Wood End Wildcat News

Last call for tickets to this incredibly fun event! The night features 2 bingo games with grand prizes for each, multiple in-game prizes, raffles, teacher-donated raffles and silent auction. Buy tickets for admission and raffles online at https://wood-end-elementary-pto-inc.square.site

• Too busy to make a table? No worries! Order tickets and we'll arrange a table.
• Can't attend but want to support our biggest fundraiser of the year? Purchase raffle tickets! We'll place them in raffles for you.

What are those prizes anyway??

PTO wishes to thank the wonderful businesses & families who have generously donated to our event. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year and helps make possible field trips, assemblies, technology, professional development, author visits and more! Opportunities to win include....

• Hotel stays at premiere Boston hotels: Hotel Commonwealth, The Lenox, The Revere, and XV Beacon
• Tickets to events like: Celtics, Greater Boston Stage Company, Lowell Spinners, North Shore Music Theater, Red Sox, and Wachusett Mountain
• Registrations including: BOKS, 5 Star Academies, SNL Flag Football, Reading Little League Baseball, and Reading Pop Warner Football
• Memberships to The Trustees of Reservations and The YMCA
• Gift certificates to Alantra Spa, Alpha Omega Music, Beanstalk at Jordan's, Bellevue Golf Club, Boston Duck Tours, Boston Harbor Cruises, Central Rock Gym, Colombo's, Common Man, Cordele Photography, Cupcake City, Discovery Museums, Elite Freestyle Karate, Harrows, Horseshoe Grille, Impact Sports Lab, JP Licks, Kaylash, Laschi, Lyons Group Restaurants, Meadowbrook Golf Club, NE Aquarium, Old Sturbridge Village, Peabody Essex Museum, Professor's Market, Reading Gymnastics, RN Esthetics, Salem Country Club, Salon on Haven, Santa's Village, Scrub a Dub, Simoniz, Stop & Shop, Treetop Adventures, Wegmans, and Xtreme Craze.

Grade-Level Baskets - THANK YOU to everyone who has generously donated to the grade level baskets! These themed baskets are offered through silent auction and have been curated by your amazing room parents with the following collections: Beach, Experiential, Wellness/Spa, STEM, Kitchen & Cooking, and Scratch Tickets.

Teacher Raffle Items - THANK YOU to our awesome teachers who have donated their time for unique student-loved prizes such as ice cream & craft afternoons with their teacher, PE Teacher for the Day, and Principal for the Day!

Order your food from Anoush’ella and support Wood End!

• Anoush’ella will offer free delivery service to the Wakefield Elks for anyone interested in ordering appetizers or dinner for their table.
• What’s more - Anoush’ella will generously donate 25% of its proceeds from each order back to Wood End.
• To place an order, email Alex at a@anoushella.com by Thursday, March 12th and mention Wood End’s musical bingo night.
• You will receive an email confirmation with the total amount due at time of delivery. Cash or check accepted only.

Ready to get involved?

We are looking for volunteers to help with setup, cleanup, and small tasks throughout the night. Please sign-up HERE.

Any questions - big or small are gladly accepted at woodendpto@gmail.com. We're really looking forward to seeing you Friday night!

It is hard to believe that we are already preparing for transition to middle school! Although we are not ready to have the fifth graders leave us quite yet, they are sure to be ready for the big move come summer! Please click on the link below to access transition documents for both Coolidge and Parker including:

• Welcome letters from each middle school principal

• Parent input form due April 3 (please note these are different than the elementary input form)

• Important Transition Dates

• Registration forms for "Welcome to Parker" and "Welcome to Coolidge" (in August)
  
  

Gr 5 to 6 Transition Information

We are all aware of the news regarding the coronavirus outbreak. It is concerning to see the virus spreading so quickly and so far! For that reason we want to be sure you are familiar with the information that is being provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health regarding coronavirus. As we all know, schools can be transmission points for all kinds of contagious diseases. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services communicates regularly with school districts about approaches to coping with infectious diseases. Though we are hearing a great deal about coronavirus in the news and it is causing us all some anxiety, the risk of contracting the flu is still much greater than contracting coronavirus.

