Wood End Wildcat News
May 30, 2021
Dear Wood End Families,
As we enjoy this long holiday weekend, I want to take a moment to honor those who have served in our Armed Forces, or lost a loved one while serving. Celebrated since the late 1800s after the Civil War, Memorial Day is more than just a day for cookouts and ball games. It is a day of remembrance which also inspired the writing of the poem, "In Flanders Fields". Please take a moment this weekend to pause and remember our soldiers.
We are reminding our 5th grade families to have their students wear their class shirts on Tuesdays for the remainder of the year. This is a time for them to be recognized and celebrate this important milestone as they prepare to move on to middle school.
We continue to ask families to keep masks on during drop-off and pick-up until you are far enough away from others so we can keep our students and families safe.
The last day of school for students is Monday, June 21st with an 11:00 a.m. dismissal. I know there has been some confusion over the dates and times.
Enjoy this long holiday weekend,
Dr. King
Girls On the Run 5K THIS Saturday
Girls on the Run is getting ready for their 5K road run to celebrate the end of their 8-week program.
Race Information:
When: June 5th
Where: Wood End Sign
Time: Arrive at 8:45 AM
Ends at approx. 10:30 AM
The race will start at the Wood End sign, continue down Roma, Sanborn, and Lilah Lane and then reverse back to Wood End.
We hope you can join us to cheer on these girls. Please do not park on these streets. We ask that you plan to arrive early and park in the Teachers' Lot at Wood End.
Wildcats Continue to Show Their Core Values
As we close out the month of May, we wanted to share the latest PAW data!
Total PAWS given: 3,105
61% Engaged
53% Responsible
37% Respectful
28% Honest
26% Safe
Diversity Interviews with Our Community
Many of our students have begun our new community project, Diversity Interviews. This project will provide our students with opportunities to share their families’ cultures, traditions, and history in meaningful ways with their peers and other families. We are excited to see the creative ways our students will showcase their work, and we encourage every family to participate.
Information about this project was sent home with each student and is also available in your child's google classroom, so be sure to check out all the details. We provided samples as well as some interview questions to help get you started. Projects are due in your child's grade-level google classroom by June 11th. Please reach out to your child's classroom teacher with any questions.
Time to Return Those Laptops!
As the end of this extraordinary school year draws to a close, we are reaching out to you to have all technology equipment returned. Your child(ren) has a laptop that was provided for remote learning. Since remote access is no longer needed, we are asking all families to return the laptops and cables/cords, as well as hotspots if applicable, as soon as possible. We need to inventory and account for this equipment and would like to do this as soon as possible. Please refer to the attached loaner agreement to review the terms of agreement you signed.
All laptops and cables/cords from each family should be returned to Mrs. Finigan in our Main Office at your earliest convenience. Please be sure the power cord is provided with the laptop. If laptops are not returned, families will be charged for replacement of items that are not returned, lost, or damaged.
Grade 6 Summer Reading List Released!
School Council Elections Completed
We have been so fortunate to have the following people serve on this Council and send warm wishes as their terms expire in June: Lori Abelson, Nicole Cella, and Jessica Hester. Thank you!
5th Grade Celebration & Updates - We Need Volunteers!
Save the Date! We are finalizing details for our outdoor "Moving On" ceremony honoring our 5th grade students on Wednesday, June 16th at 8:45 a.m. The ceremony will last approximately 30 minutes. Attendance is limited to 3 guests per 5th grade student. Younger siblings will not be allowed to leave their classes to attend. Adults should bring a chair if you want to sit for this period. Masks are not required outdoors as long as we maintain 3 feet for social distancing.
Following the ceremony on the field, guests will be dismissed, and 5th grade students and pre-registered volunteers will transition to 5th Grade Field Day, followed by a picnic lunch. Students will then return to their classrooms to watch a slideshow of the wonderful photos submitted by families during our yearbook photo collection, which will also be sent home for family viewing! Rain date is Thursday, June 17th.
- 5th Grade Tee-Riffic Tuesdays: We're turning Tuesdays into 5th grade Tee-Riffic Tuesdays!! Starting Tuesday, May 25th, 5th graders are invited to wear their 5th grade t-shirt to school. If you miss a Tuesday, no big deal, as we have 4 Tuesdays on the calendar!
- The 5th Grade planning committee is also busy planning goodie bags, Field Day, and a special lunch & games to celebrate these awesome kids. If you have not yet sent your suggested $25 donation, kindly send a check to Wood End PTO via backpack mail or venmo Amy Croot at @Amy-Croot. It would be great to have donations by May 28th so we can complete our planning. If you're not sure whether you've contributed, please reach out to Amy Croot.
- 5th Grade donations are being collected through May 28th with a suggested amount of $25 check payable to Wood End PTO.
- We are still looking for volunteers for Field Day and to help with the 5th Grade lunch. Please see Mr. Bauer's sign-up genius for Field Day or reach out to Lisa Caraviello to help with lunch.
If you would like to offer a helping hand, please reach out the committee members below.
