The RISE Report
Weekly Newsletter, March 26, 2023
Wow! What an incredibly busy and FUN week we had at RISE! We wrapped up our spring raffle with lots of winners, had an amazing enrichment program provided by the PTN, visited with Officer Rusty, and our teachers continued with some fabulous professional development! Take a look below at all the smiling faces and see how much fun your children had this week!
On Wednesday, our teachers took part in another robust day of professional development focused on Early Literacy Skills in Preschool. We spent the day learning more about phonemic awareness and the current MA State Guidelines for instructional practices in English Language Arts, the role of the classroom teacher, explicit instruction needed to teach, and interactive lessons to engage all students in developing these early reading skills. Once again, teachers had time to practice these lessons with colleagues and plan out their instruction and activities geared to meet the current needs of our students. It was a very productive day!
Finally, we are offering another community-based preschool screening for Reading residents, ages 3-4, who are not currently enrolled in RISE. This screening will take place on Friday, April 28 at Killam Elementary School. Registration is required, so check out all the details below for more information.
Have a wonderful week,
~Dr. King
RISE Director Search
Dear R.I.S.E. Families,
We hope you are all doing well as we move into (hopefully) some beautiful spring weather ahead! We are reaching out to share some updates regarding the upcoming R.I.S.E. Preschool Director search. As you likely know, Dr. Joanne King committed to serve in the one-year interim role for the 2022-2023 school year. We want to thank Dr. King for serving as the interim director this year and truly appreciate all of her leadership in moving the program forward during this period of transition. Dr. King has agreed to support our program moving forward in whatever capacity is needed. We know that there has been a good deal of transition in R.I.S.E. over the past year and it is important that we provide as much consistency for our students, staff, and families as possible moving forward. Therefore, while we don’t know exactly how Dr. King will support (this will be dictated by the outcomes of this search process), we appreciate her willingness to stay connected to the program however is needed.
We are now kicking off the search for the R.I.S.E. Director position. Attached to this email you will find an overview of the search process. Below, we outline two ways that R.I.S.E. families can be involved in the process ahead:
- Community Survey: Please take a few minutes to fill out a brief community survey regarding qualities needed in the next R.IS.E. Director. This will be helpful for the screening committee as they interview prospective candidates and represent the voice of the R.I.S.E. community.
- Screening Committee: We are looking for 2 R.I.S.E. parents/caregivers to serve on our screening committee. The role of the screening committee is to interview candidates for the position and to provide insights and input to the central office in terms of each candidate. The time commitment includes a 20-minute, virtual meeting on April 14th (time TBD on committee availability) and then initial interviews on April 24th and 25th (times TBD). Please fill out this survey by Friday (3/24) at noon if you are interested in serving on the screening committee.
We look forward to keeping the community updated as this important process moves forward. As always, please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback.
Best regards,
Tom Milaschewski, Superintendent
Jen Stys, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services
Sarah Hardy, Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching
Allison Wright, Special Education Director
The lucky winners of the PTN Spring Raffle are:
We have the lucky winners of the PTN Spring Raffle. Thank you to all who participated in this event! We raised almost $1,800 for PTN programming! And the winners are...
1 night stay at Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
WINNER = Vanessa Candelora
Sweet Dreams Baby Basket
WINNER= Courtney Martinello
Foursome at Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill
WINNER= Maureen Deligianidis
School’s Out for Summer Basket
WINNER= Lauren Smith
Indulgent Basket
WINNER= Shawn Cerretani
Self-Care Basket
WINNER= Lauren Brandt
$100 GC To Capital Grille & Bottle of Wine
WINNER= Mary O’Brien
01867 Basket
WINNER= Joyce Camenker
$200 GC to William Sonoma
WINNER= Lisa Thomas
Movie Night Basket
WINNER= Edgar Loor
What a great time we shared with Johnny the K!
PTN News Corner
Enrichment Programs:
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?
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.
Officer Rusty Came to Visit!
Preschool Community Screening
Reading Public Schools will be offering a preschool developmental screening on Friday, April 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Killam Elementary School. This screening is intended for any 3- or 4-year-old child residing in Reading, who is NOT currently attending the R.I.S.E. Preschool Program.
These screenings are offered free of charge to families who may have concerns for their child in the areas of speech & language, cognition, adaptive, fine motor, or gross motor skills. The screening activities are designed to assess a child’s development in problem-solving and thinking skills through play, language, social interactions, and fine/gross motor skills. Preschool developmental screenings are provided to ensure that all children receive appropriate services and supports prior to entering kindergarten.
If you are interested and your child did not previously attend the screening in December, please sign up by April 24 for a 30-minute time slot via this SignUp Genius LINK. Children must be at least 3 years old to participate in this screening.
If you have questions, please contact R.I.S.E. Preschool Director, Joanne King at 781-942-9179.
RISE Teachers attend Heggerty training
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
Crossing Guards Needed! Please consider applying
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. Thanks in advance for helping to spread the word in our community. We are in immediate need of substitute crossing guards, so if you may be willing to support in this role from time to time, please let us know!
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.
Roads, tracks, and parking lots! Get ready for some indoor and outdoor fun this month as we work on fine motor skills, two-handed skills, spatial organization, sensory motor skills and encourage your child's creativity! There are some great plastic egg activities included this month too! Feel free to reach out if you need these activities tweaked to meet your family’s needs.
I am also looking for some feedback on these activities and the monthly information provided. I would love it if you could take a few minutes to provide some anonymous feedback! Thank you!
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
⭐ Spring with SEPAC Events are open to ALL!
Do you ever think about your family’s emotional health? Anxiety in our nation? Inclusivity? We have events for you, including a movie night AND a visit from Lynn Lyons of Flusterclux podcast fame! See flyer for all of our events and mark your calendars.
⭐ Do you have a child who is on an IEP, a 504 plan, and/or has a disability? If so, the Reading SEPAC exists for YOU.
Fill out this BRIEF, ANONYMOUS survey for the board; we want to make sure we reach ALL families, and it will help us plan for 2023-2024. It should take only a few minutes.
The Board seeks input from families or groups who feel disconnected from SEPAC despite having a child with an IEP, a 504 plan, and/or special needs. We especially want to hear from parents/guardians of students in the following categories: Out of District placements, Boston residents, multilingual learners, and anyone else who desires more connection and/or could benefit more from SEPAC.
⭐ Overcoming Hurdles to Disability Inclusion event on March 30th
See flyer; register here.
⭐ SEPAC Business Meeting: Fulfilling our Mission to ALL Families
The SEPAC Board will hold a virtual, open, public business meeting and discussion on Tuesday, April 4th from 1-2PM via this link. Use our survey or email to submit ideas ahead of time.
See flyer for details!
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:
April
3: PTN General Meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m. on ZOOM
5: Curious Creatures Enrichment Program
10: Arts Fest begins, 5:30 p.m. at RMHS
17: Patriot's Day; Beginning of April Vacation
17-21: Spring Recess, No school
28: Preschool Screening for Reading Residents, 11-2
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