Welcome to Shawsheen Preschool
2026-2027 Opening of School Information
Introductions
Dear Shawsheen Families,
It is with great excitement that I welcome you to the 2026–2027 school year and to Shawsheen Preschool! I am honored to join this wonderful community as your new principal and look forward to getting to know our students and families.
I bring more than 25 years of experience in public education, including more than 12 years leading PreK–3 programs and integrated preschool settings. Some of the most meaningful work of my career has been in early childhood education, and I am thrilled to return to a preschool community. I also have experience leading a preschool and elementary program within a shared building, which has given me a deep appreciation for creating environments that honor the unique developmental needs of young children while building strong connections with families and the larger school community.
Outside of school, I enjoy skiing, spending time at the beach, cooking, attending theater, and exploring the arts. I look forward to learning more about the interests and experiences that make our Shawsheen families so special.
I know that a new school year—and new leadership—can bring both excitement and questions. My priority is to build relationships, listen, and learn. Shawsheen has a wonderful history and a dedicated team of educators, and I look forward to partnering with staff and families to celebrate what makes our school special while continuing to grow together.
I am especially excited to meet our students and families! Please join me at our Meet & Greet Playground Event on Wednesday, August 26, and again for Preschool Orientation on Thursday, September 3. These will be wonderful opportunities to connect, ask questions, and begin getting to know one another.
I also have a special invitation for our students: Please share my video of The Crayons Go Back to School with your child! It is a fun way for children to meet me before the school year begins. Throughout the year, I will also share read-aloud stories with families through our weekly newsletters.
In this edition of our Opening of School Newsletter, you will find important information to help your family prepare for the start of school, including details about orientation, arrival and dismissal, transportation, registration, health information, family communication, and other important routines. You will also learn about our school-wide theme, Small Hands, Big Team!, which will bring a spirit of teamwork, friendship, belonging, and fun to Shawsheen throughout the year.
I can't wait to welcome you and your children to Shawsheen and begin this exciting year together!
Warmly,
Amy B. Sullivan
Principal
amy.sullivan@andoverma.us
We invite you to watch a special video of Principal Sullivan reading The Crayons Go Back to School with your child! This is a fun way for students to begin getting to know Principal Sullivan before the school year begins.
In the story, Principal Sullivan also shares some exciting news with students: they will have a chance to visit Shawsheen during Preschool Orientation on September 3rd with their families. On this special visit day, children will meet their teacher and classmates, explore their classroom, and begin to get excited about the year ahead!
🤸🏻♀️ Meet, Greet & Play 🏃🏻♀️
Wednesday, August 26th
5-7 PM
Families and students are invited to join us for an optional Meet, Greet & Play event on the playground on Wednesday, August 26, from 5:00–7:00 PM. This informal gathering is designed to help children and families make connections and ease the transition into the new school year.
Come meet Principal Sullivan, connect with new classmates and families, and enjoy some time playing on the playground before school begins!
Each class has been assigned a specific meeting time, listed below. When your child arrives, they will receive a name tag featuring a special icon. Children can use these icons to begin identifying and connecting with classmates who have the same symbol on their name tags. Please note: Preschool families will receive an email on Thursday, August 19th with your child's teacher's name.
While families are welcome to stop by at any time between 5:00 and 7:00 PM, we encourage you to attend your child’s assigned time if you would like the opportunity to meet other students and families from their specific class.
Please note that teachers will not be present at this event. This is simply an informal opportunity for students and families to get to know one another before the first day of school.
A formal introduction to your child’s classroom and teacher will take place during Preschool Orientation on Thursday, September 3, at 10:00 AM.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Please come to the front entrance, where Shawsheen staff will be there to greet and welcome you. Parents/Guardians will accompany their child to their classroom, where students will have the opportunity to meet their teacher and classmates, visit their classroom, and begin exploring their new learning environment.
After dropping their child off in the classroom, Parents/Guardians will proceed to the Multipurpose Room on the first floor to meet with Principal Sullivan. During this time, children will remain in their classrooms with their teachers and classmates.