Please be aware that our custodial staff are trained in the use of EPA approved disinfectants and that all surfaces are cleaned daily at the school, including doorknobs. Cafeteria tables are wiped down with disinfecting solution after each lunch. We are mindful of illness transmission at Wood End and are maintaining all cleaning and health safety procedures.

Below are the guidelines the Department of Public Health is issuing on reducing your risk of contracting any viral illness. Students, staff, and volunteers are reminded to:

• Practice good hand hygiene. Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Use Alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. You can also cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Throw used tissues in the trash and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid sharing drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, dishes, towels or other items. Wash these items thoroughly with soap and water after use.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick whenever possible.
• Practice other good health habits: Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Please also note that the school district will be using very specific chemicals to clean classrooms. With this additional cleaning, we are asking that staff/parents do not to bring in wipes because of the chemical reactions that could occur between store bought wipes and our cleaning chemicals.

It is also important to keep children home from school when they are ill. If your child has any of the following symptoms please keep them home from school: temperature greater than 100.4, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, any rash not yet diagnosed by a physician, red or pink itchy eye, and/or drainage from eye, and any contagious illness such as strep throat or flu.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our Health Office at 781-942-5420 to speak with Mrs. Suglia. Click here to get the facts about the Coronavirus.

By Kamilah Drummond-Forrester, Director of Open Circle

News of the coronavirus COVID-19 is everywhere, and it is critical for us to be intentional about how we talk to children about what they are hearing. As a mother of four children ranging from ages 5 to 17, I think I’ve heard anything and everything about how one can get the virus and where it came from. I’ve had to gently guide and redirect my own children in their anxiety and misunderstanding about this.

Here are a few things that I have found useful in my conversations with my children, and I share them in case they are useful to you:

Children take their emotional cues from adults. It is critical that we mind our reactions and our words when in the presence of children. Kids look to us for how to react to a crisis or a sensitive situation. Our words and actions should convey calm and compassion. Connecting with school nurses or medical professionals to get the facts about the coronavirus and how it is spread may be helpful, so that we can be sure we’re conveying factual information to the children around us. Displaying an overly anxious or fearful affect will be “contagious,” and cause children, in turn, to become overly anxious and fearful. Remain calm and reassuring as much as possible. Lean on the other adults within your community to share your own fears and concerns if that’s useful.

Interrupt othering behavior and speech. An unfortunate by-product of this scare has been the othering of Asian American communities. Many Chinese restaurants and businesses are experiencing loss of business as a result. I’ve heard many children say things like “Chinese people caused this” or other disparaging remarks. It is important that adults immediately and firmly interrupt these types of comments and othering behavior.

Practice calm breathing and mindful pauses. At Open Circle, one of the threads woven throughout our curriculum is calm breathing and mindfulness. Incorporating 3 calm (diaphragmatic) breaths and 1-minute mindful pauses throughout the day will go a long way toward providing children with a coping tool for calming down and decreasing anxiety.

Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know. None of us have all the answers to questions children may ask us about this topic, and that’s ok. If a question comes up that you don’t have an answer to, you can offer to try to get the answer from someone else later. But some questions simply cannot be answered with any definitiveness. Help children to understand that in life there are grey areas, and that not all questions have straightforward answers. They should understand that the adults in their lives--whether at school or at home--will be there to protect and assist each and every one of them, no matter what. As Mr. Rogers’ mother used to say, when there is a crisis, “look for the helpers.” Knowing that there will always be helpers may go a long way toward relieving children’s worry.

For more resources in helping children deal with traumatic events or sensitive topics, we have put together the following resources:

Helping Children Deal with Traumatic Events
Discussing Sensitive Topics with Children

Did you know that 2,114 have been given out as of Friday? Our students are very engaged with 54%, followed by being responsible, respectful, honest and safe.

Go Wildcats!

Gymja Warrior - Save the Date!

Kids have amazing energy! Bring it to Wood End's afternoon at Gymja Warrior on Friday, March 27th from 3:30-5:00 p.m. During this 90-minute session, kids will receive instruction on parkour & ninja obstacles, and have some free time to apply their new skills on their favorite obstacles too. No experience necessary - any and all ability levels welcome! Tickets are $20/child. Sign up at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wood-end-school-fundraiser-tickets-96995994631

The planning for the end-of-year activities for our 5th grade students is well underway. Students have selected a theme for the party which takes place immediately following the "Moving On" ceremony. Mark your calendars - the festivities will take place on Thursday, June 11th beginning at 6:00 p.m. More information will be coming soon, but if you are interested in helping, please reach out to committee chairs Sarah Bhuta, Alexis Eliopoulos O'Mara and Caitlin Koehler.

