Parker Press
Week of October 17th, 2021
It is hard to believe that we are entering into our 7th week of the 2021-2022 school year. While many things have returned to "normal" in our classrooms, our school community continues to feel the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic in different ways. Stress is experienced by each of us differently, and that is true for our children as well. Not only are children tasked with learning to identify and strategize how to cope with their emotions at this young age, they are also sometimes burdened with feeling the effects of our stress. As parents and primary caregivers, we are our children's first teachers. Even before they learn to communicate, our children are learning from us though our words and actions. For me personally, I often feel inadequate to lead my children through this process as I am also learning these skills as an adult. One silver lining of the heightened level and intensity of our feelings and experiences in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is the continued importance of Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness for ALL. We have survived so much between school closures, quarantines, mask wearing, non-stop sanitizing, zoom holidays, etc. Yet, the residual effects of this time can still be felt by both adults and children.
As a district, we continue to make Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness a top priority for our students and staff. Within this area of development, the home-school connection is vital so we would also like to make sure that our families are aware of resources. HERE is one website I encourage you to explore when supporting your children through their emotions and helping to guide them through their individual response to stress. Additionally, Shrewsbury Public Schools has partnered with the William James INTERFACE Referral Service and offers many resources to our public school students and their families.
We recognize these times are not always easy and want you to know that we are here for you. Parker Road Preschool is a community built on care and kindness and will help each other whenever we can. Please reach out with any questions on these resources or other ways we may be able to connect you to outside support for you and your family.
Have a great week and stay well,
Bridget
Pictures from this week!
Announcements and Reminders
Looping Line Safety
With such busy schedules, reminders are an effective strategy to help us maintain our safety and organization. As safety is out top priority with the looping line, please see below for some reminders from our staff:
- Please remember to turn off your car engine and take your keys with you prior to taking your child out of the car during arrival.
- We are continuing to identify the 10 painted car spots of the looping line as "safe to unload". If you pull into one of these spots, please know that it is safe to turn off your car and unload your child(ren). These spots end at the "turn" of the looping line. Please do not unload at the corner.
- At 8:30am and 12:00pm when the arrival bell rings, our teachers will be going inside of the building to begin teaching. If you have pulled into the looping when the bell rings but have not been able to move into a painted spot, we will do our best to hold the door for you.
- Please be sure you are walking your child to the center door opening or confirm that a teacher has taken the hand of your child(ren). While we always want to promote independence, we do not feel as though it is safe to allow your child to walk to the arrival door from your vehicle.
We appreciate everyone's patience with the looping line and the kindness you show for your fellow parents/caregivers when their children may be having a tough morning. Thank you for your continued support! your
PTO Information
PLEASE READ - Student Information Needed
With less than 2 months into school, we have already begun planning for the 2022-2023 Preschool Lottery! As we begin this work, we are asking for all parents/caregivers of our tuition-paying students take a few moments to complete THIS FORM and indicate your preference for your child's preschool session at Parker Road Preschool next year. As current students at Parker Road Preschool, you do not need to enter the lottery again, but we do need to know in which session you plan to enroll your child(ren).
If your child is heading to Kindergarten in September 2022 OR your child is currently attending Parker Road due to his/her/their IEP, you do not need to complete this form. If you have any questions, please reach out to Miss Nicole at NNye@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us. Thank you!
Health and Safety Updates
COVID-19 Testing Update - SWITCHING TO NASAL SWAB
We are very excited to announce that starting Monday, October 18th, all students will switch from “saliva testing” to “nasal swab testing”. Please follow the instructions when collecting samples and registering the test kits at home. Before collecting the samples, the test kits MUST BE REGISTERED at the test lab website using your cellphone, iPad, or other electronic device to scan the QR code on the test tube. The registration links the nasal swab sample to your child and EXPEDITES RESULT NOTIFICATION TO THE DISTRICT.
The “at home nasal swab sample collection and sample registration instructions” can be found at: https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/district/covid-testing-information
Please follow the step-by-step instructions. Please seal the sample, put it back in the plastic bag and have your student(s) bring it back to the school on Tuesday morning.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to email us at covidtesting@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.
