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Please see the bottom of this newsletter ("Important Things To Know") for important reminders that will be in every issue for your convenience! These items include: Lunch menu link, PowerSchool information, social media accounts and much more!

Thursday, 6/5/2025

Events/Meetings:

• Fruit & Vegetable Program: Vegetable Day
• LPS Dance Showcase at 6:00 at Lawrence High School

Parent events:

• PTO Meeting 3:00-4:00 in Library

Friday, 6/6/2025

Events/Meetings:

• No Latchkey due to an in-service day
• Grade 4 Dance

Student events:

• Impact Sports for 311

No afterschool programs today.

School Store:

• Grade 3, 4 ILP 3/4

Theme Day:

• Dress down day for $1.00

Monday, 6/9/2025

Events/Meetings:

• Grade 4 Picnic in the field

Student events:

• Impact Sports for 211
• Music Therapy for 102, 311, & 211

Tuesday, 6/10/2025

Events/Meetings:

• Fruit & Vegetable Program: Fruit Day

Student event:

• Impact Sports for 102

Wednesday, 6/11/2025

Parent events:

• SEPAC Meeting at 6:00 in library (Last meeting of the year)

Thursday, 6/12/2025

Events/Meetings:

• Fruit & Vegetable Program: Vegetable Day

Friday, 6/13/2025

Student events:

• Impact Sports for 311
• Perfect Attendance Ceremony 10:30-11:30
• School Store: K, 1, 2 PA1, ILP 1/2

Theme Day:

• Tropical day! Summer is almost here! Wear summer clothes, Hawaiian shirts or bright colors to celebrate summer starting next week! During morning circle, share your favorite summer activity. ☀️🏖️😎

P- Come Prepared to Learn

R- Act with Respect

I- Lead with Integrity

D- Tackle with Determination

E- Achieve Excellence

JUNE SAYO/SEL Outcome of the Month:

E- Achieve Excellence

AND

Self-Regulation

What does this look like here at the Parthum?

Hallway-

We teach students that some of the ways they can show respect when they are in the hallway are:

• I am walking at all times

• I stay to the right to allow others to pass

• I walk silently so I do not disturb others

• I keep my hands, my feet and all other objects to myself

• I can greet others warmly and with a smile

• I can hold doors open for others & say "thank you" when they hold the door for me

Playground-

We show students some of the ways they can demonstrate respect on the playground are:

• I share equipment

• I pick up litter (when and if it is safe to do so), even if it’s not mine, and I put it in the trash can

• I use appropriate language at all times

• I keep hands, feet and objects to myself at all times

Cafeteria-

Some ways we can show respect in the cafeteria are:

• I use my indoor voice; I talk only to people at my table

• I stay in my seat and sit appropriately in my chair

• I clean up after myself

• I raise my hand to ask questions

• I touch only my tray/food

• I do not leave the café without permission

Classroom-

In the classroom, some of the ways we might demonstrate respect are:

• I raise my hand

• I wait my turn

• I use kind words

• I use an inside voice

• I keep my hands, feet and any objects to myself

Assemblies/Auditorium-

When we go to the auditorium, we can show respect by:

• I am quietly listening when others are talking

• If I am applauding, I do so appropriately and without yelling out

• I keep my hands, feet and other objects to myself

• I clap and laugh at appropriate times

• I am silent during a presentation

Bathroom-

In the bathrooms, we can demonstrate respect by:

• I respect the privacy of others

• I respect the facility by keeping it clean

• I use a quiet voice when greeting others

• I wait patiently for a stall to be open

• I never vandalize my own school

As for Communication Skills, some of the ways that we demonstrate/reinforce communication skills with others are:

• Teaching students to actively listen
• Teaching empathy
• Teaching students how to read non-verbal cues (facial expressions, for example)
• Being sensitive to the needs of others
• Being mindful of what you say
• Practicing listening and speaking
• Explicitly teaching conversation skills
• Encouraging turn-taking
• Using group work for communication skills
• Teaching respectful vocabulary

These are just some of the ways we teach/model these skills. When we see students demonstrating respect or positive communication skills, they will receive a shout-out on the Morning News or a Panther Paw!

We are so proud to say that our students are some of the most respectful students around AND they are great communicators! Please try to reinforce these skills at home. If you have questions on how to do this, please reach out to your child's grade level teacher or counselor. Thank you!!!

YMCA Camps - Merrimack Valley Camps by the YMCA

mvymca.org

www.lawrencepl.org

Home | ACTLawrence

www.lawrencecommunityworks.org

• City of Lawrence Recreation Department - The Lawrence Recreation department offers affordable sports and recreation programs for youth, teens and adults throughout the year. https://www.cityoflawrence.com/183/Recreation

Essex Art Center

• https://www.essexartcenter.org/?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=summer_teaser&utm_medium=email

LEARN MORE

The last day of school is June 17, 2025. An adult must come to pick up your child’s medication at the end of the school year. We cannot give it to your child to take home. Any medication not picked up by the end of the school day (11:00) on June 17, 2025, will be disposed of.

