Jaguar Tracks for Families
April 6, 2021
From the Desk of Mrs. Ippolito
Dear Current K-4 Parents/Guardians,
Spring is the time of year when we begin planning for next year. Soon we will be meeting as a staff to begin the process of assigning students to classes. Student placement is a complex, collaborative process that the staff and administration take very seriously. We spend a great deal of time carefully thinking about the whole child while we create our classes for the next school year.
Any parental input should be provided in a written format through this survey form but know that written input is optional. Placements are made by the professional educators involved with your child and are also informed by your input as a parent. Our highest priority is to create safe, inclusive, heterogeneous classrooms. It is important that you offer information that is not specific to any particular teacher. Requests for specific teachers will not be considered in the placement process.
In order to facilitate our placement process, we ask that you return your written comments on the form provided to your school’s office by Thursday, April 15th. After this date, we cannot accept additional responses.
Fifth-grade parents: Middle School placements will be handled at the middle school level, and fifth-grade families have already received transition information about each respective middle school. This information is also available on the Coolidge and Parker Middle School websites. Do not fill out this survey form for an outgoing fifth-grade student.
Families with incoming kindergarteners: Information regarding placement and kindergarten screening will be coming later in the year. Do not fill out this survey form for an incoming kindergarten student.
Please understand that once classes are created the decisions are final. We hope that you will continue to support our efforts, trust our judgments as professionals, and encourage your child to look forward to an enjoyable and productive school year.
Again, the survey form can be found here.
Sincerely,
The Elementary Principal Team
Julia Hendrix, Birch Meadow; Beth Leavitt, Barrows; LisaMarie Ippolito, Joshua Eaton; Sarah Leveque, J.W. Killam; Joanne King, Wood End
Joshua Eaton Reminders:
- Doors open & students begin to sign on @ 8:10
- Morning Work @ 8:15 -8:25
- School starts @ 8:25
- The dismissal bell rings @ 2:45
- Car tags must be hung on car visor or placed on the dash of the car to pick up car riders
- Send a note with your student if changing transportation home
- Students receive a free lunch every day
For families who are walking home via Oak St, please be sure to stay on the sidewalks as you leave JE to help keep everyone safe!!
Joshua Eaton PTO NEWS
5th Grade Yearbook: Art and Poem Contest! *Deadline EXTENDED*
5th graders are invited to participate in a cover contest for the yearbook! Students can draw a picture or write a poem about JE pride and what JE means to them. A student yearbook committee (more on that soon!) will determine the winners whose work will be showcased on the front and inside cover of the yearbook! All submissions will be included in the yearbook.
Please submit your child’s work to Rosanne Guerriero at rosannetg@gmail.com by April 26th. If you cannot scan artwork and send digitally, please email Rosanne to determine an alternative way to submit.
National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 3-7!
What a year it's been! We want to shower our amazing teachers and staff with appreciation, and the PTO has a lot of fun things planned. We've adjusted some of our usual activities (unfortunately, no potluck this year!) but we still need your support to make Appreciation Week a success! Please consider signing up to donate packaged snacks/beverages or gift cards: Sign Up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48aaaf2ca1fac25-jeteacherstaff. Thank you!
*All donations are optional. Snack cart donations can be dropped off between April 29-May 2 in a bin outside at 16 CURTIS STREET. Gift cards can be dropped off or mailed to the same address anytime before May 2. Questions? Call/Text Meredith Yoder: 703-795-4536.
Open PTO Positions for 2021-2022 School Year
Happy Spring, everyone! It's that time of year when we begin to look at the PTO Board positions opening up for next school year. Joining the PTO is a wonderful way to build connections with our school community and I have thoroughly enjoyed serving this year. With that said, here are all of the roles we will need help in filling for next school year:
*President
*Vice President
*Enrichment Coordinator
*Volunteer Coordinator
*Social Coordinator
*Community Service
All positions may be served with a second person, so do not feel as if you need to do it alone. Outgoing members are more than happy to transition new members into roles. You will be fully supported if you decide to step in and help. More details regarding responsibilities will follow in The Tracks. Please email me with any questions or interest you may have: jeptopresident@gmail.com.