- Co-chair of Committee - Lisa Caraviello and Cristina Prior
- Yearbook - Cassie Dealy and Amy Croot
- Photo Collection - Susan Stathoulopoulos
- T-Shirts - Nicole Barletta and Michelle Mini
School Re-Opening for 2021-22
For those who are already planning ahead and looking forward to next school year, the new calendar has been approved. This is the schedule for the start of school in the fall:
- August 30-31: Teacher In-Service Days
- September 1: First day of school for all Preschool, Grades 1-12 students; Kindergarten Screening
- September 2: Kindergarten Screening
- September 3: No School
- September 6: Labor Day; No School
- September 7-8: Rosh Hashanah-School in Session for Preschool, Grades 1-12
- September 9: First day of school for Kindergarten
Health Updates
Spring brings sunny days and warmer weather in addition to seasonal allergies! If your child has allergies caused by the environment, please monitor for symptoms. There are many over-the-counter medications that can help alleviate symptoms. You may also want to consult your child’s pediatrician for advice. It is important that any prescribed medications be used daily to keep symptoms to a minimum.
Spring also brings about ticks! As children spend more time outside, it's important to check them daily for ticks. The fields and woods around Wood End contain ticks, so please monitor this throughout the summer.
If you have any questions about seasonal allergies or tick, please reach out to our school nurse, Mrs. Agami.
Book Drive at Whitelam Books - Shop Until June 13
In an effort to bring more books that represent diverse perspectives into our schools, Understanding Disabilities has put together a book drive with Whitelam Books. Understanding Disabilities teaches our students that even though we may be different in many ways, we are all the same inside. To help our kids see through the eyes of people with diverse abilities, UD has created a wish list of books for our school, chosen by our library staff, that feature characters with disabilities.
Beginning May 10 and running through June 13, stop into Whitelam Books on Main Street here in Reading, or call (781) 779-1833, to purchase one or more of these books for our school library, and while you are there, check out the full list of books and consider picking one up for your child as well! Many of these books are past MCBA book honorees, and Whitelam has books from picture books through young adult books selected for all five elementary schools and the two middle schools in town.
The books for Wood End will be delivered to our library in June after the drive is complete, and will be ready for students to start reading in the fall. Please share this information with loved ones and friends who might also like to support our school and Understanding Disabilities.
- The Snow Rabbit Hardcover by Camille Garoche
- My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay by Cari Best and Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Illustrator)
- Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant
- A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin byJen Bryant, Melissa Sweet (Illustrator)
- Completely Me byJustine Green
- The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game by Nancy Churnin, Jez Tuya (Illustrator)
- Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
- Farah Rocks Fifth Grade by Susan Muaddi Darraj
- Show Me A Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
- What the Wind Can Tell You by Sarah Marie Jette
Student Services Office Hours
Dear Families,
Below, please find the Student Services Office Hours for the month of June. If you are interested in meeting with Dr. Jennifer Stys, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Allison Wright, Director of Special Education, please utilize this Doodle Poll to reserve a time. The purpose of the office hours is to provide time to connect with families regarding any questions or concerns regarding your students and their experiences. Prior to your designated time, you will receive a ZOOM link for your meeting time.
OFFICE HOURS:
- Wednesday, 6/2/21 @ 9-10 am
- Thursday, 6/10/21 @ 11-12 pm
- Tuesday, 6/15/21 @12-1 pm
Please reach out to Allison Wright, Director of Student Services with any questions or concerns.
PTO Needs Your Help!
Help keep enrichment, author visits, resources & professional development coming to Wood End! Please consider volunteering for one of the following:
- President: This Board level position may sound daunting, but is very rewarding. This role can be shared! The President attends and presides at all PTO meetings, and oversees the work of the many talented subcommittees. The President makes sure that events are moving forward, and works with our school Principal to help address the needs of the school and our WE community.
- Secretary: The Secretary attends all PTO meetings and records the minutes. The Secretary helps draft PTO announcements and agendas. As a member of the Board, the Secretary votes on fundraising, spending, events, enrichment and other opportunities presented to the PTO.
- Adult Fundraiser Events: Our community includes parents and caregivers, not just students! This committee-level position coordinates events for adults, which could include Zoom cooking/crafting events for the pandemic world, or has included Trivia Night and Musical Bingo in the past.
- Book Fair Committee: Join this committee and learn from our experienced parents before their kids move on from Wood End! Book Fair committee involves organizing 1-2 Book Fairs a year with Miss Norcross and Follett Books. Book Fairs can be virtual or in-person where classes visit the Fair at scheduled times. WE also offer an open night at school for family browsing.
Attendance at PTO meetings is beneficial, especially during our event planning, but not consistently required. Do as much or as little as your schedule allows, but please help out.
If you are interested in serving in any of these positions (two-year commitment), please reach out to one of the current co-presidents, Melissa Moran or Cristina Prior. To learn more about the PTO, check out our bylaws HERE.
