Wood End Wildcat News

We are so excited to begin celebrating Read Across America! this week. Every year we celebrate reading by inviting our extended families in to read! Our annual "Grandparents' Day" takes place this Wednesday from 9:00-10:00 a.m. and this year we have over 75 grandparents coming in to read to our students! Parking will be at a premium, so please consider carpooling if possible.

• 9:00-9:30 is check in, book selection and coffee & bagels served in the cafe
• 9:30-10:00 begins reading in a grandchild's classroom

Parent volunteers will be available to check in readers, bring them to classrooms, and collect books afterwards. Books will be pre-selected for readers, however if anyone wants to bring a favorite story book of their own, they are welcome to do so. Some readers may read to the whole class, while others may read to small groups, depending on how many guest readers sign up for each class. If you have any questions, please contact Miss Norcross directly.

Thanks to the funding and support of our PTO, author and illustrator Sarah Lynne Reul will be coming to Wood End on Friday, March 6. She will give two presentations, one for our K-2 students and one for our grade 3-5 students. She is a talented artist and as an author has tackled some challenging topics in a way that is fitting for children. We are teaming up with Whitelam Books for a book order to arrive prior to her visit. If you want to learn more about Sarah Lynne Reul, click here and if you have questions please email Miss Norcross.

PTO Meeting on Tuesday, March 3rd (child care provided)

Please join us for our next meeting, Tuesday March 3rd at 6:00 pm. Lori Abelson, our Literacy Specialist, Emma Conry, our School Psychologist, Lisa Norcross, our Library Media Specialist, and Jessica Hester, Grade 3 Teacher & Assistant Principal, will be speaking on the conferences they've attended this year and how they are applying this knowledge at Wood End.

Following our speakers, we invite you to stay and join us for a final bingo planning meeting. We appreciate any and all hands willing to help in our final push! We'd love to have your help as our event is quickly approaching! The final Musical Bingo meeting will be held on Monday, March 9th!

Gymja Warrior - Save the Date!

Kids have amazing energy! Bring it to Wood End's afternoon at Gymja Warrior on Friday, March 27th from 3:30-5:00 p.m. During this 90-minute session, kids will receive instruction on parkour & ninja obstacles, and have some free time to apply their new skills on their favorite obstacles too. No experience necessary - any and all ability levels welcome! Tickets are $20/child. Sign up at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wood-end-school-fundraiser-tickets-96995994631

Reading Pop Warner

Reading Pop Warner has an upcoming information session this Thursday, March 5th. Come hear about our new programming. Students entering Grades 6-8 are invited to attend from 7:00-8:30 PM at Parker Middle School.

Musical bingo is fast approaching - now only 2 weeks away! Our committee and team of volunteers have been working hard to make the night a big success. As we head into the final weeks, here’s what you can do to help support:

Buy your tickets today!

• Don’t miss out — the deadline to order tickets is this Friday, March 6th
• To purchase tickets or pre-order raffle tickets, return the order form(s) sent home via backpack mail or visit https://wood-end-elementary-pto-inc.square.site
• Tickets are $35 ($36 online) per person, which includes one bingo card for each game (2 in total)

Support your grade-level baskets for silent auction.

• Thank you to the many families who have generously donated to our themed grade-level baskets for the night’s silent auction.
• If you haven’t yet donated but would like to do so, please reach out to your room parents for details on how you can help.
• Please remember, there is no obligation to participate and we welcome and appreciate donations both big and small.

Order your food from Anoush’ella and support Wood End!

• Anoush’ella will offer free delivery service to the Wakefield Elks for anyone interested in ordering appetizers or dinner for their table.
• What’s more - Anoush’ella will generously donate 25% of its proceeds from each order back to Wood End.
• To place an order, email Alex at a@anoushella.com by Thursday, March 12th and mention Wood End’s musical bingo night.
• You will receive an email confirmation with the total amount due at time of delivery. Cash or check accepted only.

Looking to Volunteer?

• Stay tuned for the Sign-Up Genius with lots of volunteer opportunities to choose from.
• Our spring fundraiser is only made possible through the help and support of our wonderful families! Please consider helping for a 30-minute block before, during or after the event.
• A full list of musical bingo volunteer opportunities will be shared via Sign-Up Genius shortly.