Joshua Eaton Dance Fit Program -Fundraiser
Families! We are excited to announce the Joshua Eaton Dance Fit program, coming in about a month! During this 2-week program, students will watch sports-themed character videos and work together to support their school! The program ends with a fun virtual event called the Dance Fit! More information to come!
(This program functions as a fundraiser, but all students will be fully included in the fun, regardless of financial participation.)
Important Dates
- May 28th - District PD Day (No School for Students)
- June 18th - Grade 5 Promotion Ceremony - Car Rally - 9 am start more details to follow
- June 21st - LAST day of school
Travel During April Vacation
METCO Director Search
Dear Reading Community Member,
The Reading Public Schools are seeking a METCO Director for the 21-22 school year. As part of that process, we are seeking your input about the characteristics and skills this person should have. Please complete the survey at this link by Friday, April 16th.
The Screening Committee for selecting the next Reading Public Schools METCO Director is seeking members. This committee will review applicants for the METCO Director position, interview applicants, and send finalist choices to the Superintendent. These candidates will be interviewed by the Superintendent and he will make the final choice. We are collecting community input through a survey of families, staff, and RMHS students. This committee will review those survey results and use them to inform our questions as part of this process.
The composition of the committee is as follows:
LisaMarie Ippolito, Joshua Eaton Principal, Co-Facilitator
Julia Hendrix, Birch Meadow Principal, Co-Facilitator
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
METCO Parent/Guardian
METCO Parent/Guardian
Parent/Guardian
Secondary Level Student
The following dates are the timeline for the screening committee. Please make sure you’re available for these dates prior to indicating interest.
April 26th 4:00-6:00 p.m. Screening Committee Organizational Meeting Question Review and Selection May 6th 4:00-6:00 p.m. Meet to review applicants Friday, May 14th 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Interviews Send pre-finalist to Superintendent
Please click on the following link to sign up for the METCO Director Screening Committee The deadline for this is April 16th. https://forms.gle/Zk4H7HoqZ3ehTrHF9
Even if you are unable to participate in the screening committee we ask that you complete the needs assessment survey.
Julia Hendrix Julia.hendrix@reading.k12.ma.us
LisaMarie Ippolito lisamarie.ippolito@reading.k12.ma.us
Joshua Eaton News
Morning Arrival Reminder
- Staff supervision at JE begins at 8:10 am. Hybrid students should not arrive unsupervised before 8:10 am. All students must be wearing their masks on school property.
- Please leave dogs at home and off of school property. Some students are allergic to dander or afraid of dogs, and we are also using the entire school grounds for learning spaces where the students will be sitting on the ground.
- Drop-off is from 8:10 – 8:25 am. All students should enter the building following their classroom assignment.
MORNING TRAFFIC & PARKING at JE
Between 7:30 - 8:30 am:
- Oak Street is a right turn only between the hours of 7:30 am – 8:30 am.
- Drop-off cars will be pulling into designated drop-off spaces on Summer Ave. in front of Joshua Eaton only coming from Summer Ave and Oak Street. OR if coming down Oak Street there are 4 drop-off spaces at a time. These are reserved for DROP & GO only. Parents, please pull all the way up to the farthest available space available.
Please be sure your children can exit the vehicle from the right side of the vehicle.
Parents who wish to walk with their children to their entrance door should find parking on nearby side streets. Everyone should be wearing a mask on school property to ensure everyone's safety and maintain social distance.
Our parking lot is closed between the hours of 8:10 -3:10.
Our hope is that we can all work together to create a safe drop-off for our community and most of all, for our children.
HDK Arrival and Dismissal
I wanted to clarify the change in arrival and dismissal procedures for the HDK classroom to align with those of the rest of the school. Beginning April 5th, the Joshua Eaton parking lot will be closed for ALL cars from 8:10 - 3:10. This is to support the safety of all of our students who walk to school each day and the outdoor classroom spaces we will be utilizing.
You may park on a side street and walk up to Eaton in the mornings for arrival, straight to Door 6.