Medication forms for next school year will be available to you when medication is picked up. Please have this form completed by the doctor over the summer (please ensure the form is dated after August 1, 2025). Please return completed form along with medication labeled in English. For your child’s safety, we need medications and authorizations at the start of school.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Superintendent Mr. Ralph Carrero warmly invites all Lawrence Public Schools families with students in grades K–12 to join him for a Virtual Coffee Hour on: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

This is a great opportunity to connect, ask questions, and hear updates from the Superintendent in an informal setting. Spanish and Creole translations will be available, and attendees will have a chance to win some exciting raffle prizes! We are looking forward to seeing you all!

Thank you.

Equal Pay: A Conversation with Democratic Whip Katherine Clark

In-Person and Virtual Event
Monday, June 16, 2025
6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time

U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) discusses ongoing work to close the gender wage gap and support the economic success of women and families, as well as her distinguished career, in commemoration of President Kennedy’s signing of the Equal Pay Act in June of 1963. Errin Haines, Editor-at-Large for The 19th*, moderates. Jack Schlossberg, President Kennedy’s grandson, introduces the program.

To make your experience safe and enjoyable, the JFK Library takes the safety and security of all guests, staff, and visitors seriously. Upon entry to this federal building, all visitors must pass through a security check with a metal detector. All bags will be searched by Security Officers upon entry. Visit our website for more details.

Only one purse or diaper bag is allowed per person, and bags cannot be larger than 17 × 26 inches (43 × 66 centimeters) in size. Additionally, any suitcases and backpacks are not permitted and should be stored in your vehicle or left at your hotel.

We recommend all guests attending this program in person review our Visiting Safely FAQ page.

Register

From Fitness to Fellowship: Creating Lasting Impacts

With a goal to promote health and fitness, reimagining a past tradition became a powerful catalyst in strengthening school culture and building community connections in ways this school hadn’t anticipated.

READ MORE

4 Edtech Tools That Can Transform Student Teamwork

Edtech tools can help cultivate an environment of collaboration where every student feels heard. One educator sought to find the best edtech tools for fostering teamwork and communication among students.

READ MORE

Great Outdoors Month: June

Great Outdoors Month is a celebration of outdoor recreation and America’s parks, forests, monuments, waters, national conservation lands, and other natural treasures. Events will be held at sites nationwide to encourage all Americans to explore the great outdoors, including a fee-free day at several of the National Forests. GET OUTDOORS

Juneteenth: June 19

Juneteenth celebrates African American resilience and achievement while aiding in the preservation of those historical narratives that promoted racial and personal advancement since Freedom Day. JOIN THE CELEBRATION

Civic Season: June 19-July 4

From Juneteenth to July 4th, Civic Season empowers young people to skill-up and school-up to shape the nation’s future. More than 500 institutions in all 50 states unleash hundreds of resources and activities to activate a new skill, passion, or perspective to cultivate connection and investment in civic life. BUILD YOUR SEASON

National Summer Learning Week: July 14-18

National Summer Learning Week is a celebration dedicated to elevating the importance of summer learning! Let's work together to keep kids safe and healthy every summer and ensure they return to school ready to succeed. BRIDGE THE GAP

Greatest American Cleanup: Register Now

Everyone in America can be part of the greatest cleanup event in history and make your community cleaner, greener, and more beautiful for America’s 250th celebration. The goal is to remove 25 billion pieces of litter from parks, waterways, and public spaces by July 4, 2026. It’s ambitious but achievable with your help. TAKE THE PLEDGE

Report to Parents: Learning Life Skills at Home

These are some articles from The Marshall Memo, a weekly roundup of articles that our teachers read. We thought that our families might find these articles interesting as well. Enjoy!

There are no new articles for the family section this week...please check back next week!

A Conversation About Classrooms, AI, and Parent Worries

In this New York Times interview, Ezra Klein talks with Rebecca Winthrop of the Brookings Institution. Klein says he has a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old and is deeply concerned about how they should be educated in the years ahead. What will they need to know? How will they deal with artificial intelligence? Are schools set up to prepare them for the world that awaits them?

Winthrop believes the most important skills for the uncertain future are motivation and engagement, “being able to navigate and constantly learn new things and be excited to learn new things,” which includes being creative coming up with new solutions. Kids will also need to know enough content so they can tell what’s real and what’s fake.

What about AI? “We need to have kids build that muscle of doing hard things,” says Winthrop, “because I worry that AI will basically make a frictionless world for young people. It’s great for me. I’m loving generative AI, but I have several decades of brain development where I know how to do hard things. But kids are developing their brains. They’re literally being neurobiologically wired for how to attend, how to focus, how to try, how to connect ideas, how to relate to other people – and all of those are not easy things.”

