Wood End Wildcat News

Veterans Wall

This year for Veterans Day we are creating a Wood End Veterans Honor Wall once again. A letter and template has been sent home to families to recognize any veterans they know in their lives. The letter explains what a veteran is, how to fill out the template, and that it is due back to school by Monday, November 3, 2025. There is a copy for each student, but this is an optional activity. There will be extra copies in the office for any students who need extras. There is a spot on the template to draw a picture or attach one. Students will get back any photographs used.

We will put any papers we get back on display in the lobby to create a Veterans Wall. The idea is to recognize and honor those who have served our country and are connected to our Wood End community.

Veteran Guests

On Monday, November 10th, Wood End will be holding their annual Veteran’s Day All School meeting. This year we would love to invite veteran guests from our Wood End community to attend. If you are a veteran or have a grandparent, uncle, aunt, cousin, etc. that is and would like to attend our All School, please fill out the form below. In addition, there is an opportunity for some of our guests to help read a story to the school about veterans day and share what their role was in the armed forces. There is space in the form for those interested in doing this portion as well. The Veteran Guest Form for those interested in sharing about their service is linked here. Please complete the form by Wednesday, October 29th.

Hats Off to Vets

Additionally, on Monday, November 10th, students and staff have the opportunity to donate $1 and wear a hat to school to support the “Hats Off to Vets” fundraiser. All the money raised will go to the Home Base Program. This is an organization that helps veterans and their families. Learn more about this amazing organization here. Thank you in advance for your support!

If you have any questions please reach out to our library media specialist Miss Norcross at lisa.norcross@reading.k12.ma.us.

Save the Date for Coats for Kids!

Are you starting to clean out closets to make room for winter clothes? Don't get rid of any of those old winter coats! Wood End will be holding our annual coat drive for Coats for Kids through Anton's Cleaners. We will be collecting both children and adult winter coats. Collection bins will be in the lobby starting November 12th-December 22nd. More details to come when the dates get closer.

Our first All School Assembly focused on our Core Values and introduced this year's school-wide theme: The POWER OF WE.

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

• In the 1980s, the National Down Syndrom Society participated in the efforts to have October proclaimed Down Syndrome Awareness Month and this designation continues today. It’s a month to raise awareness and celebrate the individuals with Down syndrome.

• More information can be found here: https://mdsc.org/ and https://ndss.org/

Selective Mutism Awareness Month

• Organizations like the Selective Mutism Associations and others dedicated to mental health, including Selective Mutism, use October to raise awareness and educate people about Selective Mutism.
• More information can be found here: Selective Mutism Association (SMA)

Throughout the year, we will highlight different awareness topics.

September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month.

October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Selective Mutism Awareness Month.

As students explore themes of neurodiversity, disabilities, empathy, and what makes each of us unique during this month's SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) lessons, we encourage you to talk with your child about what they are learning and how it relates to their own experiences and understanding of others.

Understanding Disabilities, Inc. is holding its biggest fundraiser and raffle of the year!
We have lots of great prizes for local Reading businesses including ice cream, burgers, nail salon, artwork, guitar lessons, and our latest new social club! Each $5 donation gets you one ticket towards a raffle prize of your choice - enter as many times as you want.

In addition, you can support a school of your choice - the winning school will receive a $250 Amazon gift card towards school supplies!

Raffle is open until October 31, 2025 - enter to win here: https://givebutter.com/UDatStreetFaire2025

We respectfully ask you to partner with us by reminding your student that all student smartwatches (GizmoWatch, etc.) & cellphones must be powered off and remain in backpacks or teachers' desks during the entire school day. Students always have access to call home with the permission of their classroom teacher in case of an emergency. We want to help our students learn that we have many caring adults here during the day to help them navigate challenges and solve problems together.

School’s and state’s expectations around attendance and why it matters so much for every student:

Why is attendance so important?

• Building strong connections with peers. Missing multiple days can make it harder to come back, as students feel they’ve missed out on social and academic opportunities.
• Providing the best opportunities for academic success. From core instruction to interventions, research shows a direct correlation between poor attendance and academic challenges.
• Establishing good habits for the future. Consistent routines now build lifelong responsibility.

It’s absolutely okay for students to come to school with a mild cold. Students should stay home if they have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea (fever-free for 24 hours before returning).

