February 27, 2026

Dear Little School Families,

Happy last school day of February! I hope you all enjoyed your February vacation week (extended by some snow days) and that getting back into the swing of things hasn’t been too difficult.

Before break, we had a fantastic Academic Night followed by a fun Friday filled with Valentine’s parties and snow play. I am still riding that wave of greatness and so grateful for our amazing students, staff, and families.

As we head into March, things at the Little School are really picking up! We have many enrichment opportunities scheduled for our students, MCAS assessment season is almost upon us, and our teachers are excited to launch some academic “March Madness” challenges. We reviewed these challenges with students at this morning’s whole-school meeting, and the excitement to read and do math this month is contagious!

The March calendar is below and outlines many of the upcoming events. Please be sure to check the district website calendar for the most up-to-date information. Also, don’t miss the PTO section below highlighting our first cultural curiosity series event being held next week .

Looking forward to a great month ahead!

Warmly,
Julie Fahey

We want to thank families for your continued partnership in helping dismissal run smoothly each day. A quick reminder that although it may seem helpful, please do not attempt to take a child if their designated pick-up person is running late. For safety reasons, we cannot release students to anyone who is not listed and confirmed through our dismissal procedures.

All changes in dismissal plans must be communicated directly through the main office. Our staff work very hard to ensure dismissal is orderly and efficient, and our procedures are always designed with student safety at the forefront.

We truly appreciate your cooperation and support in keeping all of our students safe.

*Please note the date change to Spring Picture Day! It will now be on Monday 3/23.

Looking ahead to March, we are so excited to offer a variety of engaging learning opportunities for our students, both in school and at home! Mrs. Vant is bringing back our beloved March Madness Book Bracket, where all students will enjoy read-alouds and vote on their favorites until one champion is crowned. Mr. Tatro and Mrs. Gomez also have some music and art brackets up their sleeves that are sure to spark creativity and fun.

At home, Ms. Fleck will kick off our March Reading Challenge, encouraging students to read a set number of minutes to contribute toward a school wide goal. Can we reach 75,000 minutes?

Finally, March Madness Math calendars will be sent home and ready to begin on March 1. Students who complete 25 challenges throughout the month will earn a prize.

We are looking forward to a month full of academic fun and friendly competition! Stay tuned for more info to come!

The E. Ethel Little School PTO is excited to introduce a brand-new event series to our PTO lineup: Cultural Curiosity. This program is designed to celebrate the diversity within our school community while fostering curiosity, learning, and connection through cultural exploration.

Each year, Cultural Curiosity will spotlight a holiday or celebration from a different country or cultural tradition, offering families the opportunity to learn about meaningful customs, history, and practices represented within our community. Through food, performances, and hands-on experiences, we hope to create an engaging and inclusive space where students and families can learn from one another.

This year, we are proud to launch the series by celebrating Lunar New Year on March 5th from 6-8 PM. Attendees will enjoy food generously donated by Ginger Gourmet, a performance by the Northeastern Dragon Dancing Troupe, and highlights of other traditional elements that make this celebration so vibrant and meaningful.

Our goal is to honor and uplift the cultures represented in our school while encouraging curiosity and respect for traditions around the world. This event is free to attend, but pre-registration is required using the QR code on the flyer or by visiting Littlepto.org

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue this series in future years by highlighting a new cultural tradition each time. We warmly welcome suggestions from families interested in sharing their culture and helping shape future Cultural Curiosity events.

We look forward to celebrating, learning, and growing together as a community!

Join us on March 27th for adult music bingo from 7-11 PM. This is one of our largest fundraisers of the year. We hope to see everyone there!

March 3rd- Grade 2 Enrichment: Top Secret Kids

March 5th- Little School Lunar New Year Celebration (6-8 PM)

March 11th- PTO Meeting (7 PM- Virtual)

March 12th- Grade 4 Field Trip: Boston Symphony Orchestra

March 13th- Early Release (11:30 Dismissal, No Pre-K)

Julie Fahey, Principal

Email: jfahey@nrpsk12.org

Website: https://www.north-reading.k12.ma.us/little-elementary

Address: 7 Barberry Rd. North Reading, MA 01864

Instagram: @principalfahey