Peirce Principal News

Hello Peirce Caregivers,

June is officially here and so are the many traditions that help us to close a successful school year! For elementary students, it is important to remember that this can be an exciting time as well as one that brings about some big feelings and uncharacteristic behaviors. Between the concerts, field trips, and celebrations, it is not uncommon for children to have anxiety about changing routines for the summer, transitioning to a new grade level, or going to a new school.

As educators and caregivers, it's important to allow space for these worries. Provide time for kids to reflect on the past year and express hopes or ask questions about the weeks and months ahead. It can be helpful to build in additional "down time" to balance the busy schedules that mark the end of the school year. This may mean declining some invitations, being realistic about what is best for your family, and choosing the events that feel most meaningful. Finally, sticking to routines-- like a consistent bedtime and arriving to school on time each day-- helps children to feel secure in the familiar. I share these ideas as a reminder to myself as much as any caregiver reading this newsletter!

Best Regards,

Andrea Vargas

Due to circumstances beyond our control, Color Day will now be held on Wednesday, June 14th. This was originally the rain date for this event. Because of field trips and other celebrations before the end of the school year, there will not be a possibility for rescheduling Color Day in the event of rain on the 14th. Let's hope for great weather!

Please use this RSVP link if you plan to attend.

Dear Elementary Families,

As many of you are already aware, the Newton Public Schools has been involved in a process to review, pilot, and select a new core literacy instructional resource since 2019. The process began with the formation of a review committee that consisted of principals, curriculum leaders, teachers of multilingual learners, general and special education teachers, various district personnel, and literacy specialists. In 2019, the committee established a rigorous selection criteria, and recommended Fountas and Pinnell Classroom in December 2021. The process has expanded since that time to include curricula that is better aligned with the science of reading – an evidence-based approach to literacy that includes building background knowledge, a focus on language structure and teaching of the five foundational skills: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. The expanded process includes a final list of four curricula under consideration:

• Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA)
• EL Education
• Fountas and Pinnell Classroom
• Wit and Wisdom
  
  

Aligned with our commitment to including stakeholder input into the district’s decision-making process, we invite NPS families to review the curricula materials on this site. Families are encouraged to submit their hopes, thoughts, and concerns about the four curricula. Please provide your feedback at this link:

• English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXGJD3J
• 中文 (Chinese): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXGJD3J?lang=zh
• 日本語 (Japanese): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXGJD3J?lang=ja
• 한국어 (Korean): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXGJD3J?lang=ko
• Português (Portuguese): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXGJD3J?lang=pt
• русский (Russian): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXGJD3J?lang=ru
• Español (Spanish): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXGJD3J?lang=es
  
  

Thank you for your input into this process.

If you have outstanding questions about this process, please contact us at the email addresses below.

Sincerely,

Renee McCall, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning (mccallre@newton.k12.ma.us)

Deana Lew, Elementary Literacy Curriculum Coordinator (lewd@newton.k12.ma.us)

June 21- Last Day of School, 12:10 Early Release

Peirce Elementary School

170 Temple Street

Newton, MA 02465

(617) 559-9630