A few reminders:

• If your child will be absent, please notify the main office by calling or emailing.
• If your child misses school for an appointment, please send in a doctor’s note.
• If a child is out sick for five or more days, a doctor’s note is required.
• Please avoid planning vacations during school days. We are fortunate to have many breaks built into the calendar, including one of the longest winter breaks in recent years. You can find the full calendar here: RPS District Calendar 25/26

Throughout the year, you will see your students come home with PAWs.

Students who show our Core Values throughout the day may earn a PAW with some feedback on what they did and why they earned the PAW. This is an excellent reminder about the importance of being respectful, responsible, safe, honest, and engaged Wildcats!

Be sure to ask your student how they earned their PAW when they come home with one (or more)!

To support your child’s energy and focus throughout the school day, we kindly ask that you send a snack with your child each day. Please avoid any allergens as they relate to your child's classroom (notice from Nurse Kristin went out if there are any classroom restrictions). Thank you for helping us promote healthy habits and a positive learning environment!

Wood End Family Resource Guide: This guide is distributed at the beginning of every academic year. It is the presumption of the administration and the school system that a parent and student will read and understand building based handbook. Even if a parent or student does not return the sign/off acknowledgement form below, such presumption is made.

To DO:

• Complete this form indicating you have received the reviewed the Wood End Family guide,

All five elementary schools in RPS dedicate a weekly 30-minute block to Social Emotional Learning (SEL). This year, with guidance from an RPS multidisciplinary curriculum team, we are excited to launch updated SEL lessons. This flier gives families a snapshot of what SEL looks like in grades K-5.

SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

Free School Meals for All Continues: We are excited to share that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has extended the Free School Meals for All program into another school year! This means that all students in grades K–12 will receive a free school breakfast and lunch every day, and our full-day Pre-K students will also receive a free lunch at no cost to families. Our Food & Nutrition Services team is thrilled for a new year with fresh menus and new offerings. Monthly menus are posted online, where families can also view allergens and nutrient information. Please note: newly enrolled students must register in our food service payment portal. The link can be found on the Food & Nutrition Services page or directly at LINQ Connect. For any questions or assistance, please contact Julianna Moccaldi or Catherine Franzetti.

PIN #s for Breakfast, Lunch, and purchasing snacks.

All Reading Public School students are assigned a PIN number that they must use to get breakfast, lunch, or snacks. Please help your child memorize their PIN number. Although we provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, we ask that families send in a healthy snack for their students each day.

It is also important for families that may need financial support including but not limted to our food services to complete the following forms on this page: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=1701802399965&page=lunchapps

Students need new medicine orders for each new school year. The summer is an ideal time to start this paperwork. Families can use this attached form for parent permission and doctor's orders. We also accept medication orders that a doctor writes on their own form. If you think your child would occasionally need Tylenol or Motrin, we need a doctor's order to give this in elementary school. For medicine safety, a parent or guardian needs to bring the medicine directly to the nurse to sign it into school. Please do not send medicines in their backpack.

School Medical Policies below!

PTO General Meeting Schedule

• November 19 @ 8:15 (In person)
• January 7 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• March 18 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• May 13 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• June 3 @ 8:15 (In Person)

We have some amazing parents who have taken on leadership roles to keep our very active PTO up & running. We are so grateful for their willingness to provide our community with many opportunities to volunteer and support our students and families. Our PTO has been involved in coordinating fundraising events, book fairs, enrichment programs, school supplies, teacher appreciation events, flamingo flocking, and restaurant nights, just to name a few, to make Wood End the special community it is today. If you are interested in becoming more involved in our PTO, please reach out to any of our board members @ woodendpto@gmail.com .

BOARD MEMBERS

Linda Liang, President

Linda Liang, Treasurer

Courtney Bell, Secretary

Hilary Quinn, Events and Fundraising Coordinator

Sarah Henic, Enrichment Coordinator

Steff Keilty, Room Parent Coordinator

Click here to read the latest SEPAC newsletter and find out how to get involved and stay informed this school year! Don’t miss the SEPAC Business Meeting on October 22nd, where elections for this year’s board will be held.

