Family Newsletter

Dear Parker Elementary School Families,

We hope you're having a wonderful weekend! We have two important reminders for you concerning next week's schedule and dismissal procedures.

First, please remember that Wednesday, October 1st, is an Early Release Day. Dismissal will take place at 12:40 PM. Please ensure you have made the necessary arrangements for your student's pickup or that you plan to meet the bus at the earlier time.

Second, a reminder for all of our bus families with students in grades K-4: Per school district policy, an adult must be visibly present at the bus stop to receive all elementary school students (K-4). If a driver does not see a visible adult for a student in this age group, they are strictly instructed to bring the student back to the school for safety. This policy is in place to ensure the absolute safety of all our youngest students, and we appreciate your support and cooperation in following this rule.

Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and for your support in ensuring smooth dismissal procedures!

Best,

Matt Lutinski

Principal, Parker Elementary School

Parker School Procedures

Elementary School Handbook

September Lunch Menu

October Lunch Menu

We are thrilled to welcome award-winning author Maureen Harrington for a special visit to Parker on 10/21! She will be sharing her award-winning book Ivy the Very Determined Dog and their new book Ivy and her Rose Bud. Best of all, Ivy the real dog from the book will be joining to meet students!

ORDER Your PAWtographed Copy: Books are discounted to $15 (retail price $18.95) and will be

signed by Ivy and author. Books will be delivered at school the day of the visit. Please fill out and return the form below by October 16th along with exact cash or a check made out to Bromfield Press LLC.

We want to thank our Parker PTO for co-sponsoring this event for our students and also our friends at the Dutile for their recommendation of this program for our students.

Pre-Order PAWtographed Copy of Ivy the Very Determined Dog

Next Monday, October 6th, is World Day of Bullying Prevention, and Parker School is supporting by wearing BLUE!

We encourage all students and staff to wear blue to show our support for this important initiative.

Students who bring cellphones or smartwatches to school are required to keep them powered off and stored in their backpacks at all times. The following language, taken directly from the elementary handbook available on the District and Parker School websites, outlines the official policy: Cellphones, smart watches, or any other electronic communication devices are not permitted to be used during the school day or on the buses. Students who bring cellphones to school must keep them off and in their backpacks. Cellphones that are taken out of backpacks can be confiscated and released only to parents. The school is not responsible for the loss of electronic devices and/or cellphones.

These devices during the school day create unneccasry distractions in the learning environment so we ask for your support with this.

Dear Families,

As we enter the season when illnesses such as strep throat , stomach bug, cold symptoms, and allergies become more common . Sometimes these are unavoidable but there are several things that can be done to help prevent illness and keep everyone healthy.

The best defense against any illness is consistent hand washing! We encourage you to remind your child to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before meals, and after using the bathroom. A fun and effective way to ensure they wash long enough is to have them sing the ABC’s or the Happy Birthday song while scrubbing. In addition, getting plenty of rest, drinking lots of fluids, eating a balanced diet, and dressing in layers appropriately for fluctuating weather (i.e. sweatshirts, long sleeves shirts and light jackets) can all help prevent illness.

Despite our best efforts, illnesses do still occur. Cold symptoms are best relieved with rest and fluids and may last up to 10 days. If symptoms persist longer than 3 days, we recommend consulting with your child's doctor.

When should your child stay home?Please keep your child home if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:

A fever 100 degrees or higher. Your child should remain home until their temperature is normal for a full 24 hours without the use of medication.
Vomiting or Diarrhea. Your child must not have vomited or had loose watery stools in the last 24 hours and should be tolerating food and liquids prior to returning to school.
Any unexplained rash accompanied by fever
Strep throat or any other condition requiring antibiotics. Your child must be on antibiotics for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
Any redness in eye with drainage and pain
Frequent cough making it difficult for them to sleep
If your child requires medication (i.e tylenol,motrin or any OTC cough medicine) they should stay home.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s health and symptoms please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your child’s well being is our top priority and we appreciate your cooperation in helping keep our school community healthy.

Erin Burcham RN, BSN, NCSN

Kate Inzenga RN, BSN

Parker School Nurse

978-528-8620

eburcham@billericak12.com

We know how important it is for our students to get home safely, and we appreciate your help in making sure our dismissal process is as smooth as possible. If you need to make a dismissal change for your child, please note the following:

Email both the classroom teacher and the main office, including Ms. Judy Butler (jbutler@billericak12.com), with any changes. While platforms like ClassDojo are great for daily communication, it's crucial that dismissal changes are also sent directly to the office. This ensures everyone who needs to know is aware of the change.
Use the Parker School App for the most efficient notification. If you submit your dismissal change through the app (links to download are below), it automatically sends a notification to both your child's teacher and Ms. Butler, streamlining the process for everyone.

Thank you for helping us ensure a safe and organized dismissal for all our students.

Sign Up to Volunteer

The Parker PTO needs your help! We're looking for candy donations for our upcoming events, Trunk or Treat.

Please drop off your candy donations at the main office or send them in with your student. Thank you for your support!

The online school store is still open, so now's your chance to grab your official Parker gear! We have everything from hoodies to t-shits, so you can show your school spirit in style.

The store is only open until September 29th, so be sure to place your order before it's too late. Don't miss out!

We're excited to announce the date for our upcoming Craft Fair and Holiday Shop! Join us on Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, for a fun-filled day of community and seasonal shopping.

This is the perfect opportunity to find one-of-a-kind gifts from our talented craft vendors. We'll also have a variety of delicious options available from the Queen Bee Coffee Truck and the What the Fork Food Truck, plus a chance to win great prizes at the Raffle Table.

Important Change: Introducing the "Kids Only" Holiday Shop

Please note that our traditional student holiday shop during the school day will now be combined with the Craft Fair.

To give our students a special shopping experience, we are setting up a dedicated "Kids Only" Holiday Shop in the library. Students can shop for family gifts and purchase 5 items for a flat rate of $20.

We look forward to seeing you there!