For the 11:30 dismissal, we will be using the placard system. Each family was sent a bright orange card to display on their dashboard when picking up their child. Mrs. Meagher and Ms. Downing will be walking the students out of the Oak Street Door to the pickup area on Oak Street. Please pull up and they will assist your child into your car. If you choose to walk to pick up your child that is fine too, just practice social distancing and you must have a mask on.
If you need a new placard, please reach out to Mrs. Greco, amy.greco@reading.k12.ma.us and we will send a new one home.
Dismissal Procedures Reminder
*Kindergarten dismissal remains the same as the start of the year. Please park on the street to pick up your child, but not in the dropoff/pick-up lanes.
Dismissal begins at 2:45 with walkers first. Walkers exit doors 2 or 7.
At 2:50, Car Riders aka Parent Pick-up begins.
Notes for Walkers:
There will be two locations/doors for your child to be dismissed Door # 2/Summer Ave or Door #7/playground. Please note that walkers will be dismissed at 2:45 and they are required to promptly walk off of school grounds with their masks on. Parents and Caregivers can wait at the "rock" or cross the street on the sidewalk for social distancing!!!
Notes for Car Riders:
You received an orange placard for your vehicle, it is a family number when you pull into a parking space either on Oak St or Summer Ave. Please pull all the way forward in the parking spaces. A staff member will make note of your number on the placard and using our Google Slide system call for your child(ren) to come out to your car.
We will get your child out to you swiftly, please be patient. You must remain in your vehicle this year!
Notes for Bus Riders and Ext. Day:
If your child is taking a bus or attending the Reading Extended Day, he/she will be escorted to that location.
MCAS Update
Grades 3-5 MCAS 2021: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is preparing for MCAS administration this spring and therefore I am starting the work to be prepared here.
The testing dates for Joshua Eaton are:
Tuesday, May 11th - Gr 5 ELA
Thursday, May 13th - Grs 3 & 4 ELA
Math
Wednesday, May 19th - Gr 5 Math
Tuesday, May 25th Grs 3 & 4 Math
Science
Thursday, May 27th - Gr 5
DESE has made the adjustment to one session per grade and content area and a shortened testing window. We do not have information yet on how tests will be administered for fully remote students.
Student Absences - IMPORTANT
There are two ways to do that prior to 7:45 am of the morning the student is absent:
1. Call 781-942-9161, Dial 1 - leave a message
2. Email jeeabsences@reading.k12.ma.us
From the Desk of Mrs. Trevejo, School Nurse
Pool Testing update- Week of 4/1- Number Tested Results
- Staff 30 -Negative
- Students 110 -Negative
- Total 140
We will be testing all consented students this week, split between Tuesday and Wednesday. Full day K, 1st and 2nd-grade students will be tested on Tuesday afternoon – 4/6. Half-day K and Grades 3-5 will be tested on Wednesday, 4/7. Given the increased volume of students being tested this week, please understand that the schedule is subject to change. I appreciate your patience with this process.
Please remember that you will not be notified of results UNLESS your child’s pool tests positive and they will need to participate in the follow-up reflux testing. I will be in touch with you directly if that is the case.
If you haven’t signed up for testing and are interested, please fill out this google form. We will not be able to include your child in this week’s testing, but we will be able to include them the next time they will be in person.
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=pLyBa1nNQUOpBOov91j-Khq-qSxcUPJBqh7GozD1HDlUMjcwOU1DWDVCUjFMMldSTkRHSTU3NkFBVC4u
As of Monday, March 22nd, the state has updated their travel guidelines. For more information, please see Mass DPH Travel Guidelines. If you have any questions, please reach out to me directly, elmy.trevejo@reading.k12.ma.us
Car Seat Safety for Children
With the warmer weather approaching, it is a good time to remind families to check car seats and boosters to make sure that seatbelts and fasteners have a snug fit. Car seats save lives when they are properly installed. According to Boston EMS, at least 9 out of 10 car seats are not installed correctly in Boston.
Booster Seats -School-Aged Children
Booster seats are generally used for children between 4 and 8 years old, who weigh between 40 and 80 pounds.
