Mindess School Weekly Update

Dear Mindess Families,

We’ve had another wonderful week here at Mindess! Students are continuing to grow, connect, and show kindness each day.

A quick reminder that there is no school on Monday as we observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This holiday honors the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. It’s a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the resilience and traditions of the first inhabitants of our land and to continue learning from their enduring wisdom.

MCAS results will be mailed on October 14th—please be on the lookout for those.

At Thursday’s Safety Committee meeting, the Ashland Police Department shared important updates regarding e-bikes and scooters. Many of us were surprised to learn that, under Massachusetts law, electric scooters are not permitted on public roads, sidewalks, or bike paths unless the rider holds a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit. This was news to many, especially since these scooters are often marketed to children.

Additionally, e-bikes must have functional pedals to be considered bicycles and to be ridden legally by individuals without a license. Anything powered by gas is not legal for someone without a driver’s license.

I have spoken with students who ride electric scooters to school and made them aware of this law. After a student has been warned about having an illegal bike or scooter on school property, the police may confiscate it if it is brought back to school.

It was also discussed at the meeting that the district has received reports of students riding on the turf fields, which is prohibited. New signs have been posted to make this clear. If you see students riding unsafely in the street, please contact the Ashland Police Department.

Thank you for helping us keep all of our students safe—both in and out of school.

Finally, a little fun to end the week—today was our first “Free Seat Friday” in 5th grade! As part of a trial, students had the chance to choose their own seats for the day, and they did a great job showing responsibility and respect while enjoying this new privilege. See a photo below in the Highlights section!

Wishing you a wonderful long weekend,

Kate Altman

Principal

They scored in the top 20 in the nation for growth on speaking and writing benchmarks! Outstanding work!!!!

• No School on October 13th.
• No School on October 20th
• Conferences are October 28, 29, 30 and students will be dismissed at 10:40.

• KNO dates are scheduled and will be October 24, February 6, and May 1st. Students MUST HAVE a signed permission form from a parent/guardian in order to attend. Please see the attached flyer below with more information.

It's right around the corner with the first date being October 24th!!!!!

The other two dates are 2/6, and 5/1.

To sign your student up, you will need to fill out this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXTzlrTxPVg23zsG6uCKAQtuIZyNGO-zsULLWkrRQHutf1ZQ/viewform

To pay, please Venmo: @ashlandclockerpto

To volunteer you will need an active CORI form, please consider signing up to join in on the fun:

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/508084AA8AF2EAAFC1-59005997-copy

The Mindess nurses will continue mandatory state screenings in all grades. The screenings performed in each grade are as follows:

3rd Grade: vision, hearing
4th Grade: vision, BMI
5th Grade: vision, postural (postural to be completed in Spring 2026)

While vision and hearing screenings are required by state law, parents may choose to opt their child out of BMI and postural screenings. If you'd like to opt out of either BMI or postural screenings, please fill out this form to make the nurses aware of your decision to opt out.

Please see the letters below for more information on BMI screenings (grade 4 only):

If you have any questions, please reach out to our nurses at mes_nurses@ashland.k12.ma.us.

Don’t forget to visit ashland.k12.ma.us/Flyers where we feature announcements and events offered by organizations, clubs and teams throughout our community that serve to enrich the lives of our students, families, faculty and staff.