AMS Weekly Update

Dear Ashland Middle School Parents and Guardians,

While I don't want to rush summer away, I want to ensure we get important dates on your family calendars.

With one year under my belt, I can confidently say that the move from high school administration to middle school was a wonderful change for me both professionally and personally. Watching students grow, take risks, and discover who they are during the middle school years is incredibly rewarding. I feel so fortunate to work with a dedicated and compassionate staff who put students first every single day and truly care about kids.

My top priority continues to be creating a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for every student at Ashland Middle School. I believe that when students feel seen, heard, and valued, they are more ready to learn, take chances, and thrive.

As many of you have heard, we are rolling out some changes to our schedule this year. The Discovery Block has been eliminated, and we have added an additional core class at each grade level. While the day-to-day structure will not feel drastically different, as students will still attend 7 classes each day, the changes to the schedule will allow for more consistent and targeted support for students, as well as increased opportunities and greater consistency in unified arts and wellness classes. Our hope is that these shifts will enhance the overall student experience and make it better for all of our learners.

Please note: During the recent iPass rollover, some students and families were temporarily able to view their schedules. While I understand the excitement that comes with seeing a new schedule, please be aware that schedules are not finalized at this time. We are still making adjustments, and changes may occur before the official release date. I will notify families once schedules are final and available in iParent.

Additionally, a letter will be mailed to all incoming 6th-grade families with important information to help support a smooth transition to AMS.

At AMS, our core values of Respect and Responsibility guide the way we interact, learn, and grow together.

For those of you new to the AMS newsletter, I am Erin Lachapelle, and I bring 19 years of experience in education to my role as principal. I began my career as a classroom teacher at Grafton High School, then served as Dean of Students at Ashland High School for 7 years before joining AMS last year. It has been an honor to continue serving the Ashland community in this new capacity.

On a personal note, I live with my husband of 15 years and our two children, who are entering 7th and 4th grade this fall. As both an educator and a parent, I deeply understand the importance of partnering with families and fostering a school community where all students feel safe, challenged, and supported.

Important Information and Upcoming Events

As we prepare for the new school year, here are a few key dates and pieces of information to keep in mind:

• 6th Grade and New Student iParent Account Registration: by August 15th
  Visit this link and click on “iParent Registration” to sign up for an iParent account. iParent is how you will access your student's schedule and where grades are posted during the school year. If you have an existing iParent account for an older student, you can email Ms. Lester at llester@ashland.k12.ma.us, and she will add your rising 6th grader to your account.
  
  

• Student Schedules Released in iParent: August 18th by 3:00 PM
  I will send another communication once schedules are released. As a general reminder, a great deal of thought and balancing go into creating student schedules, and we are not able to accommodate requests for specific teams or teachers.
  
  

• 6th Grade Orientation: August 20th (Parent/guardian must attend with student; highly recommended but not required)
  
  

• Last names A–L: 4:00–5:00 PM
  
  

• Last names M–Z: 5:00–6:00 PM
  
  

• Optional 7th–8th Grade Locker Setup: August 22nd, 12:30–2:00 PM (Parent/guardian must attend with student)
  
  

• First Day of School: August 27th
  
  

• Back-to-School Night
  
  

• 6th Grade: September 17th
  
  

• 7th & 8th Grades: September 18th
  
  

School supply lists and summer reading assignments are posted on the AMS Homepage.

If your student is planning to play a fall sport, registration is now open and can be found on the Athletics Website.

I am excited about the year ahead and the opportunity to work with such a dedicated school community.

Finally, the district webpage is currently under construction as we transition to a new platform. If you’re having trouble accessing information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. If you are receiving this newsletter and no longer wish to, you can unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of this email. Please feel free to share this with any new members of the AMS community who may not yet be subscribed, and encourage them to sign up, as this is my primary method of sharing updates.

Please feel free to reach out to me anytime at elachapelle@ashland.k12.ma.us or 508-881-0167.

I will be out of the office from August 1–10, enjoying a vacation with my family, but I will return on August 11 and will be available to respond to emails and calls at that time.

I look forward to meeting you and working together to make this a successful school year.

Warmly,
Erin Lachapelle
Principal, Ashland Middle School

Don’t forget to visit ashland.k12.ma.us/Flyers where we feature announcements and events offered by organizations, clubs and teams throughout our community that serve to enrich the lives of our students, families, faculty and staff.