All Reading parents are general members of SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) and thus are encouraged to attend SEPAC's events, including business meetings.

SEPAC business meeting THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, March 10th at 7 PM in the Reading Memorial High School Schettini Library Media Center. The meeting will include the following two presentations:

• RPS Behavioral Health Coach Lauren Sabella, M.Ed., LMHC, will present on the district's policies concerning restraint and seclusion, followed by a Q&A. If you have any questions about restraint and seclusion, please try your best to attend.
• RPS Superintendent Dr. John Doherty will present on the district's proposed plan required by the Student Opportunity Act (SOA) and solicit member feedback about the proposed plan. As part of the SOA, districts are required to submit three-year, evidence-based plans aimed at closing persistent disparities in achievement among student subgroups. Additional information about the SOA and related plans may be found on the DESE website.

A copy of the revised meeting agenda for 3/10 may be found here. If you cannot attend a meeting but have comments/questions about the agenda items, please email sepacreading@gmail.com. Also check our website for meeting minutes once they've been approved.

Mark your calendars:

Daytime SEPAC meeting on Wednesday, April 1st at 10 AM in the Reading PUBLIC Library Conference Room. Details and agenda to follow.

Visit SEPAC's website and follow SEPAC on Facebook for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling to provide nutritious meals for the family, Project Bread can help. This is the only comprehensive statewide information and referral service in Massachusetts for people facing hunger. They can connect you to SNAP benefits and food resources in your local community, and help you navigate the application process. They also provide referrals to other programs such as WIC, school meals, housing, and utility assistance. For more information, call 1-800-645-8333 Monday through Friday, 8AM-7PM, and Saturday, 10AM-2PM.

The curriculum guides for K-5 Reading, Writing, Science and Mathematics are available for the community's information and feedback. These guides provide an overview of the curriculum being taught in our elementary schools. The purpose of these documents is to ensure horizontal and vertical alignment of the MA Curriculum Frameworks within each area of our curriculum. The goal in sharing the guides with the greater Reading community is to provide consistent information about our curriculum practices and an overview of grade-level expectations based on the state frameworks. Please take a moment to review them here so you can stay informed.

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!

March

9 - Kindergarten Enrichment, Discovery Museum; UD presents to Ms. Ockerbloom's class (Physical Disabilities); Superintendent Office Half-Hour at WE, 2:30-3:00 PM

12 - Grade 4 Field Trip to BSO

13 - Term 2 report cards; Reading Rotary delivers book bags to K-1 students; PTO Musical Bingo, Wakefield Elks, 7PM

20 - In-Service Day for Staff (no school for students)

23 - PTO Meeting, 6:00 PM in the cafe

27 - UD Guest Speaker, Kailyn Looby presents to Grade 1

30 - MCAS, Grade 5 ELA1

31 - MCAS, Grade 5 ELA2

For your information and planning purposes, below are the dates that have been set for the Spring MCAS sessions in Grades 3-5:

Grade 3

Monday, April 6 - ELA Session 1

Tuesday, April 7 - ELA Session 2

Monday, May 11 - Math Session 1

Tuesday, May 12 - Math Session 2

Grade 4

Thursday, April 2 - ELA-Session 1

Friday, April 3 - ELA-Session 2

Thursday, May 7 - Math Session 1

Friday, May 8 - Math Session 2

Grade 5

Monday, March 30 - ELA-Session 1

Tuesday, March 31 - ELA-Session 2

Thursday, April 30 - Math Session 1

Friday, May 1 - Math Session 2

Monday, May 18 - Science Session 1

Tuesday, May 19 - Science Session 2

Wednesday, May 20 - Makeups

Thursday, May 21 - Makeups

Email: joanne.king@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/woodend/
Location: 85 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA, United States
Phone: 781-942-5420
Twitter: @WoodEndSch