COVID Testing Team at Shrewsbury Public Schools
DAILY SYMPTOM CHECKS
We greatly appreciate the partnership of our families when checking your children for COVID symptoms BEFORE sending them to school. Below is a reminder of the current COVID-19 symptoms list. We recognize that new information is being shared and it can sometimes be overwhelming to know when to consult a healthcare professional. Please refer to this when completing your child's symptoms check and know that you are ALWAYS welcome to call Miss Rachael at 508-841-8669 with any questions or concerns.
■ Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
■ Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
■ New loss of taste or smell
■ Muscle aches or body aches
■ Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
■ Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms
■ Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other
symptoms
■ Headache, when in combination with other symptoms
■ Fatigue, when i n combination with other symptoms
■ Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms
*The symptoms in bold type are considered significant on their own. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should stay home and contact their health care provider to request COVID-19 testing and follow up.
**Other symptoms are considered significant when in combination with one another. For example, a sore throat on its own is less worrisome than a sore throat combined with a headache or runny nose. Anyone experiencing a combination of 2 or more of these symptoms should stay home and contact their provider for testing and follow up. Anyone who develops these symptoms while in school will be seen by the school nurse for evaluation and next steps will be determined.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Corner
INTERACTIVE PARENTING WORKSHOPS!
Mark your calendars! We are excited to announce that Debra Cushman, our school psychologist, will be offering interactive Active Parenting workshops on select Mondays. Over the course of the year, you’ll learn the best ways to nurture your preschooler, prevent and respond to challenging behaviors, and support your child's success in school.
Here is the schedule for the coming weeks:
- November 8: What is Your Job as a Parent? and Ages and Stages of Development
- November 22: Parenting Styles and The Power of Choice
- December 6: The Importance of Play and Self-Care
- December 20: Your Child's Brain and Preventing Problems
There will also be time for you to share any questions or concerns you may have.
Additional dates and topics will be announced at a later time.
Workshops will be offered at 9:00 am and 12:30 pm and last approximately 30 minutes. The same information will be presented in each session, so feel free to join whichever fits your schedule. Please use this link to access all workshops:
https://shrewsburyps.zoom.us/j/89508362831?pwd=M2wrbGNXSWhJaXplM1ltUzFITjl4QT09
Please contact Mrs. Cushman at dcushman@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us with any questions. We look forward to talking and learning together!
Who's Who at Parker Road?
1) Why did you decide to come to Parker Road Preschool?
"In 2005 I came to Parker Road Preschool because of the amazing opportunity provided to me through an alignment of my values in education and the chance to use my new Special Education teaching degree! Shrewsbury’s core values of Respect & Responsibility, Collaboration & Communication, Commitment to High Standards and Expectations and Equity have always been integrated into my teaching so it was a perfect opportunity to continue to support the mission of the district!"
2) Who is part of your family?
"The people who live in my home are my husband, Brian, and two children, Desmond and Clara. To my daughter’s dismay, we do not own any pets."
3) What did you want to be when you grew up?
"When I was little, I wanted to be a singer or veterinarian."
4) What do you like to do when you are not at Parker Road?
"When I am not at Parker Road I like to go running, listen to live music, hike with my family and find new restaurants to try."
5) What is your favorite movie or book?
"My favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast (both the cartoon and Live Action versions)."
6) What is your favorite restaurant or food?
"My favorite food is gnocchi (a potato filled pasta)."
7) What is your favorite store?
"My favorite store is Whole Foods!"
8) If you could have any Superpower, what would it be?
"If I could have one Superpower, it would be to heal people who are hurt."
Upcoming Important Dates
Additional Holidays and Important Dates
Thursday, October 21st and Friday, October 22nd: School Pictures
Thursday, October 28th, 2021: PTO General Board Meeting
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021: Parent-Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL
Saturday, November 6th, 2021: Fall Family Day 10:00am - 12:00pm
Thursday, November 11th, 2021: Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL
Contact Information
Email: brnichols@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
Location: 15 Parker Road
Phone: 508-841-8646