Haynes Happenings
News & Notes from Josiah Haynes Elementary School
August 22, 2019
Back to School Edition
Principal's Message
I hope your summer vacation continues to be a special time for you and your family. As wonderful as it is to have time to recreate and relax, the start of August brings with it a certain excitement about all that is ahead for the upcoming school year. The Haynes team has been busy this summer preparing for opening day. From planning and professional development to facility maintenance and upgrades, we are gearing up for another exciting year.
Our office is now open once again, resuming our normal hours of 8:15 a.m. - 4 p.m. each weekday. Please note, on Monday and Tuesday, August 26 and 27, our office and building will be open with limited hours to accommodate staff opening day preparation and meetings.
What follows is information to assist with your preparation for the first day of school, along with some news from our summer. Please be sure to carefully review this information. As always, please be in touch with questions or if we can be of assistance.
The Haynes staff and I look forward to a wonderful year together with your children and you!
Sincerely,
Jeff LaBroad
Principal
Reminder to Complete Back to School Forms
Now is also the time to complete a Back to School Packet for each of your children at Haynes. If you haven't already, please be sure to log in to the Aspen Family Portal, where you will be able to see your child(ren)'s classroom teacher assignment. You'll also need to complete the following for each child attending Haynes this year:
- Update/confirm emergency contact information
- Submit daily dismissal plans
- Update health information (including medication permissions)
- Grant permissions for use of technology, publications and HOP directory information sharing
Until such permission is given, it will be assumed that permission is denied. Timely completion of first day packets through the Aspen Family Portal will enhance student safety and access to resources.
Families with children entering Kindergarten or who are new to Haynes received a USPS mailing with their placement information. These students are asked to return the pink hard copy dismissal plan to school no later than the first day of school. New families will receive Aspen login information shortly.
Arrival and Dismissal Directions
Please review these guidelines carefully. Your cooperation with this plan ensures the safety of all students and an efficient drop-off and pick up each day.
The goal of arrival and dismissal is safety, not expediency. Thank you for your patience with us, especially in the opening days of school and during inclement weather. Please adjust your morning and after school plans accordingly to allow for a procedurally safe dismissal.
Getting Ready for the First Day
- Students in grades 1 through 5 should proceed directly to classrooms. Kindergarten students will meet their teachers in front of the school and walk in with their class. Staff will be present to assist students.
- Parents are invited to join the HOP for coffee at 8:45 a.m. in the cafeteria.
- Students have outdoor recess daily. When dressing for school, students are encouraged to wear comfortable, close-toed shoes (sneakers recommended, and required on physical education days). A backpack to carry belongings to and from school is a great idea. Please be sure to label your student's belongings. Students should also pack a healthy morning snack, and a lunch if not purchasing lunch through our cafeteria.
- Click here to see the school supply lists for each grade. Supplies ordered through SchoolKidz will be in classrooms on the first day of school.
The shift from the pace of summer back to school routines can be a tough one for all of us. To help ease the transition, we offer the following tips:
START EARLY: It’s a great idea to begin preparing your routines now, starting with heading to bed and waking at your regularly-scheduled time. Other family routines, such as standard reading time or instrument practice can start up before the first day of school, too.
BE READY FOR THE DAY: Students that come to school with everything they need, including lunches, instruments and knowing where they’re going after school are better able to focus on learning. Prepare what you can at night: pack the backpack, lay out clothing, talk about options for breakfast and lunch to minimize morning
madness.
BE READY FOR THE BUS: We encourage a 10-15 minute window at the beginning of the year, as route times are approximations. Be respectful of the time as those not prepared or taking a lot of pictures will delay the route for all. A few minutes at multiple stops will quickly add up to a significant delay for others. For the dismissal route, again, please allow a 10-15 minute window of time. Route times are approximate, not exact.
Click here for a checklist to help prepare for the return to school.
Haynes and Sudbury Launch New Websites
Welcome Cara Blanchette!
Mrs. Blanchette comes to Sudbury following serving for four years as Principal of St. Charles School in Woburn. Prior to her work in Woburn, Mrs. Blanchette served as Assistant to the Administration for Academics at Fontbonne Academy in Milton. She began her career in education as a teacher at Connelly Middle School in New York City, eventually serving as the school’s Assistant Principal. Mrs. Blanchette is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, where she earned an undergraduate degree in sociology. She holds a graduate degree in educational leadership from the University of Notre Dame. She has completed certificate programs at both Boston College and Columbia University.
Welcome New Faculty and Staff
Haynes is excited to welcome several new staff members to our team starting this fall.
Christina Grassetti will teach fourth grade. Mrs. Grassetti most recently served as a fourth grade long-term substitute in Jenny White’s class last year. Mrs. Grassetti previously taught for several years in New Hampshire prior to relocating to Massachusetts.
