Bancroft Bulletin
Family Edition: March 20, 2026
DATES TO KNOW
March 26: Bancroft Talent Show (info comes from PTO) at 6:00
March 27: End of American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge
April 8: Early Release, Dismissal at 12:15
April 9: Grade 3 Strings and Recorder Informance - info was sent to grade 3 parents
April 20 - 24: NO School, Spring Vacation
Andover Public Schools 2025 - 2026 Calendar
Andover Public School 2026-2027 Calendar
MCAS dates
Grade 3
ELA - April 6 and April 7
Math - May 11 and May 12
Grade 4
ELA - March 31 and April 1
Math - May 13 and May 15
Grade 5
ELA - April 13 and April 14
Math - May 4 and May 5
Science - May 18 and May 19
March 21st, Collins Center
NESCS is coming to the Collins Center at Andover High! New England Show Choir Showdown (NESCS) is the only show choir competition at Andover High School.
On Saturday, March 21st, 17 middle/high school groups will take the stage from 8:30 am until 10 pm. If you enjoy live music and want to see some fabulous singing and dancing, come join us! This will also be your chance to see Andover High’s own show choirs in a showcase performance.
Tickets can be purchased directly at HERE
Please reach out if you have any questions
Vision of the Graduate
Dr. Riley, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, is excited to share the next phase of our Vision of the Graduate (VoG) work with the Andover community. As you may know, over the past four years, the VoG design team has partnered with educators, students, families, and community members to shape the APS Vision of a Graduate—a shared vision for the skills and mindsets our students need to thrive now and in the future.
In the last issue of All Around APS, we introduced the student‑designed Vision of a Graduate (below) and a short Vision of a Graduate introductory video, showcasing the creativity and leadership of our learners.
To begin our VOG launch, Dr. Riley will be hosting a parent Zoom on Thursday, March 19th from 12:00pm-1:00pm. Please register here to learn about the APS Vision of a Graduate. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!
ELPAC Opportunity
Do you want to learn the best strategies for navigating Andover schools and meet other multilingual families in our community? Please click the link below to register for our March 31st ELPAC meeting so we can ensure you feel welcome, supported, and connected!
Invitation link - https://app.smore.com/n/zbmk5
RSVP - https://forms.gle/VR5P6gobT18zg6Jb7
¿Quiere conocer las mejores estrategias para navegar las escuelas de Andover y conocer a otras familias de nuestra comunidad? Haga clic en el enlace a continuación para registrarse en nuestra reunión de ELPAC del 31 de marzo para que podamos asegurarnos de que se sienta bienvenido, apoyado y conectado.
Você quer aprender as melhores estratégias para navegar nas escolas de Andover e conhecer outras famílias em nossa comunidade? Clique no link abaixo para se inscrever em nossa reunião do ELPAC em 31 de março, para que possamos garantir que você se sinta bem-vindo, apoiado e conectado!
您想了解在安多弗 (Andover) 学校就读的最佳策略并结识我们社区的其他家庭吗？请点击下面的链接注册参加 3 月 31 日的 ELPAC 会议，以便我们确保您感到受欢迎、获得支持并与大家建立联系！
هل ترغب في تعلم أفضل الاستراتيجيات للتنقل في مدارس أندوفر والتعرف على عائلات أخرى في مجتمعنا؟ يرجى النقر على الرابط أدناه للتسجيل في اجتماع ELPAC المقرر عقده في 31 مارس لضمان شعورك بالترحيب والدعم والتواصل معنا!
Physical Education weekly update!
Week of March 16th
This week, all students participated in a fun underhand and rolling game called "Sink the Ship." In this game, they worked together as a team to sink the other team's ships by knocking down the bowling pins that kept each ship afloat. Along with developing underhand throwing and rolling skills, the game also emphasized teamwork and defense.
Music weekly update!
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MUSIC CLASS 3/16/26-3/20/26
K-3 students experience a music appreciation lesson on Irish music. We learn about the traditional instruments like the fiddle, flute, pipes, harp, and bodhran drum. We then move into watching a clip of the theatrical dance show, “Riverdance.” We discuss things like: What did you notice? How did this music make you feel? Did you like this music?
Students complete the activity by drawing a picture of what comes to mind as they listen to the music.
We end music class with a fun singing game called “Jolly Leprechaun” in which students must guess who the leprechaun is by listening to the leprechaun’s voice, who sings “I am the leprechaun.”
Fourth and Fifth grade students are busy with learning about how to read and write music on the staff. They are assigned a self-paced independent lesson on their google music classroom. Words discussed are treble clef, staff, line notes, space notes. Students explore the many different parts of MusicPlayOnLine with lessons, assessments, activities, and games.
Art weekly update!
Week of March 16
Kindergarteners are learning about Korean American artist Joo-Young Choi. She creates puppets and characters for imaginary worlds that she makes up. She creates installations with characters as a type of mythology. Students will be creating their own imaginary friends in art class.
First and second graders are learning about Impressionist painter, Claude Monet. They are creating lily pads and leaves with oil pastels on colored construction paper. Next, they will create 3D flowers with coffee filters to glue onto their drawings.
Third grade students are creating clay planets inspired by artist/inventor James Nasmyth for the spring art show.
Fourth graders who have Mrs. Dunn will be creating a project inspired by IMAGINE (aka Sneha Shrestha) a Nepali - American artist and muralist based in Boston. Students are experimenting with stamping sponges to make a colorful brick wall, and learning to make bubble letters to create their own “Identity Wall.”
Miss Garrity’s fourth graders are learning about the Japanese Holiday Kodomo no hi also known as Children’s Day. To celebrate, they are creating Koinobori, also known as carp kites.
