RUSSELL SCHOOL FAMILY NEWSLETTER
August 1, 2022
September 4, 2023
Russell Office Number - 617.635.8803
BACK TO SCHOOL UPDATE
Our building is clean, our classrooms are almost ready and we are all eager to welcome our lions back to school this week. Please read some important updates below as we get closer to the start of school.
Uniform Sale:
Get ready for the upcoming school year by purchasing your school uniforms now. Uniforms are on sale, and you can find all the information and the link to the sale below.
Help Us Welcome Our Staff Back:
Thank you to all of the families who have donated! We are getting closer to having the staff lounge our teachers deserve. If you have not yet donated we have two high wish items, a second microwave and the ice maker. One working microwave has been donated already THANK YOU, but a second would be amazing to support 60 staff. We have created a wish list on Amazon to make it easy for you to contribute and help make their lounge a comfortable and welcoming space. All items were things they personally suggested on our staff survey.
Class Assignments & Welcome Letters:
Bus assignments have been sent and students homeroom assignments have been posted to ASPEN. We can't wait to welcome all of our students back on Thursday and for the First time for a kindergarten visit on Friday :)
Alternate Transportation Request:
If your child will be attending an after-school program and requires alternate transportation, please complete the request form now. The process takes about two weeks to go into effect, so let's ensure everything is set up smoothly. You can find the alternate transportation request form [Alternate Transportation Request Link].
Dismissal with PickMyKid:
This year, we will be using PickMyKid for dismissal! Check out the flyer on how to get started below.
Classroom Ambassadors & Parent Site Council:
We are looking for one parent from each classroom to serve as a Classroom Ambassador. Your support with communication and family engagement will be invaluable. If interested, please let Ms. Lydia know.
Additionally, we have various opportunities to join our Parent Site Council, including the roles of Co-Presidents. The Parent Site Council plays a crucial role in school decision-making, and we encourage you to get involved and make a difference in your child's education.
Paid Opportunities at Russell:
For those looking for paid opportunities, we have three Parent Mentor Positions available. These part-time positions involve supporting classrooms, the Parent Site Council, and the School Site Council. We are also hiring a cafeteria assistant and a lunch monitor—excellent entry-level positions in the field of education. Links to the Boston Public TalentEd are below. If you are interested in being a parent mentor please contact Ms. Lydia for more information.
Key Dates:
- Thursday, September 7: First day of classes for 1st through 5th grade.
- Friday, September 8: Kindergarten preview
- Monday, September 11: Start of K0, K1, and K2.
Water Access:
This past week the district added new water refill stations for our students. This means we will no longer have bubblers and will instead have water refill stations. As a result, we will no longer have the single use paper cups delivered to the school and instead are asking that students come to school with a reusable water bottle daily. They will have the ability to refill as needed which is great especially on PE days!!
Our web page and social media are also updated with key dates, helpful links and information.
We are back at the school full time starting Tuesday, September 5th. Please give us a call if you have any questions or we can be of any assistance as we all prepare for what we hope will be an amazing year filled with great memories, growth and lot of fun!
Happy Back to School,
Russell Leadership Team
Sep 7 - 1st through 5th grade students report to school.
Sep 7 - Kindergarten Conference (K1 and K2 team at conference)
Sep 8 - Kindergarten Families Welcome
Sep 15 - Pep Rally
Sep 21 - Back to School/Russell Open House @ Russell 5:00-7:30pm
Sep 27 - School Based Equity Round Table
Oct 5 - Parent Site Council
Oct 9 - No School - Indigenous Peoples' Day
Oct 9 - School Site Council
Oct 25 - School Based Equity Round Table
Oct 31 - Harvest Fest
Nov 2 - Parent Site Council
Nov 3 - Pep Rally
Nov 10 -No School - Veterans Day
Nov 16 - School Site Council
Nov 22 - Early Release @ 12:40pm
Nov 23-24 - No School - Thanksgiving
CHECK ASPEN
Please make sure that you are able to access ASPEN and that all of your contact information and emergency contact information is up to date. As a school communication is done digitally through Talkingpoints, SMORE, School Messenger and Permissionclick, it is important that we have up to date phone numbers and email addresses to ensure you do not miss any important information and in case of an emergency.
KINDERGARTEN PREVIEW
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
RUSSELL UNIFORMS
Uniforms are available for order now! We have added some new styles including the gym shorts at the request of our students. Plus our always popular sweatpants are also available!! Order now to be ready for September!!
STOCK THE LOUNGE
The Russell staff gives 100% every day and they always put our students first. Help us welcome them back with a little extra comfort by helping us to stock the lounge. You can find our Amazon Wish List below.
PICKMYKID
In our ongoing efforts to enhance your children’s safety, we have decided to begin using the PikMyKid Dismissal Application. Throughout the country, it has been proven to simplify dismissal, reduce traffic congestion, and most importantly, improve overall safety. The unique features of PikMyKid allow you, as parents, to easily change pick up modes, quickly delegate to an alternate individual for pickup, change to an ‘After School’ program, and even schedule for future pickup mode, pickup individual, and after school programs. This app allows you to be in full control of your child’s dismissal and it gives us, the school, complete information regarding dismissal and the ability to acknowledge every change and to instantly check your child’s dismissal status should you have a question. We are very excited about this addition and know you will be too. Check your emails over the next week for additional information and we will be on our way to a safer, quicker, and more efficient dismissal process. To Learn a little more on your own, please check out the following link that will show you a few of the PikMyKid features.
Watch for more information this week!