Mary Lance is our new fifth grade teacher. Dr. Lance taught fifth grade last year at Noyes School, and we’re excited that she’s making the move to Haynes. Previously, Dr. Lance taught kindergarten, second and fourth grades in the Harvard and Concord Public Schools.
Chelsey Ryan is our new lead partners teacher for grades 2-5. Ms. Ryan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who has been with The New England Center for Children (NECC) for six years at both the elementary and middle school levels. Most recently, Ms. Ryan served as a lead Partners teacher on the Cape.
Brett Graceffa will serve as our first grade long-term substitute during Mrs. Burrell’s maternity leave. Ms. Graceffa joined us last spring in the role of Special Education Teaching Assistant. Prior to Haynes, Ms. Graceffa completed a yearlong internship in first grade at the Woodman Park School in Dover, NH.
Jayme Goldman will serve as consulting BCBA at Haynes School, in addition to her existing work supporting students at Nixon School. Ms. Goldman began her work in education as a Special Education Teacher, and previously served as a BCBA in Natick and Waltham.
Sarah Barcock joins us as an ABA Tutor in kindergarten. Ms. Barcock comes to us from Nixon School, where she most recently supported students in the ACCESS program. Prior to Sudbury, Ms. Barcock worked as an ABA Tutor in Maynard.
Amanda Low joins our Special Education Team as a Special Education Teaching Assistant. Ms. Low recently completed student teaching in the Norton Public Schools. She currently works as a Studio Arts teacher at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston.
Eliza Mercado will also serve as a Special Education Teaching Assistant. Ms. Mercado comes to us from the Cotting School, where she has served as a Teaching Assistant supporting medically fragile students. Prior to Cotting, Ms. Mercado worked for the Assabet Valley Educational Collaborative.
Elizabeth Hallsworth joins us as a Partners ABA Tutor. Ms. Hallsworth is a BCBA who has worked with students with autism for many years at both the district and state level, including with Tyngsborough Public Schools and The May Institute.
Stephanie Erwin will serve as a Partners ABA Tutor. Ms. Erwin comes to us from the Nashoba Learning Group in Bedford, where she served as a Lead ABA Therapist. She has worked as a Developmental Specialist at the Southbay Mental Health Group.
Rachel Aucoin will work as a Partners ABA Tutor, following many years of work providing private in-home care. Ms. Aucoin recently completed a semester kindergarten student teaching in the Marlborough Public Schools.
Samantha Collyer joins Partners as an ABA Tutor. Ms. Collyer comes to Sudbury from Lexington, where she served as an elementary Specialized Instructional Assistant, supporting students in one of the district’s behavioral support programs.
Susan Rosenblum comes to Haynes as a Partners ABA Tutor from the Westborough Public Schools, where she most recently served as an ABA Technician. In addition to her work as an ABA, Ms. Rosenblum has served as a Kindergarten Assistant, overseas English instructor and worked in International Study at Boston University.
Anna Veloutsos joins us as our new crossing guard, working with Mrs. Greenwood each morning and afternoon. Ms. Veloutsos has two students at Haynes, supports her family’s construction business and serves as a supervisor at the Sudbury CVS.
Kim Burgess will return as a member of our kindergarten team, following the opening of a third section of K early this summer. Ms. Burgess taught kindergarten at Haynes last year, following serving as a Kindergarten Assistant.
Bobbi Martin will move from her role as Library Assistant to that of Special Education Teaching Assistant. Before entering the field of education, Ms. Martin worked in corporate human resource management.
The candidate pool for each position above was extremely competitive, in some cases with over 300 applicants for a single position. I’m excited for you to meet the newest members of our team in the weeks ahead. We’re finalizing hiring for positions currently open, and I look forward to sharing more about these staff members soon.
You can find the complete Haynes Staff Directory here.
Congratulations and Thank You!
Welcome Baby Burrell!
Calendar
Thursday, August 22
11:00-12:00 New Family Orientation (for families new to Haynes)
5:30-7:30 METCO Family Meeting
Monday, August 26
8:15-1:00 Haynes School and Office CLOSED / Staff Professional Development
Tuesday, August 27
8:15-10:00 Haynes School and Office CLOSED / Staff Meeting
11:30-12:15 Staff Luncheon Sponsored by HOP
3:00-3:30 Kindergarten Visit
First Day of School
8:45-9:30 HOP Welcome Back Parent Coffee
5:00-7:00 HOP Back to School Picnic
Thursday, August 29
Second Day of School
Friday, August 30
No School
Monday, September 2
No School
Tuesday, September 3
School Reopens
Friday, September 6
9:00-9:30 First Friday Principal Coffee (Library)
9:30-10:00 HOP New Family Orientation
Tuesday, September 17
Picture Day
Thursday, September 19
Back to School Night
Haynes Happenings
Website: sudbury.k12.ma.us/haynes
Location: 169 Haynes Road, Sudbury, MA, USA
Phone: 978-443-1093