Doherty Family Update 9.28.2025

Typical beginning and ending of the day

School opens at 7:50 for breakfast in the cafeteria

8:05 Bell rings - students can access their lockers

Our school day starts promptly at 8:15

Doherty Website- Has all the Information

Monday, September 22 9:00 AM- Principal's Coffee- All are welcome RSVP Here

Wednesday, October 8 Early Release Day - 11:30 Dismissal

Monday, October 13 No School - Fall Recess

We are reviewing with our students the many safety precautions we have in place when they are in school. You may hear your children talking about Fire Drills or A.L.I.C.E Drills. A.L.I.C.E. is an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Communicate, Evacuate.

A.L.I.C.E is designed to prepare students for life inside and out of the classroom, at school, at home, at the mall, at an afterschool program, at restaurants, or any other place the child goes. We are teaching life-long safety skills.

This school year we will participate in both Fire Drills, supported by the Andover Fire Department and A.L.I.C.E drills. During the next few weeks, we will hold our first A.L.I.C.E drill, supported by the Andover Police Department. We will provide families with an update after our drill is complete.

In addition to drills, we also talk with our students about following good safety practices. This involves never opening a locked door for someone- even if it is someone they know. All visitors are asked to enter via the main entrance. We utilize the Visitor Aware System, a modern web-based system that allows our office staff to track everyone who enters our school and stop any threats at the door. All visitors will be required to show state-issued identification (license, passport) in order to enter the building.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership to ensure we keep our students and schoolhouse safe.

We are excited to announce that we are launching our new W.I.N. (What I Need) block this week. The W.I.N. block is a dedicated time during the school day that will provide targeted support and enrichment opportunities for all our students.

W.I.N. allows us to offer small group intervention support, primarily in Math and English Language Arts, for students who need it. This focused time will help reinforce key concepts and provide an extra layer of support for students to master skills essential for their academic success. All of our intervention and enrichment offerings are directly connected to the Massachusetts State Frameworks and/or skills that will lead to success in secondary school.

Additionally, the W.I.N. block will provide enrichment opportunities for students to explore new interests or delve deeper into subjects they are passionate about. This is a chance for them to expand their horizons and engage in unique learning experiences.

We understand that some students may be placed in an intervention group and may not be thrilled about it. Please know that these placements are for an 8-week rotation, and all students will have the opportunity to participate in different opportunities in future rotations. This new block is designed to be a fluid and responsive part of our curriculum, ensuring that every student gets what they need to succeed.

We appreciate your support as we get this new initiative off the ground. We are confident that the W.I.N. block will be a valuable addition to our school, and we are excited to continue supporting the growth and development of your child.

As part of our commitment to supporting student success, we want to share some updates about NWEA’s MAP Growth assessment, which students take in reading and math. This year, MAP Growth was updated to focus more closely on grade-level learning. Because it is a computer-adaptive test, the difficulty of questions adjusts based on how your child responds. The new version provides teachers with a clearer picture of how students are progressing with the content they are learning in class.

What Families Should Know About Math Scores

In the new version, math scores may look lower in the fall than in past years. Students typically then show more growth across the school year, so scores in the spring may be higher than expected. This also means the drop between spring and fall scores may look larger than it used to. These patterns are normal and do not mean your child has lost skills. The scores are still accurate, and teachers will continue to use them to guide instruction and support student learning.

Key Takeaways

• MAP Growth now emphasizes grade-level content.

• Fall math scores may look lower, but growth across the year is stronger.

• A bigger drop between spring and fall math scores is expected.

• This does not mean your child has fallen behind.

• Teachers use these results to better support learning.

We share this information so you will know what to expect if your child’s math score looks different this fall. Please be assured that your child’s progress is carefully monitored, and this updated version of MAP Growth enables teachers to connect assessment results with classroom learning more effectively. Thank you for your continued partnership as we support your child’s growth and success. Additional resources and information about MAP can be found HERE.

APS has partnered again with Idioma Consulting & Education to continue offering FREE English classes for parents/guardians.

Please share this information with your students and families, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have further questions!

Thanks,

Erin

APPELL - https://secure.smore.com/n/685tq

These are in-person classes held at High Plain Elementary start on October 7 from 9:30-11am. No sign up necessary.

ESOL Virtual classes - https://secure.smore.com/n/7f1pr

ESOL

FREE English Classes English classes for beginners Online virtual classes with a live teacher FREE for the Andover community

secure.smore.com

Classes meet virtually on Monday evenings from 6:00-7:00pm starting on October 6. Participants need to sign up to receive a Google Meeting link. Limit 25 participants.

Questions? Please reach out to:

Erin Johnson

EL Education Program Coordinator

Andover Public Schools

erin.johnson@andoverma.us

(978)247-7035, x 77035

It is the policy of the Andover Public Schools to review residency information at each change of school level – elementary to middle school and middle school to high school. This policy helps to ensure that only residents of the Town of Andover attend our public schools. Therefore, it is required that all 6th grade families submit an affidavit of residency by Friday, October 3rd. Please complete the appropriate form based on your current residency situation, and return it to us along with a bill dated within the past 30 days. These items can be dropped off, mailed (50 Bartlet St), or emailed (karen.reilly@andoverma.us) to the front office.

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, the Teaching and Learning office has conducted a deep analysis of the uses and impacts of AI on teaching and learning that has included:

• An examination of existing AI policies and guidelines from other districts in Massachusetts, other states, educational organizations, colleges and universities

• APS secondary faculty focus groups

• APS secondary student surveys

• APS superuser team review

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to this year-long process. While this work will continue to evolve, just as technology evolves, we would like to share the Andover Public Schools Teaching and Learning Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence for the 2025-2026 school year.

7th and 8th grade families welcome

Sunday, November 2nd (12:00 - 2:00 PM)
Greater Lawrence Technical School Open House

Info here

Saturday, November 22nd (8:30 - 10:30 AM)

Essex North Shore and Agricultural Technical School Open House

Info here

Pick Up Patrol – Absences and Dismissals

Starting this year, we will be using a system called PickUp Patrol to help us track dismissals. PickUp Patrol provides you with a convenient way to report your child’s attendance information.

How It Works

• Absences: When your child will be absent, you will submit a Plan Change via PickUp Patrol to notify the school.
• Missing Part of the School Day: If your child will be arriving late, leaving and returning, or leaving early, you will submit a Plan Change via PickUp Patrol to notify the school.

REGISTER:You should have received an email for PickUp Patrol. The family portal is free to families and can be accessed from your phone or computer.

If you have any questions, please first check the PickUp Patrol Parent Guide & if you need additional assistance, let us know.

🌟If you need assistance please contact Karen Reilly on our main office

phone 978 2479400 or by email karen.reilly@andoverma.us

If you are going to be dismissing your student via Plan Change on Pick Up Patrol, please make sure your student stops by the main office when they arrive to pick up a pass to give to their teacher.

Communication with our families is essential to the success and wellness of our students. To assist our families and help them connect with the appropriate staff who is best suited to answer questions, we have updated our “Who We Are” page on our website. The information will guide families to resources on how to reach staff with concerns and how to stay connected to news and events across the district.