Center Connection

Dear Families,

As the calendar year winds down, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your incredible partnership in prioritizing school attendance.

Your commitment to ensuring your children are in school and ready to learn has made a tangible difference. So far this year, thanks to your efforts, we have seen an exciting improvement of approximately three percent in our overall attendance rate compared to last year! This is a remarkable achievement that directly reflects your commitment to your student's success.

Thank you, specifically, for helping us keep instructional time sacred by prioritizing school over extending vacations or other non-essential absences. Every day in the classroom counts. Consistent attendance is the single most important factor in a student's academic and social-emotional growth, laying the foundation for all future learning.

Please know how much we value your commitment and collaboration. When we work together on this fundamental priority, our students thrive.

In partnership,

Kerryann Coppinger

December 17: School Council (3:30pm)

December 19: All School Meeting (1:45 for students)

December 19: The report card link that you received last Friday will turn off. Please save your report card before Friday. If you have any trouble accessing it please call Kirsten in the office.

December 24-January 4: Winter Break- No School

January 9: Early Release (11:15am Pre-School Dismissal; 12:15 K-5 Dismissal)

January 13: PTO 7pm Virtually

January 14: Chorus Concert (7pm)

January 19: No School

January 22: Virtual Listening Session with Mrs. Coppinger

January 24: Center's Got Talent (11:00 and 2:00)

January 28: School Council (3:30)

January 30: Band Concert (6pm)

February 6: Early Release (11:15am Pre-School Dismissal; 12:15 K-5 Dismissal)

February 6: Make Up Snow Date for Band Concert (6pm)

February 10: PTO 7pm Virtually

February 12: Coffee Hour with Mrs. Coppinger (9am)

February 12: Listening Session with Mrs. Coppinger (4pm)

February 16-20: No School

February 25: School Council (3:30)

Follow Our Events by subscribing to The Center School Calendar.

There are many in school events coming up for different classrooms over the next few weeks of school. Please be sure you enter any pick up change plans into Pick Up Patrol if you plan to dismiss your child following an event.

Following Winter Break, the cut off time for changes in Pick Up Patrol will be shifting to 12:00pm instead of 2pm. Please try to get any changes entered as early as possible.

Reporting Absences, Late Arrivals or Early Dismissals
All student absences, late arrivals, and early dismissals should now be entered through PickUp Patrol. This allows the school office, health office, and classroom teacher to access the information directly.

• Absences (Please enter as soon as you know of an upcoming absence. It helps us a lot when they are in prior to the day starting).

• Late arrivals

• Any changes to dismissal plans (before 2pm/12pm following Winter Break)
  
  

Using this program ensures that the school office, your child’s teacher, the health office, and the dismissal team all have the same, up-to-date information each day. Families can access PickUp Patrol through the mobile app or the website dashboard.

Colds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses are common in the colder months. As we begin to enter the Winter season, I thought I would share the chart below with you as a resource, if needed. As a reminder, handwashing is easy and it is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. At school we are encouraging our students to be frequently washing their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, encouraging them to not touch their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, cover their coughs and sneezes, and are continuing to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects such as tables ,toys, and doorknobs. Thank you for your efforts in helping to promote a health school environment for all of our children at The Center School.

Nurse Audra

Hello Nashoba Community,

We’ve heard from families interested in supporting others in need, as well as from those seeking assistance. The resources below are meant to connect families with the many supports available within our community. If you need assistance beyond what’s listed, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s school counseling team.

Stow Resident Resources:

• Holiday gift assistance:

• Toys for Tots: https://local.toysfortots.org/request_toys/toys-city-county.aspx?txtState=MASSACHUSETTS

• Beacon Santa

• beacon-santa@wickedlocal.com

• Beacon Santa Fund, c/o Wicked Local Media, 150 Baker Ave. Ext., Suite 201, Concord, MA 01742

• Catholic Charities of Worcester County Phone: (508)-798-0191 Address: 216 W. Boylston St #300 West Boylston 01583

• Additional resources for Stow Residents

• Warm Hearts of Stow 549 Great Rd, Stow, MA 01775 (978) 897-4569

• Stow Town Social Workers: https://www.stow-ma.gov/social-worker

• Brian O’Sullivan LICSW, Town Social Worker 978-897-2638

• Rachel Michalczyk LICSW, Town Social Worker 978-897-2638

• Stow Food Pantry

• Call 978-897-4230 or email at stowfoodp@gmail.com

• Metrowest food collaborative: https://www.metrowestfoodcollaborative.org/_files/ugd/cc164f_091452b5037e4584a9969f041047c201.pdf

• United Way for Stow: https://www.unitedwaycm.org/

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): https://www.mass.gov/snap-benefits-formerly-food-stamps (upper right hand corner of website has languages to translate)

• Fuel Assistance: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-home-heating-and-energy-assistance

• Lunch Application: (there is a place in the upper right hand corner to translate language) https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application

• Free of Reduced Cost Services: CommunityHelp.net

Food Pantries and Meal Programs

• Find a food pantry near you- Food pantries provide free groceries to those in need.
• Find a meal site near you- Community meal sites offer free meals to individuals and families.
• Use the Food Bank's Food Finder- A tool to help you locate food assistance in your area.
• Call Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline: 1-800-645-8333.

• Call Mass 2-1-1.

• Contact the Food Bank in your area:

• Greater Boston Food Bank: GBFB.org/need-food
• Food Bank of Western MA: FoodbankWMA.org/get-help/
• Worcester County Food Bank: Foodbank.org/find-food/

• Merrimack Valley Food Bank: https://mvfb.org/pantry-schedule

• There are many foodbanks across the state. Here is a list of foodbanks on the south coast.

• Mutual Aid Networks

• Buy Nothing groups on Facebook are organizing for food share. Check your local Buy Nothing group.

Substitutes play a critical role in helping our school succeed and Center School needs more of them! If you have the flexibility in your schedule or know someone who does, it is an incredible way to support our school community. Please reach out with any questions.

Apply Here

We appreciate your help in growing our substitute pool!

If you are looking for a way to help support your child's school experience please consider applying to be a lunch monitor. The lunch monitor is a paid position that works 2.5 hours as day, (11:00-1:30) 5 days a week. If you are interested please apply here. Filling this position helps make our school be the best it can be!