Winthrop says her research points to four ways that students can be engaged with learning in school and life:

· Passenger mode – coasting, doing the bare minimum;

· Achievement mode – trying to get good outcomes to please adults;

· Resistor mode – avoiding and disrupting;

· Explorer mode – loving what they’re learning, digging in and being super-proactive.

The passivity of passenger mode is sometimes difficult to spot because kids are getting good grades while they’re actually bored to tears. “They show up to school, they do the homework, but they have dropped out of learning,” says Winthrop. “School is actually too easy for them.” They might be doing online shopping in class, or getting ChatGPT to do the work for them.

Other passenger-mode students find school too hard because they’re missing prerequisite skills, and they might use AI to cut corners, never learning the skills they missed – like reading a whole book, writing an essay, and thinking logically and sequentially. It’s difficult to catch this kind of AI cheating, says Winthrop. “Kids will find a way. We cannot outmaneuver them with technology… What we need to do is shift what we’re doing in our teaching and learning experiences.”

Klein remembers hating school and doing poorly through middle and high school. He was a voracious reader, but something about doing school was “impenetrable.” He wrote essays for his English teachers, but they didn’t give his writing good grades. He wonders how schools can accommodate kids like him when they have to teach to the middle.

Winthrop says the problem was probably that he was operating in “explorer” mode and his teachers weren’t on board with that. She disagrees that personalization is impossible, pointing to schools in North Dakota that have created “studios” for adolescents – classes where students can work on something that fascinates them and justify how it meets state standards. One girl picked the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy and designed an escape room around the topic. “She got super-excited,” says Winthrop, “and did several of these. And then she actually said she was so motivated, she went back to sort of normal classes.”

Klein says that’s what happened to him; in college, he started writing political blogs, and suddenly his inability to do regular schoolwork melted away. After years of academic struggle and failure, he started doing well. “When students find the teacher,” he says, “find the subject, find the approach that activates them, all of a sudden the things that are not that activating to them become easier. That there is a lock-in-a-key dynamic to learning.”

Winthrop describes this as “finding your spark.” With another North Dakota student the ignition point was local politics, getting himself on the local school board, and for another it was robotics. “When you’re motivated,” says Winthrop, “this internal drives makes you engage more. You lean in more. You enjoy it more. There’s a virtuous upward cycle, and there’s lots of evidence to show that it often spills over.”

Klein asks about AI’s ability to tutor kids in their learning styles – graphic presentations for visual learners, podcasts for auditory learners, sonnets for students who love poetry, pop quizzes for students who like them. Will that super-personalized use of technology motivate students, make them all into “explorers,” making teachers irrelevant?

Winthrop agrees that technology can be helpful with individualized skill development – for example, adaptive software to help kids learn to read – and that can be transformational in situations where there are large classes, too many substitute teachers, and not enough trained teachers. AI really can help teachers, supplementing the human work they do.

But she doesn’t think “a 100 percent personalized learning journey for every kid” is where we want to go. “I think there’s a big difference, and we need to make a big distinction between AI supporting educators in doing what they do versus going direct to young people.”

Winthrop continues: “Teachers do many, many things. Kids learn in relationships with other humans. We’ve evolved to do that. I do not think that we will go away from that. Or we may go away, and then we’ll be like, Oh, my God, that was a huge mistake. And 10 years later, go back… What we don’t want to do is bring AI in and have every kid sitting in front of an AI tutor alone at their desk for eight hours a day. That’s not the future that is going to help our kids.”

Klein plays the devil’s advocate: what about if students sit at computers with their personalized AI “junior teachers,” he says, “and there’s some master teacher in the room who the kids can to talk to, who can be pulled in to oversee the learning and reshape what’s happening? There is testing and other things to help us evaluate how the kids are doing. But the teacher, who’s already managing a classroom of students, is now also managing a classroom of helpers, of tutors.”

Winthrop sees the appeal of this scenario. “The role of the teacher in traditional public schools is damn near impossible,” she says. They have to master their subject, deal with a wide range of achievement in every class, figure out who needs what and differentiate, spot the quiet “passenger” kids (who might be bored or struggling), manage classroom dynamics and discipline problems, increasingly be social workers dealing with mental health problems, and somehow get all kids to grade level.

“So it’s very hard for one teacher to do this all,” she says. “Absolutely, I think the wave of the future is a different model where you have multiple people, and one of those could be an AI tutor helping support our kids’ growth and development. The interaction with AI can help skill development, knowledge acquisition.

“But that is one slice of what happens in a classroom. And it is one slice of what it really means for kids to be educated. Kids are learning all sorts of things in a classroom. They’re learning how to self-regulate emotions in a group. They’re learning how to understand different perspectives from kids who are different from themselves. They’re learning how to ask for help when they need it. There’s a whole bunch of things that kids are learning that are much more person-to-person that we want to maintain, I would argue.”