All children who have transitioned from front-facing seats with harnesses must use a booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall, according to Massachusetts law.
A booster seat should help your child’s seat belt to fit them properly. This means that their shoulder belt will go across their shoulder instead of their neck and the lap belt will rest across their hips, not their stomach. Your child must use a lap and shoulder belt while riding in their booster seat.
Safety belt fit test
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children ages 13 and younger sit in the rear seat of the vehicle and use an appropriate car seat or a lap and shoulder belt.
Before your child graduates from a booster seat to a lap and shoulder belt alone, they should be able to pass a safety belt fit test. Your child is ready to use a lap and shoulder belt when they can:
· sit all the way back against the vehicle seat comfortably bend their knees at the edge of the seat
· wear the shoulder belt comfortably, but firmly, across their shoulder, between the neck and the arm wear the lap belt comfortably, but firmly, over their hips remain in this position for the entire trip
For more information – please visit BCH car safety
For information about how to properly install a car seat – please visit Car Seat Installation Buckle up Boston
In good health,
Mrs. Trevejo, RN MPH
From the Desk of Ms. Cucinotta, PE Teacher
Office of Student Services
Dear Families,
The schools have been busy over the past few weeks prepping for the upcoming change to full - in person learning! We are looking forward to seeing more students in the building! We understand that this shift in the learning model can bring up additional questions about supporting your students and we would be happy to meet with individuals during office hours to discuss any questions or concerns.
Below, please find our office hours for the month of April. Please use the DOODLE Poll link to select a time to meet with us. We continue to enjoy these opportunities to meet with families on an individual basis.
Prior to your scheduled time, a ZOOM link will be sent to you via email. Please be sure to include your email address when you sign up!
If you have any questions regarding Office Hours, please contact Allison Wright, Director of Special Education @ Allison.Wright@reading.k12.ma.us.
Office Hours for April 2021
- Wednesday 4/7 @11:00-12:00 pm
- Thursday 4/15 @ 9:30-10:30 am
- Tuesday 4/27 @ 2:00-3:00 pm
Link to the Doodle Poll to sign up for Office Hours:
https://doodle.com/poll/qywrhxnahz424rm3?utm_source=poll&utm_medium=link
Doodle: Student Services Office Hours - April 2021
Best,
Allison Wright
Director of Student Services
Reading Public Schools
Reading, MA 01867
Parent Conference: Topic - Autism through Endicott College
SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council)
Please join the SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) at our next business meeting on
Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at 7:00 PM!
New business to be discussed includes a presentation by Team Chair, Kelly DiCato, on the DESE Resource Guide to the MA Curriculum Frameworks for Students with Disabilities, followed by caregiver comments/questions; also a parent prepared a presentation on local/regional community resources providing family education/advocacy, recreational opportunities, and summer camps, followed by a parent discussion regarding the same; and other items.
Please join us for these presentations and discussions and feel free to share any
additional resources that you think other parents may find helpful.
All are welcome!
This meeting will be held virtually, via Zoom.
Join us for our next
VIRTUAL SEPAC MEETING
on Tuesday, April 13th at 7 PM.
Meeting link: Join Zoom Meeting
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)
- Visit SEPAC’s website
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.
Thank you,
SEPAC BOARD
Family Support Resources
Please be reminded of these amazing resources, if your family is in need:
- RPS Behavioral Health Resources linked here.
- Town of Reading: compiled resources linked here.
- RCASA and Mental Health Support linked here.
- St. Vincent de Paul linked here.
- Free & Reduced lunch access: sign up here.
- Reading Food Pantry linked here.
- Project Bread link here.
- Residential Financial Assistance (Rent/Mortgage) link here. (New resource! Check it out!)
Mrs. Ippolito, Principal
Mrs. Trevejo, School Nurse
Mrs. Greco, Administrative Assistant
Website: http://reading.k12.ma.us/joshuaeaton
Location: 365 Summer Avenue, Reading, MA, USA
Phone: 781-942-9161
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaEatonSchool/
Twitter: @Mrs_Ippolito