Wood End Wildcat News
January 20, 2020
Wood End Community Welcomes District Attorney Ryan
Please join us this Thursday, January 23rd at 6:00 p.m., in the Wood End Cafe for a very special presentation by Middlesex District Attorney, Marian Ryan. She will be talking with parents, guardians and community members about the substance abuse (including vaping), mental health issues and trauma affecting our kids today. With so many families in our own community impacted by these issues, we encourage everyone to attend! District Attorney Ryan will provide important information and resources to help everyone understand the impact this is having on our youth today, from elementary through college, so our children and families can get the help they need. Tell your neighbors and friends and please come! Childcare will be provided.
Immediately following this presentation, we will hold our regularly scheduled PTO meeting to begin planning for the March Musical Bingo event. We hope you can join us!
PTO Corner
Whitelam Books PTO Social, Wednesday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m.
Mark your calendars for a fun PTO evening at Whitelam Books on Wednesday evening, February 5th! Come to connect with Wood End parents, enjoy refreshments, hear about the latest popular reads, and shop. During the event, book titles selected by our library media specialist, Lisa Norcross, will be on display to purchase and donate to the Wood End Library We hope to see you there!
Save the Date! March 13, 2020 - Musical Bingo
Our annual adult Spring Social & Fundraiser is planned for March 13th! This year, we're planning a night of Musical Bingo, which is sure to bring the fun & laughs. This event is new to Wood End, but has received rave reviews from other community organizations. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year! There is a lot to do to get ready for this exciting event and we are looking for volunteers to help in any way possible.
Shutterfly & Tiny Prints - Please use our Wood End store front!
If you're ordering holiday cards, gifts, or 2020 calendars from Shutterfly or Tiny Prints, please use our Wood End store front. It's a win-win as all your usual discounts still apply, and Shutterfly & Tiny Prints will send 8% of all sales back to Wood End!
Future PTO Meting Dates
You can mark your calendars now! These are the dates that the PTO will meet beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Wood End Library. All families and teachers are welcome to attend. Childcare is provided!
- Tuesday, March 3rd
- Tuesday, May 19th
RPS Budget Process
To learn information about the FY21 Superintendent's Recommended Budget, please click here.
The upcoming School Committee budget presentation schedule is as follows:
Thursday, January 23rd
- Public Hearing on FY21 Budget
- Special Revenue Funds
- FY21 School Committee Budget Questions
Monday, January 27th
- School Committee Vote on FY21 Budget
All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Schettini Library at Reading Memorial High School. We encourage all members of the community to participate in this budget process and to attend the budget meetings. This year, we have made a conscious decision not to have specific budget liaisons assigned to the budget process. This decision is not based on the participation level of the dedicated budget liaisons that we have had over the years; rather the number of budget liaisons over the years has decreased.
If you have any questions about the budget, please do not hesitate to contact Superintendent of Schools John Doherty at john.doherty@reading.k12.ma.us .
5th Grade Planning Meeting
Office of Student Services is Looking for Feedback
As a district our goal is to create program descriptions for our substantially separate special education programs and Learning Center support. These descriptions will serve as an ongoing reference aide for families and staff. The descriptions will be a transparent and welcoming look into programming options with the understanding that any program can adjust and revise its elements to respond to the ever changing needs of our students.
We welcome feedback from our Reading families, staff and the residents on our draft Program Descriptions. Our goal is to use your feedback, along with the work that has been completed with staff, to publish updated descriptions within the next few months. The surveys will be available through February 1, 2020.
Cellphones and Watches...Reminder
If you need to get a message regarding dismissal to your child, please call the Main Office and we will get that information to your child. Additionally, if there is an emergency regarding your child at school, we will contact you. We appreciate your cooperation and support.
Arriving on Time
Over the past couple of weeks we are seeing quite an increase in the number of students who are tardy for school each morning. I'm encouraging families to plan accordingly and leave a few minutes earlier to get your children to school on time. Students should be at school by the time the first bell rings at 8:15 a.m. The late bell rings at 8:25 and by that time, most students have already missed the morning work that has begun in their classes. Since we are an elementary school, this is the responsibility of parents. Please help your child start their day out on a positive note by being on time so they are not worrying about trying to catch up.
With the winter weather here, families should begin dropping off no earlier than 8:05 using the drop-off line. As soon as you enter the drop off area, let your child out of the car on the side closest to the sidewalk. Please don't wait until you are at the front door! We can empty 6-8 cars within this area which allows everyone to get inside and be on time.
Reading Coalition Has a New Name
In January of 2020, the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse (RCASA) will be known as the Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support. The coalition, now funded under the Town of Reading within the Reading Police Department, offers programs and services, more suited to the new name. According to Bob LeLacheur, Town Manager, “Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support captures who we are today and what we are working towards not just with respect to substance abuse prevention but also mental health promotion”.
As the coalition rebrands, all initiatives will continue uninterrupted. “Rebranding to Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support enables us to connect with a wider audience, continue expanding our programs and services, and ultimately better position us to serve the community,” said Erica McNamara, Director of the Reading Coalition.
Need Help Putting Food on the Table?
Amazon Smile
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop using AmazonSmile, the Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.
If you shop at Amazon, please select Wood End PTO as your designated non-profit, order through smile.amazon.com, and help our school at the same time. Happy holiday shopping!
Understanding Disabilities Update
- Grade 1 - Food Allergies, Physical Disabilities
- Grade 2 - Low Vision / Hearing Impairments
- Grade 3 - Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Grade 4 - Developmental Disabilities, Learning Disabilities
- Grade 5 - Emotional & Behavioral Disorders
We can’t do this important work without parent volunteers. If you are interested in working in your child’s classroom during the year, please contact Allison Sillers or visit the UD website at UDathome.org.
Elementary Curriculum Guides for Families
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!
Upcoming Events
January
20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No school
21 - Student Council meets during 4/5 lunches
23 - PTO Meeting, Middlesex DA's Office to present, 6:00-7:30 p.m. in cafe; School Committee Meeting, FY21 Budget, 7:00 p.m. in RMHS Library
26 - Read Across America Week - Dance Week!
27 - Student Council meets during 4/5 lunches; School Committee Meeting, FINAL Vote on FY21 Budget, 7:00 p.m. in RMHS Library
28 - UD presents Developmental Disabilities to Grade 4
31 - UD Guest Speaker presents to Grade 4
MCAS Dates for Spring 2020
For your information and planning purposes, below are the dates that have been set for the Spring MCAS sessions in Grades 3-5:
Grade 3
Monday, April 6 - ELA Session 1
Tuesday, April 7 - ELA Session 2
Monday, May 11 - Math Session 1
Tuesday, May 12 - Math Session 2
Grade 4
Thursday, April 2 - ELA-Session 1
Friday, April 3 - ELA-Session 2
Thursday, May 7 - Math Session 1
Friday, May 8 - Math Session 2
Grade 5
Monday, March 30 - ELA-Session 1
Tuesday, March 31 - ELA-Session 2
Thursday, April 30 - Math Session 1
Friday, May 1 - Math Session 2
Monday, May 18 - Science Session 1
Tuesday, May 19 - Science Session 2
Wednesday, May 20 - Makeups
Thursday, May 21 - Makeups
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