Klein agrees. In fact, he says, “I think we’ve just been going through a catastrophic experiment with screens and children… I really feel badly for the parents whose kids have been navigating this over the past 10 years or so.” Now schools are banning cellphones and having students spend less time on laptops and iPads.

But here comes AI! Klein worries that his own children are entering schools “at the exact time that educators don’t know what the hell to do with this technology… If you made me choose between sending my kids to a school that has no screens at all and one that is trying the latest in AI technology, I would send them to the school with no screens at all in a second.”

Winthrop agrees, and has some specific advice. For starters, don’t use AI with students until we know ways that it can help with an actual problem, and don’t succumb to FOMO (the fear of missing out). Second, don’t allow for-profit companies to bring their AI programs into schools, because their motive will always be the bottom line. Third, encourage teachers to use AI in effective ways, and then give AI to innovative school leaders to think about how it might restructure the school day: bus schedules, calendaring, school meals, cafeteria, assessment input, freeing up time.

Of course, the equity issue needs to be dealt with – the strong tendency for advantaged schools and families to have greater access to cutting-edge technology. But AI can be used to close achievement gaps; pilot programs in Nigeria and Malawi have shown dramatic gains. In one case, students gained two years in English proficiency in just six weeks of summer AI tutoring.

Neurodivergent students can also benefit from AI. Winthrop says her youngest son has dyslexia and speech-to-text apps have been a game changer. There is also potential for mental health counseling in schools with insufficient staffing. “So there are lots of use cases actually,” says Winthrop, “if done well, contained well, designed well – and we humans have our hand on the steering wheel.”

Klein returns to the idea of his own children attending a screen-free school with toys made of wood and books printed on paper. If they attended such a school, he wonders if they would they lose out because they don’t understand how to use AI – “how to manage it, how to prompt it, a sense of what it can and can’t do,” he says. “And there’s no way to do that other than relentless familiarity and experimentation and exposure.”

Winthrop thinks this is 50 percent right, the key variable being the child’s age. She absolutely recommends a no-tech Waldorf-type school in the early years: “We know that in early childhood, the more screen time kids have, the less language acquisition they have.” Language comes from human-to-human interaction. Then in the teen years, kids should be introduced to AI tools that are age-appropriate, and social media a little later, with explicit instruction on how its profit-driven addictive algorithms work.

But will those cautionary messages about AI sink in? Winthrop describes when her 16-year-old son got a smartphone for the first time, after years of hearing his mother talk about the hazards. “Mom, this is really hard,” he said as it eroded his ability to do homework and follow something he wanted to do. Fortunately it’s not keeping him from playing the piano, because he loves to do that.

Klein and Winthrop agree on the need for a traditional education, reading whole classic books, developing the habit of deep attention. “Attention is the entry point, the doorway that gets you through,” she says. “You think about meaning. You think about different perspectives. And it changes how you see the world.”

They also agree on the insidious allure of AI and social media. “These things need to be regulated,” says Winthrop. “It’s ridiculous that they’re out there being used by kids. And it’s ridiculous to say that it’s your willpower that should be the deciding factor. It’s ridiculous for adults. It’s ridiculous for kids. These are incredibly seductive technologies.” AI literacy training can only do so much. Klein likens the tug of AI to what he feels when there’s a plate of Oreo cookies in front of him.

What about the grades teachers send home that don’t tell parents how kids are really doing on the road to post-secondary education and getting a good job? Winthrop agrees that grades are not a good indicator of one of the most important things in school: students’ agency and engagement. “Schools are not designed to give kids agency,” she says. “Schools are designed to help kids comply. And it’s actually not really the fault of the teacher. Teachers are squished from above with all sorts of standards and squished from below with parents putting a lot of pressure about their kids’ performance and outcome.”

What parents need, says Winthrop, is a feedback loop other than grades and behavior that tells them, “Is my kid developing agency over their learning? Are they able to reflect and think about things they’re learning in a way that they can identify what’s interesting and they can have the skills to pursue new information? That right there is, I think, going to be the core skill. It is the core skill for learning new things in an uncertain world.”

In addition, Winthrop says parents should ask if their kids are learning to interact with other people, in school and in the community. “Our social networks are getting smaller,” she says. “There’s going to be a premium on human-to-human interaction as more and more skills get automated and done by AI, which are more knowledge-cognitive tasks. The interpersonal caregiving and teaching skills are going to continue to be important for some time.”

Finally, Winthrop says listening and speaking are a vital supplement to reading and writing. “We are going to need to show our merit and our credentials more and more through what the British call oracy skills. I think we’ve lost the art of listening and speaking.”

“We Have to Really Rethink the Purpose of Education” by Ezra Klein and Rebecca Winthrop in The New York Times, May 13, 2025

Each week, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) sends out a Weekly Update. We share some of the news/announcements that we think families might be interested in/might find relevant/might have an effect on your child's education.

