Bates Family Newsletter

There are only 10 school days left until winter break, and we’re moving full speed ahead! We have lots to accomplish in a short period of time, including hosting Parent/Caregiver Conferences on Tuesday, December 10th. We look forward to welcoming many of you into the building. If you haven’t yet scheduled your conference, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

The week before Thanksgiving was also an incredibly busy and joyful one here at Bates. Take a look below for some highlights we captured on camera!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Our best,

Ms. Smith

Mr. Mac

Mr. Lister

There is no school from Monday, December 22nd through Sunday, January 4th. We'll see you back at Bates on Monday, January 5th! It's a very long break, and we hope you enjoy your time😀

January 15 - Grades 4 and 5 instrumental music concert for caregivers and students, 9:00-9:45 am (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 8:45 am.)

January 23 - Grades 3, 4, and 5 Winter Showcase, 1:00-1:45 pm (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 12:45 pm.)

Say hello to the Winter Showcase!

This year, our fantastic 4th and 5th Grade Chorus members will be singing for you, and all classes will have an opportunity to showcase their talents and favorite music class activities. Get ready for some dancing, instruments, game demos, and more!

It’s going to be a fun, lively celebration of all the ways our students shine!

We work off of three basic priorities here are Bates: Center Belonging, Empower Educators, Elevate Student Learning. You'll notice that our weekly newsletters are divided into these three sections for a reason - We always work toward our goals, and we want to keep you informed as to how we're doing it!

Each week at Bates, we shine a light on our Beacons of the Week, our rockstars who have truly embodied the social-emotional skill we’re focusing on. Their teachers share the many beautiful ways these students have shown up for themselves and for others, and how they personify what it means to live out our values.

Beacons of the Week this week showed great skills in having a growth mindset!

Quinn Carmichael

Ariella Colon Acosta

William Conley

Finian Hanley

Ester Cesar Chaves

Caroline Kenny

Lucia Lee-Bentivegna

Darwin Gomez Rodriguez

Ana Ribeiro Silva

Cayden Wood

Gio Espinal

Alondra Laparra De Leon

Kaim Duran

Robert Mantilla Genao

Jaylanni Bermudez

Damian Patrick-Citron

Carlos Duran

Jaxon Rice

Owen Meegan

Ollie Leigh

Friday, December 19th, is the last day of school before winter break, so let’s get fun and festive! Students are invited to wear any festive gear that makes them feel joyful — this could include holiday-themed pajamas (or "regular" pajamas!), cozy sweaters, bright colors, sparkles, winter-themed outfits, or anything that shows off their festive spirit.

We can’t wait to celebrate together!

This week was all about developing a growth mindset!
Students learned that challenges help our brains grow and that mistakes are not failures—they’re opportunities to learn. Through discussions and activities, we practiced using phrases like “I can’t do this yet” to remind ourselves that effort and persistence make us stronger learners. Ask your child about a moment this week when they kept trying, even when something felt tough!

Well, it looks a like a lot of fun in this case! The day before Thanksgiving was filled with Town Hall fun where our older students teamed up with their younger buddies to have some fun. They even practiced making up special handshakes so when they see each other, they have something to keep them connected.

We also had our own version of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade where our kindergartners paraded up and down the hallways displaying "floats" they made. There was even an appearance made by our favorite penguin, Jiji!

Lots of planting took place in Kindergarten! Can't wait to see those sunflowers🌻

We are happy to tell you that our students made so many cards for seniors in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Those cards were hand delivered by some of our students who spread lots of joy to the seniors at the Salem Community Life Center. Way to shine your light, Beacons!

It's always a good idea to be familiar with our general operating rules and procedures. Please take some time to read through our Bates School Handbook. Thank you!

If your child’s dismissal plans change, please notify Ms. Julie in the Main Office at (978) 740-1250 as early in the day as possible.

Please do not inform your child’s teacher directly, as this interrupts classroom instruction. Ms. Julie will make sure the teacher is notified.

Planning Vacations During the School Year
As you plan, please keep the school calendar in mind when scheduling family vacations. Below are the vacation dates for the 2025–26 school year:

• December 22 – January 4 (please note: this break is a full two weeks)
• February 16 – 20
  
• April 20 – 24

Thank you for making school attendance a priority. We look forward to partnering with you to support your child in the year ahead!

December 9 - PTO meeting, 6:30 pm, library (CANCELLED) SEE YOU IN JANUARY!

December 10 - Early release due to Caregiver/Teacher Conferences

December 11 - School Site Council, 7:45 am

December 22nd - January 2nd - Winter break (Full day on December 19th, back to school on January 5th)

January 15 - Grades 4 and 5 instrumental music concert for caregivers and students, 9:00-9:45 am (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 8:45 am.)

January 19 - No school due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 20 - PTO meeting, 6:30, Bates School Library

January 23 - Grades 3, 4, and 5 Winter Showcase, 1:00-1:45 pm (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 12:45 pm.)

Look no further! Sign up to rent the rock here.

Reserve the spirit rock from the PTO for the following: Birthday, ½ Birthday (summer birthday), school spirit, congratulating someone, etc. Spirit Rock is a PTO fundraiser for the school year of 2025-2026. Funds raised will help pay for school programs and/or initiatives.

A School Site Council (SSC) is a representative group of stakeholders - parents, teachers, and the principal, who work together to improve the school. Our main role is shared decision-making around our school’s goals, programs, and budget.

Here’s what our SSC typically does:

• Develops and reviews the school improvement plan
  

• Advises on the use of certain funds
  

• Monitors progress toward goalsBrings stakeholder voices together
  

• Builds transparency and trust

• Meetings are public and our agenda is posted below.

We meet monthly, and our agenda is here. Please let Mrs. Smith know if you'd like to join in for a meeting. Upcoming meetings: 12/11, 1/8, 2/12, 3/12, 4/16, 5/14, 6/4 - 7:45-9:00AM.

Bates Elementary School, in partnership with our families and community, will provide all students with a culturally responsive, student – centered, and equitable learning experience that celebrates our students’ diverse backgrounds, creative pursuits, and their academic, social, emotional success.

School Hours:

Monday through Friday

PreK - 7:45 - 2:10 pm

Kindergarten - 7:45 - 2:15 pm

Grades 1-5 - 7:45 - 2:20 pm

Early Release:

PK at 10:55 am

Kindergarten at 11:00 am

Grades 1-5 at 11:05 am