The planning for the end-of-year activities for our 5th grade students is well underway. Students have selected a theme for the party which takes place immediately following the "Moving On" ceremony. Mark your calendars - the festivities will take place on Thursday, June 11th beginning at 6:00 p.m. More information will be coming soon, but if you are interested in helping, please reach out to committee chairs Sarah Bhuta, Alexis Eliopoulos O'Mara and Caitlin Koehler.

The Reading Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) encourages you to attend the following upcoming events:

• Thursday, March 5th, 7 PM, Parent Social at Biltmore & Main.
  
• Tuesday, March 10th, 7 PM, business meeting at the RMHS Schettini Library Media Center. Dr. Doherty and Dr. Stys will be in attendance to provide updates and ask for input. As always, there will be time for public comment. Agenda forthcoming.
• Wednesday, April 1st 10AM daytime SEPAC business meeting in the Reading PUBLIC Library conference room. Family-friendly engagement opportunity for parents and caregivers who cannot attend evening meetings. Agenda forthcoming.

Visit SEPAC's website and follow SEPAC on Facebook for more information!

If you or someone you know is struggling to provide nutritious meals for the family, Project Bread can help. This is the only comprehensive statewide information and referral service in Massachusetts for people facing hunger. They can connect you to SNAP benefits and food resources in your local community, and help you navigate the application process. They also provide referrals to other programs such as WIC, school meals, housing, and utility assistance. For more information, call 1-800-645-8333 Monday through Friday, 8AM-7PM, and Saturday, 10AM-2PM.

The curriculum guides for K-5 Reading, Writing, Science and Mathematics are available for the community's information and feedback. These guides provide an overview of the curriculum being taught in our elementary schools. The purpose of these documents is to ensure horizontal and vertical alignment of the MA Curriculum Frameworks within each area of our curriculum. The goal in sharing the guides with the greater Reading community is to provide consistent information about our curriculum practices and an overview of grade-level expectations based on the state frameworks. Please take a moment to review them here so you can stay informed.

The Town of Reading contracts with William James College to offer a special service for our residents. The William James INTERFACE Referral Service maintains a mental health and wellness referral help line Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, at 888-244-6843 (toll free). This is a free, confidential referral service for individuals across the lifespan living in Reading. Callers are matched with licensed mental health providers from our extensive database. Each referral meets the location, insurance, and specialty needs of the caller. Click here to learn more!

March

2 - Read Across America begins! UD presents to Ms. Raffa's class (Physical Disabilities); School Council Meeting, 3:15-4:15 PM

3 - UD presents to Mrs. Foresman's class (Physical Disabilities); PTO Meeting begins at 6:00 PM

4 - Grandparents' Day!

6 - Author Sarah Lynne Reul visits with K-5 students

9 - Kindergarten Enrichment, Discovery Museum; UD presents to Ms. Ockerbloom's class (Physical Disabilities)

12 - Grade 4 Field Trip to BSO

13 - Term 2 report cards; PTO Musical Bingo, Wakefield Elks, 7PM

20 - In-Service Day for Staff (no school for students)

For your information and planning purposes, below are the dates that have been set for the Spring MCAS sessions in Grades 3-5:

Grade 3

Monday, April 6 - ELA Session 1

Tuesday, April 7 - ELA Session 2

Monday, May 11 - Math Session 1

Tuesday, May 12 - Math Session 2

Grade 4

Thursday, April 2 - ELA-Session 1

Friday, April 3 - ELA-Session 2

Thursday, May 7 - Math Session 1

Friday, May 8 - Math Session 2

Grade 5

Monday, March 30 - ELA-Session 1

Tuesday, March 31 - ELA-Session 2

Thursday, April 30 - Math Session 1

Friday, May 1 - Math Session 2

Monday, May 18 - Science Session 1

Tuesday, May 19 - Science Session 2

Wednesday, May 20 - Makeups

Thursday, May 21 - Makeups

Email: joanne.king@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
Twitter: @WoodEndSch