Translations for all "Notes from the Office" are available by scrolling to the bottom of each newsletter and clicking on the "Translate" black bar.

Las traducciones de todas las "Notas desde la oficina" están disponibles al desplazarse hasta la parte inferior de cada boletín y hacer clic en la barra negra "Traducir".

Traduções para todos os "Anotações do Office" estão disponíveis rolando até o final de cada newsletter e clicando na barra preta "Traduzir".

We hope this newsletter provides information that helps you stay connected to the improvement efforts being made by school and district staff and also highlights some of the wonderful experiences your children will have this week at Stapleton.

It is important to note that report cards will be going home with students this Friday, January 31, 2020.

Below is an update on the status of several positions at Stapleton.

Language Assistant Teacher: We are pleased to announce that Ludmilla Bicalho (our current part-time native language tutor) will transition to the role of Language Assistant Teacher full time beginning on Monday, January 27, 2020. The Office of Bilingual Education is partnering with school administration to hire a replacement for the part-time native language tutor position that is now left vacant with this hire.

Campus Aide: We are pleased to announce that Carmen Cruz (a former Stapleton cafeteria monitor and current Stapleton Explorers teacher) will be joining Stapleton as a campus aide beginning Monday, January 27th. She will provide additional support during the lunch blocks from 11:15pm-1:15pm each day.

As noted in previous correspondence, the campus aide position is a school-based position created this fall to support the management of the cafeteria and recess block.

SEMH Student Support Specialists: The Office of Health and Wellness has conducted the first round of interviews for these two positions and school-based interviews will take place on Monday. We will keep the community posted on next steps and hope to fill these positions as soon as possible.

As noted in previous correspondence, these two (2) district positions were created and posted to be utilized at Stapleton to help stabilize student behavior and move us from a reactive to proactive place.

Assistant Principal: Ms. Jessica Mandes has completed staff, district leader and parent interviews. She is currently a Grade 5 science teacher in Worcester and is interested in bringing her skills to Stapleton. She is a finalist for the position and we are still in discussions about next steps.

As noted in previous correspondence, this is a school-based position being filled after a vacancy since the fall.

The next Stapleton School Council Meeting is Monday. The outcome for the meeting is in bold below:

Council members will gain greater clarity around action steps being taken by the school and district and contribute to the improvement process by reviewing current data and programming plans related to safety and social-emotional supports and determine ways to incorporate this data into the current Stapleton School Improvement Plan.

We will unpack the data shared in Dr. Tremblay's communication sent on Monday, January 20, 2020. The slides and product will be shared in the next Family News.

Below are a few suggested ways to participate, including the 1st of a series of Family Workshops taking place at our school!

Ways to Participate on January 30th
Here are some simple things you can do to connect with each other!

• Have a dance party in your living room, taking turns who picks songs. Parents / Grandparents can use this as an opportunity to introduce new (old) songs to their kids.
• Deliver cookies or a simple homemade snack to a neighbor, a local Fire station, or a friend.
  
• Visit the Framingham Public Library or the McAuliffe Branch for some neat events and fun for all ages!
  • Video Game Hangout for Grades 6-12 (3:00 pm - 5:00 pm / McAuliffe Branch Library - Community Room)
  • Special Play Space Activities for Preschool children (6pm -8pm / Main Library, Children's Room
    
• Barbieri families can attend K-5 Family Math and Reading Night. Learn more!
• Stapleton families can attend the first Session 1 of the 2020 Stapleton Family Workshop Series
• Play some ‘Minute-to-Win-it’ games. Here is some inspiration.

Please join us for a night of learning together! The first workshop will be Supporting the Anxious Child on Thursday, Jan. 30th, 7-8:30pm

Childcare, translations, and snacks will be provided! Please RSVP on the link for this event.

We will have community meetings on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 for every grade level focused on Acceptance! Here is a preview of the slide show and activities.

The schedule is:

9:25-9:45 Grade 2-3

9:50-10:10 Grades k-1

10:20-10:10:40 Grades 4- 5

This week students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will be taking the Panorama survey during their scheduled library time.

