The Buzz at Leeds
March 28, 2022
Message from Principal Wenz
A huge thank you to our LEAP Social Justice Club for making our Friday morning announcement this past week. They shared poems that they wrote about kindness. We look forward to more of their messages at 8:15 each Friday. Our kindergarten has created a bulletin board about having a growth mindset.
I sent an email and message yesterday about a mask update. Last Thursday, the Northampton School Committee voted to amend the indoor mask mandate for schools. Effective, Monday, March 28, 2022, indoor masks will be optional in most situations. This means most students and staff will be able to choose whether or not they wish to wear a mask while inside. Please read the attached letter from Dr. Provost and Lisa Safron. There are many details regarding the new mask update.
Although, we are moving to masks being optional in most cases, there will still be students and staff who are not yet comfortable with taking their mask off. Please speak to your children about respecting everyone's decision whether to wear the mask or not to wear it. No one (student or adult) should feel pressured into wearing or not wearing a mask. There are a variety of reasons why people will make the choice that they do and their choice needs to be respected without questions.
I also realize that having masks be optional in most cases will make many students and families anxious and worried. Please know that we will still continue to keep 3 feet of distance when possible, continue to frequently wash hands, and teach students to cough or sneeze in their elbows as we always do. If any of you have children who may be anxious about the mask option, please reach out to me or Susannah Bastek and we will be happy to talk with them. Your child's safety is our number one priority.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems (MCAS) for students in grades 3-8 will be taking place in April and May. This year there will be 2 sessions for each subject area. Grades 3 & 4 students will take the English Language Arts and Mathematics sessions, while Grade 5 students will take the English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science sessions. Please see below for dates for each grade level.
We are now able to have field trips and field day again. As one of our students said on Friday, "We are coming back. It's really all coming back."
This week looks like we are in for some cooler weather. Please be sure to send students with their coats and hats, as we do go outside as much as possible.
Stay safe and be well,
Chris Wenz, Principal
Northampton's Week of the Young Child
Saturday, April 9th at Jackson Street School
9:30-11:30 Rain or Shine
See flyer below
Leeds Equity and Inclusion Committee
The next meeting of the Leeds Equity & Inclusion Committee will take place (virtually) on Wednesday, April 13, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. New folks are always welcome and encouraged to join! Please reach out to leedsequityandinclusioncomm@gmail.com for the meeting link, to join our email listserv, or with your questions/ideas. We plan to meet the second Wednesday of every month throughout the year. E&I participation is always completely flexible–you can choose to commit to as much or as little as you’d like.
The Leeds PTO will hold a virtual book fair April 4-18. All purchases will benefit Leeds Elementary and local independent children's bookstore High Five Books. As part of the book fair, you can purchase books to donate to the Leeds library, selecting from a "wishlist" of books that celebrate diversity and inclusion! Stay tuned for more information and links.
This week we’re highlighting resources that can be helpful when discussing nuance around the war in Ukraine. These are in addition to the general resources we shared earlier this month (March 7) about talking with kids about Ukraine. The support can help us address, in conversations with our kids, the unjust treatment of Black Ukrainians and international students trying to leave the country, as well as disparities in media coverage and global support for the crisis in Ukraine in comparison to wars and humanitarian crises in other parts of the world–without minimizing the devastating nature of any of these horrific events.
The Freedom Means podcast offers a short (7-min) episode for parents/caregivers called “Language Ideas: Russia's War Against Ukraine,” which provides suggestions for how to talk with children about these issues. The language is not meant to be prescriptive and can be tailored to children’s ages/understanding. Freedom Means includes several other great episodes as well that support talking with kids on all kinds of equity issues.
Parents.com has an article written in support of Black parents/caregivers talking with their children about the war in Ukraine, which is a great read for all families on how to approach and discuss these issues with kids
A piece in The Conversation provides helpful background and analysis on several dimensions of racism in the Ukraine crisis, and Vox.com offers data points and explanation for differences in how Ukrainian refugees are being treated in Europe compared to others who are fleeing violence.
COVID Update
MCAS - Grades 3 through 5 Students
Also, there is a link to our school report card based off of last year's MCAS.
Grade 5
- 4/7 & 4/8 English Language Arts
- 5/3 & 5/4 Science
- 5/17 & 5/18 Mathematics
Grade 4
- 4/5 & 4/6 English Language Arts
- 4/12 & 4/13 Mathematics
Grade 3
- 4/13 & 4/14 English Language Arts
- 5/19 & 5/20 Mathematics
Breakfast & Lunch Menus
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Calendar of Events
Upcoming Dates
3/28 LEAP Monday classes
3/28 Girls on the Run (2:10-3:40)
3/30 Girls on the Run (2:10-3:40)
4/1 LEAP Friday classes
4/2 Class Rep - Kindergarten gathering on Large Playground @2:00
4/4 LEAP Monday classes
4/4 PTO Virtual Book Fair begins and runs through 4/18)
4/5 MCAS Grade 4 ELA
4/5 Leeds PTO meeting @7:00
4/6 MCAS Grade 4 ELA
4/7 MCAS Grade 5 ELA
4/8 MCAS Grade 5 ELA
4/8 LEAP Friday classes
4/9 Northampton's Week of the Young Child @JSS 9:30-11:30 Rain or Shine
4/12 Leeds School Council Meeting @6:15
4/13 MCAS Grade 3 ELA
4/13 Leeds Equity & Inclusion Meeting @6:30
4/14 MCAS Grade 3 ELA
4/18 Last day for PTO Virtual Book Fair
4/18-4/22 April Break - No School
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Contact us:
(sharondewitt@northampton-k12.us)
Laura Ziomek, Administrative Assistant
Gabrielle Hollender, Early Bird/Late Bird Afterschool Coordinator
(ghollender@northampton-k12.us)
Chris Wenz, Principal
Email: sharondewitt@northampton-k12.us
Website: http://www.northamptonschools.org/project/leeds-elementary-school/
Location: 20 Florence Street, Leeds, MA, USA
Phone: (413) 587-1530