Parker Family Newsletter

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នេះជារបៀប!

នៅផ្នែកខាងស្តាំនៃព្រឹត្តិបត្រព័ត៌មាននេះមានប៊ូតុងបកប្រែ សូមចុច និងជ្រើសរើសភាសារបស់អ្នក ហើយព្រឹត្តិបត្រព័ត៌មាននឹងត្រូវបានផ្លាស់ប្តូរ!

Dear Parker Families,

What a fantastic start to the school year! We had a wonderful first two days welcoming back our 1st through 4th graders, and the halls are already buzzing with energy, excitement, and learning. We are excited to officially welcome our newest Parker Pandas as our Kindergarteners join us this coming Tuesday! Please make sure to take a few minutes each week to review this newsletter in its entirety, as it will be your best resource for staying up to date on all the important events, announcements, and activities happening around our school.

Our very first PTO meeting of the school year is on Wednesday, September 9th at 6:30 PM in the Parker Library. Joining the PTO is a wonderful way to get involved, connect with other families, and support our students and staff. We hope to see you there!

Best,

Mr. Lutinski

Principal

General Reminders For Morning and Afternoon

• There is NO PARKING allowed on Pages Court

Morning Arrival

• All families should be using the rolling drop off method -- CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR VIDEO
• There is no parking in anything other than a designated parking spot.
• If there are no parking spots left, you must use the rolling drop off.

Afternoon Pick-Up

• If you pick up your student at the end of the day, please remember that dismissal takes places behind the school near the gym.
• There are cones outside for these first few weeks with the grade levels. Please stand in the area of the cones so that staff know what grade level your student is in for pick-up. Signs with your student's name are helpful for the first few weeks.
• To help with parking, families might consider parking at the church that is adjacent to the Parker School and walking along the access road to get to the gym. This is acceptable as long as parking is not for a prolonged period of time.

Thank you again for all of your support as we got students into school safely this first day. We encourage all students who are bus eligible to take advantage of busing.

We are looking for parents/guardians who would like to serve on the Parker Site Council for the 2026–2027 school year. Parent/Guardian representation is an important part of the council, and we would love to have members of our school community join us and share their perspectives.

Site Councils are made up of parents/guardians, educators, the school principal, and a community representative. The council works collaboratively to support the continued growth and improvement of our school.

As outlined by Massachusetts law, the Site Council works with the principal to:

• Identify the educational needs of students.
• Establish educational goals for the school that are consistent with district priorities and statewide standards.
• Review the annual school budget.
• Help develop and review the annual School Improvement Plan.

Caregiver members serve as representatives of our broader Parker community. Their perspectives, ideas, and feedback are an important part of our conversations and help ensure that caregiver voices are represented as we make decisions about the needs and priorities of our school.

I would love to have parent/guardian representation from across our Parker community on this year’s council! If you are interested in serving on the 2026–2027 Parker Site Council, please email me at mlutinski@billericak12.com and include “Parker Site Council Volunteer” in the subject line.

Important to Know:

• Meetings are held primarily on the first Monday of every month, virtually at 6:00 PM
• 2026-2027 Meeting Schedule

Thank you for considering this opportunity to become involved and help support our students and school community!

Keep up with school updates in one convenient place! Download the Parker School App from your app store to easily manage:

• Absence reports & medical notes

• Dismissal change requests

• Urgent alerts (bus delays, early release reminders, and other updates)

⚠️ Don't forget: Turn on notifications so important alerts reach you right away!

Please check your child’s GREEN homework/communication folder for two essential forms that need to be completed and returned to school as soon as possible:

• Emergency Contact Card (Half Sheet): Kept in the main office, this form lists backup contacts we can reach if parents or primary guardians are unavailable.

• Medical Form (Double-Sided): Helps our school nurse update records to ensure we have the necessary health information to keep your child safe.

Promptly returning these forms is vital for student safety and well-being. Thank you for your quick help and partnership!

Dear Parker Families,

I hope you're enjoying a wonderful and relaxing summer! As we prepare for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year, it’s time to update your child’s health records with the nurse’s office.

Required Health Documentation:

All students entering Kindergarten, Grade 3, or transferring from another school or town must submit a recent physical exam and up-to-date immunization records. The physical must be dated September 2025 or later to be valid for the start of school.

Medication at School:
If your child will require medication during school hours, we must have a signed physician’s order and parent/guardian consent. This includes medications for asthma, allergies, or any other emergency needs.

Per Billerica Public Schools policy:

• All medications must be delivered by an adult directly to the school nurse.
  

• Medications must be clearly labeled and accompanied by the appropriate forms.
  