Fifth graders are creating gemstone paintings inspired by contemporary artist Angie Crabtree. Next, students are learning about the Japanese Holiday Kodomo no hi also known as Children’s Day. To celebrate, they are creating Koinobori, also known as carp kites.
Library Media weekly update!
Week of March 16
This week, Kindergarten read Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin as we continue to read our way through the alphabet of authors. Students were very excited to share what they love in their tacos and what they do not like in their tacos.
First grade read another fractured fairytale this week, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems. Ask your student if they saw the Pigeon guest appearance in the book. After the read aloud, students continued to work on their own three little pigs inspired mini book.
Students in grades two through five continued to work on their writing and research projects. After a grade wide vote, grade two read the third chapter of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The students were excited to finally meet the White Witch and were eager to hear more about Narnia. Third grade students read Blackout by John Rocco. They continue to work on their small moments and personal narrative and continue to work on their pre-writes. Fourth and fifth grade students are in the depths of their research. This week students discussed how they know if they have enough information to begin their project.
School librarian: Tiffany Hutchins
Librarian email: tiffany.legare@andoverma.us
TECHNOLOGY DEVICES AT SCHOOL
We are all working to manage the age of technology and are looking for support between school and home. Many children have new smart devices and the elementary schools have some guidance.
A kind reminder to our families that cell phones must be turned off and in students’ backpacks at the start of the school day. Smartwatches may be worn as regular watches, however, students are not allowed to text, communicate with others, use applications, take pictures or videos, or access social media services and websites.
Should parents/guardians urgently need to reach their child during the school day, we ask that you call the main office. Students are also allowed to come to the main office if they need to contact someone at home. If a cell phone or watch becomes a significant distraction, school administrators will reach out to parents/guardians. The Andover Public Schools is not responsible for lost, stolen, damaged, or broken devices.
To promote healthy digital habits during the school day, the resources below may be helpful to use. We appreciate your partnership as we work to keep interruptions to the school day at a minimum.
Resource for Apple Watches:
How to set a School Time schedule
Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Tap All Watches, then tap your child's watch.
Tap Done, then tap Schooltime.
Turn on Schooltime, then tap Edit Schedule.
Choose the days and times when you want Schooltime to be active.
Tap Add Time if you want to set up more than one schedule in a day.
Resource for Gizmo Watches:
How to set up School mode
Open the. Gizmo Hub app.
Tap the. School mode switch. turn on or off. If necessary, set up a School Mode schedule.
Bobcat to Bobcat
Bobcat to Bobcat is a committee in our school of staff members who work to support families who may need assistance with various needs throughout the year. This includes helping with scholarships for events, holidays, and more. Our work is confidential and financially supported by our PTO as well as our staff and families who donate when needed.
All donations are given anonymously and recipients’ information will be kept in strict confidence.
We have an amazing community here at Bancroft and know that when there is a need, everyone pitches in. We will reach out throughout the year!
If you are a family wanting to be on our list needing support, please email our social worker, Nancy Modlish at nancyjo.modlish@andoverma.us or me, Beth Leavitt at beth.leavitt@andoverma.us.
Meals at Bancroft
All students are able to receive 1 free breakfast and 1 free lunch daily during the 2025 - 2026 school year. Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria from 8:45 - 9:00 and does not need to be ordered ahead of time.
Lunches will need be preordered. It is very important that our cafeteria has an accurate lunch count each day. Please review with your children each morning what you have ordered for them.
Please click below for the monthly menu and more information about Andover's Nutrition Program including how to sign up.
LOST & FOUND
Every year the lost & found racks become quite full of clothes, water bottles, shoes, etc. and you can help by LABELING EVERYTHING!!
PLEASE write your last name on items and this will help us to return things to your child.
Thank you!!
Transportation Information
MOST IMPORTANT - CARS DO NOT TRAVEL FROM THE BANCROFT ROAD SIDE OF THE SCHOOL. YOU ENTER THE CAR LANE FROM WEST KNOLL.
OUR BUSES MUST USE BANCROFT ROAD AND IT IS NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR CARS AND BUSES. YOUR COOPERATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL!
When cars are waiting prior to 8:45 and prior to 3:30, they must be TURNED OFF.
This is a NO IDLING ZONE as the SIGNAGE INDICATES.
DROP OFF: ALL CARS MUST DRIVE UP WEST KNOLL TO DROP OFF STUDENTS. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not get out of the car in the morning to help your child. We have staff on duty to assist and this will hold up the line quite a bit. We know many have to rush off and we want to help in any way we can. This is a way we can help one another!
There is a staff member there to direct traffic and it is a single lane so you may not pass even if your child has exited your car.
PARENT PICK-UP: ALL CARS MUST DRIVE UP WEST KNOLL TO PICK UP STUDENTS. NO CARS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER FROM BANCROFT ROAD.
In order to help expedite the pick-up procedure, please write your last name ONLY in LARGE, BLACK, BOLD print on a piece of tag board/paper and have it prominently displayed when you arrive to pick up your child. This will expedite the process. If someone else is picking up your child, please have them follow the same protocol.
AGAIN . . . DO NOT EXIT YOUR CAR DURING THIS TIME OR PASS CARS! Every car stays in a single line and waits for the car in front of you to drive off.
Thank you very much!
Resources
Important Links (APS):
Bancroft Elementary School
Email: beth.leavitt@andoverma.us
Website: Bancroft School
Instagram: @bancroftaps
Location: 15 Bancroft Rd, Andover, MA, USA
Phone: (978) 247-9500
X: @BancroftAPS