajama Day, Extra Recess and PRINCIPAL PIE IN THE FACE!

The Top Fundraisers are🏆:

Grade Level - 5 (Rusty will visit your classrooms for a day!)

Classroom - Ms. Simon (name to be engraved on the FIRST Turkey Trot trophy)

Individual - Jackson Park (5th grade - Ride in a Fire Truck to School), Vivian Thompson (1st grade - Principal for the Day) and Phineas Serino (5th grade - Ride in Police Car to School).

Dec. 23 - Jan. 1 - WINTER BREAK. Back to school Thurs. 1/2

Jan 6 - Red Sox v. Orioles tickets go on sale! Game date: Sunday, 5/25/25 1:35PM

Jan 8 - All-School "Winter Walk" ⛄

Jan 12 - Celtics vs. Hornets Game! (tickets are confirmed and will be transferred via email!!)

Jan. 20 - MLK Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL

Jan 22 - SEPAC Presents: Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP - REGISTER

Jan 24- 5th Grade Parent/Principal Circle.

Jan 28 - Morning PTO General Mtg 8:30AM

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

Jan 22 (Wed), 7-9pm (Online; Registration is required)

Presenter: Lynne Hanley is a former Special Education teacher in the Lowell Public School System. She also worked as an advocate previously and is currently a frequent presenter of Basic Rights workshops for the Federation for Children with Special Needs.

Join us for an informative online workshop with The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN). This presentation will delve into the Individual Education Program (IEP) document, its development, the breakdown of each section and understanding how the document will support a student.

Workshop Topics:

• Why the IEP is important, who is eligible for an IEP, and how is it developed

• Student/Parent Concerns

• Student/Team Vision and Student Profile

• Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

• Postsecondary Transition Planning

• Accommodations and Modifications

• Goals & Service Delivery

• Response, Placement, and Procedural Safeguards

Click here to register for the Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP Workshop.

Registration required to receive the zoom link for the workshop.

Recorded events available on the Reading SEPAC Website:

• The Right to Read Panel Discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw_oIuqkUt0
• The New IEP Presentation
• MCAS & Students with Disabilities Presentation
• Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Presentation

• Review tiered system of supports and provide examples

• Outline effective communication channels with your team and school

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

• We have a Birch Meadow storefront and will post items and fundraisers throughout the year. We also welcome direct donations and company match: https://birch-meadow-elementary-school-pto.square.site/

• Drop off your donations of clothing and textiles to the two large bins to the far right of the main entrance on Arthur B. Lord Drive. Birch Meadow earns funds through Helpsy, a for-profit company that offers local non-profits like our PTO this easy, no-cost fundraising program!

Please "like" Birch Meadow Elementary PTO" Facebook page and follow our Instagram: @birch_meadow_pto