The RISE Report
Weekly Newsletter, March 19, 2023
We had a fabulous response to our first Spring Raffle fundraiser with almost 70 families participating! There was quite a variety of prizes donated for this event, and the lucky winners will be announced on March 22nd! Stay tuned for all the details!
On Friday, our teaching staff took part in a robust day of professional development focused on Mathematics Learning in Preschool. We spent the day learning more about the current MA State Guidelines for instructional practices, the role of the classroom teacher, interactions that support math development in children, settings for effective math learning, and focused activities to build skills in counting, measurement, and geometry. Teachers also had time to plan out lessons and activities geared to meet the current needs of our students. It was a busy and productive day! Special thanks to our very generous PTN for providing a delicious luncheon for this day. The pizzas and salad were much appreciated and quickly devoured!
Due to last week's snow, we have shifted our enrichment program this week. Johnny the K will be performing for students at Killam on Monday, and for our students at the high school on Thursday. Our students at Wood End already enjoyed his performance in the fall. We are really looking forward to his songs, costumes, funny hats, and his important messages about spreading kindness and being a good friend!
Have a wonderful week,
~Dr. King
Miss Tracey's Leprechauns celebrate St. Patrick's Day!
PTN News Corner
Enrichment Programs:
Our students are in for some wonderful enrichment programs over the next couple of months! Johnny the K, award winning musician and teacher, will be performing for our students on March 20 and 23 (Note date change due to snow day). With a unique collection of hats and costumes, he empowers children to be the best they can be!
On April 5, Curious Creatures will provide our students with an interactive and "hands on" opportunity to learn about some exotic and unusual animals including alligators, lizards, snakes, and tarantulas! What kid doesn't want to see these?
Finally, in May the Discovery Museums Traveling Workshops will provide a 45-minute workshop on Liquids & Solids to each classroom. Students will investigate the role temperature plays in causing materials to change from solid to liquid or liquid to solid. This is a very engaging science exploration for our youngest learners!
Prince Pizzeria Fundraiser:
In April, we will be holding our final fundraiser for the year. This one is "as easy as pie" and provides families with an opportunity to purchase vouchers for the delicious Take 'n Bake Prince Pizza (3-pack of full size pizzas). Details coming soon!
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:
- April 3
- May 22
- June 7 End-of-year celebration at Birch Meadow Field, 4:30-6:30 PM
Quick Updates:
The PTN has our own Venmo account set up for donations; @RISEPTN can be used for future transactions, collecting dues and fundraising. There is a small associated fee of 1.9% plus $0.10 per transaction (i.e. on a $100 contribution the fee would be $2.00). We hope this makes it easier for families to help support the PTN.
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
Give Kids a Smile Day - Free Child Dental Treatment!
Does your child need dental care? Tufts University School of Dental Medicine,(TUSDM), will be hosting a national outreach program created by the ADA Foundation, Give Kids A Smile (GKAS). TUSDM will be opening its doors on Saturday, March 25, 2023 to serve children (ages 0-13) in need of dental care. Children will be evaluated upon an initial screening to receive FREE treatments based upon need such as dental exams, x-rays, cleanings, fluoride and restorative procedures. See this flyer for more information.
ArtsFest 2023
Our district-wide celebration of the arts is just about a month away and there is excitement in the air! ArtsFest, our three-day event is scheduled for Monday, April 10th, Tuesday, April 11th. Some of the great visual arts and media on display at RMHS Main Street and the main lobby will include student artwork from:
- Each elementary school
- Both of our middle schools
- RMHS visual arts courses
- RMHS multimedia projections
We will also have some amazing musical performances by our students including:
- Our RISE preschool will be performing on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
- Each of our elementary schools
- 8th grade combined band (Coolidge and Parker Middle Schools)
- 8th grade combined chorus (Coolidge and Parker Middle Schools)
- RMHS Mixed Choir and Harmonium
- 6th grade combined band
- 6th grade combined chorus
- Reading Middle School Jazz Band (comprised of Coolidge and Parker students)
- RMHS Stage Band
- RMHS Jazz Ensemble
Please see the flyer below with the schedule of events. We invite you to come support our Reading students as we celebrate how the Arts bring us together as a district and as a larger community! A special shout out to thank our talented fine and performing arts teachers for their incredible dedication and commitment to our students! We hope to see each of you for Arts Fest!
District Planning...Are you interested?
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?
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:
March
20: Johnny the K performs for students at Killam, 9:15 a.m.
22: Ramadan begins; Spring Raffle Virtual Drawing via ZOOM
23: Johnny the K performs for students at RMHS, 1:00 p.m.
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