Lowell News

January 12, 2024

Save the Date Monday, January 29th 6:30-7:30 PM

Promoting Positive Social Skills

Helping Kids Navigate Friendships, Screen Time and Good Mental Health

Virual Event

Dr. Elizabeth Englander, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) at Bridgewater State University, will be speaking to parents/caregivers about social relationships as they've changed during the last few years (bullying, social skills), screen/digital use (in kids of all ages), and how to help kids be more resilient emotionally and socially and develop better peer relationships, including how to handle bullying and cyberbullying. She will also address how to work with your child’s school if your child is being bullied, and strategies that only parents and families can use (e.g., spending time together, how to discuss tech rules with your kids, how to spot anxiety and depression).

Zoom link will be provided next week.

This Event is Funded by a Community Grant through WCF

Watertown Community Foundation

watertownfoundation.org

Update from SEPAC

Jan 30th, 2024 Bullying Training

Jan 30th, 2024 Bullying Training - What Parents need to know. (Presented by the FCSN) by Watertown SEPAC | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, nonprofits, businesses and more

smore.com

CultureFest is Tuesday, January 23rd from 6 - 7:30 PM

CultureFest

CultureFest - A Celebration of Diversity and Community! by stacy phelan | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, nonprofits, businesses and more

smore.com

Literacy Update from Deb Opar, Literacy Coordinator k-7

Our literacy pilots continue in Grades 1 & 4! As of this week, first and fourth-grade classroom, special ed, and English as a Second Language teachers across the three elementary schools have begun teaching a unit from the second pilot curriculum: Wit & Wisdom. These are high quality instructional materials, curated by the Massachusetts Department of Education. The current units include:

In grade 1, a thematic unit entitled “Creature Features”.
In grade 4, a unit titled, “Extreme Settings.” These modules will take place during the Reading and Writing blocks on the student's schedule.

Participating teachers continue to engage in ongoing professional development with the curriculum company and our instructional coaches. This information will help us to make the very best decision about which program we will adopt and begin implementing across the elementary schools in the 2024-2025 school year.

2024 February Vacation Week Program Registration Opens on Tuesday, January 16th

Online registration for Watertown Community Education's 2024 February Vacation Program - Myths & Legends Week, being held at the Hosmer Elementary School, opens at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 16th! Spaces are limited, please register early. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Click the link to the 2024 February Vacation Week Program Smore Flyer for full details including cost, dates, daily sub-themes, and to access the online Google Form registration link https://www.smore.com/x8j1sf.

Please reach out to Debi Cornelius at debora.cornelius@watertown.k12.ma.us and Jeff Bodner at jeffrey.bodner@watertown.k12.ma.us with any questions regarding the 2024 February Vacation Program.