Hello McAvinnue Community!

I hope that everyone is doing well and getting ready for Spring! Spring has quite sprung yet with the snow day that we had on Tuesday and the start of Daylight Savings Time this past week. The weather looks to be on the mild side next week...not 100% Spring time yet, but we're getting closer! It will be so great to get our students outside for recess and Physical Education classes soon. It will be such a nice sound to hear the laughter and excitement of our students while they worked up a sweat! We can't wait!

We have been very busy ordering materials for the remainder of this school year...and also for next school year. We are working on our budget plans for the 2023-2024 school year, and planning some great end of the school year activities for students!

We are also gearing up for the MCAS administration that will start the first week of April (Please see the schedule below for the specific dates). It will be great to have complete MCAS scores for all students. The results of this assessment will help us best plan for our instruction needs for next year. As always, we appreciate your support with having students in school on their scheduled testing days!

This week will be a busy one with report card distribution on Wednesday, March 22rd...as well as Parent Teacher Conferences at 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM on Thursday, March 23rd. McAvinnue's School Site Council will also meet on Wednesday, March 22nd at 5:00 PM. Finally, we have one last chance for individual student pictures on Wednesday, March 22nd. However, the primary focus will be class pictures. You can find more additional information for all of these events in the sections below in this newsletter.

Here are a few items that you need to be aware for this up and coming week. Please mark your calendars for the following events and activities that will occur at McAvinnue:

• Monday, March 20th - McAvinnue Reopens @ 9:10 AM
• Monday, March 20th - Grade 3 Field Trip: Lowell Boott Mills (2 Classes)
• Monday, March 21st - Grade 3 Field Trip: Lowell Boott Mills (2 Classes)
• Wednesday, March 22nd - McAvinue's Picture Day (Rescheduled)
• Wednesday, March 22nd - Report Card Distribution (PreK - Grade 4)
  Wednesday, March 22nd - McAvinnue's School Site Council Meeting @ 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• Thursday, March 23rd - Parent/Teacher Conferences @ 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM

You will find additional details for the events and activities list above in this edition of McAvinnue's "Lion's Roar" Community Newsletter.

As usual, we are looking forward to another amazing week at the "best school that we all know"!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the Main Office at McAvinnue or send Mr. Domina a message a mdomina@lowell.k12.ma.us.

Picture order forms have already been sent home with your child. If you need another copy, please reach out to the Main Office for support.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Main Office for support.

McAvinnue's ST Math March Mathness has arrived! Our 23 playing classrooms begin on Monday, March 13th - Friday, April 5th!

Every classroom has a base percent progress. The goal is to increase that progress percentage from week to week. After this week, 7 classrooms will move on, however, no classroom is truly out of the competition. There will be a "wild card classroom" and a classroom that receives a "bye" for the week of March 20th. Honorable mentions will also be celebrated. Be on the lookout for additional details during morning announcements.

This is going to be a ton of fun!

We will share out an update for Round 1 on Monday, March 20th during McAvinnue's Morning Announcements! Stay tuned for the results!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out directly.

Like we had successfully done last school year, a new edition of McAvinnue's "Virtual" Morning Announcements will be presented to our students on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. We will continue to use Tuesday and Thursday each week to be used for "Open Circle"....our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program that focuses on community building, prosocial decision making, and appropriate responses to daily stressors both within the school and home settings.

This will continue to be a great way to bring our school together each day focusing on the same message to get the energy, commitment, and engage up before we launch into another great day at "the best school we all know".

You can check out each edition of McAvinnue's Morning Announcements on our YouTube channel using the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7hxiBuRjqjqfASl_RLMleQ

If you want a peek of the latest edition of McAvinnue's "Virtual Morning Announcements", check out the video below!

We are bringing back a classic yoga pose this week called the "Washing Machine". This pose will allow us to release anxiety, worry, or anger by visualizing washing those things down the drain to feel refreshed and have a new start to the day! We will practice the "Washing Machine" pose daily during our "Virtual" Morning Announcements during this up and coming week. Y

You can get an early head start and practice this technique before we launch into another exciting week!

Drop-Off Logistics

• Arrival begins at 9:10 AM each day. The late bell rings at 9:25 AM.
• Please pull up to the 4th Avenue side of the building when dropping off your child.
• As you approach the 4th Avenue sidewalk, a faculty member will greet and support getting your child safely out of the vehicle.
• This area is a drop off area ONLY. You will not be permitted to park in this location.
• Please be sure to drive all the way down to the end of the sidewalk so we can fit as many vehicles in this location as possible.
• Ensure your child is ready to go and do not get out of the car so we can keep traffic moving.
• Students accessing our CSA program will be dismissed out the 4th Avenue door near the rear of the school building by the exit driveway.
• Large bus students will enter using the back door located in the rear of the school building.
  
