Wood End Wildcat News

We are beyond excited to welcome our Wildcats back to school in just a few days. We are counting down the days to the first day of school and can't wait until our halls are filled with smiles, laughter and the positive energy our Wildcats bring to our school. It will be a year of adventure, learning and fun!

To DO:

In order for us to ensure your child gets dismissed safely, please complete this Form to indicate how your child will get home from school each day. Return the completed form to Lisa Finigan at lisa.finigan@reading.k12.ma.us. Please complete a form for EACH child. ** Form also linked in the button Below.**
Complete the PORTAL Permissions (more information below in the Plus Portals section)

Dismissal Form

All new families, including all our incoming kindergarten families, are invited to attend an informal meet & greet, Popsicles on the Playground on Monday, August 25 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. on the upper playground.

This is an opportunity to meet families and classmates, ask questions, and enjoy a summer treat as we welcome you to the Wood End community. All new families are welcome and siblings are encouraged to join us! We hope to see you there!

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

ARRIVAL on a Typical Day: OUTDOOR LINE UP

Students will line up in their designated spots behind the cone with their teacher's name. Students will enter the building at 8:10.

Grade K-5: Front of the building behind the cone with their teacher's name

ARRIVAL during Inclement Weather: Students can gather under the front awning. At 8:10 students will enter the building.

Grades K and 1: Through Door 13
Grades 2 through 5: Will enter through the front door and into the gym. Students will line up behind the cone with their teacher's name and wait for their teacher to come down to escort them to classrooms.

Follow these guidelines if you are participating in rolling car drop-off of a child at the front of the building:

Pull up as far as you can in the driveway prior to letting your child exit the car.
Drivers STAY IN THE CARE and children exit on the sidewalk side of the car.
If your child is unable to get out of the car independently, please park in a street parking space and walk them in.
Do not pass cars in the driveway.
Students will find their class line up after getting out of the car.

DISMISSAL

Placard Pick Up: FAQ below

Please be sure you have your family placard easily visible on the RIGHT SIDE of your vehicle.
PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLES

Caregiver Pick Up at door:

Kindergarten: Front of the building- Door 13
First Grade: Front right of the building- Door 12
Grades 2 and 3: Door 6 by the upper playground
Grades 4 and 5: Main Entrance

As a safety reminder, the staff parking lot is for staff only. We respectfully ask that caregivers park along the streets if not using PLACARD pick up.

Dogs and Puppies on School Grounds

As much as we all love dogs and puppies and as much fun as it is walking them, School Committee policy prohibits dogs on school grounds. If you'd like to walk your dog as part of your pick up routine, the dog has to stay off school property. If you'd like your child to walk to you on the sidewalk or to the driveway entrances at dismissal so you can wait with your dog, please make that plan with them.

School Hours Full day K-5:

Monday -Thursday: 8:15 - 2:45
Friday: 8:15 - 12:45

Arrival/Drop Off Procedures

Wood End Placard FAQ

As a parent guardian of a child in the Reading Public Schools, you have access to the Parent PlusPortal. The Portal will be used throughout your child’s academic career as it is where you update your child’s emergency contact information, view report cards, and beyond elementary school, see your child’s grades in real time. It also acts as a communication portal between you and your child’s teacher where oftentimes, different academic links, notes, or activities are shared.

If you are a returning parent, your account is still active. If you are new parent guardian and have not received access, please reach out to our school administrative assistant, Lisa Finigan (lisa.finigan@reading.k12.ma.us). At that point, you will receive a separate email with your PlusPortal login information. The subject line of the email is Important! Wood End PlusPortals login. This is a confidential portal that is linked to your email account. You have 48 hours to activate your Portal account using the temporary password supplied through the email. Once you login, you can update the password and personal information.

TO DO: Complete the Plus Portal permission forms

DIRECTIONS FOR COMPLETING PLUS PORTAL PERMISSIONS

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!

School Medical Policies

Medication Administration Form

PTO General Meeting Schedule

September 17 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
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)

Introducing Our Wood End PTO Board

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 .

LATEST NEWS FROM SEPAC

Latest Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Update

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

Reading Public Schools is a METCO District

METCO unites suburban towns with Boston to engage in a reciprocal learning partnership in support of all students. Because of this, every child who attends school in Reading Public Schools is a METCO student and every parent or guardian who has a student in RPS is a part of the METCO community.

"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."

Upcoming Events:

August

25: Popsicles on the Playground for New Families (3-4 pm)

27: First day of school for students Grades 1-5

27-28: Pre K and K Orientation

29: No School

September

1: No school, Labor Day

2: First day of school for RISE Preschool & Kindergarten

5: Family Pizza Field Night from 5-7 pm on the lower playground/field

11: Elementary Open Houses in Evening (details to follow as the date approaches)

15: Picture Day

15: PTO Dues Kick Off

17: PTO meeting

22: Rosh Hashanah

October

1: Yom Kippur

13: Columbus Day; No School

14: Professional Day; No School for students

24: PTO Sponsored Halloween Event 6-8

31: Halloween

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

Interested in learning more about the equity and social justice work taking place in Reading and around the area? Dr. Chatterjee, Director for Equity and Social Justice at the Reading Public Library, is going to be releasing a monthly newsletter from the Department of Equity and Social Justice (with help from PAIR) called Reading Rhythm. She’s taking signups now: https://www.smore.com/f85sv-reading-rhythm

LIBRARY RESOURCES

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.