Abbot Update
September 18, 2020
We're off to a great start!
Dear Abbot Families,
What a wonderful first week back! It was so exciting to welcome our Pod A students back this week. Everyone did a wonderful job adjusting to our new procedures and Mrs. Jerzylo and I enjoyed visiting classrooms in person and remotely. It's true that you really can see a smiling face behind a mask!
We are looking forward to the same smooth start next week for our Pod B students. I am loving that we get to have two "first days of school" this year. I know everyone has begun in some way, but I expect Pod B's excitement to grow when they are live or in the building in the mornings next week.
Please see important information below. In addition, I left a lot of the information from last week's update in case you didn't get a chance to take a look.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Lori McDermott
Abbot School Principal
Morning Announcements
Digital Citizenship & Confidentiality
It's Getting Chilly
SEL Survey
Welcome to the school year 2020-2021! The pandemic has impacted so many of us in so many ways, and we need your help to make your child's transition back to school as smooth as possible. Please complete this Welcome Form to help our teachers understand how best to connect with and support your child. If you have multiple children within the school, please fill a form out for each student. Thank you for partnering with us as we work together to take care of our students!
Arrival/Dismissal
A couple of things to keep in mind:
- Please be sure your child knows their bus number.
- Please be sure your child knows how they're getting home.
- Car placards are being sent home. Once you receive it, please put it in your passenger side window.
- Please continue to enter through Fisher Way until further notice.
- Please remember that you cannot pass a bus when it has it's STOP sign out.
School Lunch/Breakfast
While the start of the school year looks a little different for everyone, I wanted to share with you some good news that schools nationwide received last week. The USDA extended a waiver that allows schools to serve free breakfast and lunch to ALL students, through 12/31/20. We are thrilled with this news as it means that we will be able to provide all Westford Public School students with nutritious and nourishing food for free that will support them, both in school and at home.
What this means for your family and for Westford Public Schools
- Your children, ages 0-18 will receive a healthy breakfast and lunch every school day, at no cost, in a safe and welcoming environment. This applies to students who are attending classes in school or virtual classes at home, or a hybrid combination of these models
- You may pick up meals for your children who are remote learners at designated schools.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has requested that the USDA extend free meals for all students for the entire school year. However, as of now, the USDA has only allowed this through December 31. Therefore, families should still submit a household application to determine eligibility for free and reduced price school meals. This will also allow students to qualify for any additional benefits and ensure a seamless transition when schools move back to a paid program (if the waiver is not extended for January to June 2021). The application is available to download at www.westfordk12.us
In addition, we also encourage families to apply for SNAP benefits. SNAP provides monthly cash benefits (on an EBT card) to purchase groceries for eligible families. To apply for SNAP, visit www.startwithsnap.org or call the Project Bread FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333. If you are unsure whether your family is eligible, the FoodSource Hotline can assist you with eligibility questions.
HOW TO ORDER LUNCH:
Go to the Westford Public Schools Website, www.westfordk12.us, Select the BULLETINS tab, LUNCH ORDERING. Once on the LUNCH ORDERING page you can choose to order for Remote Learners or In Person Learners. Select the plan that applies to your children for the week or days indicated on the form. All student meals are free but extra choices have been included at a cost should you want additional items for your child. Your child's lunch account will be charged for the extra items.
All students are eligible for free breakfast as well. In an effort to maintain safe social distancing and minimal movement within the schools, we ask that you coordinate with the building principal and cafeteria manager in your child’s school in order to arrange for breakfast.
Please reach out with any questions you might have. Your children are the reason we do our jobs and we are here to make sure that they are fueled with good food.
Best Regards,
Colleen Wallace, Food Service Director
RLA Materials Pickup
Important Covid-19 Parent information
important information/reminders
Back-to-School Forms
- Arrival and Dismissal Transportation Form - For hybrid students please complete by Monday, September 14th. We will need this information before the first day of school to properly dismiss your child. If your child is riding the bus, we are aware that you won't be able to inform us of your bus number until the bus routes are posted. Feel free to submit the form after this information is released.
- Record of Transmittal Form - please complete by September 25th.
Vehicle Identification Card - For hybrid students, please print and use this temporary vehicle ID card or create your own if you will be picking up your student in the car line.
Your child will bring home a permanent vehicle ID card during the first week of school if you have selected car pick up.
Free and Reduced Lunch Application - if applicable
Additional Forms Coming Home Soon:
Student Biographical Report - this will be sent home with hybrid students on their first week of school and be sent home with remote students on material pick up day. Please complete and return to school by September 25th.
Health Emergency Cards - this will be sent home with hybrid students on their first week of school and be sent home with remote students on material pick up day. Please complete and return to school by September 25th.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Bus Riders
Please remind your students to keep their masks on for the duration of the bus ride, keep the windows open, and load the bus from the back to the front.
Buses will begin unloading (one bus at a time) at 8:15am at the front of the building. Staff members will be present to greet students outside, at their grade level entrance doors and at their classroom door.
Bus registration is open and live. This year we are using MySchoolBucks.com as the registration and payment portal.
Masks are mandatory on the bus for all K-12 students.
Bus fees for September through January are $150 for the first student, $300 for two students, $400 for three or more students. The family cap is $400.
More information is available on the district website: https://www.westfordk12.us/district/transportation
Link to bus registration Grades K-5:
https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZHCKVF90G01ERQ_ZZJGWKDLTJ0O9Q2
Car Riders
Parents who are driving students to and/or from school must stop by the office for a car placard to be displayed on the right hand side of the car windshield. Car drop-off and pick-up will take place on the parking lot side of the school. Car riders should aim to be in the car line by 8:10 AM to ensure a prompt arrival and by 11:35 AM for dismissal. The school day ends at 11:40 AM.
Dismissal Notes
Please do not send in a note with your child. We are trying to minimize the passing of paper as much as possible.
Late Arrivals and Absences
Student arrival begins at 8:15am with school starting promptly at 8:25am. It is important for students to arrive on time and ready to learn. In the event that your child will be absent or late, please call the main office at 978-692-5580 to inform us so we can account for all students.
PTO
A Message From Our PTO:
Thank you to everyone who has completed the PTO Google form, which includes permission to include your contact information in the Abbot Directory and permission to include your child’s photo and name in the Abbot Yearbook.
https://forms.gle/4xrNKGAuLoXRJ97L7
Third grade parents: The Abbot PTO is happy to be able to provide an Abbot t-shirt complimentary to welcome all incoming third grade students. These shirts will be distributed shortly after school begins. If you have opted for remote learning, stay tuned for more information about delivery of your student's shirt! When filling out the Google Form linked above, please be sure to provide your child’s T-shirt size. Please complete this form at your earliest convenience that we can have the shirts shortly after the students return to school.
Many PTO operations will be on hold this fall, but we are planning to hold a meeting on September 29 at 4:00 PM (remotely, via Zoom) to discuss the coming school year. All are welcome! We are still seeking a Secretary for this coming school year. If you are interested, or if you have any questions, please let us know at abbotschoolpto@gmail.com.
Like and Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with everything the PTO is up to: https://www.facebook.com/abbotschoolpto In addition, the Abbot PTO sends out a monthly newsletter as well as occasional updates and calls for volunteers. Please subscribe to our electronic newsletter using this link: https://tinyurl.com/AbbotNewsletter
Revised Calendar Updated w/Pods
Dates to Remember
Abbot School
Email: lmcdermott@westfordk12.us
Website: https://www.westfordk12.us/as
Location: 25 Depot Street, Westford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-692-5580