Know Your Rights Guide about Immigration Action:

The Attorney General’s Office has issued a Know Your Rights guide for immigrants, families, and communities about federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The guide outlines the rights of the individual being arrested/detained and the rights of bystanders. The guide also includes a link to previously issued guidance for K-12 schools on protecting students and their information. The Attorney General’s Office is in the process of having the Know Your Rights Guide translated. Please review the guide and share it with your staff and families.

From 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, the state Office for Refugees and Immigrants and the Attorney General’s Office will hold a webinar for superintendents, school administrators, counselors, and others to provide updated information and guidance. The Department will send details to district leaders.

In addition, the slides from the Know Your Students’ Rights webinar that the Office for Refugees and Immigrants and the Attorney General’s Office held for superintendents in January remain available for download on DESE’s website.

Feedback Sought for Statewide Graduation Council:

The Statewide Graduation Council is seeking public input to inform the Council’s recommendations for how Massachusetts can ensure all students graduate with the skills necessary to succeed in college, careers, and civic life, regardless of background or circumstance. Opportunities for input include a statewide survey and listening sessions across the state. The Council seeks broad participation to gather input regarding potential learning experiences, competencies, and other components of a new statewide graduation requirement.

The statewide survey is available online and will close Monday, June 30.

Upcoming listening sessions include:

• Tuesday, June 3 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. (virtual)
• Thursday, June 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Holyoke High School
• Monday, June 9 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Barnstable High School

Those interested in attending an in-person listening session are encouraged to complete an optional registration form.

Ideas Sought for New State Seal, Flag Design, and Motto:

The Massachusetts Seal, Flag, and Motto Advisory Commission was established by Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024 to make recommendations for the adoption of a new design for the seal of the Commonwealth, a new design for the flag of the Commonwealth, and a new motto of the Commonwealth. To identify options for a new seal, flag, and motto, the Advisory Commission has launched a public process to solicit ideas from the general public – including students and individuals under age 18 – before issuing a public request for proposals for a professional designer to assist with the final design of the state emblems. The Advisory Commission will select three final options for a new seal, flag, and motto and will hold public hearings across the state to solicit public input. Following the selection of a final design for a new seal, flag, and motto, the Advisory Commission will submit its final recommendations to the governor. Learn more and submit ideas online by Wednesday, June 18.

Applicants Sought for Racial Imbalance Advisory Council:

The Department is seeking new council members, particularly high school students and educators, for the Racial Imbalance Advisory Council (RIAC) for the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The Council advises DESE and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) on topics related to racial imbalance in schools and districts across the Commonwealth. Learn more about requirements and express interest by Monday, June 30.

Free online Resources

The Public Library offers a wide range of free online resources, such as eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, and research databases. All of these resources can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, making it easier than ever to access the library's collection. With these online resources, patrons can explore a variety of topics, discover new books, and even learn a new language. These resources are free to use and can help library members stay up to date on the latest news and events.

Cultural Passes

At Lawrence Public Library, our mission is to provide our community with unparalleled access to culture, knowledge and entertainment. We offer an extensive collection of books and movies, as well as cultural passes that you can use to explore a wide variety of museums and performance venues.

• The Harvard Museums of Science & Culture
• Boston Children's Museum
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Museum of Science
• New England Aquarium
• State Park - Free Parking
• USS Constitution Museum
• Wheelock Family Theatre
• Zoo New England

The Dynasty and Beyond: History of the Super Celtics

Explore the thrilling history of the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s most successful franchise, in this engaging program. Author and journalist Marty Gitlin will showcase the legends—players, coaches, an...

June 05 5:30 pm - June 05 7:00 pm

In Person

Reference Department

General Interest

#basketball, #trivia, #sports, #celtics

Robert Frost Room

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*Registration required*

Family Paint Night

Join us for a fun Family Paint Night with Ms. Tracy! All supplies provided.--------------¡Únase a nosotros para disfrutar de una divertida No...

June 05 6:00 pm - June 05 7:00 pm

In Person

Children (Ages 6-11)

Registration closedMore Details

Bilingual Story Time

June 06 10:30 am - June 06 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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CHILDREN'S ROOM NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Join the Fun with Little Library Adventures!Are you a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or just someone who loves sharing the joy of reading with kids? Sign up for our Little ...

June 07 9:00 am - June 07 9:00 pm

Other

Children's Room Department

General Interest

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*Registration required*

Free Blood Pressure Screening/ Examen de Presión Arterial Gratuito

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING @ Lawrence Public Library every month for the year of 2025In the lobby------------------------------------------------------------------...

June 09 10:00 am - June 09 12:00 pm

In Person

Reference Department

General Interest

Registration closedMore Details

Alphabet Bingo

June 09 10:30 am - June 09 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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*Registration required*

Chiqui Kids Club: Science Experiment

Ages 2 to 5 years oldNew Location: Auditorium...

