Lowell News
October 20, 2023
Early Release Tuesday, October 24th
Dismissal is at 12:15.
A Message from Mrs. Phelan
Dear Families,
I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your presence at our open house last week. It was truly a wonderful event, filled with excitement and enthusiasm. I must admit, however, that we experienced a few unexpected moments when the fire alarm went off. Rest assured, everyone remained calm and followed the proper procedures. Despite this kooky incident, the rest of the week went smoothly as our students continued to settle in and adjust to their new environment and schedule. Thank you again for your support and understanding.
We are excited to announce that our annual trunk or treat event will be held Friday, October 27th from 6 to 7 p.m. The car decorations and costumes are truly impressive. Over the years, this event has become one of the most cherished traditions in Lowell. We encourage everyone to come dressed in their best costumes and be prepared for a thrilling evening. The event will be taking place on Lowell Ave.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
With a grateful heart!
Stacy
Winner of the Open House Raffle
It's Official, Our Address has Changed
J. R. Lowell Elementary School
123 Lowell Ave.
Watertown, Ma 02472
Scenes from This Week!
The students are enjoying enjoying all their new spaces. Here are scenes from the cafeteria, music room and library.
Lowell School Open House
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for a truly remarkable Open House! Witnessing our students confidently assume leadership roles, skillfully guiding families through our premises, and actively interacting with our dedicated staff was a truly beautiful experience. The event resounded with success, and we take immense pride in the notable achievements of our students thus far!
Curriculum Corner
Elementary Literacy Curriculum Update
October 2023
This year Watertown Public Schools is piloting two literacy programs in 1st and 4th grades. While we remain committed to utilizing Fundations as our core phonics program, we are moving away from using the Units of Study and will be more closely aligning our curriculum to approaches that better align with research on the Science of Reading (SOR).
The two programs selected for this pilot are Expeditionary Learning (EL) and Wit & Wisdom. Beginning next week, first and fourth-grade classroom, special ed, and English as a Second Language teachers across the three elementary schools will begin teaching the first unit of Expeditionary Learning (EL).
In grade 1, this is a thematic unit entitled “Tools & Work”.
Students in grade 4 will engage in a unit titled, “Poetry, Poets, and Becoming Writers.” These modules will take place during the Reading and Writing blocks on the student's schedule.
In preparation for the pilot, participating teachers are engaging in ongoing professional development with the curriculum company and our instructional coaches. We will update parents/caretakers in Principal Newsletters intermittently throughout the pilot months. We look forward to seeing both of these innovative curricula in action and to hearing about the experiences of students, teachers, and families in the evaluation of each program. This information will help us to make the very best decision about which program we will adopt and begin implementing across the elementary schools in the 2024-2025 school year.
Parent/Caregiver Conferences
Sign-ups for parent/caregiver conferences will be live on Monday, October 9th. You can access your child's teacher's page using the following link.
Lunch Menu
If You Are Interested in Volunteering Please Sign-up Below
Upcoming Events!
Annual Metro Boston Diaper Drive
It's that time of year again! We are gearing up for the 2023 Metro Boston Diaper Drive, which will run from Oct. 15 - 28. I'm wondering if you would be willing to publicize the Diaper Drive in your newsletter for Lowell Elementary, as you have in the past. I have attached our flyer and a blurb (see below) for your use.
Last year, donations declined for the first time in the history of the Drive, and yet need continues to grow. We get it. Donor fatigue is real, and there is no shortage of good causes. We continue to believe that ensuring that local babies have enough diapers is a high priority and fundamental need, and we can achieve it with your help! So if you're interested and able, here are a few other ways to help:
- Take a moment to share the Drive with your own network.
- Make a donation if you're able (the registries are up and running, so donations can be made anytime).
- Now that we have essentially returned to normalcy, we are also looking for people who are willing to get permission to put out boxes to collect donations at area schools and businesses and then deliver them to WIC in Somerville. If you would be able to do that, or know someone who would, please let me know. I want to be able to direct donors to boxes where they can donate loose diapers in person.
Thank you so much for your support!
Warmly, Kim
Did you know that SNAP and WIC benefits do not cover diapers? This leaves many families to make difficult decisions between food, diapers, and other needs. The annual Metro-Boston Diaper Drive gives all donated diapers to the Somerville WIC office, which serves Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Watertown, Lexington, Bedford, Lincoln and Belmont. This year’s Drive will run from October 15 - 28. Please visit mbdiapers.org to make a donation, or click directly on the links to the Amazon and Target registries. Please help us get 70,000 diapers onto the babies in the Metro-Boston area who need them! Read more about why diaper drives like the Metro-Boston Diaper Drive are so important HERE.
Links (in case you need them):
Amazon: https://amzn.to/48y09Cj
Target: https://bit.ly/3ZC9mFy
Upcoming Events
- Tuesday, October 17th Evening Adult & Teacher Conferences 4:30-6:30 pm
- Wednesday, October 18th - Open House, 6:00-7:30 pm Students and Adults are welcome.
- Thursday, October 19th - Day Adult & Teacher Conferences 1:00-2:30 pm and Early Release 12:15
- Thursday, October 19th - FTO Meeting 6:30-7:15 over Zoom
- Tuesday, October 24th - Day Adult & Teacher Conferences 1:00-2:30 pm and Early Release 12:15
- Thursday, October 26th - Evening Adult & Teacher Conferences 5:00-7:00 pm
- Friday, October 27th- Evening Event Trunk or Treat 6:00-7:00 pm Lowell Street
- Thursday, November 2nd- Elementary Combined Kick-off Meeting Hosting by Lowell 6:30-7:30 Childcare available.
- Tuesday, November 7th- Voting Day (Lowell Attends School as their make-up day) NO Voting at Lowell
Contact Us
J.R. Lowell Elementary School
123 Lowell Ave.
Watertown, Ma 02472
Phone: 1-617-926-7770
Principal- Stacy Phelan
stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma.us
Assistant Principal- Benjamin Kraus
benjamin.krausfriedmann@watertown.k12.ma
Administrative Assistant- Kara Flynn
kara.flynn@watertown.k12.ma.us
Receptionist- Jim Swift
james.swift@watertown.k12.ma.us
Nurse- Kathy Taverna
katherine.taverna@watertown.k12.ma.us
Guidance Melina Jacovides k-2
melina.jacovides@watertown.k12.ma.us
Guidance Brian Connors 3-5
brian.connors@watertown.k12.ma.us
Special Education Team Chair- Greg Roberts, ext. 37171
gregory.roberts@watertown.k12.ma.us
LEDP Site Coordinator- Adam Vachon
Lowell Elementary School Principal