The RISE Report
Weekly Newsletter, February 26, 2023
Welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful vacation week doing what makes you happy – enjoying your children, reading, relaxing, sleeping late, traveling, or spending time with family and friends. I spent some time in Vermont skiing with my family and enjoying lots of new snow! It felt like a winter wonderland!
We are wrapping up our registration and class placement for the 2023-24 school year. Information letters will be going out to families by the end of the week with class assignments, though the teacher assignments will not be finalized until later this spring. We have also been busy ordering some much-needed classroom supplies to restock for the remainder of the school year. Finally, our PTN has been working hard to get some enrichment programs scheduled in March and April, so stay tuned for those details. Our students and staff will love what they are planning!
As a reminder, we have our next PTN meeting tomorrow evening, February 27, 7:30-8:30 PM via ZOOM. We hope you can join us as we work on some fun events and enrichment programs for our students as well as finalize details on the March Raffles! You don't want to miss this!
For your planning purposes, we have a full-day of professional development planned for all RPS staff on Friday, March 17. There will be no school for students on this day.
Enjoy the week ahead, and the possible snowstorm headed our way on Tuesday!
~Dr. King
PTN News Corner
Raffle Fundraiser:
We are seeking donations to create gift baskets to raffle off in March! If you have anything to contribute to the raffle like local gift cards, tickets, hotel stays, themed gift baskets, etc., please email Corey Mathison or Meghann Cerretani and we will coordinate a time to pick up the item(s).
Some creative themes for gift baskets include: Movie Night, Date Night, Shop Local, Game Night, Gift Cards, Lottery Tickets, School's Out for Summer, Outdoor Fun, Spa Retreat, Sports, Staycation, and so many more! We will be collecting items until March 1st! Once raffle items are collected and prepared, we will create a document to showcase the raffle options and will be selling raffle tickets. The drawing will be done virtually to announce the winners. More to come on that in March!
PTN Meeting Dates for 2022-2023:
PTN members agreed to hold meetings virtually via Zoom on Monday evenings, 7:30-8:30 PM. Meeting dates for the remainder of the year will be on:
- February 27
- April 3
- May 22
- The end-of-year celebration is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 7
If you have any questions, or interest in volunteering this year to support our PTN, please reach out to any of our PTN board members. We welcome everyone to join!
- Co-Presidents: Meghann Cerratani & Diana Gil
- Vice-President: Rachel Bramante
- Secretary: Corey Mathison
- Treasurer: Courtney Martinello
Safety Reminders
RISE Extended Day Applications for 2023-24
Below are the RISE registration forms for the 2023-24 school year. Please complete this information and submit it to the Extended Day Program as soon as possible to be considered for a spot. These fill up quickly, so don't delay! If you have any questions, please contact Mackenzie Irwin, Assistant Director of Community Education.
North Suburban Child & Family Resource Network
Now Hiring...Crossing Guards!
In collaboration with the Reading Police Department, we are seeking community members who may be interested in serving as a Crossing Guard. These positions are essential in ensuring the safety of our students and families. Here is a link to the job posting with information on expressing interest. Please help us spread the word!
Kindergarten Registration for 2023-24
We know the registration process can generate a lot of questions. Here are some of the FAQs we have heard from families.
This month, we're all a wee bit Irish, so let's celebrate with some fun activities you can do at home! Get ready to hunt for some gold coins, create some colorful rainbows, and go on a scavenger hunt! Feel free to reach out if you need these activities tweaked to meet your family’s needs.
Have a great month!
Linda Boyages, OT #1537
Occupational Therapist
RISE Preschool
NEW Student Electronic Health Record Software System
We are updating our student electronic health record software system. The new Health Portal will allow parents to directly message school nurses, update any emergency contacts and medical conditions and securely upload medical documents to their child’s health record. Families should have received an email inviting them to log into the Health Portal. Please see here for more information about the Health Portal.
Please note that even if parents opt in to consent for administration of over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol and Ibuprofen, a doctor’s note will still be required for elementary students to receive any medication at school. Please contact our Director of Nurses, Mary Giuliana with any questions.
Latest News from SEPAC
Save the Date: Bullying - What Parents Need to Know. Virtual Training, Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 7pm, via zoom: Click here to register (you MUST pre-register to get the zoom link). Parents and professionals are welcome to join this extremely important discussion which will cover the following topics:
- What is bullying?
- What are the school’s legal obligations to prevent and address bullying?
- What are some strategies and tools for dealing with bullying?
- How to address bullying on the IEP?
Additional Opportunities:
- This spring will be the inaugural season of the RMHS Unified Basketball Team for students in grades 9-12!!
- SPLASH! Adaptive Water Exercise Program (ages 18+). The program is open on a first come first serve basis and it is 100% free. See our newsletter for additional registration details.
Reminder that SEPAC events are open to all! For much more information about SEPAC and the opportunities mentioned above, click here for our latest newsletter.
We encourage you to join SEPAC's mailing list, follow SEPAC on Facebook, and follow SEPAC on Instagram
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!
Important Dates Coming Up:
February
27: PTN General Meeting via ZOOM, 7:30-8:30 PM
March
3: Class Placement Information for 2023-24 sent to families
17: In-Service Day for Staff; No school for students
Overview of RISE Programs
Reading Public Schools offers a variety of outstanding integrated preschool programming for Reading residents. Our integrated programs serve tuition-based students and students who receive special education services. Our goal is to create an environment of mutual respect, where all students learn from their teachers and from each other.
Our integrated preschool programs are multi-age, and students may enter when they turn three years old. This enables our younger students to learn from their older classmates. Our four-year-old students love being role models and leaders to our three-year-old students.
Our integrated programs are designed to support the learning and growth of both tuition students and students with disabilities. Our approach is play-based. Students learn school, social and academic skills through center activities, free play, circle time, recess, and more.
If you have questions about our programs, you are welcome to contact Dr. King.
Contact Information
Email: joanne.king@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: https://rise.reading.k12.ma.us/
Location: 62 Oakland Road, Reading, MA, USA
Phone: 781-942-9179