Principal Mrs. Marisa Rodriguez

Secretary Mrs. Katie DeLancey

Guidance Mrs. Maura Hurst

Nurse Mrs. Debbie Cerone 617-984-8632 deborahcerone@quincypublicschools.com

School Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 8:15 AM - 2:30 PM

Wednesday - Early Release 8:15 AM - 11:55 AM

BKS Info

225 Fenno Street, Quincy, MA 02170

Telephone: 617-984-8781

Fax: 617-984-8636

Website

https://beechwoodknoll.quincypublicschools.com/

October Events

• Monday, October 2 BKS PTO Meeting 6:00 PM Zoom Link
  
• Monday, October 2 BKS Extended Day Programs Begin
  
• Tuesday, October 3 Gr 2-5 String Rental Night 6:00-8:00 PM QHS cafeteria
• Wednesday, October 4 PBIS Virtual Assembly
• Tuesday, October 10 Last day for Matthew 25 Initiative Winter Clothes Donations
• Wednesday, October 11 QPS School Committee 6:30 PM
• Monday, October 16 Grade 3 QFD Fire Prevention Presentation 9:00 AM
  
• Monday, October 16 QPS Citywide PTO Meeting 7:00 PM Zoom Link
• Friday, October 20 BKS PTO Day of Recycling: Terracycle Program
• Wednesday, October 25 QPS School Committee 6:30 PM
• Friday, October 27 BKS Trunk or Treat PTO Event 6-7 PM (car set up 5:30PM)
• Tuesday, October 31 Last day for Loose Change for Leominster Coin Drive
• Tuesday, October 31 BKS Black and Orange day! ◼️🔶

October Days of Recognition

• October is Global Diversity Awareness Month
• October is Filipino American History Month
• October is National Dwarfism Awareness Month
• October is German American Heritage Month
• Monday, October 2 National Custodial Worker Recognition Day
• September 29-October 6 Sukkot
• Monday, October 9 No School - Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day
• September 15-October 15 Hispanic Heritage Month
• October 8-14 Fire Prevention Week
  
• Tuesday, October 24 United Nations Day
• Saturday, October 28 Make a Difference Day
• Tuesday, October 31 Halloween
• October 31-November 2 El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Quincy Public Schools has partnered with Mass Healthy Smiles to offer in-school dental evaluations. This is not a dental visit but a screening with a hygienist. This screening should not replace twice yearly visits to a dentist. Please return the blue form whether you would like a screening or not. The dates for screenings will be determined after all forms are received.

Quincy Public Schools will not be sponsoring a flu clinic this season. If you would like a flu shot you can receive one through your primary care or at any of our local pharmacies.

Please be aware that school screenings will be occurring throughout the month of October. Your child’s attendance is vital to their success. Please make every effort to send your child to school. It is important that all students who wear glasses bring them to school and wear them. You will be notified by the Health Office regarding any visual or hearing deficiency after your child has been tested and retested. If you do not receive a letter from me your child has passed all the screenings. Thank you for your cooperation regarding this matter.

I greatly appreciate your help in keeping our school community healthy and safe. Please call me if you have any questions/concerns or new information regarding your child’s health.

Mrs. Cerone, MSN, RN

617-984-8632

deborahcerone@quincypublicschools.com

The beginning of October is a nice time in elementary school. For the most part, we have recovered from the shock of returning to school from summer vacation. We have hopefully settled into our new routines. The nervousness that comes with anything “new” has relaxed and we have become more comfortable in our new classrooms, with our teachers and classmates. We are ready to take on the year ahead.

This year will be another busy year in the Beechwood School Counseling office. Lunch groups will be starting. Classroom lessons have begun. Individual supports are always available for whoever needs them.

In the classroom, we will be using Open Parachute as our tool to teach social-emotional learning lessons. From kindergarten through fifth grade, students will participate in this program that includes videos and discussions to address a wide variety of topics. From self-esteem to friendships, we will cover topics that are all part of growing up and strengthening personal and interpersonal skills.

Open Parachute also offers “Caregiver Resources” to support families at home. A broad range of topics are offered including empathy, building resilience, supporting mental health, and bullying. Resources can be accessed using this link: https://learn.openparachuteschools.com/parent/login?id=US_2pwCySks

I hope families know they can reach out to me if their child or family could benefit from some support. They say “it takes a village to raise a child.” I would like to be counted as part of your village.

Wishing you all the best this school year. Happy October!

