Wood End Wildcat News
September 11, 2021
As we spend time with family and friends this weekend, I hope we all take a moment to remember and honor those we lost on September 11, 2001, twenty years ago today, during the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I can still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing as the world stood still, and was changed forever. Almost 3,000 brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, rescue workers and first responders died that day. We must never forget them!
We had a wonderful week as we welcomed our kindergartners and preschoolers back to school. There was so much energy and excitement in the building. Students are very busy learning new routines and classroom expectations as well as the names of some new friends, classmates, and teachers. I have included many photos below from this past week.
After two years, it was great to see so many families at our Open House on Thursday evening. We hope you found this time informative and that you had a chance to experience your child's classroom. Teachers have sent presentations to families, so if you did not receive this, please reach out to your child's classroom teacher.
As a reminder, everyone must wear a mask while on school campus, including outside during drop off and pick up. Our students are not vaccinated and there has been a rise in COVID cases in our schools, town, state and country. Please help us all stay safe and healthy so we can stay in school.
Enjoy the week ahead,
Dr. Joanne King
Welcome to the newest members of the team!
Health Updates - COVID Protocols & Procedures
- Testing Consent: As we have emphasized, we will be using COVID-19 testing, particularly the “test and stay” program, to keep our students learning in school. To support us with this, we need families to consent to testing. Here is a link to the consent form. If we do not have family consent for testing, a child who is a close contact will not be eligible to stay in school or extracurricular activities through “test and stay” and instead will need to engage in a traditional quarantine process. While our primary focus is on using the “test and stay” form of testing, the consent form does apply to all three testing types (1. Symptomatic 2. “Test and Stay” 3. Pooled Testing). We will be notifying parents if and when we add pooled testing. Thanks in advance for your testing consent as it is critical in ensuring a safe, in-person, and uninterrupted learning experience for all RPS students.
- COVID-19 Cases: Each Monday afternoon, we will post a dashboard on our website that includes the number of positive cases in each school community from the past week. We will update this dashboard each week in place of sending weekly emails with case data. You can access this dashboard by visiting the “Health Services” link under the “Departments” tab on the Reading Public Schools website. As you will see, it is listed under the “Important Links” option. Here is a direct link to the Health Services page. We have posted the dashboard for the week of 8/31-9/3.
Job Opportunities at RPS - We're hiring!
PTO Events and Important Dates
The PTO Board met last week to begin planning for the upcoming school year. The PTO has already been busy providing refreshing beverages (iced tea & coffee and a variety of sparkling waters) for staff on the first day of school, and a delicious dinner for teachers just prior to the Open House.
Our first enrichment program is scheduled for students in Grades K-2. On October 13th, the Reading Fire Department, lead by Firefighter/Paramedic Ryan Buckley, will bring the Fire Safety Trailer and program to our students. The S.A.F.E. program was started in 1996 and is designed to teach fire and life safety to elementary-aged children. The program's main objective is for children to recognize the dangers of fire and how to appropriately deal with dangerous fire-related situations. Since the S.A.F.E. program began, child fire deaths have significantly dropped in Massachusetts.
We are also very excited to share the meeting schedule for the 2021-22 school year. Some of the meetings will be held in person at the school while others will be held virtually via Zoom so we can connect with as many families as possible. Links will be sent to families prior to the meeting times. We encourage everyone to attend!
PTO General Meeting Schedule
- September 29th, 7-8 p.m. via Zoom
- November 10th, 8:30 coffee, 8:45-9:30 meeting in the cafe
- January 12th, 7-8 p.m. via Zoom
- March 16th, 7-8 p.m. via Zoom
- May 4th, 7-8 p.m. via Zoom
- June 8th, 8:30 coffee, 8:45-9:30 meeting in the cafe
PTO Board Members
- Lauren Brandt - VP Events & Fundraising
- Emily McNaughton - VP Room Parent Coordinator
- Dimpee Desai - VP Communications
- Bridget Briere - VP Enrichment
- Amy Croot - Secretary
- Kristen Godsoe - Treasurer
Please feel free to reach out to any board member if you are interested in volunteering, or have any questions! We look forward to a great school year!
Crossing Guards Needed!
Next Meeting, September 14th In Person!
Please join the SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) at our next business meeting on Tuesday, September 14th at 7:00 PM in the RMHS Library & Media Center. The meeting will include a presentation and discussion on the results of the spring survey about future SEPAC presentation topics, discussion whether the SEPAC literacy/reading subcommittee should continue or disband; appointment of an election coordinator volunteer, nominations of candidates for the 2021/2022 SEPAC board, and if time permits, parent discussion about 2021 summer camp/activity experiences. All are welcome and ENCOURAGED to attend!
Connect with SEPAC by clicking these links:
· Join SEPAC's mailing list by emailing SEPACREADING@gmail.com
· Follow SEPAC on Facebook (please adjust settings so that you are sure to see our posts)
The mission of the Reading Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is to work for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community.
About These Services...
The Town of Reading contracts with William James College to offer a special service for our residents. The William James INTERFACE Referral Service maintains a mental health and wellness referral help line Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, at 888-244-6843 (toll free). This is a free, confidential referral service for individuals across the lifespan living in Reading. Callers are matched with licensed mental health providers from our extensive database. Each referral meets the location, insurance, and specialty needs of the caller. Click here to learn more!
About Us
Email: joanne.king@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/woodend/
Location: 85 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA, United States
Phone: 781-942-5420
Twitter: @WoodEndSch