WHY? In order to learn more about student and family experiences in Framingham, the district is partnering with Panorama Education again this year to conduct surveys on school climate and social-emotional learning. As part of the district’s approach to social-emotional learning at the elementary level, we will be administering surveys to students in grades 3-5 in January 2020. As in previous years, the district will also be administering surveys to staff, families and students in grades 6-12 later in the Spring 2020.

The following slides will be used with students to help them preview vocabulary and process prior to taking the survey. It will take about 15-20 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your support.

WHO?

All parents, older siblings, grandparents, relatives, or other special people! Surprise your child by being a Mystery Reader this year in their classroom.

WHY?

Students LOVE having special visitors to their classroom to share in their learning by reading a favorite story aloud to the class. This is also a great way to get to know your child’s classroom and to show children that reading is IMPORTANT and FUN!

WHAT?

Mystery readers come into our classrooms to read a book of their choosing to our class. On the day that you arrive, the teacher will share clues with the class that you have provided, to see if the students can guess your identity. Until you walk through the door, your identity will be a MYSTERY! That means you cannot tell anyone-not even your child!

If you would like to be a mystery reader for your child’s class, or if you have questions, email Laura Lee at LRykard@gmail.com with your name, your child’s name, your child’s teacher, and your email or phone number and we’ll contact you to set up a date and time that works for you and your child’s class.

ACCESS tests are assessments given to our English Language Learning students that measures students' abilities to understand and produce English used within school settings. The four sections of the test are Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. Our students who are ELL's will be tested in a window of January 6-February 7th.

MCAS tests are The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment system, that tests the statewide standards-based assessment program. The assessment is designed collaboratively across grades to help schools more accurately measure student progress. The new test was created to be taken on a computer and is meant to include more rigorous content that focuses on critical thinking, application of knowledge, and making connections between reading and writing. The test will look at student achievement and compare our school to schools that are similar across Massachusetts.

I would like to share the MCAS dates with you now.

4/6

Gr. 3/4 ELA

4/7 Gr. 3/4

ELA

4/28

Gr. 5

ELA

4/29

Gr. 5

ELA

5/5

Gr. 3/4

Math

5/6

Gr. 3/4

Math

5/12

Gr. 5

Math

5/13

Gr. 5

Math

5/19

Gr. 5

Science

5/20

Gr. 5 Science

Here is a quick link to the Elementary School Handbook.

2019-2020 Report Card Schedule

Semester 1- January 31

Semester 2- Last Day of School

We welcome your feedback on the contents of our Family News so we can be sure it meets your needs. Feel free to complete this brief survey to share your thoughts!

Thank you!

School Hours 9:05am - 3:20pm

Students are welcome to begin arriving at school at 8:50 am, when teachers will be present to greet them.

Early Release Days

• Students are dismissed at 12:55pm.
  
• Lunch IS served.
  
• If your child rides the bus, you can expect them to arrive at their stop approximately two and a half hours earlier than normal.
  
• Early Release Thursdays: 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 12/5, 3/5, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21

Half Days

• Students are dismissed at 12:20pm.
  
• Lunch IS NOT served.
  
• If your child rides the bus, you can expect them to arrive at their stop three hours earlier than normal.
  
• Half Days: 11/27 and the last day of school.

2019-2020 District Calendar

Please use the following links to access an updated version of the District Calendar which now includes a second page - complete with the Report Card Schedule and School Hours. Please reference this document as needed throughout the year. It is also available on the district website.

CALENDARS

English

Spanish

Portuguese

Thanks to a generous $1800 grant from MathWorks, Stapleton's Robotics Club has been able to purchase their much need supplies. This is the first year of the Robotics Club but we hope to make it an ongoing opportunity in years to come.

• Our next event will be the Friendship Breakfast on February 8 from 9 to 11am in the cafe. Show up in your pajamas for breakfast food, cookie decorating, photo opportunities, and JoJo the magician! More info to come via Loop/FB.
• February 12, PTO meeting 7-9 pm, All are Welcome!
• Save the date for the 4th/5th grade Talent Show on Friday, April 3rd.
• Mark your calendars for the Sock Hop on Saturday, May 8th!

Be on the lookout for restaurant nights, which are a big fundraiser for us- they help keep event costs low! :)

Have a great weekend!

The Stapleton PTO