Required Forms:
Please use the links below to access and complete the necessary documents:

• BPS Request for Medication Administration.pdf
  

• Massachusetts Asthma Action Plan.pdf
  

• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan.pdf
  

• Allergy Medication Administration Request Form.pdf

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to help ensure a safe and healthy school year for your child.

Warm regards,

Erin Burcham, BSN, RN, NCSN

eburcham@billericak12.com

Kate Inzenga, BSN, RN
kinzenga@billericak12.com

We are so excited to welcome our students and families back into our school community for another incredible year of learning, growth, and friendship. As we kick off the year, we want to warmly invite all of our fourth grade students and ACCESS and MSS students across all grade levels to consider joining our Best Buddies program!

Best Buddies creates meaningful, lasting friendships between our students and peer leaders, fostering an inclusive community where every child feels connected and celebrated. Here are a few key details about how the program will work this year:

• Fourth Grade Peer Leaders: Our fabulous 4th-grade peer leaders will be joining the events to engage, play, and build friendships with our ACCESS and MSS students.

• Fully Staffed & Supported: Events will take place after school and will be fully supported by a dedicated team of both Special Education and General Education staff members.

• First Event Date: Mark your calendars for our very first Best Buddies event on Thursday, September 24th, right after school!

Official signup forms, event details, and specific timings will be sent home shortly, but we wanted to get this date on your radar early. We are looking forward to a fantastic year filled with fun, connection, and new friendships. If you have any immediate questions about the program, please don't hesitate to reach out to any member of our team.

Kristen Ryan - klryan@billericak12.com

Jenni Graff - jgraff@billericak12.com

Liz Litwin - elitwin@billericak12.com

Julie Fraser - jfraser@billericak12.com

Lori McLaughlin - lamclaughlin@billericak12.com

All students need an active Best Buddies registration in order to participate.

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is pleased to share the MCAS Family Portal with you. This online tool lets you see your student’s MCAS test results. The MCAS Family Portal replaces paper reports that were previously mailed to families.

Preliminary MCAS results from spring 2026 are currently available. You will also see your student’s results from past years (2023–2025), if available. The Family Portal will be updated in September when final results are ready.

How to Get Started

Go to https://mcasfamilyportal.emetric.net

To create an account, you will need the following two pieces of information:

1. Your student’s date of birth.

2. Your student’s registration code. This 12 character code can be found in the family account in Aspen. Each student will have their own code.

For mobile view of Aspen: Log in to your Aspen account, click on the menu icon (the three stacked lines in the upper left hand corner) and click “Family.” The code will be listed under Demographics with the label “MCAS Registration Code.” If you have more than one child in your household, you can use the dropdown menu in the upper left hand corner to switch between students.

For desktop view of Aspen: Log in to your Aspen account, click on the “Family” top tab, and choose your student. The code will be listed under the Demographics tab with the label “MCAS Registration Code.” You will see it in the lower left hand corner. If you have more than one child in your household, you can use the forward and backward arrows in the upper right hand corner to switch between students.

Need Help?

Resources can be found at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/family-portal.

As a first time user of the MCAS Family Portal, you can view the Quick Start Guide to set up your account. Note that the Quick Start Guide states your student’s registration code can be found in a letter from the district; however, for Billerica students, the registration code can be found on Aspen as explained above.

The MCAS Family Portal Help Guide shows you step by step how to create an account; add your student to your account; and view your student’s test results.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact your school building administration.

Thank you,

Mr. Lutinski

Monday, September 7 -- No School -- Labor Day

Tuesday, September 8 -- 1st Day of Kindergarten

Wednesday, September 9 -- PTO Meeting in Library @ 6:30 PM

Wednesday, September 9 -- Preschool Orientation

Thursday, September 10 -- 1st Day of Project Support Preschool

Thursday, September 17 -- Back to School Night (6:00 - 8:00 PM)

Wednesday, September 30 -- Early Release -- Dismissal @ 12:40 PM

Monday, October 12 -- No School

Tuesday, October 13 -- School Picture Day

Wednesday, October 14t -- PTO Meeting in Library @ 6:30 pm

Monday, October 26 - Friday, October 30 -- Book Fair

Thursday, October 29 -- Early Release -- Parent Teacher Conferences

Parker Elementary School

Principal: Mr. Matt Lutinski

Asst. Principal: Ms. Katie Cochran

Special Education Coordinator: Ms. Kristen Ryan

Main Office: Ms. Judy Butler, 978-528-8610

Attendance: 978-528-8610

Nurse: 978-528-8620
Website: https://www.billericak12.com/schools/parker-elementary
Location: 52 River Street, Billerica, MA 01821