PTO Updates
Final PTO Meeting & Elections
We have scheduled our last PTO meeting of the year, along with elections for new board members. The meeting takes place on Wednesday, June 9th at 7:30 p.m. and we hope you can join us. All meetings will take place on Zoom and a link to this meeting will be sent to all families. We encourage you to come and bring a friend!
Amazon Smile
When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to the PTO. Bookmark in your browser for every time you shop Amazon. Save this link as a shortcut on your phone desktop!
Shutterfly
Be sure to use our school's Shutterfly & TinyPrints Storefront when ordering cards, photos, gifts, invitations, etc. Did you know that 8% of your purchase gets donated back to Wood End for our kids? Please feel free to share our storefront with family members and friends.
Stop and Shop A+ School Rewards - FINAL YEAR
Once registered, Stop and Shop will donate to the school when you use your card and shop, sign up now! Go to: https://stopandshop.com/school-rewards/
End of Year Opportunities
https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/83007242726
This is the second in a series of community reading trainings. As part of this training, participants will learn about:
- Understanding the Process of Assessing for Reading Disabilities
- Understanding the Referral Process
- Understanding Reading Assessments for Specific Constructs/Assessment Sensitivity
- Using Reading Assessment Data to Drive Instruction/Progress Monitoring (Aimlines)
- The Crafting Minds Special Education Graphic Organizer for Assessment Results
The presenters for the workshop will be:
- Shana Goldwyn, PhD – Team Chairperson: Killam Elementary/Joshua Eaton Elementary
- Renee Limauro, MS, CCC-SLP – Team Chairperson: Reading Memorial High School
- Auriana Musselman, M.Ed. – LEAD Teacher, Parker Middle School
SEPAC Survey-The Reading Public Schools Special Education Parent Advisory Council would like your feedback on future topics for SEPAC meetings and workshops. Please complete this quick survey no later than Friday, June 4th. https://forms.gle/VtqY7nditk1Nqsxg7
Thank you in advance for your support!
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.
Field Day Fridays
We will be wrapping up our grade-level field days over the next two weeks. Students have been very eager to participate and are enjoying a great time working with friends as they travel to various stations. Please see below for the remaining dates and important reminders.
- Friday, June 4 – 1st Grade
- Friday, June 11 – Kindergarten
- Wednesday June 16 – 5th Grade (date is confirmed)
- Friday, June 18 – Rain Date
Time and location: Field Day will take place from 10:30 – 11:30 on the above-mentioned dates down on the main field. (5th grade time will look a bit different)
Dismissal: Teachers will have students pack up before their field day so they have all their belongings for dismissal.
Materials: Please be sure your child is prepared for the day with sneakers, a refillable water bottle, hat, sunglasses, sun block, extra mask, etc. depending on the forecast for that day.
Grade Level Colors: Please remind students to wear their colors to show their team spirit.
- K = white, 1 = red, 2 = blue, 3 = orange, 4 = green, 5 = yellow/tie-dye (there have been student requests for 5th grade tie-dye)
Parent Volunteers: We will be asking 4-6 parents (per grade level) to volunteer to help with these outdoor activities. Chris Bauer will be providing this communication and will select the volunteers. All volunteers must have an active CORI on file.
Questions/Concerns: Please talk to Chris Bauer for any additional information.
1st Days School Supplies for 2021-22
We have been working with 1st Days School Supplies to once again create grade-level supply kits for next year! By ordering through this vendor, families are able to do their back to school shopping risk free from the comfort and safety of their own home. Get the exact supplies our teachers are requesting without the hassle and aggravation of shopping at big box retailers.
Emails from 1st Day School Supplies with this link were also sent directly to all families who purchased a kit in prior years.
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!
Family 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!)
Upcoming Events:
June
1 - MCAS Make-Ups; Internet Safety & Social Media presentation by Reading Police School Resource Officers for Grades 4-5
2 - Spirit Day, Wear your Wildcat Gear!
3 - Term 3 grades close; K-1 Virtual enrichment program, Museum of Science, Habitat Explorers
4 - Field Day for Grade 1, 10:30-11:30 on the lower field
5 - Girls On the Run Road Race, 9:00-10:30
6 - RMHS Graduation, Congratulations to the Class of 2021
8 - Grade 2 Virtual enrichment program, Museum of Science, Built for Survival
9 - Book Buddy Beach Day, 8:30-9:00 for all classes; PTO General Meeting & Elections, 7:30-8:30 p.m. via ZOOM
11 - Special Olympics for our students, 10:00-12:00 at RMHS; Field Day for Kindergarten, 10:30-11:30 on the lower field
15 - Kindergarten Celebration of Growing, 8:45-9:15; Grade 3 Virtual enrichment program, Museum of Science, Built for Survival
16 - Spirit Day, Wear your Wildcat Gear! Grade 5 "Moving On" Ceremony & Celebration; Student Council end-of-year celebration
21 - Last Day of School; All-School Meeting & Celebration; 11:00 a.m. dismissal
About Us
Email: joanne.king@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/woodend/
Location: 85 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA, United States
Phone: 781-942-5420
Twitter: @WoodEndSch