• Small bus and van transportation students will use the 4th Avenue door near the rear of the school building by the exit driveway.

Morning Lining Up Locations

• Grade 1, 3, and 4 students will use the Main Door to enter the school building.
• Grade 2 will use the 4th Avenue doorway near the front of the school to enter the building.
• PreK & Kindergarten will use the Early Childhood door to enter the building. This door is located to the right of McAvinnue's Reading Garden and to the left of the Main Door.

Pick-Up Logistics

• Grade 1 will be dismissed out the Main Door.
• Grades 2, 3, and 4 will be dismissed out the 4th Avenue door near the front of the school.
• Kindergarten students will be dismissed out the Early Childhood door. This door is located to the right of McAvinnue's Reading Garden and to the left of the Main Door.
• Students accessing our CSA program will be dismissed out the 4th Avenue door near the rear of the school building by the exit driveway.
• PreK students will be dismissed out the 4th Avenue door near the rear of the school building by the exit driveway. Please contact Ms. Annie for the specific dismissal time.

School bus transportation is provided to students in grades K-4, who live greater than .75 mile from their residence or alternate address to their assigned school. Middle school students (grades 5-8) must live greater than 1.5 miles from their residence or alternate address to their assigned school.

Kindergarten through 4th grade students will receive a printed bus pass via postal mail. These passes were mailed out on August 24th. You can also look up your student's bus pass information by using their Student ID for the username and date of birth for the password at the link below. This is the same information that students use to log in to their Chromebooks for school.

Please note that Kindergarten and 1st grader students must have an older sibling (4th grade or older) or parent present at the bus stop in the afternoon in order to depart from the school bus. If a parent or older sibling is not present, the student will be brought to the Moody School, located at 158 Rogers Street. A driver’s license or valid identification must be presented to the staff in order to dismiss the student.

You can use the LPSD "Bus Lookup Tool" using the link below. You will need to use you child's LASID or lunch number along with their birthdate to access this helpful system.

There also is a helpful video that you can watch that will walk you through the process.

How can I update my contact information (phone number/email/address)?

• Go online to the Family Resource Webpage (https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/UpdateContactInfo) and fill out the “contact us” form. Families who don’t have access to the internet can fill out the form in person at the Family Resource Center. If an address change is related to economic factors or housing instability (family moves in with relatives, eviction, hotel/motel, fire or unsheltered, please contact the McKinney Vento Office located at the Family Resource Center in person (151 Merrimack Street), by phone (978-674-4321) or go to the webpage at https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/HomelessAssistance.

How do I update my emergency contacts?

• If you were in the school last year we will send a verification sheet out. if you are new we will send home an emergency form to fill out on the first day of school or use the online form found in this newsletter.

What should I do if my child needs a Chromebook or if my child’s Chromebook needs repairs?

• Families should contact their school to coordinate the issuing of a new Chromebook or to schedule repairs. After the school year begins, the district will resume its “tech tent” services and will inform families via email, text, and phone once the services resume.

How do I register my child for the new school year?

• All school registrations are completed online using a computer or laptop. You can access the online application by going to https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/SchoolRegistration. If you only have a mobile device and don’t have access to a computer or laptop, you can register in person at the Family Resource Center (151 Merrimack Street). Please call the Family Resource Center if you have any questions (978-674-4321).

What should I do if I need to register my child(ren) and I don’t speak English?

• The Lowell Public Schools is committed to providing translation and interpretation services for families who require assistance in a language other than English. The online registration application and website is translated in Spanish and Portuguese and can be accessed by going to https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/SchoolRegistration. For all other languages, please call Vannak Khin at (978) 328-6782 to arrange services. In-person language interpretation support for registration can be accessed by visiting the Lowell Public Schools at 151 Merrimack Street. Families can also call the Family Resource Center at (978) 674-4321 to make an appointment with a Bilingual Family Liaison.

How old does my child need to be to enroll in preschool or kindergarten?

• A child must turn 4 years old on or before September 1, 2021, in order to apply for preschool and 5 by September 1 to apply for kindergarten. A family can apply for preschool by going to https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/PreschoolRegistration to fill out an online application or https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/KindergartenRegistration for kindergarten. For registration questions, please call (978) 674-4321.

