Principal Rubino's Weekly Update
W.S. Parker Middle School Newsletter; Sun., Dec. 10, 2023
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Dear Parker Families,
A few quick reminders for you this week...
8th grade students participate in Challenge Day this week - Team Endeavor on Monday and Team Inspire on Tuesday. Students should bring a bagged lunch and water to school on the day they will be participating. Dress comfortably and come with an open mind!
The Parker School Council meets on Monday at 5:30 p.m. and the Parker PTO meets on Monday at 7 p.m. Both meetings are held in-person and via Zoom. See below for Zoom links and links to the agenda.
This week Parker Middle School hosts the first winter concert of the year. On Thursday, 8th grade band and chorus students will perform for the Parker community. They have been working hard and sound fantastic. Stop by and check them out. The event begins at 7 p.m.
Have a great week!
Upcoming Events:
Monday, Dec .11, 2023
Challenge Day Grade 8 Team Endeavor
Shrek The Musical Auditions - after school
School Council at 5:30 p.m.
PTO at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023
Challenge Day Grade 8 Team Inspire
Shrek The Musical Auditions - after school
Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023
8th Grade Winter Concert 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 18, 2023
Coffee and Conversation with Principal Rubino 8:30 a.m. via Zoom
Topic: TBA
Zoom Link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/84997881056
Shrek the Musical Callbacks -after school
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023
6th Grade Winter Concert 6 p.m.
7th Grade Winter Concert 7:45 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 22, 2023
Early Release at 10:45 a.m.
Dec. 25 - Jan. 1, 2023
Winter Break
To access the 2023-2024 District Calendar, click here.
To access the Cultural Holidays Calendar, click here.
Parker Spirit Week - Dec. 18 - 22
Parker Leaders Organize Winter Coat Drive
Coats For Kids Drive Underway
From now until December break, Parker Middle School will be participating in the “Coats for Kids and Families” Drive.
We are looking for adult and children size warm winter coats. Each year, Anton’s Cleaners aims to collect 50,000 warm winter coats to provide to individuals and families in need. Coats are cleaned by Anton’s Cleaners and made available to a network of over 90 distribution partners made up of local nonprofits, social service agencies, and schools to ensure the coats are given to those who really need them!
Please donate your coats to the large box next to the main stairs on the first floor.
Registration now open for lacrosse
Reminder if you are interested in participating in the boys or girls’ lacrosse program registration for the 2024 Spring season is now open. Look for the registration signs around Town and please go to www.readinglacrosse.org to register for a team. No prior lacrosse experience is required!
MCAS Testing Dates
Please mark your calendar for the following dates for MCAS testing:
- ELA 6 - 8: Tuesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 10
- Math 6-8: Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16
- STE 8: Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22
- Civics 8 performance task: Tuesday, May 28
- Civics 8 end of course test: Monday, June 3
It's important that students are present in school on the days of MCAS testing.
News from the PTO
📌 Our next PTO meeting is Monday, December 11 at 7 p.m. at Parker Middle School and via Zoom (https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/85845982809). Take a sneak peek at our upcoming agenda: https://tinyurl.com/PTODec23 All are welcome!
📌 PTO Staff Winter Breakfast: Thank you to Kristen Granara, Rosanne Guerriero and Jen Ray for their efforts organizing the Staff Winter Breakfast this week. Additional thank yous go out to our very generous Parker families for your donations of breakfast foods, drinks, snacks, and monetary donations towards this event. The Parker staff were excited for the festive spread that greeted them on Tuesday - with enough food and goodies to last all day and into the rest of the week!
📌 SAVE THE DATE!
- COMING SOON: Parker will be heading to a Red Sox game in 2024! Save the date for June 4, 2024. Tickets will be on sale this winter.
- ALL-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT: Parker will be visited by Len Cabral, a storyteller of folktales & legends from around the world on 3/28/24 - http://www.lencabral.com/
📌 WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED:
- Email: parkerptopres@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParkerPTO
- Instagram: @ParkerMSPTO
- Parker PTO webpage: tinyurl.com/ParkerPTOpage
News from SEPAC
The Special Education Parent Advisory Council 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!
Follow SEPAC on Facebook or Instagram
See our 2023-2024 Calendar of Events
Tuesday, Dec 19th, 6PM
Tiered Support for Students Presentation and SEPAC Winter Business Meeting
Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is used by the Reading Public Schools to give targeted support to struggling students. Join us to learn how it works and to ask questions.
Business meeting to follow
Opportunity for parents and caregivers-only conversation following conclusion of the meeting.
Virtual Event - Meeting URL: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/81226110598
RMHS Choir Winter SongFest
Wednesday, December 13, 7:00 pm
Featuring the works of all the RMHS choirs. Great for all ages! Free and open to the community
The Five Star Theatre Company Auditions
Enrollments and audition sign ups are available for this summer's Five Star program for ages 9-15. Enroll by January 1, 2024. Details on their website: https://www.fivestartheatre.org/
Nurse Kate's Corner
The Parker Middle School will begin Annual Screenings including Postural, beginning next week. The purpose of Postural screening is to find early signs of possible spinal problems in children in grades 6-8. It is not a diagnostic service but a program to identify young people who should have further medical evaluation. If your child has any unusual findings, you will be notified and asked to take the child to a physician as a precaution. The majority of students exhibit no findings. If nothing unusual is found, we will not be contacting you again until the screening next year.
Annual State mandated screenings include:
Grade 6: postural-scoliosis
Grade 7: postural-scoliosis, hearing, vision, height/weight
Grade 8: postural-scoliosis, sbirt
For postural screening please send students in clothing (during PE days) that will help support visualization of the spine. Students should be checked with their backs bare. Boys should be bare to the waist; girls should wear two-piece bathing suits or shorts and a halter.
There is an alternative to opt out. If you do not want your student to participate, please email/submit a written request specifying which screening(s) to omit and submit current documentation of screening by their health care provider.
Parker screenings opt out link: https://forms.gle/bkUS6Anz3cPmxptE8
Please see the links for state information about school health screenings, immunizations and school exclusions: https://www.mass.gov/lists/school-health-screening,https://www.mass.gov/info-details/school-immunizations#school-and-camp-requirements-,
Chart reviews will continue to update immunization records, parents can upload updated vaccinations and documents directly on the snap health portal.
Grade 7 & New Students: Tdap & Meningococcal vaccines are required for the start of 7th grade, and the district requests an updated physical.
Reading Public Schools Snap Health Portal: https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/en-US/health-services-83f6862d/snap-health-portal-7580ab3a
Health offices can be reached via the health portal, or email/phone.
In Health,
Nurse Kate
METCO Updates
Reading Public Schools is a METCO DISTRICT
"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."
Reporting Absences, Dismissals, and Tardies
Please take the time to read through the handbook to review our policies regarding school attendance.
The best way to report any attendance issues (absence, tardy, or dismissal) for your child is by sending an email to the Parker absentee line – wspabsences@reading.k12.ma.us
Please make sure to give us:
Student Name
a reason for the absence or tardy
expected date of return
for dismissal, the name of the person who will be dismissing your child
🍃🏵 🍃🏵 🍃🏵 🍃🏵
Resources and Documents for Families
About us
Principal
Dr. Jill Story
Assistant Principal
Email: rochelle.rubino@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/parker/
Location: 45 Temple Street, Reading, MA, USA
Phone: 781-944-1236
Twitter: @WSParkerMS