Mrs. Hurst

School Counselor

Session dates - 7 Weeks

Starts: October 2, 2023

Ends: November 16, 2023

KINDERGARTEN & GRADE 1: CREATIVE CRAFTS - THURSDAYS 2:30 - 3:30

GRADE 1 & 2: GAME TIME WITH MRS. FRAN - TUESDAYS 2:30 - 3:30

GRADES 2-5: BOKS - TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS, 7:15-8:15

GRADE 3: BOARD GAME BONANZA - THURSDAYS 2:30 - 3:30

GRADE 4: CONFIDENCE CLUB - MONDAYS - 2:30 - 3:30

GRADE 5: LEGO EXPLORATION - THURSDAYS 2:30 - 3:30

Fall Benchmark Data

Quincy Public Schools students completed the following benchmark assessments in September:

• mCLASS Amplify Literacy Screener: K-3
• MAP Growth Reading & Mathematics: Grades 2-5
• MAP Growth Science: Grades 4-5

This data is collected in September to monitor student growth throughout the school year. Please note, according to the Massachusetts Department of Education, if screenings determine that a student is significantly below relevant benchmarks for age-typical development in specific literacy skills, the school will inform the student's parent or guardian of the screening results and will determine which actions within the general education program will meet the student's needs. If you would like a copy of your child's benchmark testing for Fall 2023, please contact Mrs. Rodriguez at marisarodriguez@quincypublicschools.com

Test Information

• NWEA MAP Growth MAP Growth scores help teachers check student performance by measuring achievement and growth. Teachers use results to plan for data driven classroom instruction and set targeted goals for students. MAP Growth tests are unique and adapt to your child’s responses to measure your child’s knowledge. If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging. If they answer incorrectly, the next one is easier. These results will provide a more complete picture of where your child is on their learning journey— regardless of whether they are on, above, or below their grade level. Since MAP Growth tests provide immediate and accurate information about your child’s learning, it’s easy for teachers to identify students with similar scores in similar skills and topics and then plan instruction accordingly. Click here for student resources
• mClass Amplify DIBELS 8th Edition focuses on foundational reading skills and comprehension through short, one-minute measures. mCLASS’s dyslexia measures, used in conjunction with DIBELS 8th Edition, provide additional screening for dyslexia risk, as required by MA DESE. mCLASS drives research-based instruction for every student. mCLASS benchmark measures are consistent within a grade level to help monitor growth across benchmark testing periods. Each assessment is also offered as a progress monitoring assessment between benchmark periods and can be conducted as often as needed. Click here for student resources

For information about the following, please visit our BKS Website:

• Absences
• Dismissals
• Contact Information
• Visitors
• Health
• Breakfast & Lunch
• Snack
• School Cancellations
• Contacting Teachers
• Homework Policy
• After-School Programs
• Arrival & Dismissal Protocols
• Aspen Family Portal

• Meeting and event schedule
  

• bkspto.weebly.com/
• m.facebook.com/groups/BKSPTO/
• beechwoodknoll.quincypublicschools.com/pto

On Friday, October 20th, we will be having a day of recycle at Beechwood Knoll! Students and families are asked to bring any of the following products they collect at home for recycling! Collection bins will be outside of Beechwood Knoll from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM and 2:15 PM to 2:45 PM.

For more information visit our BKS PTO website at:

Our Terracycle bins are located in the Beechwood Knoll Main Lobby for recycling everyday! Please encourage your child to recycle their products throughout the school day or bring in any items you have at home to deposit in our recycle bins all school year long!

Families - if you ordered your 23-24 school supplies through 1st Day School Supplies, we kindly ask for your feedback by October 27th. Thank you!

BKS Families,

To help make our annual Trunk or Treat a success, we need your help! There are 3 things you can help with:

• Donate candy October 10-25 (boxes will be weighted per grade for a prize!)
• Decorate your car for the event
• Make a monetary donation to help purchase candy

Car sign ups posted on the BKS PTO Facebook page

Beechwood Knoll PTO presents our annual Trunk or Treat Join us for a night of fun!

Friday, October 27th from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM *please do not arrive early!

All students must be accompanied by an adult!

Band Program

• Thursdays at Beechwood Knoll for students in Grades 4 & 5
• Demonstration for students Monday, September 18th at 1:00PM
• Band Instrument Pick Up Monday, September 25th 6:00-8:00PM at QHS cafeteria

Strings Program

• After-school program for students in Grades 2-12
• Demonstration for students Monday, September 25 at 1:00PM
• Strings Instrument Rental Night Tuesday, October 3rd 6:00-8:00PM QHS cafeteria

The Beechwood Knoll Elementary School Council is looking for new members for 2023-2024. The School Council meets virtually with Principal Mrs. Rodriguez every other month. For more information about School Councils please visit www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/advisory/schoolcouncils

Tentative meeting schedule - last Friday of every other month from 10:00-11:00 on Zoom:

• September 29
• October - TBD based on school improvement planning
• November 17
• January 26
• March 22
• May 31

Interested? Let Mrs. Rodriguez know! marisarodriguez@quincypublicschools.com

At the September 13th School Committee Meeting, the 2023-2024 School Year calendar was reviewed in light of scheduling of the 2024 Massachusetts Presidential Primary Election Day on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. March 5 will now be a NO SCHOOL day as most school buildings are now polling sites. (The Coddington Building and high school offices will be open.)

The updated calendar is below, please note the following:

• The scheduled last day of school for students moved to Tuesday, June 18 (if no snow days).
• For staff, the last day of school moves to Thursday, June 20 (if no snow days).
• The last day for seniors moved to Friday, May 31.