How do I apply for a transfer for my child to change schools in the new year?

• Per the 2021-22 School Assignment Policy, all students have the option to request one school transfer per year. Families can apply online by going to https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/SchoolTransfer or can come to the Family Resource Center in-person to complete the application. Transfers are assigned on a space availability basis.

Forms and medication can be dropped off to Nurse Robin any time during the school day. However, it's ideal to drop things off between 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM each day.

Nurse Robin cannot administer ANY medications without a physician's order, including over-the-counter medications. Please make sure that the school nurse is provided refills in advance of any medication supply running out.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Nurse Robin directly,

Please take a few minutes to complete the LPS District Satisfaction Survey to help us to improve service to families and enhance the educational experience of our students.

We are seeking to understand your satisfaction level with your child(ren)'s school/district in the following areas: academics, communication, operations, and safe and welcoming environments.

If you have children that attend more than one school, please complete a separate survey for EACH school (i.e. if you have a 3rd grader in elementary school, a 6th grader in middle school and a 10th grader in high school, please fill out separate surveys for each school).

The link to the District Satisfaction Survey can be found below in various languages. The Survey will close on Friday March 24, 2023.

English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L

Arabic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L?lang=ar

Khmer: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L?lang=km

Lao: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L?lang=lo

Portuguese: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L?lang=pt

Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L?lang=es

Swahili: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L?lang=sw

Vietnamese: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Y38S5L?lang=vi

Get a jump start now and complete your emergency contact form for the 2022-2023 academic school year?

We have made it really easy for you to complete this important task. You can access the online form below. When you complete this form, it is immediately sent to McAvinnue and we will print it out for our records.

You don't need to come to the school to complete this form...you can do it right on your phone, tablet, or computer!

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. De La Luz at adelaluz@lowell.k12.ma.us or contact the Main Office at McAvinnue for support!

We have an online store if you wish to order any McAvinnue gear! It is open 24 hours per day and there is no due date for orders. Anytime you want to order...on any day!

The company is Prep Sportswear and has been reliable with solid product quality from reputable brands.

There is a 30% off deal occuring now on all items! This is a major discount if you are interested in purchasing McAvinnue merchandise.

We are also exploring additional local options to purchase McAvinnue gear. Stay tuned for more information in the month of September.

To access our current online store for McAvinnue spirit gear, please click the link below.

Don’t let winter stop you from eating fresh local fruits and vegetables! Fresh, locally grown produce is now available for purchase through April 2023 at Mill City Grows’ (MCG) Indoor Winter Mobile Markets at UMass Lowell University Crossing and MCG’s ROOT Kitchen.

Shoppers can enjoy a variety of seasonal vegetables grown on farm sites in the City of Lowell as well as fresh produce sourced from area farmers and growers. Mill City Grows Mobile Markets accept SNAP/EBT, cash, credit, debit, and Mill City Grows E-Gift Cards (a great stocking stuffer: https://squareup.com/gift/A6CVNHCK5PKAE/order) for payment. All markets also accept HIP (Healthy Incentives Program), a SNAP benefit that provides $1 back for every dollar spent on fruits and vegetables purchased directly from a HIP authorized farm or vendor. SNAP customers are encouraged to ask about HIP discounts while shopping.

The full Indoor Winter Mobile Market schedule can be viewed and downloaded at https://www.millcitygrows.org/mobile-markets/, including multilingual schedules in Khmer, Spanish, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Pashto. Please follow Mill City Grows on Facebook and Instagram for all scheduling updates or call 978-455-2620. The full schedule is listed below:

2022-2023 MILL CITY GROWS INDOOR WINTER MOBILE MARKET SCHEDULE

University Crossing Atrium at UMass Lowell

220 Pawtucket Street, Lowell

Monthly on Wednesdays from 2 PM – 4 PM

• April 19, 2023

* Parking is available at the Pawtucket Metered Lot across from University Crossing at 219 Pawtucket Street.

Click the link below for a list of local food pantries that are willing to help.

You can also reach out to Mrs. De La Luz, McAvinnue's Social Worker, for support navigating these and other options.

Please visit our website at: https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/mcavinnue

• FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/McAvinnueElementarySchool
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/McAvinnueLPS
• Instagram: http://instragram.com/mcavinnueelementarylps
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7hxiBuRjqjqfASl_RLMleQ