June 10 10:00 am - June 10 11:00 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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*Registration required*

Bilingual Story Time

June 11 10:30 am - June 11 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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Zuly's Imagination Station

Join us as we learn all about self-confidence and paint a confidence rainbow------------------Únase a nosotros mientras aprendemos todo sobre la confianza en uno mismo y pintamos un a...

June 12 6:00 pm - June 12 7:00 pm

In Person

Children (Ages 6-11)

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*Registration required*

Bilingual Story Time

June 13 10:30 am - June 13 11:30 am

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Children (Ages 0-5)

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Donuts With Dad

June 13 3:00 pm - June 13 4:00 pm

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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*Registration required*

CHILDREN'S ROOM NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Join the Fun with Little Library Adventures!Are you a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or just someone who loves sharing the joy of reading with kids? Sign up for our Little ...

June 14 9:00 am - June 14 9:00 pm

Other

Children's Room Department

General Interest

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*Registration required*

Chiqui Kids Club: Let's 3d Paint

Ages 2 to 5 years oldPlease make note of new location: Auditorium ...

June 17 10:00 am - June 17 11:00 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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*Registration required*

Bilingual Story Time

June 18 10:30 am - June 18 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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Little Groove Music Classes

Ages: 3 months - 5 years oldLittle Groove music classes are designed for kids to learn through music. They will use their senses to learn and interact in a live music settin...

June 20 10:30 am - June 20 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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*Registration required*

CHILDREN'S ROOM NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Join the Fun with Little Library Adventures!Are you a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or just someone who loves sharing the joy of reading with kids? Sign up for our Little ...

June 21 9:00 am - June 21 9:00 pm

Other

Children's Room Department

General Interest

Registration opens on Saturday, Jun 07 2025More Details

*Registration required*

Alphabet Bingo

June 23 10:30 am - June 23 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

Register NowMore Details

*Registration required*

Chiqui Kids Club: Giant Bubbles

Ages 2 to 5 years oldNew Location: Auditorium...

June 24 10:00 am - June 24 11:00 am

Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

Registration opens on Tuesday, Jun 10 2025More Details

*Registration required*

Bilingual Story Time

June 25 10:30 am - June 25 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

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Open Mic Night with One Broadway Collaborative

Please Join us for an exciting gathering of artists. HYBRID EVENT. One Broadway Collaborative has teamed up with the LPL to deliver their longstanding 7-year ru...

June 26 6:00 pm - June 26 8:30 pm

Combo in Person / Live Virtual

Reference Department

General Interest

Robert Frost Room

Register NowMore Details

*Registration required*

Bilingual Story Time

June 27 10:30 am - June 27 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

More Details

CHILDREN'S ROOM NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Join the Fun with Little Library Adventures!Are you a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or just someone who loves sharing the joy of reading with kids? Sign up for our Little ...

June 28 9:00 am - June 28 9:00 pm

Other

Children's Room Department

General Interest

Registration opens on Saturday, Jun 14 2025More Details

*Registration required*

Chiqui Kids Club

July 01 11:00 am - July 01 12:00 pm

In Person

Children (Ages 6-11)

More Details

Chiqui Kids Club

July 01 11:00 am - July 01 12:00 pm

In Person

Children (Ages 6-11)

Register NowMore Details

*Registration required*

Bilingual Story Time

July 02 10:30 am - July 02 11:30 am

In Person

Children (Ages 0-5)

More Details

Fourth Of July Fun at The Library

July 03 5:00 pm - July 03 6:00 pm

In Person

Children (Ages 6-11)

More Details

Hello Adoption Journeys families and community members,

Attached, you will find our seasonal newsletter. The newsletter contains all activities for the Spring/Summer. We would love to see you and your family! We hope that you will be able to join us at any of the events. Please review the RSVP dates to ensure everyone will be able to participate. If you have any questions, please reach out to us.

Best,

Kimberly

Join the excitement at the Armand Hyatt 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament and Fiesta Del Barrio Event!

All information including registration for the tournament are detailed below along with our video invitation!

CLICK HERE to watch the video invitation!

Únete a la emoción del Torneo de Baloncesto 3 contra 3 Armand Hyatt y el evento Fiesta Del Barrio.

¡Toda la información, incluyendo el registro para el torneo, se detalla a continuación, junto con nuestra invitación en video!

Haga clic aquí para ver el vídeo de invitación!

**NEW LOCATION!**

Veterans Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, MA

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2025

Join us for a day filled with fun, music, games and fundraising!

9:00 AM Hike Registration

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Food!

Local food trucks will be available on-site throughout the day.

Friends!

All are welcome, from our littlest walkers to our four-legged friends.

Fun!

Kid-friendly activities, arts & crafts, vendors and so much more.

Joining the Lazarus House Ministries Walk for Hope Fall Festival is about making a difference in the lives of those in need. By walking and fundraising, you are contributing to the mission of Lazarus House Ministries, which is dedicated to providing support for individuals and families facing the challenges of homelessness and food insecurity.