Principal Sullivan will provide families with a deeper dive into the Opening of School Newsletter (this communication) and review important information to help everyone prepare for a successful start to the school year, including:
- Arrival and dismissal procedures
- The preschool schedule and school hours
- Lunch and daily routines
- How to contact the school
- Weekly communications for families
- PickUp Patrol
- PTO Introductions
- Other important details for the opening of school
There will also be time for Parents/Guardians to ask questions.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Parents/Guardians will return to their child's classroom to pick them up.
Main Office 978-247-820
Attendance Line 978-247-8201
Nurse's Office 978-247-8202
Fax Number 978-247-8290
If your child is going to be absent or late, it is very important that you call the attendance
line. An email sent to the teacher is not always visible, so it is important that you call the
attendance line. As always, KEEP THE KIDS AT HOME IF THEY DON'T FEEL
WELL.
Please make sure we have your email address so that you can receive messages. This is
how we communicate important announcements, school events, and share our weekly newsletter. If you don't have an email, be sure to let us know at the office.
If you have not yet completed the online registration process, please do so as soon as possible. Please note that we will not be able to complete registration paperwork during or after Orientation. If you need assistance or would like to schedule an appointment to complete your registration, please contact Shawsheen Administrative Assistant, Colleen Barr, at colleen.barr@andoverma.us or 978-247-8200.
Shawsheen Preschool is an allergy-sensitive school, and we recognize that many of our students have a variety of food allergies and other health needs. All staff members are trained to recognize and respond to medical emergencies, and a full-time nurse is available in the building. If you have specific concerns regarding your child's allergies or other health needs, please contact our school nurse, Karen Schueneman, at karen.schueneman@andoverma.us or 978.247.8202.
Lunch is free to all students attending full day programs. Lunch is served daily from 12-12:30 in the multi-purpose room.
Lunches will need be preordered. Lunch requires families to order in advance to ensure we have the correct allergy-friendly lunch for all our students. It is very important that our cafeteria has an accurate lunch count each day. Please review with your children each morning what you have ordered for them.
Information about the Andover Public Schools lunch program, as well as menus and instructions for online ordering, may be found on the website here: https://www.aps1.net/page/food-services
Monthly menus can be found here: https://www.aps1.net/o/aps/page/menus and will be updated closer to the start of school.
Bus Transportation
Students arriving by bus will be dropped off and picked up at the back of the school. Shawsheen staff members will greet students at the bus and individually escort them to and from the building.
Car Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Families arriving by car should enter the campus by following the signs for Shawsheen Preschool Drop-Off and Pick-Up. Shawsheen Preschool has a designated lane exclusively for preschool families, located directly next to the school building. Please note that there is a separate entrance and lane for West Elementary School.
Once you enter the Shawsheen Preschool lane, please follow the flow of traffic past the West Elementary entrance until you arrive at the Shawsheen Preschool entrance. Please follow all directions provided by staff members on duty.
Arrival
Please wait for a staff member to direct you to a designated stopping location, following the flow of traffic in the Shawsheen Preschool lane. Once your vehicle has stopped, a staff member will come to your car, assist your child in exiting the vehicle, and escort them into the building.
For everyone's safety, please wait until a staff member on arrival duty directs you to move forward. Do not pull out of the drop-off lane or pass cars in front of you.
Dismissal
Please arrive at Shawsheen Preschool and pull all the way forward along the curb as directed by staff. Have your child's Shawsheen Preschool placard, with their name clearly displayed, visible in your front windshield. Placards will be distributed during Preschool Orientation.
A staff member will use a walkie-talkie to communicate your child's arrival to staff inside the building. Your child will then be individually escorted to your vehicle by a staff member and assisted into their seat.
Once your child is safely in the car, please pull forward as directed and ensure that your child is properly buckled before leaving. Please do not pull out of the line or attempt to drive around cars in front of you. A staff member will indicate when it is safe and appropriate for you to move forward.
All arrival and dismissal procedures will be reviewed with families during Preschool Orientation on Thursday, September 3.