SEPAC is excited to welcome everyone back for the 2025-2026 school year! Click here to see their most recent newsletter and learn how to get involved and stay informed this school year!

SEPAC WEBSITE!

Click here for the NEW, IMPROVED READING SEPAC WEBSITE, an incredible resource for parents/caregivers of all children, especially those with diverse learning profiles. We strongly urge you to visit it soon, and often. Short on time? Here’s a very brief video to give you a sense of what’s there in just over one minute.

About Reading SEPAC

SEPAC works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized supports).

SEPAC WEBPAGE

Join SEPAC's mailing list

Follow SEPAC on Facebook

Follow SEPAC on Instagram

"Since its founding during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, the METCO program has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students of color in predominately white school districts, creating the opportunity for those districts to experience the advantages of learning and working in a racially and ethnically diverse setting."

Hispanic Heritage Month Salsa Night
Date: Thursday, October 16 | 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Location: Coolidge Middle School

Celebrate Hispanic culture with us!
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Enjoy Spanish-inspired food and mingle with students, parents, and faculty.
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Beginner-friendly Salsa dance class—no experience needed!

First 120 people to register get a free salsa class and Spanish food!

Open to all Reading METCO resident students, their families, and faculty.
Come ready to eat, dance, and have fun!

Please Register Here if you're going to be joining us!

We’ll have two race options to make it fun for all ages:

· 5K Run/Walk – open to all participants

· ½ Mile Fun Run – just for kids 10 & under

A few details about the fundraiser:

· Event Date: Saturday, October 18th

· Start Time: 8:30 AM (10&Under Fun Run) and 9:00 AM (5K Run/Walk)

· Location: Start at RMHS

· Registration Fee: $15 Fun Run & $30 5k

· Register here: Walk It Like You Rocket 5K

We hope to see you there – running, walking, cheering, or just enjoying the fun!

Thank you for supporting the Class of 2026!

October

13: Columbus Day; No School

14: Professional Day; No School for students

15: Fire Safe House (in school)

16: Salsa Night

24: PTO Sponsored Halloween Event 6-8

31: Halloween+ Fall Parade

November

11: Veteran's Day; No School

13: Early Release; Family-Teacher Conferences

14: No School for Students; Family-Teacher Conferences

26: Early Release @11am

27-28: No School; Thanksgiving

December

23: Early Release

24-Jan 1: Winter Break; No School

Reading Public Schools Calendar 2025-2026

• https://readingpl.org/healing-kits/

• At the Reading Public Library, there are 10 different kits that address different needs that people in the community may experience (e.g. Grief, anxiety, trauma, etc.). You can request a kit through the online library catalog or check it out in person. Kits contain a variety of materials that are accessible to kids, teens, and/or adults, as well as a resource packet with lists of community resources and activities. Each kit also contains a notebook where others who have used the kit can leave words of support.

In the box at the top of the newsletter, click on Translate to pick the desired language.

• Portuguese: Na caixa preta na parte superior do boletim, selecione Traduzir Boletim informativo para escolher o idioma desejado.

• Spanish: En el cuadro de Negro en la parte superior del boletín de noticias, seleccione Traducir Boletín de escoger el idioma deseado.

• Vietnamese: Trong hộp đen ở đầu bản tin, chọn Dịch bản tin để chọn ngôn ngữ mong muốn

• Polish: W czarnym polu u góry biuletynu wybierz Przetłumacz biuletyn, aby wybrać żądany język

• Korean: 뉴스레터 상단의 검은색 상자에서 뉴스레터 번역을 선택하여 원하는 언어를 선택하세요.

• Chinese: 在新闻通讯顶部的黑框中，选择“翻译新闻通讯”以选择所需的语言。

• Arabic: في المربع الأسود الموجود أعلى النشرة الإخبارية، حدد ترجمة النشرة الإخبارية لاختيار اللغة المطلوبة.
  fi almurabae al'aswad almawjud 'aelaa alnashrat al'iikhbariati, hadad tarjamat alnashrat al'iikhbariat liaikhtiar allughat almatlubati.

Please save my email address and reach out with questions, comments or thoughts. My door is always open!

Email: nicole.schwartz@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/woodend/
Location: 85 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA, United States
Phone: 781-942-5420

Wood End Resource Guide/Handbook

District Handbook