By participating in this event YOU are providing vital support and awareness to an organization that works tirelessly to provide food, shelter, clothing, advocacy, and community resources to individuals and families.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP NOW!

The following guidelines will help you decide whether your child is too ill to go to school:

• Seems UNUSUALLY tired and needs bed rest (and not due to staying up too late!)- this is common with flu symptoms.
• Has vomiting or diarrhea. He/She may return to school when they have been without vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours without the use of medication.
• Becomes short of breath or is wheezing
• Has a cough that disrupts normal activity
• Has distracting pain from earache, headache, sore throat or recent injury
• Has yellow or green drainage from eye(s)
• Breaks out in a rash; not all rashes require that a child stay home from school so check with your child's doctor

Please take your child to the doctor if they have to be out for more than 2 days (or sooner for more severe symptoms) and send the note in when your child returns.

Fever

Your child should not go to school if his/her temperature is above 100.4 F. She/he may return to school when they have been without fever for 24 hours without the use of medication.

Contagious disease

Your child should stay home from school if they have a contagious disease. A contagious disease is one that can be spread by close contact with a person or object. Examples are: chickenpox, flu, vomiting, diarrhea, colds, strep throat and "pinkeye." A disease may be contagious before the child shows signs of illness. It is very hard to prevent the spread of some germs, especially in a school classroom. Good hand washing will help prevent the spread of germs. If your child has a contagious disease, ask your doctor when they may return to school. For example, children who have active chickenpox should not return to school until all the lesions are dried and crusted. Children with strep throat should be on antibiotics for 24 hours and feeling well enough to concentrate.

Reminder:

School is a child's work. It is important for normal development. If your child is absent often, it may be harder to keep up with the class. It is important that your child does not miss more than a few days of school a year due to illness.

****WHEN IN DOUBT, ask your doctor if you are not sure about keeping your child home.****

Primary prevention is intervening before health effects occur!! An annual physical is a good example of this. It is important to have an annual physical to eliminate risk factors for diseases and injury. Please schedule your child's annual physical if you haven't already done so!

Please click here to see our complete Parthum Elementary School Student & Staff Attendance Playbook. Our Attendance Playbook is a work in progress. Our goal is to keep families informed on attendance and how important it is for our students to be in school. We will be providing all families with a paper copy. Please click here to see our complete Parthum Elementary School Student & Staff Attendance Playbook. We will be implementing new guidelines for student and staff attendance.

Disability plates and placards allow people with disabilities to park vehicles in designated handicap parking spaces. They also allow people with disabilities to park at meters without paying fees or penalties. Disability license plates are issued for cars or motorcycles. Placards are displayed on the rearview mirror, and are issued to qualified residents on a temporary or permanent basis.

More information is available :

https://www.mass.gov/disability-plates-and-placards?_gl=1*17ukbg1*_ga*MTg2ODA3MjI0MC4xNjc3MDkzODA4*_ga_MCLPEGW7WM*MTY5NTkyMzI3MS4yLjEuMTY5NTkyNDI4Ny4wLjAuMA..

1. Join
the Monthly Challenge in the app

2. Buy
any 10 participating products* during December

3. Scan
or earn with connected accounts through 12/31

4. Earn
20 Bonus Box Tops for your school

What's on the menu this week? Click the LPS link below to see the menu for each day!

To help us return lost items to their rightful owners, please remember to label your student’s backpack, lunch bag, and clothing with their name, grade, room number, and teacher’s name. Any unclaimed items at the end of the month will be donated to Lazarus House.

If your student is missing sweaters, hats, gloves, lunch bags, water bottles, jewelry, glasses, or any other items, please visit our Lost & Found found in our main foyer (near the white doors) past the safety booth. Thank you for your cooperation!

All items not picked up by JUNE 10th will be donated to Lazarus House.

You can always check on the status of your child's grades and attendance by logging on to Powerschool at ANY TIME. Access to your student's report card, attendance, and access codes can be found on PowerSchool.

To access PowerSchool please go to our Lawrence Public Schools website: http://www.lawrence.k12.ma.us/ and click on the Families (Tab)

Please see links below:

https://www.lawrence.k12.ma.us/files/lps/DPTISandT/Parent_Access_FAQS_eng_and_spanish_2-21-13.pdf

https://www.lawrence.k12.ma.us/files/lps/DPTISandT/Parent_Access_Guide_final_2-21-13.pdf

https://www.lawrence.k12.ma.us/files/lps/DPTISandT/Parent_Access_Guide_SPANISH_final_2-21-13.pdf

Each Friday, we have a dress down day. The first Friday of the month is always designated as a fundraiser. Students can dress down for $1.00. Every other Friday is a theme day. We like to mix it up, but we also recognize that this can be a lot of work for families so we try to keep it as simple as possible and we offer multiple ways that students can participate. On Friday, 9/13, our theme day was: "You Are Unique! Dress As You Choose!" This will allow students to dress as they want...we have seen it all over the years! Some students want to dress up with a tie and jacket, others might want to wear a basketball jersey. We ask that all clothing be appropriate for a school setting so that we can continue this tradition.

