Birch Meadow Newsflash
October 14, 2022
Notes From Dr. Burnham
*Below the "notes" this week you will find the RPS District Handbook attached. The handbook is distributed at the beginning of every academic year. It is the presumption of the administration and the school system that a parent and student will read and understand the handbook. Even if a parent or student does not return the signoff acknowledgement form below, such presumption is made. Please complete this form for each child in your family. Please click on the link below to sign that you have received the handbook.
*Attached below you will also find my presentation on the 2022 Spring MCAS at Birch Meadow. Watch for individual student results to arrive home sometime this week or next. Please reach out to me directly with questions.
* As a result of repeated conflict amongst students I am requesting that Pokeman Cards remain home and are not sent in with students. Teachers will speak with students about this, but please help us by speaking with your student(s) and ensuring that they do not have Pokeman Cards with them at school.
*All Birch Meadow Halloween festivities will take place on Friday, October 28th. This includes the K &1 Costume Parade, PTO Trunk-Or-Treat, School-Wide Costume Day, and any other classroom or grade-level events that might take place. This is the only day students should come to school in costumes. As we approach the 28th it is important to know some guidelines for student costumes. All grades are welcome to wear costumes on Friday the 28th, but only kindergarten and 1st grade will “march” in the parade. Here are some specific guidelines for costumes:
· No masks, fake blood or handheld props
· No overtly scary costumes
· Students must be able to get in/out of their costume on their own
· Students must have a back-up change of clothes
*STEM Week: Massachusetts STEM Week is the week of Oct. 17th-21st. Check out some amazing family resources compiled by our K-8 STEM Curriculum Coordinator, Mrs. Heather Leonard. Also, be sure to check out Mrs.Leonard’s blog throughout STEM week about all things STEM! The blog already includes a post that identifies some cool STEM Week options to register for families.
-Dr. B
Birch Meadow Turkey Trot
Our 1st annual Turkey Trot fundraising is officially live and we are off to a great start! Have you registered your child(ren) yet?! This is an all-inclusive event. Whether your child chooses to run, walk or trot, the idea is to just have fun doing a healthy activity with their classmates all while raising funds to support the Enrichment program here at Birch Meadow! The students have already achieved their first All School reward- A Silly Sock day! Please help bring all students to the next reward level by registering and sharing their link with friends and family via text and on social media. If you did not receive the flyer in your child’s bag, please take a look below to learn how to register for the event. If you’d like to help or have questions please don’t hesitate to reach out- AmandaLynn.Haley@gmail.com.
A message from the Birch Meadow PTO:
Hello, Birch families and staff! We hope you are enjoying the weather and all things fall! THANK YOU to the many families who have already signed up for our Trunk or Treat - we are thrilled to offer this FREE family event on Friday, October 28th from 5:00-6:30 PM. To learn more and to volunteer to decorate your car or donate candy, please Click here to sign up for the Trunk or Treat!
And, while we may not be "gobbling" yet, we ask you to please save the date for Tuesday, November 22nd from 2:45 - 3:30 PM, when we'll host Birch Meadow's first Turkey Trot fun run fundraiser! Our online fundraising platform is now "live" - please see the attached flyer for more details and to sign up your child.
THANK YOU to the many parents and caregivers who are helping to organize these events!
NEXT SEPAC MEETING
Tuesday, October 18 at 7PM
HYBRID: in person at the RMHS Schettini Library Media Center with remote access using this link
Hear about last year’s special education program reviews
Board Elections. Consider serving on the board! We could really use someone who is good at taking notes and posting agendas and meeting minutes. We can have up to six people on the board.
TRANSITION PLANNING WORKSHOP
Preparing students with disabilities for life after high school officially starts at age 14 and requires planning, skill development, and network support. This VIRTUAL presentation will be particularly important for our families with secondary level students on IEPs, but it is never too early for parents/caregivers of younger children to have a sense of what’s to come. Don’t miss out on this important topic. Click here to pre-register!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
📌 Wilmington SEPAC’s Basics Right Workshop - Evaluation and Eligibility. Thurs. Oct. 13th, 6 to 8PM via Zoom. Click here to register
📌 Inclusive family kickball game. Sun., Oct. 16th, 11AM to 1PM at Washington Park
📌 Board nominations requested. by Sun., Oct. 16th. Email: SEPACelection2022@gmail.com
📌 Board elections and SEPAC Business Meeting with presentation of Program Review Results. Tues., Oct 18th, at 7PM, hybrid (RMHS library and on Zoom–link forthcoming)
📌 Andover SEPAC’s Basics Right Workshop - Understanding the IEP. Tues. Nov. 8th, 7 to 9PM via Zoom. Click here to register.
📌 Reading SEPAC’s Basics Right Workshop - Transition Planning. Tues., Nov 15th, 7 to 9PM via Zoom. Click here to register!
We HIGHLY ENCOURAGE all parents of children who receive, or may receive, special educational services to attend one or more of the Basic Rights Workshops, especially if you never have.
Check your email for more details from us about these topics and more. Not on our mailing list? Click here to join SEPAC's mailing list and while you’re at it, follow SEPAC on Facebook and on Instagram.
New Social Media Pages
The current PTO board experienced some trouble accessing the previous Facebook page and Instagram handle log-in information, so we have created a NEW PTO Facebook page and NEW PTO Instagram handle!
Please "like" our new "Birch Meadow Elementary PTO" Facebook page and follow our new Instagram: @birch_meadow_pto
We will no longer post to the previous pages - please follow these new ones for updates, Staff Spotlights, photos, and more!
Visit the Birch Meadow School Store
Birch Meadow PTO
Email: BirchMeadowPTO@gmail.com
Website: https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/birchmeadow/
Location: 27 Arthur B Lord Drive, Reading, MA, USA
Phone: 781-944-2335
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BirchMeadowElementarySchoolPTO/
Twitter: @birch_meadow