Sometimes, a student might not feel like dressing up/participating in the theme day. We like to offer other ways in which the student can engage. For example, maybe a student does not want to dress down tomorrow but would like to share in morning circle about a way in which he/she is unique. Or maybe that student has a favorite story about being unique that he/she would like to share with some classmates. Maybe there is a poem that a student wrote about being unique. There are many ways to participate in our theme days and we will share those ideas with you. We look forward to a great year ahead!

Did you know that the Parthum School identifies goals for students and staff each year? For the 24-25 school year, our three school goals are:

1. The MCAS average composite scaled scores of 1.) all Parthum Elementary students, 2.) Parthum Elementary students with disabilities, and 3.) Parthum Elementary students designated as ML/FLEP will exceed the pre-COVID, 2019 scores in both English Language Arts and Mathematics.

How Can You Support This/What Is The School Doing?

• Put down the technology and pick up a book! READ, READ, READ!!!
• Ask questions-
• What did you do in ELA today? Tell me about it...explain it to me...
• What did you do in Math today? Tell me about it...explain it to me...
• What did you do in Social Studies/Science today? Tell me about it...explain it to me...
• Join one of our LFISS Parent Groups!
• Have your child work on Imagine Learning Reading and/or Math.
• Go on excursions! Go to your local library, go on a hike, go to the beach, go to the City...TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE AND WHAT YOU DO!!
• Our students have missed much of the past few years of school due to COVID. Attendance continues to be a concern. We only see our students for 180 days each year and of these 180 days, time on instruction is estimated to be at 46%. This is due to several factors, however, attendance is the number one reason. The Parthum continues to prioritize instructional minutes. We limit interrupting this learning time and we will do all that we can to leave teachers in the classroom at all times and prevent interruptions to their instructional time. Every effort will be made to have professional development and meetings outside of instructional time to minimize the impact on student learning.

2. During the 2023-2024 school year, Parthum Elementary School teachers will receive a minimum of 16 hours of professional development, participate in a minimum of nine hours of team-based planning and engage in coaching cycles once per month, all specifically tailored to support and measure the effectiveness of the equitable and culturally responsive implementation of the ‘McGraw Hill Wonders’ English Language Arts curriculum.

How Can You Support This/What Is The School Doing?

• Parthum Teachers are always learning! When we have 1/2 days, when we have planning time, before school time and after-school time are opportunities when our staff participate in professional learning with outside partners and learning from each other. This is why we request that meetings and visits with families take place during scheduled times. We want our teachers/staff to be fully prepared and equipped so that they are ready to teach your children!

3. By the end of the 2023-2024 school year the percentage of chronically absent students will decrease by at least 3% among all students, students with disabilities and English Language Learners, as measured by PowerSchool attendance data, to support a two-year goal of reaching a 95% attendance rate across these groupings by the end of the 2024-25 school year.

How Can You Support This/What Is The School Doing?

• Please make sure that your child is coming to school, on time, for the entire day if he/she is feeling well! This is one of THE most important things that you can do!

We have put bullets under each goal to show you some of the ways we are working on achieveing these goals and also to identify ways that YOU can support us in reaching (and surpassing!!) our school goals!

What are your goals for your child this school year?

During the school year, your child participates in the MAP Growth test (Measures of Academic Progress) and the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment. These are given at the Beginning, Middle, and End of the school year. These assessments allow your child's teacher to see their progress and make adjustments to their teaching strategies to meet student needs. We have just finished middle of the year assessments and your child's teacher will share progress with you.

How you can help:

o Talk to your child about the tests:

Explain that these tests are simply a way for teachers to understand their strengths and areas for growth.

• Encourage regular reading:

Reading at home is one of the best ways to improve reading skills and prepare for both assessments.

• Discuss test results with your child's teacher:

If you have any questions about your child's performance on either assessment, please schedule a meeting with their teacher to discuss their individual results and support strategies.

o Please contact your child's teacher if you have any questions regarding the MAP Growth or DIBELS assessments.

We have successfully completed our 100th day of school!

We understand that sometimes phone numbers, addresses, and contact information change. See a couple of reminders below:

• Please make sure that all of your emergency contact information with the school is up to date.
• Please make sure that you have at least 3 emergency contacts listed (in case we are unable to reach you).
• Please come to the main office for a new form (if needed).

Emergency contact information is used to communicate the following to our Parthum Families:

• School activities and events.
• If a student is sick/not feeling well.
• In case of any emergencies.
• In case of any school delays or early dismissals.
• District wide information provided by our Central Office.

Please see one of our clerks to update your emergency contact form. You can also ask your student's teacher for a blank form to complete. Please make sure to return it as soon as possible.